5 Reasons to Love Your Gluten-Free Diet

An all-too-common tactic among doctors and dietitians is to “motivate” you to stick to your gluten-free diet by scaring the bejeezus out of you.

“If you don’t stop eating bread,” they often say, “your intestine will suffer and your bones will be weaker in the long-run.”

It’s time to add a ray of positivity to things by reminding you of the amazing benefits you reap when you adopt a no-nonsense 100% gluten-free diet.

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• More Energy: Many people with celiac disease report that they feel sluggish and tired. With a host of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, this is common. But when you stop eating gluten, your body eventually bounces back and you have more energy to do the things you love. This isn’t just true for people with celiac, because athletes are catching on too! Tennis sensations Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are just the latest to adopt this highly rewarding diet.

• Better Health: Not just in the intangible “less risk of chronic disease,” but better health also influences how you look and feel everyday. Runs to the bathroom and daily stomach aches are no fun. A gluten-free diet gives you the freedom to go anywhere and do anything – without letting celiac disease spoil the fun. You also get a sense of satisfaction knowing that you are keeping such a harmful molecule out of your body. With a gluten-free diet, you’re literally eating your way to better health!

• More Variety and More Appreciation: Many people who start a gluten-free diet find themselves much more adventurous with food choices than ever before. With gluten out of the picture, you have room to stretch your boundaries and find new, delicious foods you may have never tried before. Also, it can be a truly exhilarating experience when you discover national chains that have things like gluten-free fish and chips (Legal Seafood), gluten-free beef and broccoli (PF Chang’s) or gluten-free brownie sundaes (Outback Steakhouse).

• New Friends: As popular sites like Gluten-Free Faces and offline celiac support groups show, the celiac disease community is a fun, interesting and diverse group of people. A gluten-free diet is one of the rare things in life that allows you to connect with someone you just met because you share something unique between you. Go ahead and check out www.glutenfreefaces.com. Introduce yourself and find out more about your gluten-free neighborhood!

• Better Body: I’ve seen countless patients with celiac disease improve their physique dramatically after eating gluten-free for just a few weeks. They often look stronger, more vibrant and healthier than ever before.

So, the next time you’re beating yourself up about that forbidden slice of pizza, simply remind yourself of how a gluten-free diet simply makes your life better.