Transitioning to a Gluten-Free Lifestyle; An Upcoming EVENT!

Living in this rural area of Alabama and getting to know the local sustainable, natural farmers and the people in my community has been such an invaluable experience. Eating healthy is now so much a part of who I am. I go over more of my journey HERE.

When it comes to living a Gluten-free lifestyle myself, it's only been the past few years that I've worked through my own journey. I've found peace with it!

​Before finding out that gluten was not my friend I was eating pretty much everything I wanted. I had in fact put on more weight than ever (32 lbs heavier than I am now), I was dealing with chronic fatigue, chronic pain with a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia from 2004, I was tired all of the time, never feeling rested no matter how long I slept. My whole body ached most of the time. I had inflammation. I had to tell myself to not think on it or I would never get out of bed. Had I not done that every.single.day. I would never have been able to fully function.

I had people tell me to get on disability, so I wouldn't have to work. They were well-meaning folks and saw that the struggle was real. And I get it, some people have to do this. Who am I to judge them? But I persevered and did what I had to do. I have always been one to be very driven in work and life. Never letting anything keep me down or from doing the things that I wanted to do or that needed to be done. But after awhile you're body will just start telling you "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH". The key here is are we going to listen?

That's kind of what happened. I needed to make a change and immediately. I knew, deep down, it was going to require a complete overhaul of my diet. Was I willing to change? Was I willing to make the investment? What's the old saying, "If you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done!" We hate when someone tells us this ESPECIALLY when it comes to changing our diet. NOOOOO! Anything but that!

I'm happy to tell you I did just that. And it worked. And I lived. We learn to adjust, adapt and we're all the better for it!

I'm going to be speaking locally this Saturday, September 30th, 2017 at 11:00 am at Dothan Nurseries, sponsored by MarketAtDothan on "Transitioning to a Gluten-Free Lifestyle, As Painlessly as Possible." In the talk I will share my story and how I was able to transition as well as:

• What is Gluten?
• What are the symptoms of Gluten Intolerance?
• What types of conditions require a Gluten-free lifestyle change?
• GMO'S - Genetically Modified Organisms
• A Diagnosis; Now What?
• Making the Transition

This is a lot of information, I know. I've tried condensing it as much as I can. But I want to give the most well-rounded info I can. I'll try and have a handout to take with you just in case. If you, someone you know, or someone you just met is dealing with what you think may be associated to gluten intolerance or you have been newly diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity, gluten allergy, or celiacs disease THIS TALK IS FOR YOU!

Also, you'll want to come to the 9:30 class which is a VERY IMPORTANT talk from our friends at MAYIM FARM. Greg and Carole Lolley of Mayim Farm are both Master Gardeners who utilize organic growing methods and concentrate on nutrient dense foods. Talk about amazing food. The food they produce from their farm is so fresh, so delicious, so healthy. It takes your dish to a whole.new.level. Greg will be talking about "The Health Difference between Organically Grown and Traditionally Grown Foods." I cannot emphasize enough how important this talk is. I look forward to hearing Greg, gaining insight into his expertise and finally meeting Greg and Carole in person, as we have become acquainted online and I've partaken of their fabulous home grown foods. They are DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY!

And hey, I'm giving away this GIFT CERTIFICATE so you don't want to miss it! (see below)

I look forward to seeing you this Saturday at the Fall Market. There will be some amazing fall produce to pick up and you'll get to meet new friends and meet our local sustainable and natural farmers. Let's support them. #supportlocal

This post was written by Susan Avello, Personal Chef at Lean Bean Chef Personal Chef Services in Dothan Alabama - offering Healthy Meal Prep, Meal Planning, Private Cooking Classes, Private Dinner Parties and Education on Healthy Eating. ​