GF, DF, CF

Day 109.

Sunday, April 19, 2009.

This day (April 19) will always be an anniversary of sorts for me. It was the day I stopped eating gluten...13 years ago!* Is it weird that I remember this? On one hand, it's hard to believe it's been so long, but more realistically - I was 16 - before 16 do you really make many of your own food choices? You choose which donut you want at the donut shop (do miss that btw), you choose which piece of halloween candy you eat first...and if you are lucky enough to go out to eat, you get to choose your dish. But really, the majority of your life's food choices have been decided for you up to that point. So, for me, gluten-free has been my life in food.

This past November I added dairy-free and coffee/tea-free to my list of avoidances, and since then has been an interesting journey. I can't even tell you WHY I'm not eating dairy. I have a naturopath to thank for me trying it...and I have my own improvement of health to thank for it working...and me sticking to it. I have gone back several times. Little morsels of Frangomint milk chocolate at Christmas, a cup of slow-filtered coffee calling my name at Backstory Cafe. I am a dairy queen (no pun intended), and Brie, you are my most-missed ex.

But the truth is, I feel really pretty decent when I'm religiously off of gluten, dairy and caffeine (a diet coke here and there doesn't seem to hurt me). So, for that I am truly grateful.

I am grateful to be gluten-free, dairy-free and almost caffeine-free.

My apologies to anyone who ever hosts me in the future.

*I was diagnosed with celiac disease.