5 Steps to Gluten Free

Being Gluten Free isn’t as hard as it seems. Whether the decision stems from medical reasons or just the desire to live a healthier lifestyle, more people are either limiting or eliminating gluten completely from their diets.

Gluten exists in everything we eat: from hamburger buns to beer, salad dressings to soy sauce, cookies to cold-cut meats; it’s pretty shocking. Transitioning out of gluten can be overwhelming, but take it one step at a time; crawl before you walk; walk before you run.

Here are five helpful tips for a smoother transition into a Gluten Free lifestyle.

1. Awareness Bring out your inner Sherlock Holmes and do a little investigating. Know what ingredients are not considered gluten free, what foods contain gluten, and what restaurants offer GF menus.
2. Excavate. Take your new findings to your refrigerator and pantry. Read the labels, know what’s in your food, and toss out anything that contains gluten. This can be the hardest thing to do. Staring at that gluten-filled bag of (fill in the blank).
3. Make the Swap. Take a trip to your local health food store, scouring the aisles for GF alternatives to your favorite foods. You may feel like a deer in headlights – I definitely did. The first time shopping with a GF perspective will be intimidating, but it gets easier with time.
4. Be Resourceful. Websites like foodily.com offer great GF alternatives to your favorite dishes. Don’t give up good eating just because you’ve gone GF.
5. Go at Your Pace. Follow your instinct, and tune into what your body is telling you.

What have you got to lose?

Kristin Bibat is a Power & Vinyasa Yoga Instructor in the Bay Area who has embraced her gluten free-ism. You can find Kristin decked out in lululemon mat in hand, cooking up a GF storm with her fiancé, Jeff, or spending time with her family and friends. Check out her website: kristinbibat.com.

Photo by Mohini Patel Glanz