GASP. IT IS GLUTEN.

EFFING GLUTEN CAN SUCK IT.

Since going on this diet, and since being told that I definitely have Hashimoto's, I've been trying to cut gluten out knowing that this will be a highly likely outcome of the elimination diet for me. It's not that hard, in all reality. I eat a lot of salads anyway (it's my go-to meal at this point - if I don't know what to eat and I'm hungry, I throw together a salad and pretend it's candy or a grilled cheese sandwich), so going gluten-free was pretty easy overall.

Until we went to Panera yesterday.

Panera is not very gluten-free friendly, as it turns out. Though, I'm surprised, because one morning while I was doing the C. Diff treatment, I was able to go there and get a GREAT breakfast that fit the mandated dietary restrictions (which meant no distilled foods, like vinegar. Try cutting vinegar out of your diet - I dare you. I also couldn't eat dairy in any form.), so this was confusing to me when we went there yesterday. It was probably because I was hungry and not as into problem-solving in that moment as I was with the idea of shoving a bunch of food into my mouth.

We went there for a salad before going out to buy groceries, and I got a chicken caesar salad. I forgot to ask them to not put croutons in it and had a mini "oh shit" moment, but figured that it'd be fine and that I could pick them out.

I couldn't. Or in the interest of accountability and being honest with myself, I also didn't really want to. I was craving something bread-y, and I figured, "hey, what could it hurt?" The way that I further justified it to myself in that moment was that the dressing slathered all over the salad was probably not gluten free either, so whatever. I ate the entire damn thing, croutons, excessive salad dressing, all of it.

About three hours later, I got my Regular Saturday Headache that had been happening for about a year and I had not experienced in three weeks. I slept just ok last night. I'm also not feeling so hot this morning and I woke up congested because of allergies for the first time since starting this new diet plan.

Coincidence? I think not.

On the bright side, I'm finding out earlier than expected what foods I need to avoid. So that's something, I guess?

In other news, I started the Couch to 5k again this week. Week 1 is fully in the books. At no point did I actually want to go running, but always felt better after I did. Also, my sister was all "let's sign up for a 10k in the Fall!" and I agreed. In my head I know it's a good idea, but everywhere else, I'm like "WHY DO YOU MAKE DECISIONS AGAINST YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST?" It will get me motivated to get out there, and my sister and I will do something fun together, which is the important part.

I have some other non-dietary self-care related things coming down the pike this month, so I'm sure this blog will get lots more varied in the coming weeks. Also, I have a feeling that I'm going to be a pretty insufferable person to be around starting May 8 when I start the elimination diet (which lasts for three weeks), so don't be surprised if I go dark for a bit. Either that or there'll be a whoooooole lotta bitching, which I try to avoid...publicly, anyway. :)