A bar that is free of almost everything you may be asking, what’s left? Well, there are key ingredients in these bars that are packed full of nutrients and flavour! The best part? It’s so easy to make!
Ingredients: 2 cups Dates 1 cup Pumpkin Seeds 1/4 cup Chia Seeds 1/4 cup Brazil Nuts 1/4 cup Almonds 1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut 1/2 cup Coconut Oil 1 tsp Cinnamon 1 tsp All Spice
Directions: 1) If you have a high speed food processor you can skip this step. If you do not have a powerful food processor, you could try cutting up the ingredients or using a mortar and pestle. However, you may not get the consistency you need. Also, if your blender is not a high speed one, you may want to be sure you soak the dates overnight or in boiling hot water for at least 20-30 min to soften them so to take the pressure off the food processor motor. 2) Put all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend together until there is a clumpy consistency. 3) Then line a pan with parchment paper and put the nut and seed mix into the pan. Then push down on the nuts and seeds evenly until it clumps into one. 4) Put into the fridge for 20-30 min and take it out to cut it into bars in desired size. Or you can roll the ingredients into balls. 5) When you are not enjoying them, keep them in a sealed container in the fridge as once they soften they will not hold their shape.
If you give these a try, be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can share the love!
Have you ever wondered how to make paleo pancakes without using eggs? Here is the trick, flax egg and make vegan “buttermilk.” These pancakes are a bit more dense than other pancakes but trust me when I say, they are delicious. Follow the recipe below to make your own!
Ingredients: 1 cup almond flour 3/4 cup cassava flour (or tapioca/arrowroot starch will work as well) 1 tbs baking powder 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbs maple syrup 1 tbs coconut oil – melted pinch of salt 1 cup almond milk 1 flax egg
Directions: 1) First make the flax egg and the vegan buttermilk to set as side as they need to sit for a few minutes to work. Mix together 1 tbs ground flax seed and 3 tbs water, mix together and set aside. Mix together 1 cup almond milk with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar and set aside for 10 min to become “buttermilk.” 2) Mix together all the dry ingredients in one bowl, almond flour, cassava flour, baking powder, and salt. 3) Mix together all the wet ingredients in another bowl, flax egg, buttermilk mixture you made, coconut oil, maple syrup. 4) Now add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix together. You can also put all of the ingredients into a food processor. 5) Melt coconut oil on your pan, and place the mixture (which will be a bit thicker), onto the pan. On medium heat it should be ready to flip in 3-5 min. 6) Serve with your favourite toppings, I have a homemade apricot spread and maple syrup on mine.
Enjoy! Tag me on instagram if you end up make these, I love to see all of your creations!
Have you ever wanted to know how to make yourself a quick, easy and delicious chocolate cake for your birthday or just because you want cake? This is the recipe for you! It is gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, and refined sugar free all without limiting your taste buds.
Here is a video on my YouTube channel where I make this cake for my birthday! Here is the full recipe on my blog.
Have you ever wanted to know how to make yourself a quick, easy and delicious chocolate cake for your birthday or just because you want cake? This is the recipe for you! It is gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, and refined sugar free all without limiting your taste buds.
Ingredients:
For the cake you will need: 2 1/2 cup Almond Flour 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder 1/4 cup Coconut Flour 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Baking Soda 1/2 tsp Salt 4 eggs or 12 TBS Egg Whites 1 1/4 cup Coconut Sugar, Cane Sugar, or Maple Syrup 1/2 cup Almond Milk or Milk of Choice 1/4 cup Avocado or Olive Oil 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the icing you will need: 1/4 cup Dairy Free Butter or Butter of Choice 1/3 cup Almond Flour 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder 1/4 cup Maple Syrup 3 TBS Coconut Sugar or Cane Sugar 1/4 cup Almond Milk
Directions: Cake Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350°F, and line your cake tin with parchment paper – this is an important step to ensure the batter does not stick to the sides of the tin. 2) In a bowl, put all of the dry ingredients including the almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Hand mix it all together and be sure to get any clumps out of the flour, or use a food processor if you have one. 3) In a separate bowl, put in all of the wet ingredients including the eggs or egg whites, coconut sugar or sugar of choice, almond milk or milk of choice, olive or avocado oil, and vanilla extract. Mix it all together. 4) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix them together until you have a cake batter. Then add the batter to the cake tin you have prepared, and smooth the batter to the sides of the tin. 5) Put your cake tin into the oven for 25- 30 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out smooth from the centre of the cake. Let the cake sit in the tin for 10 minutes to cool down then take it out of the tin and let it cool down completely before icing or cutting the cake!
