Gluten Free Olympians!

I am loving these Olympics, aren't you? My husband and I have been marveling at the ridiculous things the human body is capable of with years of training. Crazy gymnastics. Superfast running. Marathon endurance. And all the odd sports--trampolining, handball, dressage. It's entertainment at its finest!

The human interest stories always get me. Brazil's first Olympic gymnastics medal - and a gold one at that. Serena Williams revealing that an Olympic medal was her highest goal, with tears in her eyes. Michael Phelps swimming like a freaking dolphin, and retiring from his sport while the world watches.

To add to the fun, there are more than a few Olympic athletes living gluten free! Want to meet them?

--Photo from Wikipedia.com

Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis star who went gluten free in 2011 after a nutritionist discovered that the athlete might be suffering from gluten intolerance. Sadly, Djokovic did not move on to the finals at this year's Olympics, though he still has some serious titles (winner of the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon) to his name.

--Photo borrowed from the Inn on Lake Granbury.

Dana Vollmer, the American swimmer who brought the U.S.A. not one, not two, but three gold medals. Vollmer does not have Celiac disease but is extremely sensitive to both gluten and eggs. After eliminating these from her diet, she saw a marked improvement in her training and managed to blow the competition out of the water in London.

--Photo borrowed from USA Today.

American pole vaulter Jenn Suhr, who surprised everyone by winning gold this Monday! Suhr was diagnosed with Celiac in 2011 after experiencing severe stomach cramps, dehydration, and exhaustion. Also: talk about abs! Seriously. I wish going gluten free had that affect on me... But I suppose the 8 trillion hours she spends in the gym have more to do with the abs than going gluten free. I hope she's celebrating her victory with some delicious gf cupcakes!

I'd love to hear how going gluten free affected each of these stars. It's great to see the publicity their gluten intolerance has gotten - it finally seems as though Celiac and gluten intolerance are becoming part of a mainstream conversation, not just a back-room one between those who struggle with gluten and their doctors or nutritionists.

Who is your favorite gluten free celebrity or athlete? What about their story inspires you?