Gluten–Free
What is Gluten?
Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, oats, and rye. Simply put, gluten is a protein that binds the grain together. Oats, however, are gluten free by nature, but often they are harvested alongside wheat and are therefore contaminated (this is the case for most oat products). Gluten free oats are available in stores.
Over time people have become more and more sensitive to gluten because of how much glutenous products have been genetically modified. Companies strive to produce more products at a cheaper cost and in order to do so the ingredients have been drastically altered. Wheat is nothing like it used to be. Our bodies are not used to this sort of grain. Some people show more outward symptoms than others and seem to be more sensitive to it. Therefore, it is best to remove this from one’s diet.
You need to follow a gluten-free diet, now what?
First: Breathe.
Though you may be overwhelmed at first, be comforted by the fact that many other people are in the same boat as you and have overcome the struggles just as you will. Now, there are plenty of resources available to help get you on track. Take some time to check out a few listed below for information and inspiration.