In this special edition of The Traveling Therapist Podcast, Kym Tolson candidly shares the struggles of traveling while living with Celiac disease, a chronic condition that affects how she navigates food and health on the road. She is joined by fellow therapists Erin Davis and Christina Kantzavelos, who also live with Celiac disease, and together they open up about the challenges they face as they balance their nomadic lifestyles with managing a restrictive diet. Each of them shares their personal stories of late diagnoses and the hardships they endured before realizing gluten was the culprit behind years of discomfort and illness.
Throughout the episode, they discuss the emotional toll that living with Celiac disease brings, from the anxiety of dining out to the frustration of navigating social situations where food is involved. The conversation sheds light on the daily obstacles of avoiding cross-contamination and how the condition impacts their mental health. Despite the challenges, they also share practical tips for fellow travelers with Celiac, offering both hope and understanding for anyone facing similar struggles on the road.
Key points from this episode:
Links Mentioned:
- [Find Me Gluten Free App](https://www.findmeglutenfree.com)
- [GF Scanner App](https://gfscanner.com)
- Christina Consolvolos' Blog: [Buen Qamino](https://buenqamino.com)
About Christina Kantzavelos:
Christina P. Kantzavelos is a licensed psychotherapist (LCSW) writer, artist, and citizen of the world, with a home-base in Joshua Tree, CA. She received her Bachelor’s and Master's of Social Welfare (MSW) from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and her Masters of Library and Information Sciences from San Jose California State University (SJSU).
She’s a first-generation college student, and third culture kid (TCK) holding dual citizenship in Greece/ the EU. She has visited over 35 different countries and documented most of it on social media. However, it was in completing the Camino de Santiago (500-mile pilgrimage across Spain) at the end of 2015, where she realized her strong affinity with writing. She decided to start BuenQamino, an Award-Winning, gluten-free and health-conscious lifestyle, and travel publication.
In her 100% remote clinical practice (@BeginWithinToday), she treats and is an advocate for those with chronic illness and C-PTSD, utilizing various modalities such as EMDR, CA, neural retraining, EFT and others. She recently published 'Begin Within - A Daily Healing Journal' (www.beginwithintoday.com) for those living life with chronic illness or other health-related challenges.
About Erin Davis:
Erin Davis is a seasoned OCD specialist and host of the podcast "Bossing Up: Overcoming OCD." With over 13 years of counseling experience, Erin is dedicated to helping individuals reclaim their lives from OCD through innovative therapies like ICBT and ERP.
Connect with Erin:
Website: www.valuedriventherapy.com
Podcast: "Bossing Up: Overcoming OCD"
YouTube: @ErinDavisCounselingServices
LinkedIn: Erin H. Davis Counseling Services PLLC
Say goodbye to the burden of mental health notes with automated note and treatment plan creation! www.berries.icu/therapists
Sponsored by Alma: Managing a private practice can be challenging. There are obstacles at every turn — from navigating the credentialing process, to managing finances, to finding new clients. That’s where Alma can help. Alma is on a mission to simplify access to mental health care by focusing first and foremost on supporting clinicians. https://helloalma.com/kym
Connect with me:
Instagram: @thetravelingtherapist_kym
The Traveling Therapist Membership:
https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/travelingtherapistmembership
Revolutionize Your Private Practice with AI Course:
https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/ai
Signup to learn more about life as Traveling Therapist:
https://www.portablepracticemethod.com/free-training
The Traveling Therapist Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/onlineandtraveling/
Bill Like A Boss Insurance Billing Community:
https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/blab
Subscribe to the Podcast:
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TRANSCRIPT:
00:00
Hi everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the traveling therapist Podcast. I'm really excited today. This is a special edition episode. The other day, I actually was at my wit's end with traveling and having celiac disease. I was bawling my eyes out. I took a video of it, I posted it on my Instagram, and I was like, You guys have no idea how freaking hard it is to, one, be a digital nomad, and two, have celiac disease and be trying to navigate this whole thing together. So I have two guests today, Aaron Davis and Christina. Christina, how do you say your last name? I
00:34
always don't worry. It took me six years to learn how to pronounce and they're
00:38
both here with me. You guys were so sweet as soon as I posted that both of you reached out, and they were like, I feel your pain because they both also have celiac disease. So we thought, why not have, like, a special edition traveling therapist episode? One, bring awareness to celiac disease. And two, if you've got it or other food allergies or any chronic illnesses, and you're trying to travel and do the traveling therapist thing. We thought we'd have a discussion and and share it with you all to hopefully spread the message, give you hope, and also share our frustrations and how we navigate the whole thing. So welcome you guys. I'd love if you do just a little quick intro about your celiac disease, how you got it, where it came Yeah, you figured it out, and just sort of where you are with it right now, that'd be great.
