Gluten Free Maui, Hawaii

Mar
27

Seven Sacred Pools

Who are you and where are you?
My name is Amanda. I’m a 27 year old university student living on the island of Maui in the Hawaiian islands.

Tell me about your relationship with gluten…
Puberty is a challenging time for anyone, but for me it became even more difficult as eating began to cause me great pain. My family doctor suggested I was lactose intolerant. I started eating lactose free dairy products, and began using lactase enzyme pills when I wanted to eat dairy. I’d even go completely dairy free for periods of time.

I lived this way for ten years, but it was never perfect. I’d still find myself in digestive distress. Finally having enough of this, I decided to give in and try an elimination diet. When the time came to add back in wheat, I knew I was onto something. Oats reacted too. I plugged these findings into the computer, and it basically spat out, “You have celiac disease!” So, I stopped eating gluten. My digestive symptoms disappeared. So did my neurological (shaking hands) and psychological (anxiety) issues. It’s been about five years now, and I look healthier. I feel healthier. I have never felt better.

When I first stopped eating gluten I was pretty upset about it. I definitely went through the stages of grief. I had support through celiac groups on Livejournal.com; and I found inspiration through websites like Shauna Ahern’s Glutenfreegirl and Karina Allrich’s Glutenfreegoddess.

Today, I have no problem seeing other people eat gluten. It doesn’t even occur to me to have a problem with it. As long as I am prepared, and not left hungry or left out of the social rituals around eating, then life is a peach, and peaches are gluten free.

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Gluten Free Redondo Beach

Mar
25

Redondo Beach

Who are you and where are you?
My name is Pier, and I live south of Los Angeles, in the beautiful beach city of Redondo Beach.

Tell me about your relationship with gluten..
I was diagnosed with allergies to wheat and corn 13 years ago!  You couldn’t order anything “gluten free” from a menu and it wasn’t much understood by the general public.  I even got some eyes rolls like “c’mon, who’s allergic to WHEAT?”  Luckily, people’s awareness has changed dramatically, making it much easier for those who need to, to live happily gluten-free.

Why should gluten free travellers visit your town?
Not only does my town have a beautiful beach, a great strand to walk on or bike ride, fantastic shopping, and friendly people, but there are plenty of places to eat gluten-free.  And more are popping up all the time!

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Why Is 20ppm Of Gluten The Safe Level For Celiacs?

Mar
20

Gluten Free

There has been a lot of talk recently about what 20ppm (parts per million) really means. Most countries use the Codex Alimentarius Commission standard of 20ppm as the gold standard for gluten free. As of last week (August 2nd, 2013) the United States have finally defined “gluten free” (Woohoo!!) and the FDA too have decided to go with this rate of 20ppm. There are a few countries which have gone with an even lower level, a level of 10ppm.

But why 20 parts per million? Who decided that 20ppm was a safe level of gluten for celiacs to consume?

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Gluten Free Northern Indiana

Mar
18

Beautiful

Who are you and where are you?
My name is Sarah and I am in northern Indiana near a tiny town called Shipshewana. (Population 662)

Tell me about your relationship with gluten..
I have had several blood tests that showed I am gluten intolerant, and have been gluten free for about three years. I have never been tested for celiac, but the brain fog and extreme exhaustion that hits when I’m “glutened” tell me I need to stay away from gluten for good!

Why should gluten free travellers visit your town?
My town is tiny, but the gluten free awareness in this community has been growing recently. Until recently, it was hard to find anything that was gluten free, but now it’s becoming a more friendly place for our types! 🙂

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Gluten Free Louisville, KY

Mar
13

Gluten free cookies!

Who are you and where are you?
Kenna from Louisville, KY

Tell me about your relationship with gluten..
I am a pastry chef that specializes in gluten free (but not flavor free!) foods. 🙂

Why should gluten free travellers visit your town?
On Frankfort Avenue, our gluten free bakery,  Annie May’s Sweet Cafe, serves up fresh and delicious desserts. In addition, our local food trucks have a lot of gluten free options. We especially love Grind who sell our gf buns with their homemade burgers and vegan veggie burgers. We’re working hard on being a gluten free foodie town!

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Gluten Free West Reading, PA

Mar
07

Good Eatz!

Who are you and where are you?
I’m Carrie Keplinger, also known as The Gluten Free Hack, and I’m from southeastern Pennsylvania. I’m an editor and graphic designer as well as a not-so-secret foodie.

