Sometimes, going gluten-free is a matter of life and death.
Your body may require you to avoid this protein due to the adverse reactions it triggers upon consumption.
Whereas living gluten-free has proven beneficial to people with celiac disease or gluten insensitivity, it is no secret that it is a challenging journey.
You must give up on your favourite foods if they contain this allergen.
There is also the need to be extremely careful when choosing or taking your meal to ensure the protein doesn’t find its way to your gut.
After all, it is quite unforgiving if you have gluten intolerance since even a small amount of it, regardless of whether it was intentional or accidental, is enough to cause trouble.
There are various challenges that people living gluten-free face, whether in the beginning or along the way.
These challenges usually affect various aspects of our lives, and this discussion says it all.
Financial Challenges of Living Gluten-Free
Living gluten-free means you will be on a strict diet to avoid any protein intake.
For instance, you must strictly buy food items with the gluten-free label.
It is no secret that such products are way more expensive than their counterparts containing gluten.
Unfortunately, their users often lack any other choice but to buy them since the price they pay after taking gluten is too high.
Consequently, gluten-free people must dig deeper into their pockets to afford basic food.
Sometimes, the prices of gluten-free food items are over 240% higher than their alternatives, which contain protein.
Sometimes, this percentage can even go up to 300%; hence, one can’t help but wonder whether living gluten-free is worth every penny spent to realize the lifestyle.
It can be quite straining financially, especially if you lack a stable source of income or don’t make much.
Social Challenges of Living Gluten-Free
Living gluten-free often means quitting your favourite restaurant, especially if its menu lacks gluten-free items.
If your friends don’t have gluten sensitivity, they will most likely continue visiting those places without you.
That’s just one of the many ways going gluten-free can affect your social life.
Social gatherings may never be the same again, especially since eating together is a great part of the various festivities.
In most cases, gluten-free people prefer eating at home since they don’t want to risk cross-contamination, even for gluten-free foods.
Social activities are reduced significantly, and opportunities to eat out with friends are fewer than before.
You must also set aside more money for your gluten-free diet, leaving you without much to spend on social leisure activities.
Preparing gluten-free meals may also take up substantial time, leaving you with little to no time for a social life.
The bottom line is that the social lives of most individuals living gluten-free suffer in the process of maintaining the appropriate diet.
Health Challenges of Living Gluten-Free
Whereas the intention of living gluten-free is usually to fix your health, sometimes, it does more harm than good.
That’s why it is always advisable to seek professional assistance before, during and after going gluten-free.
Some of the health challenges that people living gluten-free face include the following.
Excess Weight Gain
It is usually something most people living gluten-free miss in the beginning.
After all, people with celiac disease are often underweight since their condition compromises food absorption.
Therefore, as soon as you go gluten-free, you will realize that you are gaining weight and will soon have a healthy one.
Unfortunately, despite reaching a healthy weight, don’t expect it to stop due to the high-fat content in most gluten-free food items.
On the contrary, one may continue gaining weight to the extent that the person becomes obese.
It is no secret that excess weight causes many health issues and hence should be avoided at all costs.
High Risk of Diseases
Unfortunately, living gluten-free also increases your chances of getting certain diseases, including chronic ones.
After all, you lack certain nutrients your body may need to fight certain diseases.
Due to the high-fat content, there are high chances of cardiovascular complications such as heart disease.
Some people living gluten-free also experience a rise in insulin resistance, thus leading to type-2 diabetes.
Nutritional Challenges of Living Gluten-Free
Most foods containing gluten also offer your body various essential nutrients.
Consequently, eliminating the protein in your diet also means doing one with these beneficial nutrients.
You will most likely experience fibre, selenium, zinc, vitamin B2, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, folate, and protein deficiency on such a diet.
They contain unhealthy components such as cholesterol, saturated fats, other fats, lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic to worsen the situation further.
It is also worth mentioning that nickel is also a common allergen.
Due to the absence of essential nutrients and unhealthy components, matching your body’s nutritional needs can be tough when on a gluten-free diet.
You also need to find food items that are gluten-free but complementary regarding the nutrients you miss out on when not taking some foods due to gluten being one of their ingredients.
One must admit that getting the balance right is a daunting task that often needs a professional’s intervention.
Is it Hard to Live Gluten-Free?
If you want to start living gluten-free, it is human nature to want to know how hard it can get.
Yes, going gluten-free has challenges, but how hard is this journey that’s often mandatory due to various body issues?
Rest assured that living gluten-free will be a notable challenge.
After all, it demands you to avoid something, gluten, that’s in almost every food and drink available.
There are high chances that most, if not all, of your favourite dishes before your celiac disease diagnosis contained gluten.
Avoiding such to remain on a gluten-free diet will be hard.
Remember that you can’t afford to take the protein; hence, it is important to be cautious.
From reading the labels to going through the ingredients, there is so much you need to avoid taking gluten, and that’s undoubtedly a tough way to lead your life.