I’m hungry shortly after eating meals including wheat. For instance, if I eat whole wheat toast and eggs for breakfast, I’m starving within an hour. To the point where my blood sugar is crashing and I have the shakes, mood swings, headaches and cravings for more carbs. Now, I realize  I probably just described the average pms’ing female, but there’s more.   Since I’m athletic and on the go all day, I need sustainable nourishment. Food that will my fuel workouts, long runs or power a hike up a mountain. 

I have persistant acne that never seems to really clear up entirely. Acne is a symptom of inflammation and hormonal imbalances. What if gluten is a contributing factor? After researching this thought, I came across numerous articles explaining how gluten-sensitivity and acne are related:

Ingest gluten –> Sudden increase in blood sugar –> Insulin spikes –> Certain hormones and chemicals are stimulated by elevated insulin creating inflammation –> Blood sugar drops –> Jo turns a raging hungry monster –> Court happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and feels the wrath.

At this point I’m only a few days into being gluten-free, but here are my observations so far:

• Gluten is in EVERYTHING. Well, a lot of things….. like shampoo, After Eight mints, cheese and soy sauce. Fortunately, I don’t buy a lot of pre-packaged food. Or ingest shampoo.
• I haven’t experienced hypoglycemia symptoms for a few days; or cravings.  I feel satiated after eating a brown rice wrap or toast. 
• Brown rice bread slices are really small and could easily be mistaken for a child’s play-kitchen accessory, but they’re surprisingly dense and filling. I think I like it more than wheat bread. But not the price. I definitely won’t be eating it every day. 
• Crazy Cakes (in Lethbridge) make delicious, moist gluten free cupcakes. Court and I treat ourselves to a cupcake or donut every couple weeks, so it’s nice to have a g-free option. 

Have you tried Kind bars? They’re chewy, nut-seed-fruit bars. But since I’m already funding a GTs Kombucha addiction, I don’t buy bars all the time.
I love the coconut almond flavour, which inspired me to create my own version:

Jo’s Friendly Bar (hahaha)
Makes about 8-10 bars

Note: I made granola and bars with this recipe

Preheat oven to 325F and lightly spray a 9×9 baking dish

In a bowl, combine:
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup raw, chopped almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp millet
1/3 cup dried fruit (use no sugar added fruit. I used mulberries)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup agave or honey – if you’re making granola. For bars, use 1/2 cup

Stir until evenly combined and firmly press into baking dish. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Granola:

Friendly Bars:

If you haven’t tried mulberries, you should! I found a golden variety at Bulk Barn, and purchased them because they were the only unsweetened dried fruit (besides raisins or dates) I could find. They’re chewy like a raisin, but taste like honey. I add them to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt and salads.

Mulberries are high in vitamins A, C and E; rich in iron and minerals – potassium, maganese and magnesium. They also contain complex B vitamins which can help the body metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Tip: when purchasing ‘nutrition’ or granola bars: Select a brand with the least amount of ingredients (ideally five or less) and avoid bars with unrecognizable ingredients. Be mindful of the calorie count – most are intended to be a meal replacement, or snack.

Some of my favourites:

Luna
Larabar
Kind
Super Bars (available at Nutters)

For granola bars, Kashi.