Charlotte Willis’
chronicles of becoming
a gluten-free vegan
O
nce upon a time, there lived a woman whose
digestive system refused to accept her appreciation
for the humble restaurant bread-basket, home-
tossed pizza dough or selection of vegan baked goods. You
see, her body would punish her just a matter of hours after
she gave into tempting cupcake labelled “eat me”. Her
stomach would swell like a ball gown, twisting and turning,
cramping and churning, leaving her a bed bound beauty for
days on end. Gluten was the forbidden fruit invading her
every whimsical foodie fantasy. The consequences of which,
never ended happily ever after.
Are you intolerant?
When I tell others I’m vegan, after much head-scratching,
they usually conclude that I am able to live happily on carbs
such as bread and pasta. That’s before I tell them that I am
intolerant to wheat and gluten. Safe to say, I’m placed at the
bottom of everyone’s fantasy dinner party list.
If being vegan wasn’t enough to constrain my diet, my
body decided wheat and gluten was the enemy on my plate.
At fi rst, like many gluten-free and intolerant transitioners, I
was in denial, powering through vegan cakes and sourdough
bread like I wouldn’t have crippling stomach pain and
nausea later. Far from ideal. I decided enough was enough
and sought advice from a dietician friend, who confi rmed
what I suspected – I declared myself intolerant to wheat and
gluten. Since then, I’ve not looked back. I’m listening to the
needs of my body as never before, and my digestive system is
less unstable volcano, more simmering tepid water.
Nutrition SOS
SO
WHAT
CAN YOU
EAT?
Suspicious?
Below are a list of symptoms
you may experience if you are
indeed gluten intolerant
I would recommend getting a full
medical or dietician diagnosis before
adjusting your diet accordingly:(^) Indigestion
(^) Bloating of the stomach and
intestine area
(^) Nausea and sickness
(^) Diarrhoea and/or constipation
(^) A foggy head or feeling of confusion
and tiredness after eating
(^) Headaches or migraine
(^) Swelling around the stomach or
water retention