Icing Directions: 1) Using a food processor (you could do it without but you just have to be sure to smooth it out and mix the ingredients well), put in the diary free butter or butter of choice and mix in the food processor until smooth (about a minute). 2) Now add the almond flour, and turn the food processor on again until the ingredients start to clump together. 3) Add in the cocoa powder and maple syrup and mix the ingredients again for another 30-60 sec. 4) Now add the coconut or cane sugar along with the almond milk or milk of choice and do a final mix. The icing should be slightly thick but able to run off your spoon. 5) Add the ingredients to a storable container and put the icing in the fridge to harden a bit more.
Now you have a delicious cake to enjoy and decorate to your liking! I put cocoa nibs and raspberries on top of mine. Below is a video of me making the cake and icing for my birthday :).
Hello everyone! One of my favourite treats growing up was a lemon loaf, so naturally I have found a way to make it so I can eat it again!
Ingredients:
1.5 cups of self raising flour (I used the free from brand from England) 1/2 cup cane sugar (or any kind of sugar you have in your cupboard) 2 flax eggs (2tbs flax seed ground up and 6 tbs water) 75 ml neutral tasting oil – I used sunflower oil Zest and juice of 2 lemons Icing Sugar: 6-8 tbs cane sugar (depends how sweet you want it) Juice of 1/2 a lemon 6-8 tbs coconut oil (depend how much icing you want)
Directions:
Put all the dry ingredients together, mix the flour and sugar together.
Make your flax eggs and set them aside until they gel together.
In a separate bowl, mix in the oil and the zest and juice of the lemons. Once the flax eggs are ready mix them in with the wet ingredients as well.
Now mix the dry with the wet until it makes a batter consistency. Then place in a loaf baking pan with parchment paper lining the tin.
Put in the oven at 350 degrees F for 30-35 min or until golden brown.
While the loaf bakes, make your icing. Melt the coconut oil and mix in the lemon juice and sugar. Now place it in the fridge until it hardens.
Once the loaf is baked, let it cool before you place the icing on top. Enjoy!
This crumble was a winner in our house, so I felt I needed to share it with you. The best part, it’s so easy.
Time
Prep:20 minutes if the walnuts are unshelled. 30-40 minutes if the walnuts are shelled.
Bake:30 minutes.
Crumble:
1 cup Almond Flour
3 TBS Coconut Flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds and Walnuts
1/4 cup Coconut oil
5-6 TBS Maple Syrup
Filling:
2-3 Stalks of Rhubarb (1-2 cups)
5-10 Strawberries (1-2 cups)
Handful of raspberries – you could do fresh or frozen (1/2 cup – 1 cup)
1-2 TBS Maple Syrup
1-2 tsp Cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
First, make the filling. The filling has varied measurements because it depends how much filling you will want – if you want more crumble than filling or vice versa. Also, if you would like it more sweet – add 2 TBS of maple syrup instead of 1. Personally, I did 2 cups of both rhubarb and the strawberries and a cup of raspberries, 2 tbs of maple syrup and 2 tsp of cinnamon as I wanted more filling and have it sweeter.
Cut up your stalks of rhubarb and strawberries into small pieces (as shown in photo).
Add the raspberries whole.
Then add the maple syrup and cinnamon and mix the filling so all the fruit is coated in maple syrup and cinnamon. Set this aside.
Now make the crumble.
In a separate bowl, add the almond flour, coconut flour and cinnamon and mix all three.
Cut up your pumpkin seeds and walnuts into desired crunch size.
Now melt the coconut oil if it is not already liquid, and add to the bowl along with the maple syrup. Mix this around until it clumps together and makes a crumble consistency.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the crumble is golden on top and bubbling inside. Add ice cream or whipped cream if you wish.
I have been trying to perfect this recipe for some time, and I finally got it! They are light and fluffy, and can be made as sweet as you would like. There are different ingredients that you can add or substitute with that I mention in the ingredients and directions section.
I made a video you can follow along to learn how to make them!
Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 tbs coconut oil (NOT MELTED).
