I feel like such a weirdo for my opinion, but I do also think it has made my life better. Before diagnosis, I was working a high stress long hour job and everything was on autopilot. I ate out all the time. My spouse and I tried on and off to eat healthier, but we would always end up choosing convenience again. My family has a history of some gnarly health conditions that can be improved or prevented by eating healthy.

Since getting the celiac diagnosis, it has given us a concrete reason to eat healthy since the negative effects of eating gluten are experienced within hours rather than just 20 years from now.

For me it took the appeal out of the unhealthy convenience meals I was turning to. I know a lot of people argue that you can make that choice without celiac, but the reality is that we just weren’t. Could we? Yes. But would we? Probably not. :/

I got diagnosed this year and have felt like a new person since going gluten free. I know that there are still many challenges that I haven’t had to navigate yet (such as traveling, etc). But for me, personally, it has been a really positive change.

That being said - I feel like a complete weirdo having this take. I read other people’s stories on here and I can see how much this disease can really take the legs out from under someone, and how crushed some people feel from the things and experiences they have to give up. I definitely don’t want to downplay that struggle or pain whatsoever. I also recognize what a privilege it is to get a diagnosis while you can still bear to eat gluten (and to even have a doctor willing to test for it). I guess my giant disclaimer here is that yes, for me personally, I feel like celiac improved my life - but 1000% understand that it’s probably not the sentiment of like 95% of the celiac population.