Are you jacked up with some crazy auto-immune issue or allergy to a food? Welcome to my world, friends!

After YEARS of stomach issues, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in September of 2013. I learned my new normal through friends and crazy, detailed internet searches.

One article I found at the time was from a travel blogger with Celiacs. She traveled all over the world writing and constantly came into contact with food that was questionable on the gluten scale. Her blog post was so helpful in how she got over her being glutened, and while I can no longer find it (SO SORRY!), I have thought about it several times.

So, today, as the holidays approach us and Holiday parties are ramping up, I wanted to show you my own, personal survival guide. Hopefully this will help some of you if you are like me and dealing with Celiacs or a gluten intolerance. There are a ton of us out there!

From time to time, I come into contact with gluten. I am SUPER careful about what I eat and where I eat, but, unfortunately, it still happens.

I can tell almost immediately when I am glutened. First, I get anxious and jittery. Then the incredible pain, bloating and nausea come my way. And, the whole experience ends with psoriasis on my scalp and painful dermatitis on my feet. People. I am a ball of fun over here! Poor Reid.

Here is how I get through the fun . . .

SHAWNA’S GLUTEN SURVIVAL GUIDE

***Drink Water. TONS and TONS of water. It helps to flush out all of those toxins. On a daily basis I try to aim to drinking half of my body weight in water. On “gluten survival” days, I drink even more.

***Have a digestive enzyme ready to go when needed. The travel blogger recommended this in her blog, and I immediately ordered on Amazon and have in my drawer for whenever disaster strikes.

***Take a daily probiotic! I am a HUGE believer in this! 80% of our immune system lies in our gut, so when that is out of whack, we can feel all of the yucky things! So, take your probiotic! I love this one! I have used for years, and it is my go to. I usually take two each night at bedtime, but will ramp up to four on “gluten survival” days. Click here to grab this one for yourself, if you need a probiotic.

***Allow yourself to rest! Some people will tell you to strap yourself to a treadmill and run it off. I disagree with that. Your body is literally fighting itself, so be kind to it. Try to get some more sleep, be kind to yourself, and rest when you can. Easier said than done. I know.

***Keep yourself regular. If you know what I mean. I love BioCleanse! This miracle little pill keeps your digestion on track by speeding up the removal of harmful microbes and substances to support your body’s natural detoxification process. Click here to grab a bottle for yourself. Be consistent and you will thank me. Seriously!

***And, if all else fails, I go to my “Celiac Cleanse”. If I am in a bad way and it is not getting better, than I take this little concoction that is approved by my doctor. It is basically a miniature version of what someone would take to prep when having a colonoscopy. I reserve this for emergencies, and only have to do once or twice a year at the very most. I have boys, so they think it is HILARIOUS when their mom does her “Celiac Cleanse”. Because, they are boys, and they like all gross things. If you are in a bad way and need something like this, talk to your doctor and get yourself an emergency “Celiac Cleanse” as well. Just don’t abuse this. Teenage Shawna would have abused this, so I monitor myself heavily now.

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That’s my survival guide! And, I hope that it helps some of you out there! I have so many friends that are allergic to gluten, eggs, nuts, etc. So I know that we all suffer with something.

Is there something else in your survival guides? Please share! Feeling crummy is NEVER fun, so I would love to know what works for you!

Here’s to happy eating this Holiday season! XO