FEELING NORMAL

I work in corporate America during the week, but one of my true loves is yoga. I finished a yoga teacher training program in June and started an apprenticeship program in September. Our Spring training was 200 hours over the course of ten weeks. We spent all of Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday at the yoga studio. Most of us brought our lunch. Sitting with a bunch of health-minded yogis for lunch was an interesting change. As I sat there, snacking on my string cheese, yogurt, cauliflower or other gluten free foods, I was surrounded by people choosing similarly healthy options.It was great to “feel normal.” A lot people never even knew that I couldn’t eat gluten. I’m not shy about talking about gluten or celiac. In fact I think it’s important for us to educate others so that more people are aware of the condition. But it was nice to not feel like a high-maintenance person who needs “special food.”

The mentorship program isn’t nearly as intense but it still involves some long days. Last week I ran down to the deli (not something I normally do) to see if there was anything that I could eat. I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few bars, yogurts, cheese and snacks that were gluten free. I chose a flavor of Soy Crisps I hadn’t tried before. It felt like such a luxury to be able to grab something quick from a deli.

Most of the time I don’t have a problem with adhering to the gluten free diet, it’s the convenience I miss more than anything else. As more and more gluten free foods become available and labeling laws improve I can feel a shift that hopefully with continue. Wouldn’t we all like to bring back some of the freedom to choose we had before living gluten free?

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