Tell me about your relationship with gluten..
I’ve been sick my entire life but didn’t make the connection with gluten until almost three years ago. I had a very hard time getting my doctors at the time to take me seriously (big surprise there, right?), so I went off of gluten for a few weeks to see if it made a difference. I didn’t actually notice anything until I went BACK to eating gluten and felt horrible. Lots of strange symptoms I’d just learned to deal with had gone away during those weeks, and when I ate gluten again they all came back at once. I went completely gluten free after that and I’ve never felt so good! I still have residual issues, like IBS, from almost 30 years of gluten consumption, but I’m far better now.

Why should gluten free travellers visit your town?
The town I actually live in is horrible for gluten free food, but nearby is the Penn Avenue neighborhood of West Reading, a super chic indie shopping district where I like to hang out. There are lots of really interesting shops with everything from clothing to hand crafted items to antiques, and the cafes and restaurants have all sorts of delicious things to eat. They’re all independently owned, too – no chains. We love to go there on dates because it’s the perfect place to spend a day shopping and eating.

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Singapore Airlines Gluten Free Meal

Mar
06

 

GFML with wheat crackers?!

Eggs and veggies for breakfast

I recently flew with Singapore airlines. SFO-HKG-SIN. I ordered a gluten free meal for all legs of the journey. Their website allowed me to do this whilst booking my flights.

I was excited for my gluten free meals as I had heard great things about Singapore airlines but a couple of things left me concerned that my meal may not be the safest…

Firstly, one of my meals arrived with a packet of wheat crackers on my tray!?! Luckily I noticed this before eating them or I would have been really sick. I’m really not sure how on earth this came to be on my tray but there was no other side in it’s place so it looked like it had been deliberately put there. Worrying!

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Gluten Free Dubai

Mar
05

The Burj Khalifa

Who are you and where are you?
I am Linda, I am originally from Sweden, but i live in Dubai – United Arab Emirates

Tell me about your relationship with gluten..
My relationship with gluten has always been pretty bad, but it got a lot worse when my daughter was born. From weaning onwards she was a very very angry and sickly child. She was diagnosed with Celiac just before her second birthday, and the entire family cut their relationship with gluten in order for her to get well. She did get well, and we have never looked back, who needs gluten anyway? 🙂

Why should gluten free travellers visit your town?
Well, while the UAE may be behind some other countries when it comes to availability of gluten free foods and restaurants who can handle a gluten free visitor, it’s an amazing place to visit. Dubai has the tallest building in the world, man made islands, old souks, gorgeous beaches and so on. We also have an amazing mix of cultures living side by side. Visiting Dubai should be on everyones ‘to do’ list.

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Gluten Free Washington, DC

Mar
04

The awesome US Capitol

Who are you and where are you?
Hi! My name is Anna and I live in Washington, D.C.

Tell me about your relationship with gluten..
11 years and going strong. I went “cold turkey” and never looked back.

Why should gluten free travellers visit your town?
Washington DC is the heart and soul of American politics. There are so many (free!) things to do here, and there are tons of restaurants that accommodate the gluten free diet.

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Gluten Free Chicago

Feb
28

Senza

Joe’s Steak & Stone Crab

Who are you and where are you?
Charlotte Goldberg aka @MommyandtheCity in Chicago

Tell me about your relationship with gluten..
After 30 years of symptoms, trips to the ER, challenges with fertility, I was finally diagnosed May 2011 with  Celiac after a knock down drag out fight with my primary care doctor.  I am gluten free and now so is my 5 year old Celiac daughter.  This means that basically my whole family is gluten free at home now. I do however refuse to let the Gluten Freeness/Celiac Disease keep us from enjoying our lives.  We travel regularly and dine out cautiously.

Why should gluten free travellers visit your town?
Chicago is amazing, period.  It is full of beauty, art, shopping and heart.  It is a Foodies’ dream.  If you are gluten free it is even more amazing. One of the largest restaurant groups in Chicago – Lettuce Entertain You – requires all their restaurants to have Gluten Free options and they are (generally) well educated on Gluten Free allergy needs. We are also home to Senza, a 100% gluten free restaurant, from one of the top Midwest chefs. My list can go on and on and on.  Needless to say, I think Chicago is a Gluten Free diner’s paradise.

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