Acknowledging the condition is the first step — the earlier the better
I always blamed my lactose intolerance for not being able to eat pizzas. And when I felt uncomfortable after eating waffles, I thought it was too much of the refined flour. I was baffled when I was unwell after a nutritious meal of roti and vegetables; I decided it must have been the spinach. I continued playing guessing games with what I ate till last year when I was going a series of transitions — hormonal changes, career shift from job to entrepreneurship and an empty-nest at home. Multiple stresses had taken their toll and perforce I had to take a pause and focus on my wellness.
I was finally forced acknowledge my intolerance to whole wheat and, as I gradually realised, gluten. To me, gluten-intolerance was an esoteric condition that happened in Western countries. None of my acquaintances had it and it never came up in any discussion. Even today, when I go to parties, people often react as if I have adopted the latest health fad, not realising that my diet restriction is out of compulsion.
Since then, I have discovered that gluten-intolerance is far more pervasive than I had initially thought. Sometime people do not recognize the symptoms like my cousin who just underwent a painful medical procedure. She had ignored her symptoms of acidity and indigestion and finally went to the Doctor when she had acute stomach pain. Doctors diagnosed gluten-intolerance but not before painful medical procedures and an extensive medical treatment lasting a few months.
I realize that there may be a lot of people in India, who are not familiar with gluten intolerance or other food sensitivities. Women are especially vulnerable and often suffer from bloating, excessive fatigue and low energy and put it down to hormonal cycles…when it could actually be the diet.
I went through this phase myself before I took responsibility for how my body feels and (consequently) how good I feel. I have now settled into a diet that is tasty, manages my calories and leaves me far more energized than I used to be. But it took me a while to get to this stage. Research on the net helped but what was most important was listening to my gut. There were days when I went gluten free but still felt uncomfortable. I learned to understand and respect what my body was saying. It was an extensive trial and error but I now love the feel of a clean stomach, which you will get when you eat right.
Recognising the symptoms early can prevent serious aggravation
My earliest symptom was bloating which I dismissed thinking it was part of my cycle; except that it had become a constant in my life making even walking difficult. Feeling low on energy and a persistent fatigue were not the best attributes I needed as an entrepreneur — I realized later it is because my body was using up energy to deal with food that it could not digest. I used to often feel full, uncomfortable and sluggish. Flatulence, acidity, diarrhea and constipation are the other symptoms that are easy to overlook, easily attributable to something you ate the other day. Unexplained stomach pains mean that you should consult the doctor now.
TIP #1: Acting proactively can prevent a serious medical condition, thus obviating painful diagnostic procedures and strong medication.
Food energizes, nourishes, repairs and maintains our body and soul
In Bengal where I come from, it is a common joke that everyone has digestion problems and it is customary for antacids and digestives to be part of daily meals. Well that is not true at all, so if you have been popping in those antacids on a daily basis, it is time that you considered what you are putting into your body. Good food is not only the most important element in overall health management but also essential to keep you happy. For instance, I need my dark chocolate cookie with my coffee — the only difference is that now I choose a gluten free option.
Navigating the gluten-free journey is not easy
Gluten intolerance is often an absolute condition and even a little bit can irritate your intestine. Once you know that you have gluten intolerance, it is best to completely eliminate it from your diet. When you are better, re-introduce some foods gradually and always in small quantities and see how your body reacts.
It gets tricky as you may also have secondary intolerance to other foods. Therefore it is not a straightforward negative list. In my case, I realized that I had unconsciously moved to a low FODMAP diet. [FODMAP is the acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols found in foods such as fructose, dairy, legumes]. For instance, I now restrict my fruits to berries and bananas. My favorite Alphonso mangoes are not worth the irritation that they cause the gut. Similarly, apples are acidic and exacerbate the irritation.
A lot of this I derived through trial and error, noticing how my stomach reacted after every meal and trying to connect the reaction to the food that I ate.
TIP #2: Learn to listen to your body and respect what it says.
My food journey — a few negatives and some maybes
a) Just say NO!
Food item : Wheat (atta), flour (maida), rye, barley, semolina, durum, malt, bulgur, couscous
Meals can no longer include sandwiches, rotis, parathas, puris. Biscuits, pakodas, breaded snacks, samosas, chaat, waffles, pancakes and those heavenly pastries and cakes are no longer permissible. Noodles, the soya sauce or soups that include wheat for thickening and the crispy chicken are definitely not gluten free.
Oats and quinoa exhibit properties similar to gluten. Exercise caution
b) You may also have secondary sensitivities to
Lactose: in which case, milk, cheese and even yoghurt.
Doctors encourage yogurt but even the Greek and lactose free variants did not agree with me, A lot of Indian foods use yogurt or cream for marinating or cooking. So ask for specific ingredients while ordering food in an Indian restaurant
Be careful of salad dressings as these may contain yoghurt, wheat or flour for thickening. Stick to lime and oil dressing
Lectins: impacts people susceptible to auto-immune diseases and inflammation. Common culprits: Pulses (dal), red kidney beans, soybeans, chickpeas and tomatoes
Fructose and Sugar Alcohols: Fruits like mangoes, peaches, watermelons, apples, sweetened syrups, fruit juices
Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, beans, Brussels sprouts
Forced to look for alternatives, I was pleasantly surprised
My breakfast had got deprived of bread, oats, chapatis, parathas. I started eating poha made of red rice. Both red and brown rice help increase satiety and add fibre to your diet. I add some peanuts with the poha and combine it with scrambled egg whites. That gives me a great start to the day and I really enjoy my breakfast enough to not get bored eating it every day.
TIP #3: While buying poha from the market, buy red rice poha and not red poha (which is nothing but normal poha with red color).
Since I was avoiding wheat, friends advised me have a daily spoonful of isabgol (psyllium husk). This innocuous fiber helped me in the beginning but then became an irritant to my system. I discovered millets (bajra, jowar, nachni). Fiber-rich, they also make excellent and crispy rotis.
TIP #4: I have replaced my white basmati rice with red rice; I find that my stomach does not feel distended as it used to.
I restrict my fruits to berries of all kind, including the Indian gooseberry (amla) and bananas. I indulge in dark chocolate gluten free dark cocoa desserts.
TIP #5: Check for ingredients on keto desserts as they might include heavy cream which you may be sensitive to
I added more vegetables to my diet. However, my digestive system remained sensitive for some time — during this time I avoided foods like cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflowers, cabbage, broccoli that are difficult to digest. I gradually re-introduced some of these foods, in moderation but always stayed in tune with my body to understand how it was reacting to what I was eating.
TIP #6: Do not replace the gap caused by lower carbs with meat, chicken etc. That will put added pressure on your system.
Does gluten free mean healthy?
Gluten-free breads are often made of starch derived from rice, potatoes, tapioca. Some desserts are made with almond flour. So gluten-free does not necessarily mean healthy or lesser calories. But what matters is how you feel after your meals.
How do I feel?
After six to eight months of adopting my diet, I feel lighter and more energised, because my body is absorbing the nutrients from the foods that I am eating. I had given up all desserts but that just made me unhappy. I now allow myself my necessary indulgences and I have still lost 8 kgs. Sure the pace is very slow but I know that this weight loss is sustainable and I am not going to be putting this weight back.
So, go ahead, start listening to what your gut is saying and if you have gluten-intolerance, you know that there are numerous, equally tasty alternatives available.
