Fireworks As we eagerly step into the New Year, the air is filled with aspirations and resolutions. While setting new goals is a tradition deeply embedded in this season, it's equally crucial to take a moment for reflection, acknowledging the milestones and accomplishments of the past year. Reflecting on Achievements: Celebrate Your Wins Before diving headfirst into resolutions, let's pause and celebrate the victories of the past year. What did you accomplish? What challenges

Snowflakes As the holiday approaches, many of us can feel our stress levels rise. Lists are made of what we need to purchase, what needs to be done in our home, and what gluten-free food should be made for everyone to enjoy. This time of year is portrayed as fun and magical, but can quickly become overwhelming. Social Media Social media can reinforce to us that our holiday should be perfect. Scrolling through social media shows perfectly decorated houses, happy families,

Cutting up a turkey Thanksgiving, a time of gratitude and togetherness, often revolves around a table filled with culinary delights. However, for those who need to eat gluten-free, it can be overwhelming and challenging. At times, I must remind myself to focus on what I can eat. With a little creativity and the right recipes, a gluten-free Thanksgiving can be just as delightful and delicious. Let's look at some ways to celebrate this holiday gluten-free. Reimagining Clas

Rollercoaster Having to live gluten-free can be exhausting! For many people, eating gluten-free is not a preference, but a necessity. There are so many people affected by gluten. Some, like me, have celiac disease, and others have a gluten intolerance or a gluten/wheat allergy. Many people with autoimmune diseases are recommended to eat gluten-free to improve their symptoms. Let's look at some of the positive and negative aspects of having to eat gluten-free. The Positive

Gluten-Free Ghost S'Mores Dip The leaves are crunching under your feet, the air has gotten cooler, and the nights are longer. We once again find ourselves approaching Halloween. This is one of my favorite holidays. There is no worry about buying the perfect present or hosting people for a fabulous dinner. Halloween gives children and adults permission to dress up and have fun. If you or your child has celiac disease, you can still enjoy this holiday! There are so many d

Tootsie Roll Candy-a gluten-free/nut-free option While attending a gluten-free expo, I realized how foreign it is for me to be able to eat without asking lots of questions...one of the best parts of the expo was being able to eat all the food there without the usual stress. Of course, I still checked labels, but the anxiety of potentially getting sick from eating food outside my home was much less intense. What is Normal? I think after you have been diagnosed for a long tim

A school bus is driving down the road in the fall. It’s that time of year again; soon the days will get cooler, and the kids will be back in school. For families managing Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or gluten allergies, this season can bring more than just shopping lists and schedules. It can bring stress. Learn more about preparing your child and the school for their needs. My daughter was diagnosed with Celiac disease when she was just four years old. I’ll never for

Flyer for the Gluten-Free Expo on September 30th Come out and join us for gluten-free food and beverages! I am excited to announce that we will be having a Gluten-Free Expo in Hunt Valley, MD, on September 30th. B.C. Brewery and I are working together on this event. The expo will be held at the brewery. This is a rain-or-shine event and will be taking place outside. Catering to your Gluten-Free Needs A gluten-free expo is a great experience. When you attend, you are surro

Image of the Netherlands with a windmill and red tulips I recently interviewed Kim from the Netherlands. I love to travel and I'm always excited to learn what it is like to live with Celiac disease in other countries. Kim was just 9 years old when she learned she had celiac disease. "Before then (the diagnosis) I had horrible stomach aches and I was always tired. After many trips to the doctor, they diagnosed me with celiac." Kim van der Meer feeding a baby lamb at her fr

Enjoying Niagara Falls, Canada I've been a bit quiet on social media lately. I had to take a break to focus on feeling better and healing my gut. As with many people who have celiac disease, my stomach has not been completely healed with a gluten-free diet. I decided I was going to work with a registered dietitian to find out what causes my underlying stomach issues so I can address them. I feel like doctors have been treating my symptoms but not addressing the underlining

