Hello! This is Linda, the Gluten-free Nutritionist.

Over ten years ago I was plagued with persistent sinus infections, pneumonia, anemia, bloating and very poor health. And, I was tired all the time. My poor friends had to listen to me complain constantly (sorry friends). Doctors treated me with a slew of antibiotics, asthma medications, and iron tablets. They thought my intestinal problems were a result of all my international travel. I was told that my severe anemia was caused by the female problems I had at the time. And, of course the anemia was causing me to get sick. Well, they got that part right. But, no one linked my problems to my diet.

Then a miracle happened.

One day I was visiting a chiropractor for a carpal tunnel problem and he asked how I was. When I told him how anemic I was he suggested that I was probably not absorbing nutrients. As a nutritionist, I knew how well I ate, so I seriously doubted my diet was the cause of my many maladies. I kept explaining that the cause of my problems was related to the female issues. Nonetheless, he insisted that I get tested for celiac disease, which I thought was ridiculous but did so to please him. After all, I needed him to get back to my carpal tunnel problem. 

Well, I am forever grateful to this perceptive man who told me to get the heck off of gluten and dairy products post haste.

The test confirmed that I was allergic to gluten. I was slow to comply because as a vegetarian (for 26 years) cereals, whole grain breads, pastas and dairy products were the foundation of my diet. But, every time I cheated the bloating would evolve to severe intestinal pain. Then, I started reading about celiac disease and the harm it causes if not controlled with a gluten-free diet. So, finally I gave up being a vegetarian (after 26 years) and started adhering to a strict gluten-free diet. Along the way, I discovered I am also allergic to soy. I have been gluten, dairy and soy free ever since. And, I rarely get sick anymore.

As a nutritionist it was easy for me to know how to cut gluten out of my diet, or so I thought. I had miscalculated the hidden gluten in many packaged foods, which I assumed were gluten-free. I mean really, who puts gluten in chicken broth, jelly beans, chocolate (mon dieu), and on grilled fish? And, I grew bored with my restrictive diet. All the gluten-free cooking books back then were about baking cakes, cookies, pies – foods I considered unhealthy and fattening.

In desperation I even visited a nutritionist. While she was a good nutritionist she knew nothing about eating gluten-free. Over two hundred dollars poorer, I learned gluten-free lessons the hard way, by trial and error. It was a pain in the neck to eat out and my friends used to make fun of me when ordering. I felt very alone on the journey. 

I got a lot of relief when I was traveling to developing countries to work on health and nutrition programs. It is so much easier to eat gluten-free overseas. My Filipino colleagues loved watching an American eat rice for breakfast, just like them. In Africa, I savored the traditional meals composed of root crops (yams, potatoes), rice, and sauces made from tomatoes, not flour. And Latin America – the land of rice and beans – piece of cake…, so to speak. Going gluten-free overseas was easy – and I got to eat like everyone else. Oh.., if I could just cook like them.

I liked how I felt when overseas. So, while never really a great cook, I decided to brush up on my cooking skills and sought out cookbooks that offered recipes with an international flare. It took a while to find the right fit, but now I make wonderful meals for myself and for friends (yes, I changed friends!). I have also bonded with many local chefs and become much more discerning about where I eat out. Fortunately, more and more chefs are aware of gluten these days. I am enjoying the new consciousness.

Has the process been a struggle?

Yes!

Do I hate having celiac disease?

No!

Why? Because I consider it a blessing!!

I am happy that most of the junk out there is off limits to me. While I do miss whole grain breads and cereal, I have discovered beans, quinoa, flax seeds, and Skinny Crisps (high-fiber crackers). Instead of desserts, I get to be thrilled by a small piece of very fine chocolate. At airports, I savor my homemade sandwich while most people stuff down fatty heart-stopping fast food. Yes, it is a little more effort to go gluten-free, but my diet is certainly healthier as a result. And, for the most part, I feel normal, act normal and don’t make a big deal out of my condition. Why would I focus on the disease (celiac), when this diet has brought me unparalleled health?

It was not until my good friend and colleague’s daughter wrote me about her struggles with celiac disease that I began offering advice to people on gluten-free diets. Not only did I give them tips and tricks on how to eat gluten-free, I also gave important nutritional advice on the unique needs of celiacs. As consciousness about celiac disease has grown over the years, more and more people are telling me they are gluten sensitive and ask me about the diet.

So, I decided to cut back on my international work and opened my nutrition practice again, this time to specialize in food allergies. Oh how I would have loved to consult with a gluten-free nutritionist at the beginning of my journey. It would have saved me many years of lessons learned.

As a gluten-free nutritionist, I focus on health solutions and not the disease (heck we have enough problems…). I help my clients to live gluten-free in the context of a normal life. My clients tell me they appreciate that I know what it is like to have multiple food allergies, and that I “walk my talk”. I attend conferences on celiac disease so that I can offer my clients the most state of the art information. I also get to taste a lot of gluten-free samples and pass on the good stuff. And, I have great travel tips!!

So, why this blog?

Because I am very busy and cannot get to everyone. I also want to put nutrition back into gluten-free. So much emphasis has been placed on how to substitute cookies, brownies, baguettes, crackers, etc with GF items that the unique nutritional needs of celiacs often gets neglected. For example, how does one get enough fiber or meet their additional vitamin requirements when they don’t eat most whole grains? What extra vitamins do we need to take? Not one doctor or nutritionist mentioned this, much less gave me any advice on living gluten-free.

Now I know – and I want you to know as well.

Hence this blog.

Welcome – I look forward to your comments.

Yours in health,