… has been a real b!*@h. I’m almost 2 months into my new diet, and it’s so hard.

And expensive.

Being that I gave up meat in the 6th grade, I’ve been living a fast-paced vegetarian life (in Manhattan nonetheless). And by fast-paced I mean, veggie burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, scrambled eggs and veggie bacon, fast food french fries, cheese pizza, pasta, etc. I pretty much depended on gluten to nourish myself.

Then earlier this summer, my gastro doctor tells me I need to start eating a gluten-free diet. For the rest of my life. And I’m still really sad.

There are several restaurants I can’t really go to, as the food is cross-contaminated constantly. The grill is used to cook veggie burgers and toast wheat buns, food is deep-fried in the same oil, etc…

In order to help me transition, I took to the internet to learn about my new lifestyle. If you’re recently gone gluten-free, do check out these sites:

- Unsafe ingredients. Always read the labels; Celiac.com.

- Gluten intolerance 101; WebMD.com.

- Cross-contamination and what you need to know; About.com.

- Tasty gluten-free recipes; GlutenFreeda.com.

- Gluten free restaurants; GlutenFreeRestaurants.org.

Best of luck, and if you have any tips for me, do share!

xx, India-Jewel