For years now our family has avoided gluten; after struggling my entire life with sickness, poor thyroid function, adrenal issues, stomach aches, headaches, fatigue and more. It might seem surprising to many, but I was relieved once I was told I have an intolerance to gluten and dairy, and learned about the gluten-cross reactive foods I was reacting to. Growing up in an Italian-influenced family, I was raised on bread and pasta. When my tummy was upset, as it often was, we turned to noodle soups and crackers. When my head hurt, we used ibuprofen and other common NSAIDs. Our pantry was filled with processed foods and my lunchbox looked much like those of my friends – filled with processed lunch meats on top of white bread alongside crackers or chips. I usually enjoyed a Little Debbie, Swiss Miss or some other overly-processed, sugary treat for dessert.
Sound familiar?
It’s really no surprise when I read that food allergies have
