It shouldn’t take a diagnosis for us to prioritize our health. When I was 18, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which forced me to confront my relationship with food and navigate the complexities of a gluten-free lifestyle while transitioning into adulthood. Through this journey, I learned valuable lessons about personalized nutrition and the importance of advocating for my health.
Now, after transitioning to an animal-based diet for the past 4.5 years, I’m more than happy to share my experiences, what I’ve learned, and practical tips to help YOU discover what truly nourishes YOUR body and empower YOU to take charge of YOUR health journey.
Let’s start from the beginning.
I wanted someone - anyone! - a specialist, doctor, nurse, researcher, whoever had answers to give me some sort of real guidance. Anything that would explain why I was so tired, bloated, and depressed. Why I had to run to the bathroom immediately after eating anything, and I'll spare you the unpleasant details.
For years, the tests taken for my mystery symptoms all came back negative. As an 18 year old, it was recommended for me to undergo the unforgivable colonoscopy procedure.
*Most* frequently given to people over fifty to explore possible causes of abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, chronic constipation, diarrhea and other exciting intestinal problems, to name a few!
Preparation for the procedure consisted of a three day “cleanse” — aka nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. A complete clear out of the digestive system to give the camera a proper, clear view of my insides. It didn’t stop there, my gastroenterologist and I wanted to cover all bases. During the colonoscopy procedure, we also did an upper endoscopy (aka an “Esophagogastroduodenoscopy” - yes, that is a 26-letter word).
For clarification, “An upper endoscopy is a procedure used to visually examine your upper digestive system (the esophagus, stomach and beginning of the small intestine) with a tiny camera on the end of a long, flexible tube.” Talk about feeling violated!
FINALLY, after months of vague answers, countless tests and procedures, in late 2004, the diagnosis was: Celiac Disease. The ONLY treatment for this autoimmune disease is following a gluten free diet — not as a lifestyle choice or an exciting new diet, but because my life now depended on it.
Simultaneous to the whirlwind of appointments and symptoms, I was entering my first year of college! During a time typically filled with new beginnings and expanded freedom, I felt trapped within my own body. Moving out of my childhood home, away from my parents, and fully immersing myself in the college experience shifted out of focus, and instead my attention was completely directed to my diagnosis.
Instead of exploring my growth as a young adult, I was stuck in doctors offices, constantly wondering what was wrong with me!
Radically changing my diet was complicated and challenging. I was living with my extended family at the time, which included a weekly Sunday FEAST of homemade Italian cuisine. My uncle's Italian mother, Nonna defined a “meal” as no less than 6 courses of (gluten-full) pasta, gnocchi, breaded chicken, and so on.
My diagnosis forced me to trade in these authentic, mouth-watering Italian Sunday dinners for 2004 gluten free pasta — aka cardboard. (This was long before the trendy gluten-free lifestyle hit, so the taste of GF products were horrendous...). The diagnosis also meant no late night pizza, ramen, or any other convenient (aka sandwiches) poor college kid foods. This meant no cereal in the dining hall and forget about the ease, luxury, and excitement of choosing anything from the MANY options at the cafeterias.
My relationship with food went from moderate monitoring of portion sizes and varying nutrients to keep my body fueled — to complete fixation on every detail, particularly the words I couldn’t pronounce on the ingredient lists.
It was a tough road at first. I had to dramatically change my attitude and connection with food. Product labeling (GF, non-gmo, vegan, nut free, soy free, etc.) was essentially non-existent in 2004, so I was forced to educate myself beyond the packaging to determine what I could and could not eat. I scoured each ingredient on every label in search of wheat, rye, barley, and other hidden forms of gluten. I was astounded by how often wheat was in products — I mean, it’s in soy sauce, soups, beauty products and hot chocolate. Come on, hot chocolate?!
College wasn’t the only hurdle — Where do I find gluten-free food on a road trip? What gluten-free foods travel well? How would I navigate this in another country where I might not be able to understand or read the ingredients? Forget the airplane snacks. Or how about birthdays and weddings with a set menu? Am I supposed to sneak a Tupperware of gluten free food into your fancy wedding? — I have had to watch what I eat, check products, and restaurant menus before going out to ensure I could avoid gluten. And let’s not get started on the countless waiters that looked at me in confusion and annoyance when I had a scroll of questions for the chef.
Yet, awareness of the disease has grown, I’ve noticed these uncomfortable interactions have lessened. At the time, I felt alone and embarrassed to be the person with the longest order. Specific food choices can inspire all sorts of judgement from others, thus creating social and emotional obstacles.
