We are trying an experiment in our house. It’s a Gluten Free experiment and the person in the spot light is Little Sister (age 5) who has suffered from eczema her whole entire life. The backs of her legs get it so bad and my heart breaks for her. Little Sister and I recently both had a Food Allergy test done via a blood test. My tummy was giving me lots of problems and I suspected gluten was my problem. It turns out that YEAST is my culprit. Yeast is in more than you imagine. For example, you will find yeast in the chicken breasts at Chic-fil-a. That’s right….not just the bun, but in the grilled chicken breasts. Crazy, huh?
Unfortunately Little Sister’s results show that she is allergic to wheat and gluten. After five years and multiple prescriptions I decided that enough was enough and that we were going to try a gluten free diet for one month. My husband, a big skeptic, wanted proof that this elimination diet worked, so I took photos of Little Sister’s legs and used a penny and ruler to show how big her spots of eczema were.
We are 11 days in to the diet and I am learning a lot about gluten free shopping and eating. Little Sister has some favorites and we are trying new products. Did you know there is a box of Rice Krispies that advertises in HUGE letters that it is Gluten Free? I was so excited by that find! We will be able to make some patriotic Rice Krispy treats soon. I found this product at Walmart, but the Walmart by my house doesn’t carry it. Go figure.
In the 11 days that we have been doing this challenge there has been a noticeable difference in Little Sister’s quality of skin. Some of her patches are all cleared up. We are going to let her eat gluten next week to see if it returns. It should be an interesting variable control!
Do you have an allergy that you deal with? Do you have any tips for navigating the grocery store?
Leandrea is a married mom of two girls, ages 13 and 12, living in Atlanta, GA. She is passionate about helping people save money one coupon at a time. Read more