Medifast and Gluten: What Happened When I Went Almost Gluten Free By Accident

A friend told me a year ago she suspected I was sensitive to gluten, but I paid her no mind. Avoiding gluten sounded like a major hassle, and I didn't want to give up all the breads and pastas I loved.

Gluten bashing is becoming as prevalent
as cats on the Internet

When I first started Medifast, I noticed the program had gluten free options, but I again paid no attention. The funny thing was, however, that almost all of my favorite Medifast foods turned out to be the ones without gluten, including the Dutch chocolate shake, brownie and chocolate chip soft bakes, chicken and wild rice soup, and chili cheese puffs.

After a while I noticed that my hands, which had started to get stiff in my fifties, felt perfectly normal. Drastically cutting back on gluten had not only helped me lose my belly fat, but also reduced the inflammation in my joints.

According to Dr. Oz, signs of gluten sensitivity include frequent bloating or gas; diagnosis of IBS or acid reflux; daily diarrhea or chronic constipation; migraine or headaches; joint pains or aches; brain fog; depression or anxiety; ongoing fatigue; and chronic eczema or acne. Of these, I suffered from only joint pain, rare bouts of acid reflux and, possibly, fatigue and brain fog.

Since starting Medifast, none of these symptoms have been present. I feel more energetic and clear headed, my joints are rejuvenated, and I have had no incidents of acid reflux.

A serendipitous byproduct of melting 30 pounds of fat with Medifast has been discovering that I may be sensitive to gluten. It will be interesting to see when I transition to maintenance and add more gluten back into my diet if my symptoms return. If so, I will know for sure that giving up gluten is the right thing for me to do.

If you're interested in learning more about how you can lose weight safely and more rapidly with the Medifast 5&1 plan, please visit my Take Shape for Life website.

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