My life without gluten

One in every 133 people suffers from celiac disease, and in most cases, the disease will go undiagnosed for an average of 10 years. This is due to the broad array of symptoms. What separates celiac from a regular food allergy is that celiac is a lifelong autoimmune intestinal disease that cannot be cured—but can be “treated” with a strict gluten-free diet. Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, rye, oats and barley. Though the cause is unknown, doctors believe celiac is genetic.

The first time I put a piece of gluten-free pizza in my mouth, I spit it out immediately. I vowed I would never eat anything that vile again. I really had no choice, though. If I eat a pastry, some pasta or anything else consisting of wheat, rye, oats or barley, I’m likely to double over in abdominal pain, and maybe even do serious damage to my intestines. This is the life of a celiac patient.

November will mark two years since I was diagnosed with celiac, a lifelong autoimmune intestinal disease that cannot be cured—but can be managed by following a gluten-free diet. I spend a lot of time looking for places I can eat, but no matter where I go, I have to make the wait staff aware of my illness.

Bella Bowman has celiac disease and can’t eat gluten, so any sweets she’s ever had have been made specially for her by her mom, Kim. But for Bella’s upcoming birthday, her mom is off the hook. She’s custom-ordering a cake crafted by recent California transplant Erick Coughlin, whose Truly Free Bakery produces a wide range of gluten-, wheat- and dairy-free baked goods in Baton Rouge.

Coughlin’s desire to help others like Bella with food allergies grew out of his need to help himself and his wife Ainsley. Erick is lactose- and soy-intolerant, and Ainsley, a fitness trainer, is allergic to gluten, dairy, eggs and peanuts.

What is surprising is how—well—“normal” Truly Free Bakery’s peanut butter cookies and ultra-rich chocolate cake taste. Neither contains gluten or dairy, but these ingredients aren’t missed.

Coughlin is looking for space in South Baton Rouge to locate the bakery, something with enough room to seat diners and serve everything from cookies and muffins to biscuits and deli sandwiches on gluten-free breads. For now, he’s doing home-style catering and shipping to celiac patients, vegans and health-conscious customers in Houston, Seattle and Sacramento.

“The idea was to take an extreme negative, turn it into a positive, and give back,” Coughlin says. “If we can help those with celiac by making great tasting food, and help others who just want a healthier lifestyle, that’s what we want to do.” trulyfreebakery.com —JEFF ROEDEL

Bistro Byronz has a lot of gluten-free options like the chicken paillard, the steak frites and a number of great salads. Superior Grill is another staple of mine. I love the brisket quesadillas, and the staff gladly makes them with corn tortillas instead of flour. In New Orleans I like Café Amalie on Royal Street. My waiter there actually knew what celiac was, and the pork chops were scrumptious. Ironically, I’ve had luck with chain restaurants, too, like Outback Steakhouse—they have a fabulous gluten-free brownie—and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, with its delicious chicken marsala.

My disgust at that first bite of gluten-free pizza didn’t last. After what seemed like an eternity of shoving dry and flavorless food in my mouth, my taste buds did change. I honestly never thought I would get used to the taste of rice flour, which is what the majority of gluten-free products are made with, but eventually all this stuff stopped tasting like brittle cardboard, and eating gluten-free foods became a non-issue. I realize now that coping with any strict eating habit is all about adjusting.

Another major adjustment involved cooking at home. Traces of gluten can easily transfer to gluten-free foods. Everyday utensils like pots, pans and silverware have to be designated for gluten-free use only, and drinking after people is never a good idea. I’ve done it and gotten sick soon after.

Minding cross-contamination and maintaining a strict gluten-free diet are enough on their own to worry about, but liquids pose a problem too. I’ve had to call soft drink manufacturers to ask if the caramel coloring they use contains gluten. Some do, some don’t. Dr Pepper does, but so far I’ve been able to handle it. All wheat and barley beers and malt beverages could be lethal for me to ingest, but distilled liquors like rum, vodka and whiskey are fine.

So while celiac is not a condition that you would ask to have, I’ve found I can manage it. It took a while for me to absorb the information and the guidelines, but it eventually became second-nature. So if you have celiac and have yet to find a positive here, know one thing: your life will return to normal. The stress and anguish of being a celiac patient will subside. The key is finding food that satisfies you, finding restaurants that you have confidence in and having a strong support system of encouraging family and friends.