5 Ways Going Gluten Free Changed My Life for the Better

I won't deny that, sometimes, eating gluten free or having celiac disease sucks. You have to read every label, turn down every cupcake at work and often pay a lot more for your favorite treats. 

However, if four years of celiac disease have taught me anything, it's that going gluten free came with its share of benefits as well. 

Not sure you believe me? Here are five ways going gluten free changed my life for the better. 

1. I'm no longer in a lot of pain every hour of every day. 

As I shared last week, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 11. For those who don't know, fibromyalgia has two major symptoms: extreme fatigue and widespread, constant pain. I grew up believing that always feeling pain was "normal." My mom, who also has fibromyalgia, felt the same. 

And then celiac disease entered the picture at age 17. I ate gluten free as a result of my new diagnosis...but, slowly, I noticed that my old diagnosis was improving as well. I wasn't in as much pain as before. I didn't have as many debilitating migraines that required several physical therapy appointments to fix. I could exercise without feeling like I'd been run over by a truck for several days afterward. 

My mom tested negative for celiac but went gluten free with me anyway - and she now feels better than she has in decades. If I'm honest, that is one of the biggest blessings from going gluten free: the ability to do what doctors haven't been able to for years and help my mom live the less-painful life she deserves. 

2. I've learned how to cook...a pretty impressive amount of dishes! 

Pre-celiac, I barely touched the oven or stove on a regular basis. I could whip up baked potatoes, boxed mac and cheese and frozen chicken nuggets...and that's about it. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, though, food was suddenly the key to my health. And I wanted to know as much about both as I could. 

So, we bought and checked out countless "gluten free for dummies" books and got to work. By my sophomore year, my college cafeteria could no longer make me celiac-safe meals...and I was on my own. Cue the steep learning curve of everything from chicken pot pie to pesto zoodles to my favorite allergy free pizza. 

Today, I can proudly call myself a foodie and an amateur chef without feeling the need to laugh. I cook at least once a day and will be cooking even more often when I'm living alone for grad school. And you know what? While that prospect would've terrified pre-celiac Casey, this Casey is always excited to get her hands movin' in the kitchen! 

3. I eat a healthier diet overall. 

Now, I'm not saying that I was eating an "unhealthy" diet before celiac. I was just the average "meat and potatoes" American teenager, never reading labels, enjoying plenty of processed foods and eating maybe a fourth of the vegetables I do now. 

I'm also not saying that I eat the perfectly "healthy" diet now. Shortly after my diagnosis, I became so obsessed about healing my body that I only ate "healing" foods - like fruits, veggies, whole grains. That wasn't healthy mentally or physically, and I would never adopt that mindset again. Nowadays, I eat more processed foods...but I also smash the daily guidelines for fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

My diet is healthier now because I am more aware of what I'm eating. I read labels. I try to choose products with the simplest and most whole food ingredients. I care about where my food comes from, and I load up my plate with more plant-based protein than meat. But I still know how to enjoy a delicious gluten free cupcake when the time calls! 

4. I've met countless wonderful people from all over the world through my celiac diagnosis. 

I'd I hadn't been diagnosed with celiac disease, I am 90% sure I never would have created this blog. I've always enjoyed writing and connecting with people, but celiac gave me a reason to publish my thoughts online: meet and inspire others with celiac in college. 

Since I clicked the first "publish" four years ago, I've received comments from people in Canada, Germany and countries I've never heard of. I've answered emails from mothers desperate for advice on their newly-diagnosed children. I've been inspired by - and hopefully have inspired in return - other bloggers who face similar medical challenges. 

For the last couple of weeks, the blog has been my life as I've updated the design, added some more personal posts and worked on growing my social media channels. I won't deny that it's been draining. However, one Facebook message asking to quote my blog in a research paper, one comment praising my transparency, or one viral post raising celiac awareness makes all of the work worth it. 

5. I'm in control of my own health and well-being. 

When you have a chronic illness, you may get used to not having control over your own body. With fibromyalgia, I sometimes never know what triggered a flare and just have to ride it out. Ironically enough, though, following a restricted diet has actually given me some of my control back. 

I can't "cure" my celiac disease but I can minimize its symptoms through a gluten free diet. I can choose to stick to the low fodmap diet that makes my body feel it's best...or decide to splurge on chips with salsa and guacamole and accept the bloated food belly that comes with it. 

When I hear about newly diagnosed celiacs or suspected gluten intolerant struggling with their limited diets, I want to tell them this: "Focus less on what you can't eat and more on what you can. Focus on your ability to directly impact how great you feel based on the foods you choose to eat. Focus on the choices that are still yours to make."

Going and staying gluten free isn't easy. It can be awkward to continually reject offers of pizza at college socials or to inform suitors about your special diet before every first date. Eating a gluten-free diet isn't for anyone, either. Unless you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, eating gluten-free could even cause more problems than benefits. However, in my particular situation and in my mom's, a gluten-free diet is a must. And, most of the time, I wouldn't change a thing about my medical history or diet. 

Like this post? Tweet it out by clicking here: "This #celiac shared 5 ways going #glutenfree made her life better. Share your story using #gfchangedme! http://bit.ly/2rdR2Sz @collegeceliackc." 

Because, for better and for worse, going gluten free has transformed my life. And, this Celiac Disease Awareness Month, I'm focusing on the better. 

*Also found at Wine'd Down Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, RunningwithSpoons, Share Fest, Dare to Share*

How has celiac disease or a gluten free changed your life for the better? Comment below and/or tweet your story using the hashtag: #gfchangedme