As much as I try to eat healthy, satisfying and safe food there are times when I have to confess that the world doesn’t seem set up for coeliacs yet. One of those times has been the last few days.
In Bolivia, a series of stomach upsets (gluten caused or not, who knows?) meant that I retreated to the safest foods. By which I mean something in a packet with an allergen statement that did not mention gluten. (Normally I would consider fresh homecooked food safest, but with no kitchen and no way of cleaning fresh fruit, this is second best). This also meant junk food.
As ashamed as I am to admit it, I existed for nearly three days on skittles, milky ways and nestle trencito (chocolate). I wasn’t happy about it, but I felt safe and it got me past the worst of my tummy troubles. It helps that I had little appetite anyway.
Of course there have been consequences. Cravings, majorly pissed off skin and guilt that I deprived my body of nutrients mainly.
This for me is the worst of travelling. I can’t whip up my own bone broth when I think I’ve been glutened, I don’t always know what will make me worse, and I don’t have any trusted place to eat out; everywhere is new, and a leap of faith. Sometimes it feels I have to make a choice between junk food and nothing. And, I’m a hungry person, I never choose nothing.
But I don’t want to do this to my body. So for the next month I’m going to be junk food free. I want to stop craving it, and stop using it as a safety net. Which means I’m going to have to find some other solutions, and fast!
If you have any ideas for easy replacement foods (preferably low sugar) please share them with me!
Gluten free backpacker 
We all struggle, even those of us with a permanent and personal kitchen. You did what was right for you at the time, even if it meant comfort food and junk food. You believe you did wrong and now you are trying to fix it. Listen to your body and do what is right for you.
I can imagine hostel cooking is challenging as is finding gluten-free food in South America. I am not familiar with Bolivian food, but my suggestion would be fresh fruit and veggies, plain rice, and fresh fish, chicken, or meat from a restaurant you trust. It may be easier said than done, but I wish you the best of luck. I hope you heal quickly!
Thank you! It can be hard to decide where the line is between being too hard on yourself and being too easy. We moved to Peru quite quickly and have been having better luck. Feeling a bit better already