About
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About *
Why I Eat Gluten & Dairy-Free (and Why I Blog About It) 🩺
Curious how I got here? Ever wonder why some people skip gluten and dairy? Pull up a chair (or yoga ball, if you’re feelin’ fancy) and let me tell you how my tummy drama turned into my life’s main plot twist. Spoiler: it’s worthy of its own TV show.
The Gluten-Free Diagnosis 📋
As a kid, my stomach was always extra. Doctors tried to fix my anemia with iron (hello, worse tummy pain), but nothing worked. Fast-forward to 2008: new baby, grad school, full-time job, and suddenly I’m in my own ER episode. After an endoscopy and some not-so-cute biopsies, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. My small intestine villi were “scalloped” (trust me, not as tasty as it sounds), which explained my chronic anemia and bathroom woes.
With two littles at home (one with an egg allergy), a superhero mom by my side, and my husband going gluten-free with me, we survived the meal-planning chaos and cardboard-tasting baking fails. 💪
The Dairy-Free Plot Twist 🥛🚫
New Year’s Eve 2018, dressed up at a comedy club, I take one bite of “safe” steak and—plot twist—I start choking. Not funny. After another endoscopy, I was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), and dairy turned out to be the culprit. Twice. Cue the ugly cry: goodbye cheese, goodbye creamy chai lattes. 🧀☕💔
Where I Am Now 👩👧👦
These days, I’m a stay-at-home mom, juggling kids, life, and allergies like a circus act. I miss caring for patients as a pediatric nurse practitioner, but until I’m back in clinic, this blog is my way of sharing what I’ve learned (and laughed at) along the way.
Here you’ll find my playful HEART food reviews, allergy-friendly recipes, travel tips, and honest stories about living gluten & dairy-free. I want this space to feel like sitting down with a friend who gets it—because living with food allergies shouldn’t mean missing out.
✨ Just remember: I’m a nurse, but not your nurse. Please check in with your own healthcare team before making changes.
With a big gluten & dairy-free hug,
Gluten + Dairy Free NP 💜
