Life In Pictures

We want to thank J from iamjtheblog for including our entry in her fantastic series “Life in Pictures“. As relative newcomers to the online Gluten Free community, it is a great thing to be able to participate in an event for Celiac Awareness Month.

If you have been reading this site for a while, you already know how much I like pizza. I mean, really like pizza. Pizza.

There are a lot of things about living gluten free that make you aware of the changes that you have made in your life. You become much more aware of what you eat. Once you realize that something as necessary as food can hurt you, it’s a whole new ballgame. You pay an incredible amount of attention to it. This doesn’t make the lifestyle change any easier. There is a “mourning period” that you go through for your old life. There are so many things you need to relearn how to do when you stop eating gluten.

Personally, for the first seven months, I lived on as many “gluten free analogues” as possible. Those are the donuts and cakes and bread and cereal that has all the same bad sugar and chemicals as “normal” food, but without gluten. I didn’t lose weight, but my pain and neuro symptoms went away. Kim finally convinced me to eat healthier and now my intake of any processed food is extremely low. I have also lost weight and feel even better.

The one thing that was always my food weakness is pizza. And it still is. I will go to great lengths to find and consume GF Pizza. I have risked certain cross-contamination and the crappiest rice cracker crusts just to fulfill the desire to eat pizza. Looking back on this past year, I am somewhat taken aback by some of the places I have eaten at, just to get my pizza fix. There were some great pies, too. Made in separate kitchens with nary a hint of wheat flour. Golden, bubbly cheese atop a symptom free crust. It wasn’t a “Mamma Mia Pizzeria” special from when I was 15 or a greasy, wonderful slice from Rocco’s in Manhattan, but it did the job. Got me through another gluten free day.

Now, I like to think I am a smart guy, but I recognize that I have a weakness. I won’t eat gluten on purpose, but the previous paragraph highlights why I got so bent out of shape about the Domino’s Gluten Free (BUT NOT FOR CELIACS OR THE GLUTEN SENSITIVE) Pizza. I know the temptation. I know how to squint so hard that the dislaimer says “EAT THIS RIGHT NOW!” I won’t be trying the Domino’s pizza and, if you have any gluten issues, you should avoid it as well. The one other thing that we learn along with “food can hurt” is that “food can heal”. There is no universe where Domino’s Pizza is a healthy food.

But I understand if you are tempted.

Here is the picture that was submitted for “Life in Pictures” at iamjtheblog. Below, I have listed the sources.

From left to right, from the top:
Row 1: Chebe Pizza Mix (Homemade), Gentile’s Pasta & Pizza Cafe (Syracuse, NY), Against the Grain (Frozen)
Row 2: Keste (New York City), 575 Pizzeria (Amarillo, TX), Chebe Pizza Mix (Homemade-I have made a lot of these!)
Row 3: Mellow Mushroom (Tampa, FL), Conte’s Mushroom Florentine (Frozen), Pala (New York City)
Row 4: Against the Grain (Frozen)
Row 5: Chebe Pizza Mix (Homemade) with New Planet Gluten Free Beer, Chebe, Chebe, Great Northern Pizza (Syracuse, NY)

This is about half of the pizzas I consumed last year. A third thing you learn when you can’t eat gluten is that “one must take pictures of food for the blog.”

I’d love to hear what you think about this and if you are willing to share your “crutch food” that got you through transitioning to a gluten free diet.

Thanks for reading!

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One Response to Life In Pictures

  1. I can totally relate to this! I love pizza. :)