01:22
Christina, you're welcome to go first.
01:24
Go ahead. Okay. I mean, hi guys. My name is Christina consolvolos, and I was formally diagnosed in 2012 and it changed. Getting a proper diagnosis changed my life, truly, because I had no idea how many issues gluten was causing me until I stopped and, man, it Yeah, truly has been, been life changing to shift my diet in that way. And then I also so I'm a psychotherapist, and I also run a gluten free travel lifestyle health conscious blog called buen camino. So that's me.
02:03
Well, I'm Erin Davis, and I'm an OCD specialist. I'm licensed in North Carolina and Virginia. My journey to getting diagnosed with celiac was quite a long one, and it first started probably in college for me, honestly, I noticed that if I'd eat a full bag of pretzels, like, I didn't feel good. But then as life went on, seriously, I became I was married, I was a wife, I was mom, and got all these run around things from doctors, of like, oh, you're just tired from being a mom, or always just indigestion. And then I was just breaking down to the point of like, I'm throwing up out of my sleep, like I cannot eat anything, like I am just so miserable. And I hit a point, and it was rough y'all, like my kids had to make cereal by themselves because I couldn't get out of bed. I was like, I can't live like this anymore. This is not indigestion, so oh my gosh, yes. Was that the peak of covid Finally got diagnosed, and it made such a difference, not only in my life, but my family's life, because they got me back, you know. And it was hard, though. I really appreciate this time to chat Kim, because so many people struggle, or think like I'll get through this, or if I just tough it out, it'll go away. And, like, no, there's ways to feel better and a lot better.
03:26
Yeah, and you know, Aaron, I'm really struck by you because you said 2020, was your diagnosis, you know, yes, like, probably since middle school, I've had celiac disease. I've always had gastrointestinal problems I've always had, like outbreaks of psoriasis and just, you know, going to dermatologists and just like giving me steroids, and, you know, diagnosis after diagnosis of, oh, anxious stomach that bows, you know, just these crazy colonoscopies when I'm a kid, you know, it's like, Why didn't anybody ever test me to hear you say in 2020 even, you were still totally undiagnosed, you know, it just, it blows my freaking mind. It's so it's really upsetting, you know, to think all three of us sitting here having to struggle for God knows how long with this stuff, and nobody could even test for celiac, you know, yeah,
04:16
and clear test to help point you in that direction. Yeah, I even had low B 12, and they didn't exactly
04:25
put that together. Like, gosh, no, vitamin D, no vitamin B 12. It's like your body's just not even allowing the nutrient Exactly. Christine is doing this absorption. Like absorption
04:37
happening. I mean, I remember I was like, two, three years old, just vomiting all of the time. And the doctors were like, I don't know, she just, it's, she's a kid. She has an upset stomach all of the time. This is normal, and it never, I mean, I just lived with it, quote, unquote. And it actually wasn't until I was really, I never. I was one of those lucky. Teens that didn't know didn't have acne, and all of a sudden, in college, I had cystic acne, and that's it was bizarre. And so I was going to the the dermatologist, they kept putting me it was like, you like steroidal cream and different medications, yet none of them were actually dealing with the root cause of the issue, right? What was this dis ease in my body, which was celiac disease. And finally, someone actually was a naturopath doctor who said, I have a feeling, because of where the cystic acne was presenting, she's like, wow, this starts in your gut. Because they say acne actually kind of starts in your gut. It's the skin that's like, the last place to receive the toxins to, wow, yeah, exactly. So as soon as I stopped the gluten, like, within, I don't know, I would say, like, six to eight weeks, my skin was completely clear again, like, completely clear, wow. And the indigestion, right? Like, going to sleep and, like, am I going to choke on my vomit? Like, that was a real thing, I had to ask. And it seems like that was similar for you, and my mom eventually also was diagnosed because of because of extreme indigestion. So oh, it's gosh, I see my family members because it's hereditary, and I'm seeing them suffer, yeah, beer and like, I'm like, why choose to suffer? I don't know. But yes,
06:20
