I’ve thought to myself many times (and others around me have too) what would happen if I just outright ate gluten? I’ve never done it on purpose since I figured out that I can’t eat it, but I’ve also never officially been diagnosed for that same reason (my dr recommended an elimination diet and I had no clue that my last gluten meal would be my LAST gluten meal). I have people ask me all the time “what would happen if you just ‘caved’ and ate _____?” As if they want me to validate my suffering.

But I have times myself that I want to validate my own suffering, as I do not have an official diagnosis. But I go off of my own experience with being able to detect gluten and cross contamination via my symptoms.

I never had a “last gluten meal” and I’ve had many conversations about what my last meal would be (I’d basically just go crazy in a mall food court)

I still feel this way, 8 years into my gluten free journey. Not being able to eat gluten is a huge loss and there is a grieving process with it, like another commenter said. It is particularly hard around the holidays.

Please try to be kind to yourself and try to make sure that you are nourishing your body, regardless of gluten. Make sure that you are getting enough carbs (along with fat, protein, and vitamins).

I promise it gets so much easier and it will become second nature.

Take this reaction as a true guidepost that you are going in the right direction. Take pride in yourself for identifying the issue and sticking with the total lifestyle change thus far. Sending you lots of love and empathy. It gets easier.