Why I Decided to go Gluten-Free (GF) to Heal from Scoliosis

Last June I decided to cut out gluten for good and I’m so glad I did.

The first time I dabbled in a gluten-free life was back in 2013. It wasn’t really a diet, but more like an experiment. During a 30-minute consultation with an acupuncturist, she recommended I stop eating bread and pasta for 30 days to see how I felt. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but at the same time, it was only 30 days. A challenge? Yes. Unreasonable of an ask? No. And sure enough, after the 30 days, I felt better and the symptoms that had me visiting the acupuncturist in the first place had disappeared. At the time I couldn’t put two and two together. While I felt better, I didn’t think bread or dietary choices could have been a source of my struggle.

While my initial experiment many years ago was positive, I didn’t cut out gluten altogether until last year. Even just 3 years ago when I blogged about a similar experience, I still didn’t quite get it. But I finally hit a tipping point. It became clear that when I ate gluten-containing foods I didn’t feel good. When my thyroid autoimmunity diagnosis came later, it solidified this lifestyle change as a non-negotiable. Gluten-free was the way I needed to be to reverse the many many years of internal damage.

Food trends

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”

– Michael Pollan (source)

I’ve read many books about the different diets to prevent and reverse disease. From paleo, to clean, to keto, there are a plethora of protocols to choose from. The one good thing about everyone and their brother coming up with their version of what to eat is it provides many options that can help people find the one that is right for them. I myself follow paleo most of the time, but I don’t agree with the reasoning behind it, so I associate my personal style with ‘clean eating’ because, quite simply, it resonates with me. What I love about all the fad diets that pop up is reading the few things they universally agree upon: cut out the processed foods, eat leafy green vegetables.

What does gluten have to do with scoliosis?

“Hippocrates recommended diet and extension for the treatment of scoliosis.” (source)

What fascinates me about scoliosis is as a condition it is ancient. Hippocrates was writing about it during the times of Ancient Greece, which means we’ve had plenty of time to progress in how we handle treatments. Right? We are currently in a waiting game with science, so my bet is on history. Though today’s doctors and scientists haven’t nailed down the cause of scoliosis, I’d say Hippocrates was on to something when he suggested looking at one’s diet as a part of the healing regimen. Going gluten-free is so much more than removing an ingredient from my diet, it completely changed the way I look at what I eat.

A gluten-free diet may not be necessary for everyone looking to correct scoliosis. However, an elimination diet is a helpful approach to learn what foods work for you and what might be working against you. Removing gluten was the first step in reducing my exposure to trigger foods as I addressed my systemic inflammation. Once all inflammatory foods were removed, my body and my immune system finally got to take a much-needed break. While I’m not one to jump on trends, I do take note of a major shift we’re seeing culturally as we collectively look for alternatives to gluten. If I were to change one thing in my story it would be to go through the process of an elimination diet – and remove all potential allergens including dairy, wheat, soy, eggs and refined sugar – when I was diagnosed with scoliosis at 13. If you’d like to read more about dietary changes to heal scoliosis, I reviewed the Your Scoliosis Treatment Cookbook here.

I am not anti-gluten

Um… gluten is DELICIOUS. I’m not a crazy person. If my health could handle it, I’d have a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread slathered in mayo for lunch. What can I say? I’m American. The reality though, is I lived a life of over-indulgent nutrient-deficient processed foods. I had a good run. Now I get to find proper balance both with food and with life. I’m discovering a new way of nourishing my body and my soul that is colorful and vibrant.

Final thoughts

I can’t say that I’ll never have gluten again, but for right now it’s what feels right for me. Sometimes it’s a matter of keeping things that simple.

What questions do you have about going gluten-free? Leave a comment below :)