Monday, January 7, 2013

Gratitude Monday -- It's Wine O' Clock Again

For Christmas Eve dinner this past season, along with the roasted turkey and wildcrafted cranberry sauce, we had a glass of wine.
It was good.
Back in the old days I could hold my liquor with the best of them. I don't know that's anything to brag about, but neither is it a point of shame. It was a simple fact and I relate it for a reason.
One fine day I developed a number of food allergies including to alcohol. Not only could I get looped on the mere smell of it, I couldn't even handle de-alcoholized beer.
It was sad.
I'd have the occasional snort of something at bed time, or perhaps a swallow or two of wine of an occasion, but that was it. Any more and I'd be unable to control what I said. Also, liquor makes me red from ear to ear. For some "getting a glow on" is figurative. For me, literal.
Several months ago I decided to honour my gluten intolerance just to see what would happen. I followed the blog Wheat Belly and learned many things about wheat and gluten.
Commenters noted food allergies clearing up.
I wondered.
Then one day shortly before Christmas I looked in a little-consulted kitchen drawer. What should I find but a bottle of  3 Blind Moose merlot we'd purchased in a Montana service station a few years back.
On Christmas Eve afternoon I popped it in the refrigerator for a few hours to bring it below room temperature. My husband cracked the bottle near meal time to give it time to breathe, and then poured us each a generous glass.
For the first time in years I
a) finished the whole glass
b)drained mine before he'd finished his
c)was still sober
I glowed a lovely flame red from it, but it didn't matter. I tolerated it.
So thrilled was I that Saturday evening I decided to have another to help me enjoy the fourth season opener of Fringe. I only had a half-glass, but it was enough to satisfy me that Christmas Eve was not an anomaly.
It's wine o'clock in my house again.


12 comments:

Tabor said...

I had not heard of a food allergy that would make you appear drunk. Watch allergies as they can be life threatening as I am sure you know. Glad that you can enjoy one of the best things in life...in moderation.

Leah J. Utas said...

Tabor, I lost my ability to tolerate alcohol. It slowly improved over the years, but the gluten avoidance was the game-changer. Thanks, moderation is good.

the Bag Lady said...

Yay! It is nice to be able to enjoy a glass of wine on occasion. Perhaps one day soon, we'll be able to do that in the company of one another!

Bossy Betty said...

I'll toast to that!

Crabby McSlacker said...

Oh dear, either my laptop or the blogger site seem to be out to get me this morning. I won't repeat my previous lost comment in case it shows up belatedly, but the renewed ability to enjoy a healthy glass of wine on occasion sounds like a great benefit of the gluten-free diet. Cheers!

Leah J. Utas said...

Bag Lady, I hope that, too.
Betty, thanks.
Crabby, it is one of the best benefits ever.

Talia said...

Bugger - cutting gluten didn't help me hold my wine!

Food intolerances can definitely affect your whole system but after getting diagnosed with Coeliac I cut gluten and it only made my gut more sensitive to wine.

messymimi said...

It's amazing to me what effects food can have on us. Glad the lack of gluten is helping you so much.

Leah J. Utas said...

Talia, I'm sorry this didn't work for you. Maybe as it repairs even more that'll change. Good luck with it.

Messymimi, it is quite the eye-opener. Thanks.

Red said...

You describe my situation exactly. I don't dare drive after one brew. I'm completely out of it. I also have other food allergies.
Thanks for the tip. I wonder how many other people are in the same boat?

Leah J. Utas said...

Red, glad to be of service. It seems more and more people are discovering gluten harms them.
If you haven't already, I recommend checking out the Wheat Belly blog. I haven't read the book.

Hilary said...

What a great turnaround for you. Wine o'clock is the best time of day. Though Frank would argue that it's tequila-thirty.

I get the red face flush also. It's relatively new. to me.