"Hello, I'm gluten free, and I'm not in it for the trend..."

When I was 14 years old, after some blood work and an endoscopy, I was officially diagnosed with celiac disease. It was a week or two before my 15th birthday and I begged my mom to just wait for me to start this new diet after my birthday so I could have one last birthday cake and birthday meal with food I knew I loved. She refused. I still don't understand what difference two weeks would have made, but c'est la vie. My brother, sister and I all started on a new life filled with a new kind of anxiety by needing to be gluten free.

We were diagnosed on accident. My brother fell off the growth chart and the test was a shot in the dark. All four of us got the bloodwork and three of us were the lucky winners to have celiac. For the official diagnosis, with my brother being autistic and my sister being too young, I was the extra lucky one that had to go in for the endoscopy. Honestly over the years, getting an endoscopy is something I look forward to. I even get excited and beg my doctor to let me have one. It's the greatest nap ever and the only prep is to just not eat for a few hours. Prior to the diagnosis, I didn't ever feel sick, nor was I in pain, or any of the other symptoms that usually lead up to a celiac diagnosis. So it was just pure "luck" that they caught this when they did.

For my sister and brother, once they were eating gluten free they physically started looking better. They both grew (it was too late for me - fun size forever!!), started getting more full in the face, strong, energized, all of the good things. For me, all it did was open up a can of worms of more health problems. I became quite an introvert. At first if I had gluten my only symptom was my stomach hurt. Then it evolved to crapping myself. Then I was stuck lying on the bathroom floor for 6 hours throwing up. Once I got to the crapping myself phase, I stopped going and hanging around friends because if I accidentally ate something and that happened, I didn't want to have to deal with the embarrassment. I was also feeling so many other symptoms that I spent a solid decade spending more time in doctors offices than anywhere else. I have more doctors than my grandparents do, it's something we bond over.

By the time I was in my mid twenties, I finally felt like I had my health issues figured out. With a list of diagnosis, a bunch of intolerances and more dietary restrictions later, I was starting to gain weight, starting to have slightly more energy, and was able to control my pain a bit more. Granted, a lot of the damage has been done and I'll never be at 100%, but at least it was better than feeling at 10%.

In the 13 years since I've been diagnosed, there are now so many more options for those that have to follow a gluten free diet. But it takes so much research to see places that serve just good, solid food. So, to make a long story longer, that's what the "Eat" portion of this blog is for. To show everyone my journey through celiac, and the excellent food I've been able to find along the way.

If there's any places you feel I should try, please let me know! But for now, enjoy the places I've been able to visit for the time being!