I felt alienated, outed. Family gatherings, dinners with friends, and especially potlucks — uncomfortable. I wanted to show up as I always had, ready to relax, enjoy a delicious meal, and pleasant conversation, yet people ALWAYS needed to ask: “how can ANYONE survive without bread and pizza?” - over and over and over again.
Do I really have to explain myself again? Dealing with a disease as a young adult in the middle of a major life transition was hard enough — so sometimes, I opted out of events entirely to avoid the food judgment.
With time, I have forgiven these people. The ones I keep close - and the many strangers I interacted with - were not familiar with the disease. I am not sharing this with the intention to make you - or those people that made fun of me - feel bad about my journey with this autoimmune disease. Or for a pat on the back for getting through that “hard time,” but rather I am sharing this to encourage YOU to revisit how you are fueling your body. How to not give a shit who judges you - or why!
You don’t need to scrap healthy eating habits that work for YOUR body in order to satisfy OTHER people's appetites. Your health is your first priority. My diagnosis made me realize how critical it is to customize what you fuel your body with to fit YOUR specific makeup, needs, and preferences.
A gluten free diet isn’t for everyone, but wouldn’t you like to know what IS for you? How can we educate ourselves about our health beyond the annual physical? How do we stay in front of any potential challenges ahead and shift our attention to preventative care? How can we pass on the lessons we’ve learned about health, wellness, and nutrition to the next generation? How do we keep the companies making our food accountable? What should be required on all the labels?
I don’t have all the answers, but I have some places to start!
Key Takeaways for Your Health Journey
Individualized Nutrition: Diets and trends are not one-size-fits-all. Experiment with different approaches and retain what works best for your body.
Test, Don’t Guess: To holistically understand your health, you need to not only dig into the analysis of your test results, but also to proactively seek out new tests that will provide increased information. To start:
Diagnostic blood panel — This process helps identify any deficiencies, determine hormonal levels, and provides various measurements of your overall health. I’d ask your primary care doctor first, but there are also privately owned labs and institutes working in this area. I got my test some time ago here.
Food allergy testing — The results of a simple hair follicle test will provide information about any mineral and vitamin deficiencies along with heavy metals that may be in the body. — Got mine some time ago - here
Gut test — Your gut aka microbiome, is your second brain! How it functions is crucial to your overall well-being. The phrase “you are what you eat” is not an exaggeration, its a fact! To explore the specifics of what your body needs and thrives on (or not!), you could try the test I did.
Put your results to work: Adjust and substitute based on your findings. We live in a technologically advanced world where researching how to adjust recipes and substitutions to fit your newly tested needs is plentiful.
Dig deeper: KNOWLEDGE = BRAIN FUEL. The internet can be tricky, so here are some of the books I’ve found helpful. However, keep in mind that I’m not recommending every piece of advice i’m giving you is “right” for your body (I don’t even know your body!!). Bring the results from your tests to the table. Seek out books that investigate truths about your body, try simple diets like the animal based diet. Develop a broader understanding of how the science of nutrition works, then weave elements into your daily life.
Animal Based Wellness: A Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide to Meat-Based Eating — Animal Based Bae
Plant Paradox by Dr. Steven Gundry - a deep dive into the history and effects of plant defense chemicals.
Fat for Fuel by Dr. Joseph Mercola - leveraging fat as a primary energy source and overcoming the fear of dietary fat.
Wahls Protocol by Dr. Terry Wahls - a protocol designed to support cellular health, reduce inflammation, and promote well-being.
Eat Like a Human by Bill Schindler - an anthropologist’s guide to traditional, nutrient-dense food practices rooted in ancestral wisdom.
The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz - unlearning the narrative that fat is bad for us.
Nourishment by Fred Provenza - a journey into understanding intuitive eating and our body's natural cravings.
The Carnivore Code by Paul Saladino - exploring carnivore-based eating through an ancestral and evolutionary lens.
When Food is Love by Geneen Roth - a look into the emotional connections we have with food.
The Great Cholesterol Myth by Jonny Bowden and Stephen Sinatra - exploring the links between cholesterol and heart health.
Paul Saladino MD Podcast - a resource for deep dives into the carnivore and animal based diet and health technicalities.
Eat Mostly Fats on Youtube by Dr. Nadir Ali - a cardiologist’s perspective on the health effects of dietary fat.
The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show Podcast - a podcast focusing on female health and overall wellness.
Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bikman - an investigation into the root causes of illness, focusing on insulin resistance.
All in all, make the connection between science + nutrition and build a sustainable, healthy way of living — not a diet — that works for your body.
Even though my diagnosis was initially devastating, I am grateful for the path that it put me on. My celiac-inspired lifestyle has led me to build a healthier digestive system and commit to deepening my knowledge of nutrition science — forever.