4-6 tbs maple syrup, depending on how sweet you want them put more or less to your liking.
1 tsp tahini or almond butter or really any nut butter of your choice.
1 egg, egg replacement or chia egg. To make a chia egg: 1 tbs chia seeds and 3 tbs water then let it sit for about 5 minutes or until it makes a gel-like texture.
Handful of raisins, nuts, seeds or chocolate chips (or all all 4!).
Directions:
Make your chia egg, mix together 1 tbs of chia seeds with 3 tbs of water then stir and set aside for about 5 minutes or until a gel-like texture.
Mix together all the dry ingredients (almond flour, coconut flour, and baking powder) in a bowl or food processor until all lumps are gone, then set that bowl aside.
Scoop out 6 tbs of coconut oil while hard, this is very important as it hold the mixture together better for a more doughy consistency. Then in a small bowl using a fork mush the coconut oil until it is a smoother texture but still solid (not melted liquid).
In the same bowl as the mushed coconut oil, add the teaspoon of nut butter, and 4-6 tablespoons of maple syrup. Mix together until smooth.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients until it has a doughy consistency.
Now add in your chia egg to the dough, you will notice this will make it clump together into one big dough.
Once it is in a smooth dough consistency, add your raisins, chocolate chips, nuts or seeds, or all 4 and knead the dough a bit, until it is in one big ball (make sure to wash your hands before the kneading).
Preheat oven to 350ºF, and put the dough in your fridge to chill for 7-10 minutes. This is another important step, as it hardens the dough and will hold together better once in the oven. Have a solo dance party while you wait for the oven to heat and the dough to chill.
Once the dough has hardened, prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and roll the dough into 12 even balls.
Then place in the oven for 10 minutes, let them cool (I know this step is hard), and enjoy!
Being a Celiac and eating gluten free has it’s perks but also sometimes certain foods can be missed. Eating curry these days makes me miss having a warm naan bread to enjoy it with. You are all in luck! I have figured out how to make naan bread in just 3 main ingredients and less then 20 minutes of preparation and cooking.
Guys this is actually so easy! Give it a try, all you need is:
Ingredients:
1 cup Red Robin gluten free flour mix, or another pre-mixed gluten free flour I have also used Bob’s Red Mill as well and it turned out the same
1 cup dairy free yogurt, or you can use regular yogurt if you are not dairy free
1tsp baking powder
To add flavour as an option you can also add:
2 chopped up garlic cloves or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sesame seeds
This gave it an amazing flavour and will make your kitchen smell so good!
Directions:
Mix all the dry ingredients, gluten free flour mix and baking powder.
Then add the yogurt and mix well.
If you are going to add flavour add it in now.
Roll the dough into 4 individual balls – you may have to add flour or water to your hands as the dough is a bit sticky.
Then flatten out the balls until they are 1/4 of an inch thick.
In a pan on medium heat, add:
1 tbsp of olive oil or any oil of choice – I would go with a neutral oil to not over take the taste of the bread.
Then add the bread to the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes, flip them over and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat in the pan.
Plate up and enjoy with your curry, chilli or any other great recipe you have on hand.
Please Keep This Disclaimer in Mind:
Articles are for educational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases. We cannot and do not provide medical advice or specific advice on products related to treatments of a disease or illness.
You must not rely on the information on our website as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers.
You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice or discontinue medical treatment because of information on our website.
It is your responsibility to consult with your professional health care providers before starting any diet changes, exercise or supplementation program, and before taking; varying the dosage and / or ceasing to take any medication.
We do not collect any personal information or store cookies. You can turn off cookies on your web browsers.
Melbourne has a very large hipster vibe with lots of little shops, boutiques and restaurants all over the inner city. Not only is Melbourne known for it’s wide range of graffiti and wall art but it is also very well known for it’s food. There is a huge variety of many different types of restaurants that you can choose from, ranging anywhere from Mexican to Greek, fancy bougie pubs, and bars that have a dark atmosphere but extremely fun rock and roll vibe. Depending on the experience you are feeling, Melbourne has it all.