Image of the Cathedral of Cologne I was excited to be able to interview Claudia from Germany. Claudia was 52 years old when she found out she had celiac disease. She has had stomach pain since she was 18 years old. Her mother passed away from stomach cancer a few years ago, prompting Claudia to investigate her symptoms. Since she has stopped eating gluten, casein, and lactose she no longer has stomach issues. Claudia has two daughters and a sister that also has celiac di

View of Portugal Photo Credit: @celiaccoach_byabir I recently interviewed Abir who is from Lebanon and is currently living in Portugal. She shares her experiences living with celiac disease in Portugal. Abir was only eight years old when she was diagnosed with celiac disease. She says "I can't forget the day and all the mixed feelings I passed through!" She had several symptoms of celiac as a child such as "stunted growth, eye-vision shortage, joint pain, headache, const

Celiac ribbon-More Education about Celiac Disease When I was first diagnosed with Celiac disease I had no idea what it was. I did not know anyone at that time that had celiac. I left the doctor glad to have answers, but I did not know what was next. I went home, started researching, and bought a bunch of books so I could begin to educate myself. Shortly after I was diagnosed, my four-year-old daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. That made things a bit more stressfu

A woman looking over a long windy road. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." -Lao Tzu I, like many other celiacs, have had ongoing stomach problems most of my life. I thought when I was diagnosed with celiac disease, that I found the answers I needed. It took me over a year to feel better on a gluten-free diet. However, the truth is, I still have problems with my stomach. To be honest I don't remember ever not having a problem with my stomach. This is m

Purple Hyacinth Spring has always been my favorite time of year. The days are getting longer, it's light outside when I wake up and light later in the evening. The weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining. When you look out the window the grass is green, the leaves are coming out and the flowers are blooming. Spring view of the mountains Spring brings things back to life including me! I feel energized. I can get back on my bike and spend time outside without free

Picture of Yara and pictures of Lebanon I recently interviewed Yara. She is currently living in Saudi Arabia but she is from Lebanon. She graciously agreed to let me interview her about both countries. This gave me a unique look at two different countries from her perspective. The interview about her celiac diagnosis and her life in Saudia Arabia can be found HERE. Eating out in Lebanon How knowledgeable is the food industry in Lebanon regarding Celiac? "Although Celia

Image of a vaccine Beyond Celiac is working hard to find a cure for celiac disease by 2030. Here is the link to Beyond Celiac where they discuss what they are doing to work toward a cure. I admit that I'm afraid to be excited about this possibility. The hope is a vaccine-like therapy to train the immune system that gluten is not the enemy. To learn more about future therapies visit the Celiac Disease Foundation. A cure for celiac would change both my celiac daughter's li

Images from Saudi Arabia How old were you when you were diagnosed with Celiac? How did you find out you had Celiac? Yara was diagnosed with celiac in 1995, she was about a year old at the time. She began having problems when she started solid food. "I had growth and weight issues, I wasn’t growing at a normal rate. In addition, I was suffering from severe diarrhea and vomiting. After spending many days in the hospital, changing many doctors to get the right diagnosis, my

Living gluten-free, whether due to celiac disease or gluten intolerance, can feel overwhelming at times. But with the right tools, it becomes so much easier. Today, I’m sharing my favorite gluten-free apps, expos, and social media communities that help make gluten-free living and travel safer, simpler, and more enjoyable. Expo Event 1. Best Gluten-Free Apps for Shopping & Traveling GF Scanner: Your Grocery Store Lifesaver The GF Scanner app is one of my top essentials. When y

Image of Sarah and New Zealand Come with me as I fly halfway across the globe to New Zealand. In my quest to see what it is like to live around the world with celiac disease, I interviewed Sarah Albom from New Zealand. I found Sarah through an article I read on Coeliac New Zealand. She also made a documentary “Don’t Pass the Bread” about celiac disease for Coeliac New Zealand. It was very well done, and as I watch it, I once again realize that no matter where we live we a