..actually but it took a little push. b/c i was still dealing with some weight issues i was more afraid to ingest fat and calories rather then chemicals and presservatives. i used to be obsessed with drinking skim-lattes from starbucks in an attempt to skip a meal. in sept. last year when i came back from vacation my mom would shop with me for my then-ibs-safe food and id keep it @ my BFs house---but it was nabisco..quaker..stuff like that. him and i spent alot of nights looking up different information on the internet and he showed me more about the food i thought was safe and basically that theres food out there that just shouldnt have added stuff to it! a bread i was eating had HFCS in it! can you believe it?? if you make a homemade bread..you dont add that to your ingredients. i came across this site and started reading about the triggers..SF and IF..breaking-the-cycle and it just seemed more logical to me to give it a try b/c it def.couldnt hurt. the more i read, the more i discovered. we started shopping @ whole foods and i found a TON of replacements for my old food---strawberry-flake cereal, oatmeal, rice cereal, soups, applesauce and even some things i didnt use! like broths to make soups, ingredients for homemade fruit/flavored bread and my BFs famous signature pizza! he even showed ME how to cook it and i made my very own once i found all that out, it just became easier for me. i learned what i liked/disliked, and what agreed/disagreed with my stomach and my bowels. i say it is alot more helpful and WAY more better only b/c if you have an attack..you can look directly at the food you ate...you never have to worry about the extra stuff that following it b/c there is none it was a big change but i wouldnt go back if i had the chance. its just so important to pay attention to how you treat your body b/c it really is a temple and the only one youve got. when i eat that way..and no triggers at all in a day, i feel like im sitting on top of the world b/c i feel just that great! my body feels so clean and pure! whats it like to eat gluten free? is it hard to find some foods or are most brands pretty accomidating? some things we buy say gluten free/wheat free---are those the same thing?? i had no idea gluten/wheat could be a problem. where do you most commonly shop at?? i applaud you for keeping to your stict diet as well