Lupus and gluten

Shortly after we moved to IL, someone told me that, having lupus, I ought never to let gluten pass my lips again.  Gluten is inflammatory, and lupus pain comes from inflammation.

I figured that, in the scheme of things, going gluten-free was a relatively easy and inexpensive thing to try.

So.

I'm not sure the upshot of it all, but now I notice that I have far less pain when I stay off gluten, and loads of long-lasting, serious pain when I "cheat."  For instance, I ate a piece of my son Jonathan's birthday cake 6 days ago.  The day after, I was okay.  I thought, "Hallelujah!  Maybe I am okay now!  Maybe I can go back to eating gluten!!"  And then I was no longer okay.  It began with a lot of aching and particularly a lot of pain in my lower back, pelvic area, hips and thighs.  Today it has spread to my shoulders, neck and head; I have a bad headache.

I am sick of being gluten free.  I hate rice flour products.  I don't mind rice so much, plain rice or brown rice, but things made of rice flour are pretty nasty.

I told my husband the other day, "I just really miss nice, bland food that you can fill up on that isn't strong.  Gentle food."  Gentle food hurts me.  Toast and egg noodles and crackers... they do me right in.  So it is back to rolling my meat and cheese in romaine.  Paleo wraps.  Salad everything.

I eat potatoes.  And rice.  I have found that oatmeal doesn't hurt me.  I make some nice things out of coconut flour.  Quinoa pasta is a special treat.  Bananas are a decent vehicle for nut butters.

Before I ate Jon's birthday cake, I'd been doing really, really well.  I suppose that's why I took the risk.  I remember telling Shawn before I ate it, "I haven't felt this good in ages!"

Next time I get tempted to cheat, I will tell myself, "Don't spoil a good thing."  And then I will make coconut flour cupcakes.

Ach.  I am sick of lettuce.

I am thankful for lettuce.  I am thankful for lettuce.  I am thankful for lettuce.

I am very thankful for coconut flour.