totally Yeah. And I people don't realize, even after you get diagnosed, there's all this other stuff, like the heartburn. I recently just got diagnosed with something called Barrett's esophagus because I've had the heartburn so bad that now, if I don't take, like omeprazole, like a really strong mepresso Every day, I'm going to get esophageal cancer because it's burned my esophagus so much from the heartburn. I mean, I'm, like, popping Tums when I'm like, 12, you know, like, Why doesn't anybody think this is a problem? You know, it's just it, just It blows my mind,
06:53
right? I think celiac is associated with 300 symptoms, yes, oh my gosh, yes. Yeah, it's easy to miss, because whether it's headaches or the brain fog, the fatigue, joint pain, it can be easily mistaken, and you go down the wrong path of treatment. And that again, in my work with OCD, it's so important. I feel like my journey with celiac translated to my OCD work, because it's important to get the right diagnosis and the right treatment, or else you don't get better
07:24
Exactly. Well, how many I don't know. Oh, go ahead. I was just saying,
07:28
Go ahead. Christine, whatever serotonin is produced in our gut over 90 years, so we do not so when i Holistic psychotherapist that specializes in chronic illness, and I make it very clear that if we do not heal the gut, we are not healing the brain, and so often diagnoses and symptoms do seem to decrease, simmer down, sometimes completely heal that you don't meet criteria for the diagnoses anymore, because you're feeling a lot different. So I mean, I make it a requirement to see a root cause specialist at the same time as you see me, because I have had lots of clients find out they have celiac disease or some kind of chronic illness like Lyme disease, etc, etc, that requires them to change their entire lives, especially their nutrition and their diet so
08:16
important. Oh my gosh. And I don't know about you all, but you know, constantly I think you should go see a therapist, you know, because of the anxiety that, you know, if I get gluten, I mean, it is I am so anxious, like, my heart speeds up. I'm just, like, the anxiety is terrible. And, you know, over, over my life, just, I'm so anxious. It's like, probably because I was getting contaminated with gluten and I couldn't even function, you know, right? So, I mean, I really hope other therapists just listening to this, hear what we're saying, even with their own clients. If you're getting clients showing up with symptoms like this, like Christina said, go to a cause, naturopath or there's functional medicine. Doctors out absolutely, yeah, do functional medicine?
08:57
Yeah, definitely
08:58
outside of our wheelhouse, right, that we cannot quite diagnose or treat so to know like, okay, at least we're crossing that off the list. We know that that's not it, or it is it, and now we can work alongside it. Is just so crucial. It's so important because I was told by a doctor that gluten, in many cases of celiac disease, or just gluten intolerance, can cause brain inflammation, when hence why I have so much anxiety if I get gluten which happened recently, at least. I think it happened like a day or two before you posted that video, I was like, oh my god, it's just so real. But the immense amount of anxiety is wow. And I used to have panic. I used to have panic disorder after going gluten free, I haven't had one panic attack since 2000
09:43
Wow. I'll leave that
09:45
for you, ladies, did you experience form of grief in a way, like, once you learn Oh yeah, I did okay. Still every
09:55
day, like, before we hit record, I was telling Christina, I'm getting ready to go to grief for. A culinary tour. You know, I see things like that all the time, like cooking classes and this and that, that I would love to just go do, but I can, you know, it's, it's so much grief around, it's like, well, nope, I can't do that. I can't do that. Can't do that. Luckily, my friend Megan is going to do this whole culinary tour gluten free for me, which is just unbelievable to me. I'm so excited about it. There so much grief around I can't participate in this. I can't go to that restaurant. I can't, you know, spaghetti was my favorite all time. Like, real spaghetti, you know, it's like, I can't even eat that, you know, you grieve bread, you know, like all this stuff that you don't even think about. But there the grief is real. I mean, gosh, I don't know about you, Christina, but yeah, for me, oh
10:40
