My name is Julie. I am a wife, mother, writer, and a lover and purveyor of good food. Ten years ago, I gladly put aside a corporate writing career to become a full-time mom to one and then a second beautiful son. Then, something difficult, unexpected, and life-changing gave me a new purpose. That something was in 2015 when my eldest son, Noah, was diagnosed with celiac disease.
Though celiac is not a death sentence, it currently carries a life sentence, with the possibility of a cure and the assurance of a better diet. Even with good follow-up care, our gluten-free journey began as an emotional yo-yo for Noah and often a daunting, and exhausting road for me. Knowing the unforgiving nature of celiac, I read a lot about the disease and spent even more time cooking. After all, our home needed to be a place of safe and tasty sustenance for Noah—a celiac-safe zone.
I quickly realized that celiac wasn’t just Noah’s disease, but one that had an impact on our entire family. Mom, dad, and little brother had to be understanding of Noah’s illness and eating requirements; and sensitive to all that goes along with living a gluten-free life.
The celiac community is a large and helpful one. Part of my family’s celiac survival has been due to the abundance of sound resources available through various websites and social media. My only wish was that I could find more of the information I wanted in fewer places. This is what inspired me to create itsawheatlesslife.
Now that my family has well-surpassed the first fumbling year(+) of this major lifestyle change, I am eager to help others accept and embrace their child’s diagnosis through reliable health tidbits, real-life experiences, original gluten-free recipes, and maybe a chuckle or two. Whether your child has had celiac for a month or a decade, every celiac parent has share-worthy hacks, stories, and product preferences. I invite you to share yours as I work to create a forum to educate, encourage, and connect with parents of other celiac children. (You’ll see opportunities to provide feedback throughout my site.)
After over two years as a celiac family, I still have some hair, and I’ve learned to successfully adapt our home and outside eating habits to the gluten-free lifestyle. Most importantly, Noah is doing well, growing taller, and is happily fed. Life certainly gets happier when your child is healing and thriving. I promise it also gets easier.
I felt lost and overwhelmed when my son was first diagnosed with celiac disease. My hope is to be a light and a resource for you and your family as you start YOUR wheatless life.
Best wishes and thank you for reading!
