I looked at my Celiac Disease Diagnosis as a prescription for health. Control of my health was now in my hands and I had a solution I could personally manage to live a healthier life, which is in my mind better than taking any medication. Now, this doesn’t mean that I don’t bitch and moan sometimes about being gluten free (especially when hangry) but it does mean I try to focus on the positive aspects of this restricted life style. Obviously my health improved: I grew back hair, I gained energy, my depression and anxiety decreased, I could focus, and I could keep food down for the first time in years. Many of us who go gluten free for medical reasons experience these health improvements, but there are many other ways your quality of life can be improved. Here are just 5 not so obvious ways your life can become better when you go gluten free:

1. Appreciation for the little things becomes common practice: When where to get your next meal is a major question sometimes you come to appreciate the little things, such as more than one gluten free item on a menu at a new restaurant. If you put some thought into it this appreciation can extend well beyond your eating habits, and into other aspects of life (such as genuinely appreciating the sound of song birds walking you up in the morning. I find myself truly appreciating things more now than before my diagnosis, as I’ve been forced to slow down and really look at my life.

2. You form a better relationship with food: This way of eating obviously tests our relationship with food but all that reading labels, asking questions, doing research, and taste testing really enhances our relationship with what we eat over all. You come to know your food; not just whats in it but where it comes from, how its made, the pros and cons of it, and so much more. I’ve come to learn about, see, taste, and make so many foods that I probably wouldn’t have encountered had I not gone gluten free. And as an added bonus, I have a relationship with the people and companies that make those foods!

3. Patience is a must: Whether you are waiting until your next meal because your in an environment where there is nothing you can eat or your calmly trying not to punch your naive new friend in the face because they told you that you can ‘eat the turkey off the bread and be fine’, patience becomes key when you lead a gluten free life. As a result this dissipates into other areas of your life, and you can become magically capable of tolerating or waiting more than the average person. This is a great quality to have!

4. Your capacity for empathy and understanding grows: Your new found mandated diet changes your life extensively, and whether or not others want to admit it this is a pretty serious life change. This experience can lead you to have an improved ability to relate with others that are faced with challenges in life, regardless of the area of life it impacts. You also come to learn that there is almost always a reason behind other’s actions, even if they don’t want to share, which can make you more understanding.

5.  You now have a litmus test for assessing people’s personalities: I’m all for not wasting my time, and while it may seem abrupt to put it this way you now have a topic that can easily show you people’s true colors. The way someone responds to anything different really shows you quickly who they are. If someone reacts to mention of your dietary needs with a rude comment you can cut the bullshit quick and consider whether they are worth more of your time. That leaves you surrounded by people that can only improve your life, usually.    

In many ways going gluten free made my life better, and made me a better person. It’s been a major part of making me a positive social worker, and has helped me lead a more healthy life physically and mentally than I was prior. I can only hope that other’s out there can see the positives in this lifestyle beyond their health. How has needing to go gluten free improved your life?