yeah. I mean, still, I mean, I'm a full time digital nomad, so, you know, and I'm a foodie, and I go places, and I'm like, must be nice to I'll ask people, and what does that taste like? Can you just describe it to me so I could get an idea? And so, like, hold, you know, you know, witnessing that grief and being with that grief and celebrating the fact that I am not sick anymore, like both of those things. And what's amazing, you know, when I was first diagnosed, there was very little options, and now, like, even McDonald's in Portugal has gluten free buns. So I know, wow, fries only three ingredients, versus, like, I forget how many in the US, so it's a bit different. But anyway, like, my point is that, you know, there are a lot of options, and I still have grief, and if you're guilty, go to, you know, be at someone's house, or in a situation where they're like, We made this amazing thing, and you're just like, it almost feels like I'm being rude by, like, declining and it's bringing people to grasp, never even heard of celiac disease. Like, what do you mean? You can't eat gluten? Are you sure? Is this just a diet thing? No,
11:52
oh, my wish. Yeah. And it's like, yeah, that declining food, like so many people try to be so accommodating, you know, like, friends and family and but, like, Yeah, but did you use the same spoon or the same knife? Did you put that bread in the same toast or, like, peanut butter? Y'all peanut butter? Oh, my God, just gotta label it cross contamination, yeah. Oh my god. Well,
12:13
there's a ton of guys. I feel like there is a ton of social anxiety that comes up when, like, you're saying Christine, when you're at a function or a party or even ordering food. Like, I hate that part of being out at a restaurant be like, okay, is this cooked separately, like okra dogs? You know? Yes, yep.
12:33
I think the last time I met with Christina, we did another episode kind of around the same topic, and I was telling her, I've actually written an entire book. I haven't published it yet, but an entire book around PTSD, like, having a PTSD diagnosis when you have something like celiac disease, because it's like, like, the other day, when I posted that thing, I talked to the waitress. I say all these things. I ask all the questions. She's like, I got you girl outcomes, two plates. One's got croutons on the salad, and then the other one has a piece of bread just sitting on the edge of the plate. It's like, the PTs and then she's like, Well, do you want me to go make you something else? I'm like, No, I don't want you. Yeah, I can't even trust to eat here, the anxiety is going all through me. I'm like, I'm going to get sick. You just promised me that it was fine, and now it's not. It's literally, like, PTSD for me. Now, you know, just, just the, like, the anxiety around, are they telling the truth? Do they care enough to even be careful what's going on back in that kitchen, the hyper vigilance is so real for me with, like, going out to eat and, I mean, it's crazy, like, I'm sure I meet the criteria for PTSD around this stuff, you know, yeah, well, I'm
13:40
with you. I'm glad you put some language around that, and I'll buy your book because I feel it. And one of my colleagues, I think she, was newly diagnosed right around the same time I was and we went to, like, a work birthday party lunch thing. She y'all, she ordered pizza, normal pizza. And she's like, I'm just gonna eat the cheese off the top. And I'm like, Honey, you you can't do that. Oh, my God. And I'm like, I feel like I'm watching you drown, and I'm not throwing you a life raft, like you can't do that. And she was like, yes, yeah. She brushed it off for a little bit, until, you know, she got sick. And she's like, you're right, I can't do that again.
14:18
It is like, you try too, but you guys, but it's like, maybe I could, just maybe I could eat the lettuce where the crouton wasn't, you know, it'd be. But then you learn over time, like it's just not going to work, because you're just going to get sick, you know? And
14:31
I read some place, like, getting cross contaminated, it takes almost about six months for your body to fully get it out of your system. But I also read that that the majority of us who eat out are constantly being cross contaminated anyway, so the whole thing with a salad, right? They bring it out with the well, we'll make you a new one. I saw a hack on Instagram where you've put pepper on it or something visible, so that if they just take the I was like. Okay, I'm gonna start pursuing that, because I'm pretty sure they'll just take it they'll just take it off. I mean, I went and got a burger yesterday, and I was like, just making sure this is gluten free. I always ask, right? Yeah? And he looked at it, and he's like, actually, I don't think so. And I'm like, Thank you, sir. And he's like, can't you just take it off. I can't just take it off touch. Oh, everything else.
