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That’s the feeling I return to every time I reflect on my healing journey. I am thankful to the Universe for guiding me toward recovery and better health, even amid overwhelming challenges.
Before my rare diagnosis, I never gave much thought to what gluten-free meant.
I ate what I liked, choosing fresh, homemade meals full of Indian flavors—wheat, bread, pulses, cereals, and vegetables.
In 2016, when I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Isaacs’ Syndrome. Isaacs’ is a neuromuscular health condition that stems from muscle hyperactivity. In the process, I also discovered that I had Lyme disease. Lyme is a bacterial illness transmitted through ticks.
Glaucoma also accompanied me. Glaucoma is an eye-related disease that damages the optic nerves. And Membranous Glomerulonephritis is a progressive kidney disease. I faced tremendous issues with my gut, stomach acid, and digestive enzymes. During my journey, I also developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Diabetes. Besides Frozen Shoulder, Eczema, and high Blood Pressure.
The Impact on My Body
I went through immense discomfort. My body suffered from alien symptoms related to Neurology, Gastroenterology, and Ophthalmology. It began to change in ways I couldn’t understand. I experienced:
- Muscle stiffness, weakness, and twitching
- Constant pain and fatigue
- Digestive issues like diarrhea, indigestion, and bloating
- complications related to my alimentary canal
- Difficulty walking or sitting
- Mood swings and significant weight loss
Diagnosing and treating these overlapping symptoms proved incredibly difficult for doctors. There is still no known cure for Isaacs’ Syndrome, and very limited research is available.
The purpose of this post is to share my experience and insights on how a gluten-free diet has positively impacted my health.
At times, individuals with certain medical conditions need to avoid this protein type. Also, the reaction may differ in severity depending on the health condition.
Turning Point: The Gluten-Free Experiment
Amid this uncertainty, one recommendation stood out: Try a gluten-free diet. Although not backed by strong scientific evidence for Isaacs’, my doctors suggested it could help manage my autoimmune symptoms.
It was a trial-and-error approach, but it worked for me.
Understanding a Gluten-Free Diet
My journey became about understanding my limitations in almost every sphere of life… It was then that my doctors recommended going Gluten-Free as a management tool for my symptoms.
A gluten-free diet is a way to eat that excludes gluten.
Gluten is a protein found in barley, wheat, and rye. Typically, going gluten-free means avoiding traditional breads, cereals, baked goods, and processed foods. These might contain hidden gluten.
Today, many healthy people choose this diet for potential health and lifestyle reasons. However, it is always recommended to balance a gluten-free diet to avoid nutritional gaps.
The world of what and how we eat is extremely mysterious
I am raised in India, a country known for its diversity. Among others, diversities also includes dietary practices.
I always preferred natural and refined food which was cooked daily. Most of my meals included a combination of pulses, cereals, vegetables, and spices. I was fond of wheat and breads.
My body didn’t have much complains in the pre-diagnosis days. However, the similar routine, which was once considered normal, disturbed me post-diagnosis.
I was asked to avoid the following foods that contain Gluten:
- Processed foods
- Grains with gluten, like Barley, Wheat, and Rye
- Wheat-based products
- Sauces
- Canned Soups
- Breaded foods
- Alcohol made from wheat or barley
- Check labels before consuming foods like: Snacks, Oats, Supplements
Instead, I embraced foods like:
- Rice
- Corn
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Dairy
- Nuts
- Gluten-free breads
- Amaranth
- Sago
- Millets like Ragi, Jowar, Pearl Millet
- Besan Chilla
- Upma
- Poha
I was advised to check ingredient lists, especially for less obvious products. Understanding cross-contamination in food and reading labels was essential.
Here’s why a gluten-free diet mattered:
In controlling symptoms associated with Isaacs’ Syndrome –
Isaacs’ Syndrome is a rare autoimmune, dysfunctional neurological disorder. It is characterized by continuous muscle fiber activity.
There is no direct, widely established link between gluten and Isaacs’ Syndrome. However, my doctors recommended that a gluten-free diet would support symptom improvement.
With time, I realized that a gluten-free diet was helpful because:
- My Isaacs’ diagnosis overlapped with other health conditions
- Since Isaacs’ involved autoimmune mechanisms. Reducing gluten helped ease symptoms
- My Leaky gut influenced neurological symptoms; therefore, a gluten-free diet helped restore gut health
- Reduced Inflammation. My blood reports confirmed the changed parameters.
- Improved My Cognitive Function: My doctors thought that removing gluten could help my mental clarity
- A gluten-free diet helped diarrhea, which further supported fatigue, weakness, cramps, and fasciculations
Avoiding gluten is an individual choice. It depends on the individual’s symptoms and should be guided by a healthcare dietician or professional.
I maintained a weekly sample of my meal plan:
Consuming a healthy and instructed diet was my goal. My plan was based on including lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains. It was a great way to keep me and my family on track.
The plan was quite simple, nutrition-rich, and goal-specific, and made things quite easy.
Overcoming Challenges and Adapting to a Gluten-Free Life
Adapting to a gluten-free diet wasn’t easy at all. Adding a Gluten-free diet as a part of my lifestyle came with many challenges:
- Nutritional deficiencies included Vit D& B12, Calcium, Fiber and Iron. I was given natural supplements to support these deficiencies.
- Wheat is the main source of gluten. Many food items were excluded from my diet plan.
- The lack of gluten labelling on food items made my choice difficult.
- My food became limited at grocery stores: contamination of food with gluten was a big concern.
- While preparing commercial food items, gluten is added as fillers or stabilizing agents. Even at times, I could not pick anything of my choice to eat for a change of taste.
- I felt too tight with this particular way of eating
- It was overwhelming to follow a fixed prescription detailing what to eat and what not to.
The Connection Between Gluten and My Autoimmune Diseases
In several autoimmune diseases, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissues. And the gluten found in various foods, like barley, wheat, rye, etc., can act as a trigger.
My successful tips for implementing a gluten-free diet
- Go slowly to any change. I took steps to make dietary changes rather than making a drastic change overnight
- Consulting a dietitian helped in maintaining a balanced diet and avoiding nutritional deficiencies
- Making a list of gluten-free foods helped me be more creative with my taste buds
- I strictly got into the habit of reading food labels to identify gluten-free foods
- I explored gluten-free grains
- Though it wasn’t easy, however, with time I found gluten-free substitutes
- While traveling, I preferred eating more vegetables and fruits.
Final Thoughts
In my experience, it was a wise decision to go gluten-free can manage autoimmune diseases.
The ways a gluten-free diet benefited my health were many. It improved cognitive function and clarity, reduced inflammation and pain. It also enhanced my energy levels and reduced fatigue. My overall digestive health got better, and increased overall well-being.
I encourage my readers to consider the potential benefits of a gluten-free lifestyle. It could have various benefits for your health conditions. However, it’s wise to consult a healthcare professional before making any dietary changes.
A professional would know the best solution for your health-specific needs.
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not represent any kind of medical advice.