The GF Traveller
Lifestyle
Gluten Free Labels: What to Watch Out For!
Feb
09
Reading labels can get confusing!
No matter where you are in the world when you’re celiac reading product labels becomes a necessity. Being able to understand the language the label is written in is only the first hurdle. Next comes the challenge of figuring out what ingredients such as ‘flavourings’, ‘colouring’ or ‘spices’ actually mean. These ingredients can mean different things in different countries and even from company to company making the experience of reading labels a very confusing one. If we know what to look out for and which ingredients could be a hidden source of gluten we will be less likely to make gluten mistakes and in turn feel happier and healthier. (more…)
Why Everyone Needs A Gluten Free Friend
Jan
30
With my best friend, Fiona. 
With Debbie and Nicola
We celiacs are lovely people so of course you would want to be our friend but just in case you aren’t completely sold on the idea here are some fantastic reasons why everyone should have at least one gluten free friend! ( Yes, I’m aware this post is a little silly but I thought it would be a bit of fun. )
My Third Gluten Free Christmas
Jan
05
With my tasty dime bar cake
Chilli and nibbles
Christmas 2011 was my third one as a celiac ( how time has flown!). It was also my third completely gluten free Christmas. I’m extremely lucky that my family and friends are so understanding. They know what it means to live with celiac disease and how careful they must be when cooking for me. I had nothing to worry about where festive gluten free eating was concerned. I hope all of you had a fantastic gluten free christmas too whether it was your first or your 51st. (more…)
Avoid Gluten Free Christmas Pitfalls
Dec
23
Merry Christmas
We all have foods we can’t imagine going without on Christmas day but luckily for celiacs most of the traditional Christmas meal is naturally gluten free. This however does not mean that we can stop being careful. Making a gluten free christmas meal is simple but we still must be aware of hidden sources of gluten which could result in not such a merry christmas for our gluten free loved ones. (more…)
How To Cook For A Celiac
Dec
06
With my mum and best friend, Fiona
My dad
The festive season is upon us and many of us will be headed home for the holidays, looking forward to home cooked meals with family and friends. In my case I am very excited about catching up with close family and friends whom I haven’t seen in almost a year.
As a celiac you never let you guard down. Wherever there is eating there must be caution and at Christmas time there tends to be a whole lot of things for eating. It can be overwhelming where there is so much going on that accidents can happen so to avoid any of that nasty stuff I decided to write this post. (more…)
What Turned Your Celiac Genes On?
Nov
28
The amazing Mexico City
Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala
Some research on celiac disease suggests that something triggers it, something starts it up. We are born with the genes to make developing the disease possible. It’s not certain that we will develop it but if we do it will probably be as a result of a trigger of some sort such as severe stress, physical trauma, pregnancy or viral infection. Can you pin point something in your life which could have triggered your celiac disease? (more…)
How To Support Someone With Celiac Disease
Nov
15
At the arctic circle
In Boston
Most of my posts are aimed at helping those of us who are on a strict gluten free diet. When you are diagnosed with celiac disease simple things such as grocery shopping and eating out become a lot more challenging, especially at first and we need all the help we can get. Living in a supportive environment with people who understand what we are going through can definitely help a celiac to heal more quickly and effectively. For this reason I decided to write a post aimed at the close family and friends of someone who has been diagnosed with celiac disease. The following question is one you may be asking yourself. (more…)
Celiac In A Family Of Gluten Eaters?
Nov
14
Being silly in Vegas
Are you a lone celiac in a family of gluten lovers? Are you the only one in your group of friends who has a restrictive diet? Despite the research which tells us that our close relatives have a one in ten chance of developing the disease, many of the celiacs I’ve spoken with are the only (diagnosed) celiac in their family. Living with celiac disease can be difficult in a household where everyone else is eating gluten but it is even more challenging if our nearest and dearest do not take our disease seriously. (more…)
Celiac Disease Symptoms
Nov
09
Are some of these symptoms familiar?
Recently I was speaking to a friend who suffers from bad anemia and bloating after eating. She has had this for a while and doctors haven’t been able to pinpoint the reason. A huge siren went off inside my head when I heard this. This sounded just like me three years ago before I was diagnosed. My friend said she would never have considered that anemia and bloating could be related but I can and you probably can too. Celiac disease and gluten free living are on my mind A LOT and so I like to think I’m pretty good at picking up on symptoms which could very well be the result of celiac disease. I asked her a few more questions to find out whether she had any other symptoms commonly associated with untreated celiac disease. She has many. I encouraged her to speak to her doctor about getting tested. I hope she will. (more…)
Why Gluten Free Is Not A Fad Diet
Oct
19
Gluten Free Not Sugar Free
Gluten Free Not Calorie Free
Dear random people who are considering going gluten free in order to lose weight,
A gluten free diet is not a fad diet, or at least it shouldn’t be. Those of us who are celiac, gluten intolerant or required to remove gluten from our diets for other serious reasons do so because we have to. As a celiac, if I eat gluten I am going to become very sick pretty quickly. I’ll have terrible stomach pains, I’ll feel bloated, I”ll have lots of gas, I’ll probably get a headache, all of my energy will be gone, I’ll have diarrhea. My head will get foggy. I’ll feel like crap and this could last for a few days. I’ll also be putting myself at risk from osteoporosis and various cancers. That’s why I don’t eat gluten. Why don’t you? (more…)