If you have celiac disease or you are gluten intolerant, there are many options for gluten free within the city. I have to say that I am very impressed with everywhere I have been in Australia thus far for gluten free food. This is the first time I have been to restaurants and when I say I have celiac disease they understand that it is not just the ingredients of the food we are eating but it is also where and how it is prepared. Most restaurants will tell you honestly if there is a chance of cross contamination or if they have a separate cooking space, toaster, fryer, or oven. It feels like everywhere in Australia, they take celiac disease, food intolerances or allergies very seriously. However, keep in mind that regardless it is very important to speak to the chef, manager or your server about the details of your dietary requirements to be sure you will not become sick.
I wish I could have spent more time in Melbourne but here is a list of all the restaurants I ate as someone with celiac disease. Not one of the restaurants I have mentioned made me sick or caused a reaction.
1) Stalactites
This Greek restaurant, located downtown Melbourne, is highly recommended for those with celiac disease as it is accredited by the Australian Coeliac Association. This is the first time I have been to a restaurant that has the stamp of approval from the country’s coeliac association. There is a separate workspace for the chef’s in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination of gluten into any food, this includes chopping surfaces, oven’s, and anywhere to heat up the kebab’s and fryers for the fries/chips.
Mixed Kebab
Not only is it safe for a celiac to eat at, but the food is out of this world fantastic. This was the first time in over 3 years since my diagnosis that I have been able to safely eat a kebab. The food here is so good that I went three days in a row. The first 2 days I had the mixed souvlaki (kebab) and the final day I had the lamb fillet kebab. I believe there are vegetarian options as well along with other amazingly delicious looking gluten free dishes. However, I would highly recommend the kebab as you will not believe the pita bread is gluten free, so good that I want to figure out the recipe so I can make it at home.
Coeliac Certified Sticker
Each wrap I ordered came with a napkin that had the coeliac association sticker on it. This will both ease your mind that the wraps did not get mixed up, you know the chef knew that it had to be appropriate for a celiac with no cross contamination, but also, how cool is that?!
The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about any dietary requirements you may have. The environment is welcoming and bright with a sit down and take out option, the food was also served pretty darn quick as well.
As I mentioned, I ate here 3 days in a row, all with kebab’s, and had no reactions to gluten at all. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the area and looking for a celiac safe restaurant.
Location: 177/183 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Phone Number:+61 3 9663 3316
Menu:
2) Roule Galette
This is a very sweet little French cafe located downtown Melbourne very close to the Flinders Street Railway Station and the City Library. This adorable cafe is located within the beautiful Flinders lane, mixed in with other boutiques, shops and restaurants. You will know you are down the right street when you see a pink painted mural on the back wall of the street of two kangaroos dressed up.
Chicken Avocado Crêpe
This restaurant has gluten free options suitable for a celiac along with vegan and vegetarian. They informed me that they have a separate gluten free crêpe maker to avoid cross contamination. The gluten free crêpes are fantastically delicious and have options of being both savoury and sweet. They were so good that I bought both a savoury and sweet crêpe in the same visit.
La Belle Normande Crêpe
I began with the avocado chicken crêpe, along with a French earl grey tea with almond milk and some of the best honey I have ever had. The crêpe is massive as it is the size of a standard dinner plate. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and was a perfect match with the avocado, tomato, emmental cheese, home- made basil pesto. Directly after this we ordered the La Belle Normande: Cinnamon poached apple, ice cream (can be vegan), homemade whipped cream, homemade salted caramel, my mouth was watering for hours after eating this.
The staff here are absolutely lovely, knowledgeable about dietary requirements and have some of the best French accents I have heard. The environment of the cafe will make you feel as though you have transported to France, the music is enjoyable and for over flow reasons, they have a small cafe on both sides of the cobblestone street. They offer breakfast, lunch, dinner and take away. I would highly recommend visiting this adorable French getaway for some of the best crêpes you will ever eat.
Location: Scott Alley, 237/241 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Phone Number:+61 3 9639 0307
Menu:
3) Bodega Underground
If you like Mexican food, this is the place for you. Everything in this restaurant is gluten free so there is no need for anyone with Celiac Disease to be nervous about cross contamination.
Totopos With Guacamole and Elote
We went with the ‘feed me’ option on the menu, and as fantastically good as this option was, I would not suggest it unless you are starving…it was a lot of food, hence the name. With this option you get the totopos with guacamole, papas, elote, charred cauliflower, lamb riblets, two taco servings: carnitas, tacos de frijoles and end with the churros con dulce de leche. All of this food will cost you $50 ASD per person, and is to serve two people. This is a great option at this restaurant to try almost everything on the menu.
