Did you know that up to 75% of newly diagnosed celiacs may have osteoporosis or osteopenia (even early onset)? There is clearly a strong connection between the two diseases, and unfortunately many celiacs are not informed about their risk for osteoporosis or educated about bone density screenings at time of diagnosis. This is why I…
All posts in Living that Gluten-Free Life
When your labs are “normal”… but you don’t feel normal
Have you ever been to the doctor and gotten your labs run, just to be told everything is “normal”? Maybe it was on in your journey toward getting a diagnosis when doctors were testing for everything BUT celiac (ask me how I know!). Or maybe you’ve been gluten-free for awhile now but have lingering digestive…
What is leaky gut and why does it matter?
What is leaky gut? Our gut is one of our first lines of defense and acts as a barrier between the inside and outside world. Leaky gut, otherwise known as intestinal permeability, is essentially when your gut barrier is breached. Normally, the gut lining is one of the body’s first lines of defense, and the…
Are wheatgrass and barley grass safe on a gluten-free diet?
Wheatgrass and barley grass powders are showing up in many products, from drink mixes to protein powders to snack bars. They’re high in vitamins and minerals, can have blood sugar balancing effects, and may be immune-supportive based on the high chlorophyll content. But are they safe for those on a gluten-free diet? Wheat and barley…
What causes celiac disease?
Have you ever wondered what caused your celiac disease? After all, how can you have a happy and healthy relationship with gluten for years before it suddenly turns on you? Currently, there are 4 major elements that the medical literature suggests as necessary to ignite the autoimmune disease : Genetics, environmental triggers, intestinal permeability (known…
How do I know if I have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (gluten intolerance)?
One of the most common questions I come across is, “how do I know if I have non-celiac gluten-sensitivity (NCGS)?” While celiac disease is estimated to account for about 1% of the population, NCGS is estimated to affect 6%. Celiac is a genetic autoimmune disease, while NCGS is a food sensitivity, meaning that each condition…
How Probiotics Work (and a tip to optimize probiotic use!)
Did you know that in most cases probiotics don’t take up permanent residence in our gut? That’s right, they act more like house guests that come and go. That means the benefits of probiotics only last as long as we’re actually using them! If this isn’t how you pictured it working, hopefully the little visual…
Food Grief is Real
It’s completely normal to go through a grieving process when you find out you have to give up gluten. There are endless emotions and memories wrapped up in food, and finding out you have to eliminate one forever isn’t always simple. There might be some crying, some yelling, some hiding under the covers… that’s ok.…
Finding Peace with Life Before & After Celiac
If we get caught up in who we were, we lose sight of who we can become. Pre-celiac, I studied abroad in northwest France, where I ate a pastry and/or bread product every. single. day. No exaggeration. I was twenty years old, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, savoring every bite of French food culture and LIVING IT…
The Celiac Paradox
Does anyone else wish there was a happy medium between having your condition be the topic of every social gathering and people forgetting you have a lifelong condition and saying, “but you look fine!” Yeah, me too. As celiacs, social situations often feel like a paradox where we either encounter unwanted visibility or the effects…