It’s the day after Memorial Day, back to work after a long weekend of fun, sun, and food. It might also be a day of major stomach and intestinal distress for a Celiac. If you didn’t follow the gluten-free grilling safety principles I posted last year and shared on Facebook over the weekend, that may be the problem. My heart goes out to you and sends you tummy healing love, but I know that does little to help the physical and emotional pain of being glutened. There is no “cure”, only time, but there are some things you can do or try that may help ease the pain and fatigue while everything is moving through the system. Thankfully, I can count on one hand the number of times since my Celiac diagnosis that I’ve been “glutened” for sure. They were all results of my own stupidity. Like eating brown rice cereal that said “wheat-free”, but contained barley malt. Or experimenting with some Wheat Thins “just to see” and not having a happy tummy afterward.

Along with my other tummy troubles and allergies, I’ve developed some methods that seem to help ease the tummy when it’s in distress. Hopefully, you can find some relief by trying these, but when you’ve been glutened, the #1 thing to do is be kind to yourself and rest up!

1. Drink, Drink, Drink Water – Besides rest, this is essential! Flush out the toxins your body is reacting to. You need to stay hydrated and amp up the water intake stat!

2. Hot Pure Peppermint Tea – Besides water, drink some good hot mugs of peppermint tea. Peppermint soothes the tummy and it a nice way to stay hydrated with some more flavor. I drink peppermint tea every day no matter and it always makes my tummy feel better.

3. Take Probiotics – Make sure you’re taking some gluten-free probiotics. Refeed your body with the good bacteria it needs to keep things in balance.

4. Try Fermented/Cultured Food – Some sauerkraut, kimchi, dairy-free kefir, or yogurts, that type of thing. They provide good bacteria (probiotics) and help with food absorption which can give those “injured” intestines some help!

5. Eat Easy To Digest Foods – I’m talking white rices, white potatoes, dry cereals, light crackers (all gluten-free of course!). Give the body fuel, but make it fuel that can easily be digested without much work. This is not a time to amp up the fiber intake 😉

6. Use Turmeric And Ginger – These are both wonderful anti-inflammatory and will help ease the stomach, digestive tract, and intestines. You can take them in capsule form, as a spice on food, or even in tea form!

7. Try Activated Charcoal – I’ve never personally tried this, but some Celiacs swear by activated charcoal capsules. Apparently, it’s supposed to grab on to and absorb the “toxins” in the digestive tract and help move them out of the body.

8. Replenish Electrolytes – If you’re running to the bathroom every 5 minutes, you need to keep the fluids in as well as electrolytes your body is eliminating. Instead of processed Gatorade or Pedialyte, make your own electrolyte drink like this or this!

9. When In Doubt, Take Some Pepto-Bismol – I always have Pepto on me, no matter where I am. It doesn’t always work, and it might be more psychological than anything else, but it does give me a bit of ease when I’m having stomach trouble. It may be the nice minty taste you suck on (I get the chewable tablets), so try sucking on mints to help ease the tummy if you don’t have Pepto.

10. Get Plenty Of Rest & Sleep – This truly is the most important. The is no cure for Celiac Disease, meaning when your body gets invaded, there isn’t much you can do but ride out the storm. That’s why it’s so important to know what to avoid and how to prevent cross-contamination. But if it happens, take it easy, give your body rest, allow it to recover, and get some sleep. Let the body heal itself after attacking itself.

Getting glutened doesn’t just cause a sour stomach. The symptoms can occur right away or a day or two later. You can be moody, fatigued, get horrible headaches, diarrhea, muscle aches and pains, vomiting, foggy head, disoriented, cramping, etc. So turn the lights out, get some sleep, stay hydrated, and let your loved ones know they need to show compassion and kindness as well. Your body is under attack from itself so there is nothing you can do about but let the course ride out.

So tell me:

+ What are your go-to tummy healing remedies?

+ Celiacs, when was the last time you were accidentally glutened?

+ Have you ever made your own electrolyte drink or tried activated charcoal? No and no.

———————————————-