Every single dish we ate at this restaurant, I would go back for. The nachos are perfectly crispy and a great pair with their authentic guacamole, the tacos are a perfect size and just the right amount of filling along with being jam packed with flavour. The street corn was out of this world, I never would have thought to put parmesan cheese on BBQ corn on the cob. The papas were soft and delicious potato bites, paired perfectly with their chipotle in adobo sauce. The charred cauliflower was a meal on it’s own and I would 100% go back for this one if you are a vegetarian, it is a perfectly cooked head of cauliflower covered with a delicious cheese sauce. The lamb riblets fall off the bone as you pick them up and melt in your mouth. Finally, ending with gluten free churros…I never thought I would see the day that I could eat a churros again, this was a dream come true for a celiac. They were crunchy, covered in sugar and cinnamon and the dulce de leche sauce, I wanted to drink out of the bowl.
Carnitas Tacos
Papas and Charred Cauliflower
Lamb Riblets
Churros
The environment of this great restaurant is fantastic along with the staff as well, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a gluten free option for Mexican food in downtown Melbourne.
Location: 55 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Phone Number:+61 3 9650 9979
Menu:
If you find yourself by Smith Street, seek out CIBI and Saba’s Ethiopian restaurant as they are both just a block or two away.
4) CIBI
This is a very sweet and down to earth restaurant serving Japanese cuisine. It is not just a restaurant, there is a beautiful plant store and Japanese pottery, knives and other special treasures you may not be able to find anywhere else. I truly wish I had more room in my travel bag to get some items back home.
The staff is lovely, and at first they were not too sure about cross contamination or food being 100% gluten free for a Celiac, however the chef pulled through and can I tell you how much I appreciated this! The food was very healthy, light but filling and exactly what I wanted to eat that day.
We both had chicken dishes from there that were both fantastic. My partner Chris had the lunch bowl which consisted of slow cooked chicken with green olives and herbs served with beets and daikon salad and grains. I had the chicken soboro which consisted of free range chicken mince, cooked with miso and ginger, a soy egg, greens and edamame, mizuna salad served with their CIBI rice blend. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the rice was cooked in a way that made it some of the best rice I have eaten in a long time. I did not feel bloated or as if I had eaten too much food after this meal, it is very nutritious and a perfect serving. I paired my meal with one of their in house made summer drinks. I would highly recommend checking this place out if you get the chance and you find yourself on Smith Street.
Chicken Soboro
Lunch Bowl
It is a great environment for doing some computer work, going in for a treat or tea/coffee, or for an early or later lunch.
Location: 33/39 Keele St, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia
Phone Number:+61 481 398 686
Menu:
5) Saba’s Ethiopian Restaurant
Vegetarian Combination
This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and after the experience I had at this restaurant, it will surely not be my last! I found this restaurant wandering down Brunswick Street when I was very hungry, saw their menu in the window and told myself I had to give it a try. They have a celiac safe and vegan friendly menu, I was told their chef is celiac, so they know all about how to serve you safely! Music to my ears.
Injera Basket
All meals are to be eaten with your hands using the fantastic Injera bread, not using utensils, however, I did see a few people using utensils to eat so this may be an option if you prefer. I went with the vegetarian combination where you get to choose three of their delicious vegetarian dishes, and believe me when I tell you, if you are not vegetarian, you will not be disappointed. It comes in a beautiful Injera basket with a plate inside of your Injera bread, which is made of teff flour. After this you are served your three servings of the vegetarian dishes you chose. I went with the Ful, Shiro and Dinish dishes, all were very flavourful and had individual unique spices and ingredients used. The Ful is made with fava beans, spices, egg and feta cheese (this can be made vegan if preferred), the Shiro is a chickpea and berbere paste with garlic and ginger, and the Dinish is potatoes, cabbage and carrots cooked in turmeric and other spices. Every single one I want to eat again, this is a very filling and nutritious meal.
The staff is absolutely lovely and the environment is just the same with a few Injera baskets beautifully placed on the wall to admire. I cannot wait to go to this restaurant again when I am back in Melbourne.
Location: 328 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat gluten again? I was accidentally exposed to gluten at a restaurant, and I can tell you that I never want this to happen again. This was my realization that I am 100% celiac, especially with how quickly my body reacted to it and for how long the symptoms stuck around for afterwards. Here is my story of being given gluten and how it brought me to doing the gastroscopy.
