Living Without Gluten or Dairy

Years ago, I completely changed my diet. I became gluten- free and dairy-free.

I know-sounds dreadful. But the funny thing is, it has changed my life.

Why, you ask? Well, I noticed that every time I ate something with wheat or dairy in it, I wouldn't feel right. Be it gas and bloating, lightheadedness and/or tiredness, I always had a symptom that would appear within an hour or so of eating either gluten and/or dairy.

I'm no stranger to digestive issues. I had issues as a child, but back then my parents would never have thought I had food allergies, let alone take me to the doctor to test for them. When I went back to school to become a Nutritionist, I did everything I could to heal my gut, including cleanses, taking probiotics and various supplements. It helped me a lot at the time, but after I had kids, I fell off the bandwagon and ate anything I wanted to, including foods that didn't make me feel very well, such as wheat and dairy.

Then about five months ago, I was speaking with Lisa Tsakos (Naturally Savvy's Nutritionist) and I was telling her about my symptoms. She told me that I should try to go off wheat (gluten specifically) and dairy for a few weeks to see if I notice a difference. So I listened to her and from that day on, I eliminated both gluten and dairy from my diet.

I felt a difference pretty early on; within the first few days. The gas and bloating was reduced to a minimum and I didn't have that "cloudy" feeling in my head anymore after eating a sandwich for lunch. To confirm my sensitivity, I went to my Holistic Practitioner for muscle testing. She went through the list of foods I ate on a regular basis and, as I thought, many of my favorite foods (such as bread, yogurt, and high fiber crackers) didn't agree with me.

So I emailed NaturallySavvy.com's digestive care expert, Caroline Farquhar, and she put me on a strict regimen to heal my intestinal tract. She told me that my "villi"-the hairlike fingers in our gut that helps us us absorb nutrients-were irritated and therefore I wasn't properly absorbing the nutrients from the food I ate. She sent me Intesti-NEW and heavy duty Probiotics from Renew Life (the company she works for) and told me to take it every morning on an empty stomach. She also told me to take the probiotics after a meal (so my stomach acids won't interfere with the absoption).

I listened to her and I'm happy to report that five months later, I feel great. I know it will take time to heal my colon, but I'm willing to be patient. I figure if giving it a little bit of extra care will enable me to enjoy some of my favorite foods later on, I have nothing to lose.

For the most part I don't feel deprived, but there are times when I crave a slice of pizza or a thick organic turkey sandwich with brie (I'm human, after all). But because I know I'm doing this for a reason, I don't let it get me down. In fact, I look at it as a positive challenge.

I am always on the look out for great tasting gluten-free and dairy-free products. I've learned how to bake gluten- free cakes, cookies, and muffins. I even experimented with making a gluten free bread. Carol Fenster, a renowned gluten-free cook, has even sent me several of her gluten-free recipe books to experiment with, which I do on a regular basis.

Luckily for me and all of you gluten free and dairy free avoiders, Naturally Savvy has its very own Naturally Savvy Chefs-Lisa Odegard, Claire Fountain, and Shannon Leone-to provide us with delicious, easy to make, gluten- free and dairy-free recipes. Thanks, ladies!

For all of you who are in the same boat as I am, I've decided to moderate a gluten-free and dairy-free forum. Visit me there so we can stay in touch.

Happy gluten-free and dairy-free eating!

Andrea Donsky is the co-founder of NaturallySavvy.com - a website dedicated to educating people on the benefits