want to share a story with you. I think some of you might be able to relate… Recently a friend mentioned she wasn’t feeling all that good and thought perhaps it was something she was eating that was making her constantly feel so horrible. Now this friend of mine works far too hard in more than one job, and like us all, leads a very busy life. So she picks and eats quick things she can just grab and go… breakfast bars, muesli bars, quick ready made sauce mixes for dinner, and she is used to eating white bread for breakfast and lunch nearly every day. She also recently had a strong dose of antibiotics that left her with a terribly acidic stomach and reflux, and is now feeling horrible – at the end of her tether. It all came to a crux when she had some hot chips and after feeling even worse, decided that was the last straw.
What did she mean by ‘feeling horrible’? She described feeling bloated, with painful stomach/bowel cramps, constipation and wind. She was feeling constantly tired, had trouble sleeping, her joints were aching and she had black rings under her eyes. My friend was describing all the symptoms I feel when I eat wheat or gluten. My response? Well first of all, how great is it that our bodies give us a good hard message when it’s time to change what we’re eating? Such a great set up huh? I’m also very proud of my friend for listening to her intuition and body messages about food being the possible problem.
So after a bit of a chat, my friend asked for help. Now when I’m asked for help, I’ll give all the knowledge and support I’ve got and at the same time, to be sure she’s getting the holistic care package she deserves, I’ll make sure my friend gets referred help from others if she needs. There’s no one-fix-fits-all scenario when you’re a human being – we’re too awesomely complex for that!
Ok – What did I suggest? Cut out the gluten and additives she’s eating. Regardless of whether it is the full solution, it’s an easy way to try and fix the problem, the results can be felt pretty darn quickly and it can’t hurt, only help… Eating fresh natural foods without gluten or additives makes you healthier and happier. It’s a win-win really.
How did I help? I used my expertise to help my friend deal with a common problem…
How to make the change to gluten free/additive free foods and Where to start?
The weird thing is, in the last few weeks, I have had numerous messages and calls for help with going gluten free (almost to the point of being bombarded!) – and they’ve come from friends, strangers and all corners of the planet. Ok universe! I hear you loud and clear and hereby respond accordingly!
What am I doing about it? I’m going to pop all you need to know to make the change to gluten free in one easy-to-read ebook. The universe seems to be happy with this solution – it’s just flowing out of my brain and being at a great rate of knots and will be ready for you real soon. But that doesn’t help those of you out there searching for answers and help to go gluten free right now, does it? So in the meantime, to get you started, I’m going to give you the first (and most important) step towards going gluten free…
Want to know a secret? It’s actually the key to a lot of what I do and help others with on a daily basis… And it’s something we neglect quite a bit. It’s also something I seem to blog about quite a bit, ‘cause it’s rather important and life changing…
So maybe you’ve seen your doctor and been referred to a nutritionist… Maybe you’ve just realized every time you eat wheat, you feel crappy just like my friend described earlier, and decided you too need to go gluten free… Or maybe your kids are showing major signs of transforming into little werewolves when they eat too much wheat…? (Worth mentioning again that it could well be the additives too, so it can’t hurt to get rid of both while you’re at it… just sayin’)
Whatever the catalyst was, you’ve reached that point of needing to make a change. But where to start? What is the first step to take towards going gluten free?
Ok, here’s the secret… Ready?
Empower and prepare yourself for the change… well before you start!
Now before you start jumping up and down and saying,
That’s not a mind blowing secret?!
Bear with me…Because it kind of is… Let me show you why.
Any change, be it a change in foods, lifestyle, jobs or addresses, has a bit of a set formula to follow to do it right and make it lasting. And if you don’t ready yourself for the change wholeheartedly, you’re actually setting yourself up for failure. Nobody wants that, but we seem to do a pretty darn good job of it nonetheless. Think about diets (which I don’t need to tell you are a waste of time), think about that rusting piece of gym equipment in the shed, think about the latest kitchen appliance or pilates equipment you purchased that is now tucked away in your cupboard. These are all examples of a change you wanted to make, but didn’t get fully empowered and prepared for…
Ok so maybe there was also a lack of passion or incentive behind the change too, but in the case of going gluten free, that incentive is already there. You (or your kids) feel like crap when you eat it, and the only way that’s going to go away, is to go gluten free. Incentive enough??
This isn’t a beat yourself up blog, but a help yourself feel better blog, so no need to dwell on the rusting dumbells in the shed. What I do want you to think about is how much effort did you put into planning your new gym/exercise regime. Before you started, did you look for what obstacles might stand in your way? Or did you wait until they revealed themselves? Did you fully think about why you wanted to get bulging biceps? I mean really think about it and fully commit and make it real? Or did you get the equipment with the greatest of intentions and maybe you even stuck with it for a bit, before finding a new change to focus on? Sound familiar?
I know I have done this on many occasions (you should see my filing cabinet of discarded ideas and equipment :-). We all do it, and it’s not actually our fault, so please don’t start throwing blame into the mix with the guilt. How can you expect to prepare yourself for successful change if you have never been taught how? How many classes at school were focused on change management? I remember maths, english and chemistry (vaguely), but I don’t remember life and change managements skills ever being discussed… Well, not until I went to uni and did a couple of degrees in Psychology anyway…
What I’m trying to say is, there’s no point beating yourself up for something you’re not equipped to do. We don’t expect our kids to know how to solve an algebraic equation at the age of 6 do we? No! We give them years of basic mathematics to build up their knowledge base, with plenty of opportunity to apply this knowledge and ultimately work their way up to solving algebraic equations.
So, there’s the secret. We need to give ourselves the basic knowledge and skills to make change lasting and effective, then practice them and hone them to get it right. Then you can embark on whatever journey of change you want, because you’ll be prepared and empowered to do the best you can to make it stick. (See? the secret is slightly more mind blowing and important now isn’t it?!)
So, back to the horrible feelings associated with gluten sensitivities. Are you ready for the change? If you have reached the point of needing a change, and want to learn more about how to make that change stick and be as easy as possible, then take note of my (slightly anti-climactic) secret and get prepared and empowered! Click here and follow my 10 easy steps to successful change. Print out this goal setting sheet, because that’s really what I’m talking about here when I say get prepared – goal setting. Then followthese steps, and really commit yourself to the change. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to empower yourself even further and journey onto my ebook to learn how to actually transform your life and start living gluten free.
My how to go gluten free ebook will have 12 simple steps to follow, with tips, recipes, suggestions, product recommendations and pretty pictures to make it all very enjoyable and easy! Keep an eye out on my Facebook page for updates on it’s imminent release date, and if you have any particular concerns or questions you want solved in the book, get in quick and let me know here, in the comments below or on Facebook.
So what are you waiting for? Take the first step towards feeling happier and healthier! You know the secret to going gluten free now – it’s all in the preparation, so start empowering yourself to being your transformation fully loaded and ready to rock! And if you need any help along the way, including with the goal setting steps, send me a message byemail or Facebook or comment below and I’ll happily help you through them!
Happy goal setting!
Loren x
PS My friend has now been gluten free for nearly 2 weeks and is feeling happy, healthy and human again! Her energy is back, her symptoms have gone, and the gluten free lifestyle is helping. I have also recommended seeking help from a nutritionist to replenish her gut with all the good stuff it needs to function properly and to ensure there are no residual effects in her digestive system from her gluten sensitivity… a topic I’ll cover more in my ebook too 🙂