Just over a year of being gluten free, I went to a restaurant and ordered a gluten free panini. I told the server that it was for a celiac and to tell the chef to be careful with cross contamination. I saw her write celiac down and I then took a seat waiting for the food to be brought to me. It wasn’t until this day that I truly believed I was a celiac. I bit into the sandwich and I remember looking up at my friend and saying, “I sure hope this is gluten free,” because it tasted very strange to me. I ate the whole thing, and twenty minutes later I had major brain fog, a headache and nausea, and I was fighting to keep the food down. Then forty minutes later I had to find a toilet as I was puking and shortly after having very sharp pains in my gut. It felt as though I had eaten a bucket of razor blades. I then had a month or more of bloating, brain fog, sharp pains in my gut, muscle and joint pain, vision problems, hair loss, dermatitis herpetiformis, rashes and acne, decreased appetite, lack of sleep, menstrual pain and PMS, sadness, anxiety, irritation, I found it hard to breathe, and anything I ate or drank caused my stomach to bloat and hurt even more.
The first photo to the left is a photo of the cystic acne that can occur with gluten exposure. The photo on the right, which also shows up on my upper arms, is a photo of one cheek from my buttocks with another form of dermatitis herpetiformis (I showed what happens with my hands in my blog, “Part one“). Both of these photos have been taken in the last year, and both of these conditions I had back in high school as well.
I finally went to see my doctor a month after eating the sandwich wondering what had happened. We did the blood test and my antibodies were right back up to greater then 300 (they should be less then 12). It took me 8 months to recover and feel like a human again and another 4 months to be my 100% normal self. All from eating one sandwich that was made with the wrong bread. From this moment on I had to go in every 3 months to have blood taken to test my iron levels and tTG levels, and the results were sent to a gastroenterologist and my family doctor.
I think it bothered me more that the chef of the restaurant didn’t seem to care, I got a ‘copy and paste’ response from him with no apology. He blamed his front staff for not telling me about cross contamination possibilities but I explained that this was not just cross contamination, this was giving me the completely wrong bread. I found out later that three more celiac’s went to his restaurant and also became sick after my experience, which of course left me livid. However, from this experience and others over the last three years, I have now learned what it is like to fully eat something that is made with gluten and eat something that has been cross contaminated.
A product that is made with gluten: you will know and taste the difference, and you will have an autoimmune reaction right away (as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog). It will make you awfully sick for months (mine lasted 8-12 months), and it may even bump back your intestinal healing time by a few months or years.
A product that has been cross contaminated with gluten: unfortunately, you cannot taste this. You may have symptoms of bloating, headaches or any of the other typical symptoms of celiac disease, the day of or a few days later. The bloating from my last cross contamination experience lasted 3-4 days but some other physical symptoms of rashes, acne, dermatitis herpetiformis, constipation and diarrhea, many toilet visits, and not to mention the mental side of aggravation, anxiety, sleepless nights, and depression (to name a few) lasted about 2-3 months after exposure.
The photos on top is after a weekend away being cross contaminated with gluten while eating out. The photos on the bottom is just three days after with a huge improvement in the bloat but not feeling 100% (I am completely relaxed in all photos).
For the first two and a half years after being diagnosed, I was only a celiac through a blood test. To be a “true celiac” you have to be diagnosed through a biopsy. In order to have a biopsy, you have to be referred to a gastroenterologist, and here in some parts of Canada it takes two years to get in to see one. Which means you will go two years of eating gluten free and then have to do the ‘gluten challenge’ and reintroduce it into your body for six weeks before the biopsy so there is a positive to the test if you are truly celiac.
One year after eating the sandwich and four blood tests later, my tTG levels were sticking around forty and I received a call to see the gastroenterologist and have the biopsy done. After review of my blood tests, she decided to not have me eat gluten before the test as she wanted to see if I was consuming gluten from something that may contain it without me knowing. She also said because of how high my blood levels were, she had no doubt in her mind that I was a celiac and did not want to put me through six weeks of eating my kryptonite (I dodged a serious bullet there). To add, I was sent home with a crohn’s disease home kit to rule this out, and this thankfully, came back negative.
