Do you have allergies or intolerances to certain foods? If you’re like me, food allergies and restrictions to certain foods can be daunting. But when we throw all of life’s chaos, struggles, and challenges, balancing a healthy lifestyle can seem all but impossible. One way I keep sane is to make sure I spend a couple hours each week focusing on my fitness. I have a lot of food allergies/restrictions and celiac disease. I have found first hand how integrated exercise and celiac disease can be for keeping symptoms at bay. Staying active and engaging in physical fitness with celiac diseases and other health struggles is important in maintaining overall health. When it comes to fitness, I am not talking about training for a marathon, swimming across the bay, or doing a 30 minute HIIT workout every other day. 

I am talking about the basics

Sometimes, walking is the only activity I can muster up enough energy to complete. As someone with health struggles like celiac, I know fitness and exercise are so important. Anyone diagnosed with any disease knows that physical activity and movement are so important to maintain their overall wellbeing. 

But I think sometimes we put a near impossible expectation on ourselves that result in an endless cycle of:

1. Commit 
2. Gluten exposure
3. Gluten reaction
4. Lose motivation 
5. Negative self-talk
6.  Guilt ourselves into starting the cycle all over again once we are better. 

Does Celiac Disease impact exercise?

YES! Celiac disease affects people in so many ways. For some, gluten exposure causes digestive struggles. Others may experience brain fog, headaches, migraines, some have muscle and nerve pain.

OR, if you are lucky like me, check D all of the above! 

Anytime someone with celiac disease is exposed to gluten, an autoimmune response is triggered, damaging the gut, reducing the appetite, energy level, and ability to focus. All this, and more, occurs until the gluten gets out of our body. Appetites and energy levels plummet when gluten gets in our system, everything seems to go haywire. When I accidentally ingest gluten, even the tiniest crumb, I feel incredible pain all over my body, but especially through my back. This also depletes my motivation to workout, especially going for a run. 

Exercise with celiac

Celiac disease often results in nutrient deficiency. Even if you are eating a balanced diet, you can’t absorb the nutrients your body needs to get you through your workouts if your gut is damaged. This often means you are fatigued (iron deficient/anaemic) or potentially bruise easily because of a nutrient deficiency.

In my experience, getting moving, even for a stretch or a walk around the neighbourhood, does 2 things: 

1. Walking helps my body work a little, which helps my body get back to normal faster 
2. Getting outside means fresh air, which does wonders for mentality, and I remind myself that I CAN do this, even if I walk a little slower. 

Another reason fitness is important for those with celiac of other food intolerances is that, while the food industry has come a long way in making gluten-free foods that don’t taste like cardboard, these replacements are often calorie dense (more so than the gluten laden counterparts). 

What can YOU do?

Sometimes making a commitment to exercise, writing it down and adding it to your calendar, is enough encouragement and accountability you need. Writing something down holds you accountable. Another way to hold yourself, and others accountable, is to exercise with a friend or a family member. 

If you or someone in your family has celiac or other health conditions, encourage a bit of healthy activity, like a walk. Walking, especially with a friend, is a great bonding activity and keeps you both healthy. When you exercise, you also boost your heart healthy, and improve your mood and energy levels! Make sure you stay hydrated and have fun! 

What is your favourite daily activity?