Look to the Basics Before You Leap

I had an interesting question from a longtime friend who asked me what my thoughts were about a gluten-free diet and whether it might help her feel better (and get rid of some bloat). I told her this:

"Before you cut anything out of your diet, look at what you ARE eating: plenty of fruits and veggies, adequate lean protein, whole grains, nuts and seeds, water? Are you keeping watch on sodium and saturated fats, eliminating trans fats, minimizing intake of starchy refined carbs, sugar and processed foods?

"Finally, are you watching portion sizes, realizing that even if you're eating all the right foods, if you're eating too much of them, your calorie intake could be too high? If you're OK in all these areas, then lack of exercise could be a factor--remember all the good things exercise does for us (particularly as we age) aside from burning calories, like revving up our metabolism, boosting energy and aiding digestion.

"Go down the checklist above first, and if nothing is missing, try adding even more fiber-filled fruits and veggies to your diet in creative ways (spinach on your sandwiches, chickpeas, nuts and beans in your salads, etc.). If you've tried it all and nothing works, you might try looking at gluten, but I'm skeptical about going there first. It can be rather restrictive and may be unnecessary."

Now that's not to say that gluten-free diets don't work--for some people, they are a godsend since those particular folks have a sensitivity to gluten. But not everyone who is experiencing lack of energy, bloat or extra weight needs to go gluten free. A much better idea is to figure out if your basic diet is in sync with a smart eating plan, tweak it if not, then see what happens. You can always try gluten-free (or another plan) later. But why completely overhaul your diet if it isn't necessary?