The Biopsy…
First of all, there are two types of biopsies. A gastroscopy (or endoscopy), is through the mouth and down into the small intestine, and a colonoscopy, is up the rectum and usually used to take a sample of the large intestine but can also be used for samples of the small intestine. What I had done, was a gastroscopy.
The day of the biopsy came and I was a bundle of nerves, not just because this is minor surgery, but mostly because this would be the true test to confirm if I was a celiac, and if it did come back positive, this meant I was still eating gluten somehow.
The process of the biopsy was nothing to be worried about, you are called in and asked to put on a hospital gown. Then the nurse comes back in and answers any questions you may have and informs you that you cannot drive or make any legal decisions for twenty-four hours after the surgery. The IV is placed in about thirty minutes before you are brought into the operation room, where doctor will ask if you have any questions and ask if it is common for you to have a reactive gag reflex (because if you do, they have a liquid that can be sprayed to the back of the throat to stop this). You are then put under conscious sedation.
A photo of me after the biopsy was finished; happier than a pig in shit…pun intended.
With my experience, I woke up choking (I did not get the spray because this would have been another hour of sticking around at the hospital after), but I only remember seeing a blurred vision of the video footage of my insides, and then fell back to sleep. I woke up feeling really rested and just a bit sore in my abdomen when I tried to sit up. I also had a sore throat. The nurse gave me a drink and a gluten free snack and checked everything was okay, and told me the doctor did not see anything relevant to the eye, but a few biopsy samples had been taken. She told me the doctor would be calling me in two weeks with my results. I got dressed and my ride came to pick me up, then I was homebound. I remember having a sore throat and abdomen when I would eat just for a few days after, and tired just one day after.
Two weeks later the doctor called and I found out that I was indeed consuming gluten from somewhere, and was officially diagnosed with celiac disease. Parts of my biopsy showed the damaged villi in my small intestine, which indicated gluten consumption and celiac disease.
To this day, I still have digestive issues including constipation, diarrhoea and everything in-between. This included colour and consistency issues of the stool, going to the bathroom 3-5 times in the morning from the moment I wake up, and after I eat, and to top it off, some foods come out undigested. I also have other symptoms, including brain fog, headaches, rashes and acne, hair loss, feeling dizzy when getting up from a seated position, bloating (to the point that I look 4 months pregnant), sleepless nights, insomnia (only had this happened once in the last few months), waking up in a sweat, menstrual pain (only once), hormonal imbalances, and bad PMS. I should also mention that in the last year I have had 8-10 colds, one of which turned into bronchitis and another a sinus infection; that means three rounds of antibiotics just this year. I have been waking up with phlegm in my throat and left lung everyday this year, except one month when I decided to go back on the hypoallergenic diet I spoke about in my last blog post.
Photo on the left is a photo of me in June 2018, one and a half years after diagnosis with a huge amount of hair growth on the bottom of my head (you can see in the photo how much thicker my hair was by my shoulders). Photo on the right is me in Aug 2018, with my hair chopped to the new growth length.
So why do I still have symptoms even with being 100% gluten free? It could be because my gut is still healing after many years of eating something I should not have been. Research does state that it can take anywhere from 6 months to 5 years for the intestinal lining to heal after an exposure to gluten. It can also be due to little micro cross contamination exposures with going out to eat at restaurants and processed foods made in a facility that contains gluten, as everything else in my life I know for sure is gluten free. I have even started to switch over to gluten free beauty products such as toothpaste, make up, shampoos and conditioner and soaps.
January 2020 will be the third anniversary of my diagnosis, and there is still a lot of learning and researching to do. But I am excited to share my path through this new gluten free lifestyle that I am grateful for, because I can finally start healing and help other people while I am at it, via this blog.
The healing process of celiac disease can be very frustrating and may be a longer process then expected. However, this does not mean that it will never happen; learn as much as you can and never loose belief that you can do this.
Until next week my friends,
LEW
xxx
Please Keep This Disclaimer in Mind:
Articles are for educational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases. We cannot and do not provide medical advice or specific advice on products related to treatments of a disease or illness.
You must not rely on the information on our website as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers.
You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice or discontinue medical treatment because of information on our website.
It is your responsibility to consult with your professional health care providers before starting any diet changes, exercise or supplementation program, and before taking; varying the dosage and / or ceasing to take any medication.
We do not collect any personal information or store cookies. You can turn off cookies on your web browsers.
LEW's Life 