Tips For Recovering From The Holiday Slip-ups

Today I am just tired.  And cranky.  My stomach is in knots.  To make it worse, I feel like I'm in fog, and I can't snap out of it.  Most people would probably chalk this up to me just having a bad day.  Or suffering from some post-holiday blues/stress/let-down/sickness.  But I know the truth: it was the gluten.

Okay, so I'll admit it.  Even I slip up from time to time.  For obvious reasons, the holidays are typically the time for the bulk of my slip-ups.  Gluten is everywhere.  It is almost impossible to avoid.  The holiday breakfasts at work, the cocktail parties, the holiday dinners, and the trays of desserts.  Bagels, breads, cookies, cakes, pies, and brownies, oh my!  Even the most seasoned gluten-free girl can fall victim to the madness.

For me, the bad food choices started early this month.  First it was the birthday party for my best friend's daughter.  I had carefully planned and packed gluten-free pizza and cake for my kids, but, of course, had not thought to plan any food alternatives for myself.  At the end of the night, I was hungry, cranky, and my blood sugar was wonky.  I caved and decided I would have one slice of regular pizza.  I mean, how much could one little slice of pizza adversely affect me?

Then there was the delicious tray of lasagna that a student and his mother baked for our team of teachers.  I mean, it would have been rude for me to refuse a helping, right?

Oh, and then there were the awesome little pigs in a blanket and brie puffs on Christmas Eve.  Oh my gosh, these are my favorite!  How could I possibly pass those up?!

Are you seeing the trend here?  For me, one little slip-up and indiscretion opens the door to another and another and another.  The result is a gluten-induced coma of lethargy, grumpiness, acne, and brain fog.  Seriously, my body is hating me right now.  It is practically screaming in protest by sending me very obvious clues as to its displeasure.  Will I EVER learn?

For Christmas, I got some new gluten-free cookbooks that I perused today.   I chuckled when I read the introduction to Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield:

"No one makes you eat a Twinkie.  No one.  No one made us eat cheesesteaks in Philadelphia- we chose to eat those.  We know how our bodies feel after eating gluten, and it is not pretty."

Ain't that the truth? 

Strangely, as terrible as I feel after slipping up with my gluten-free diet, I always manage to see it as a blessing in disguise.  Because I have cleared the gluten from my body, I know what it feels like to feel good.  Now when I ingest even the smallest amount of gluten, my body sends me very clear messages about how detrimental this protein is to my system.  To this day, it still amazes me that for almost six years when I was a vegetarian, I ate a diet almost entirely of gluten.  I felt like garbage all the time, and I didn't even realize it.  When you feel lousy all the time, it becomes your normal.

Lucky for me, this is not my normal today.  When I eat well, stay clear of the gluten, and make conscious, healthful food choices, I feel great and strong and happy and focused almost all the time.  I rarely, if ever, get sick.  Until I realized I was gluten-sensitive and began the gluten-free diet, I never knew what it felt like to feel good. 

If you still don't know about the health benefits of the gluten-free diet, please read my article, Top Ten Reasons To Go Gluten-Free.

So, what do you do when you slip-up?  The following are some helpful tips to get you back on track with your gluten-free diet:

Couldn't resist those off-limits holiday cookies?  Here are some tips for getting back on track.

1) You don't do it again!  Pretty obvious, right?  Put the brakes on and make a U-turn to get back on track.  Do not do what I did this month and allow yourself to slip up time and again.  It will only wreak more havoc on your body and make it that much harder to clear the gluten from your system and start fresh.  Remember: because many individuals lack the ability to properly digest gluten, it can take months to clear it from your system!  Dr. Peter Osborne of the Gluten Free Society states, "The half life for gluten antibodies is typically 3-4 months. Thus is would take at least that long for gluten to be purged from the system."  Ugh, so not worth it!

2) Keep activated charcoal handy- In cases of a major slip-up, when you know your body is really going to suffer because of it, you can take a dose or two of activated charcoal to soak up the gluten and quickly eliminate it from your system.  You can purchase this supplement at any health food store, and it is amazing to have in a pinch.  The reason activated charcoal works so well in removing the gluten from your system is because it has incredible adsorbent properties which allow it to bind with unwanted material or poisons and quickly flush them from the system.  For more on the health benefits of activated charcoal, click here.  NOTE: Activated charcoal is NOT for long-term or continuous use, but is helpful for preventing symptoms due to an occasional gluten slip-up.   You should talk to your doctor or health care practioner before taking this supplement.

activated charcoal has amazing adsorptive properties to help minimize the effects of gluten ingestion

3) Keep a food journal- I find this to be very helpful for documenting the ill effects of the gluten slip-ups.  Afterall, it is so tempting to have just one cookie or just one bagel, especially during the holidays when there is just one celebration after another (and almost all are centered around prohibited, gluten-containing foods).  If I document my symptoms in a journal, I can clearly see what my poor food choices do to my body and my overall health.  It is easier to adhere to the gluten-free diet when you know what the slip-ups will do to you.

4) Load up on digestive enzymes and probiotics- So, the damage is done.  You binged on some gluten foods at last night's party.  You know your body is in turmoil, so you need to do something to help it deal with the food offender.  For at least a week after your slip-up, you should be consuming some good digestive enzymes and probiotics to help ease the inevitable gut inflammation and help your system heal.  These are great supplements to be taking anyway, and I take them daily as part of my health regimen.  For more information on the benefits of digestive enzyme supplements, click here.

5) Detox with a good cleanse- After the holiday binges and the gluten slip-ups, you should allow your body to rebound properly by taking a few days to detox and cleanse your system.  To start, you should take in smaller amounts of food than usual.  The more you eat, the harder your digestive system has to work, and if it is already working overtime to digest the gluten, you are just further exacerbating your digestive problems. 
In addition, there are some great all-natural detoxing foods that you can add to your diet.  Juices made from fresh, raw fruits and vegetables are awesome for cleansing the system, as are greens drinks made of wheatgrass, kale, or chlorella.  Dandelion root tea is also a favorite of mine for after slip-up recovery.  I drink my dandelion root tea cold with some lemon, and it is a refreshing accompaniment to any meal.  The benefits of this tea are abundant, and it has been shown to improve the function of almost every system in the body! 

dandelion root tea is a wonderful detoxing agent for post-gluten slip-ups

Stay tuned for great, easy-to-make, gluten-free appetizers for your New Year's Eve parties!