I am often asked why I follow a gluten-free lifestyle. The answer is I have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes the small intestine to be hypersensitive to gluten. Celiac disease can damage the part of the small intestine that allows the body to absorb nutrients, making it difficult for someone with the disease to properly process food. I was not diagnosed until later in life. For this reason, I still have complications associated with the disease. Some days are good, some days I feel horrible. It is definitely something I have to pay attention to every day.
When I was a child, I was anemic. This was likely the first indication of Celiac disease since it is common for people with undiagnosed Celiac disease to be anemic. The part of the small intestine where iron is absorbed is the same area that is damaged when gluten is ingested. As I got older, I experienced frequent sinus infections, digestion problems, extreme exhaustion, hair loss and many other issues.
If you have Celiac disease, it important to note that eating gluten-free may not be enough to treat the disease. You should test for nutritional deficiencies and leaky gut. Celiac disease is all about the gut and your ability to absorb nutrients from food.
The biggest complication for me is cross contamination. It only takes 1/8 teaspoon of gluten to set off an autoimmune reaction in my body. The small amount of gluten damages the villi in the gut. The villi are in charge of taking nutrients from which fuels the body. Without these villi, there are no nutrients and the body shuts down. I can usually tell right away if food is contaminated.
I followed a strict gluten-free lifestyle for many years and still did not feel better. I started following a paleo eating plan and felt better. I try to avoid all grains, dairy, soy and sugar. I feel the best eating this way. I also drink bone broth and use Nutritional Frontier GI for gut healing. I take a digestive enzyme with all meals.
I have included links to resources and products that I use. I also have a list of restaurants that are 100% gluten-free or have a gluten-free menu. I will continue to update the list. I only share places that I enjoyed the food and did not have an issue with cross-contamination.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.
Research
Travel
Testing
Supplements
Leaky Gut
Nutritional Frontiers GI Complete
Immune Support
Kitchen Supplies
Cambro Storage 2 oz. Containers *I use these to store flour.
Cambro Storage 3 oz. Containers
Magazines
Cookbooks
Food Products
Siete grain free chips, tortillas
Capello’s grain free lasagna sheets, pizza crust, cookie dough
Joan of Arc Shredded Goat Cheese
Noble Made Marinades and Sauces
Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour best gluten-free flour
Spirits
KL Wine Speciality St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Old Sugar Distillery Queen Jennie Whiskey
Recipes
Books
Jennifer’s Way: My Journey With Celiac Disease
Favorite Restaurants and Food Markets
Alabama
Birmingham
Yo Mama’s *I can’t tolerate fried food; great place if you like fried shrimp. Owner’s son has celiac.
Arkansas
Little Rock
Arizona
Tuscan
California
Auburn
Berkeley
Venice
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Erewhon Market great for grab and go
Bulletproof Coffee food menu everything is paleo, gluten-free
Santa Monica
Pacific Palisades
Sweet Laurel Bakery paleo cakes
Mill Valley
Napa Valley
Inn on Randolph Bed and Breakfast
Sacramento
Sausalito
San Anselmo
San Diego
San Fransico
San Jose
Yorba Linda
Colorado
Boulder
Colorado Springs
Washington, D.C.
Florida
Clearwater
Seaside
Jacksonville
St. Pete
Georgia
Atlanta
Roswell
Hawaii
Maui
Indiana
Indianapolis
Illinois
Chicago
Kansas
Wichita
Louisiana
New Orleans
Meals From the Heart crab cakes
Avery’s on Tulane *request separate fryer for fried items; owner familiar with celiac
Juan’s Flying Burrito *staff will make substitutions; I like the Mexican salad without corn and beans.
Casamentos *I can’t tolerate fried food but many celiac friends recommend the gluten-free fried oysters.
Massachusetts
Boston
Minnesota
Minneapolis
New Jersey
Avon By The Sea
North Carolina
Ashville
Charlotte
Raleigh Durham
Maine
Portland
Maryland
Baltimore
Ellicott City
Massachusetts
Michigan
Ferndale
Nebraska
Omaha
New York
New York
Senza Gluten Cafe and Bakery *I do not like the dessert or pizza crust
Hu Kitchen *skip the coffee bar
Don Antonio best gluten-free pizza in the city
Ohio
Cleveland
Columbus
Oregon
Portland
New Cascadia Traditional Bakery
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Rhode Island
Providence
South Carolina
Charleston
Spero *must request gluten-free substitutions; staff familiar with celiac
Tennessee
Memphis
Texas
Austin
People’s RX *great selection of supplements and grab and go salads
Dallas
Unrefined Bakery *I did not like the bread and Keto items.
Bird Bakery *GF cupcakes
San Antonio
Bird Bakery *GF cupcakes
Utah
Park City
Salt Lake City
Virginia
Alexandria
Washington
Seattle
Spokane
Canada
Toronto
Cock-A-Doodle-Doo Gluten-Free Bakeshop
Almond Butterfly Gluten Free Cafe & Bakery
England
London
Surrey
France
Paris
No Glu
restaurant and bakery
2nd arrondissement
Chambelland Boulangerie
GF bread and desserts
11th arrondissement
Helmut Newcake
bakery and cafe
10th arrondissement
*arrive early items sell out fast
La Cantine de La REcyclerie
18th arrondissement
gluten-free menu
Nest
organic and has a lot of gluten-free, vegetarian options
1st arrondissement
Le Stand
a little shop selling juices, soups, and salads in the Marche des Enfants market
3rd arrondissement
Italy
Agropoli
Capri
Florence
Rome
Ireland
Mexico
Cabo San Lucas
Mexico City