15:24
I feel so angel of hearing you say that, yes, yeah, yes, that's such a great I saw that two Christina, I think of a salad dressing they put on top of it, like over top, to take it back and just to make sure that they got a whole new salad. Just the other day, I went to the sushi place. It had, like, on the five me gluten free app, it had like, like, a million good ratings. And they come over and they tell me all the sushi I can have, and all of it has that crab in it, the k r a b, and I'm like, This crab is not the k r a b, crab is not gluten free. They're like, yes, it is. And I'm like, No, it's not. And they brought the package, and I'm like, it says wheat right here in this restaurant. Was like, we had no idea. Oh, like, you guys have been serving this to people for how long? The reviews went back years. Probably, you know, it just, I don't know. I'm getting worked up talking about it, yeah.
16:18
Well, I'm glad you brought up the Find Me gluten free app, because that's been super nice to have in finding restaurants. And I love when people leave reviews and they tell me exactly what they ordered to them, like, okay, that's safe. And then I can also see if they are symptomatic or asymptomatic, I don't know. Just helps me feel better when I know that there, because I'm super sensitive. I don't know about y'all, but like, yeah, for just the tiniest little bit of cross contamination of sick, yeah, it's
16:46
like, rush over, like, for me, because, like, my symptoms differ every single time. Like, I'll get a huge migraine, my stomach will feel like someone's stabbing it, and it's like, what are we going to suffer from this time? It's really, it's not consistent, and it's just, yeah, there's there's P there's a lot of PTSD that happens through this. And often I try to find places with kitchens so that I can just buy my own food. But guess what? There's also the the risk and stress of like, what was cooked on this pan? What's that crumb? This fork, I'm pretty sure, has crumbs and destroy, you know, it's all of these things. So often I'm like, washing everything before I'm using it
17:26
right, absolutely, yeah. I mean, we travel now with luckily, we have the we have the cars with us in the United States, but I've got pots and pans, plastic cutlery, paper plates, you know, that I eat everything off of in these kitchens that we live in, you know, because at least we can clean them up. But there's always, you know, there's gluten on the handle of the microwave, the handle of the refrigerator, you know, you know, you're touching gluten in these Airbnbs that we're living in, and Christina, I think you live in, like, Community Housing sometimes, right? Like, where there's, like, lots of just other random nomads kind of living that don't know anything about it. At least my boyfriend is, like, tried to be careful. You know, if he has gluten, it's
18:06
a community kitchen sometimes. And so, like, I have these, like, texture bags with me that are amazing. I don't know if you guys get them, you can get them. Oh, yeah, yeah. So that way I can use, like, the community toaster and oven and feel way safer doing that. So that's kind of, like, my my way going about it, but there's still going to be some level of risk at all times I'm willing to take it, because I'm not going to just, like, sit at home and just dream of traveling and doing this. Like, you kind of have to decide the risk versus benefit. Like, what is there the risk of me getting glutened once in a blue moon. Okay, it sucks, and I'm willing to take it at this point. I, you know, carry charcoal with me all of the time. That's my number one hack, if I really sense because activated charcoal to, like, oil. Activated charcoal, I'm sensitive to just oils. Okay, so, like, if I feel any kind of stomach upset, like, six, right there and then, and I will tell you, I need to do that
19:07
all the time, like, one or two. Yeah, you could buy them in the x or whatever, you know, just like, jars of activated charcoal. I've only take, like, one or two, but I'm hearing you say thick. I'm all over that. Now
19:18
I fix because I'm like, if, just in case, there's any risk that I was cross contaminated, I want it to bind, because what acts so for those who don't know, active charcoal is a binder. So it's going to bind to whatever you ate or drink any kind of toxins, and it's going to take it down so so that you can properly detox it if you get what I'm saying. So you put that out of your system immediately. I mean, people use it as like a hangover hack and for so many other things, but I specifically have it for my stomach issues, for when these things happen, and my mom takes way more risks than I do when it comes to food, and she has it in her purse all the time, and it's like. Life changing. So, yeah, yeah,
20:02
I've got some product called gluten, gluten go. I don't know if you guys, oh, I I've got to be called gluten go. I got off of Amazon too. That seems to help a lot, too, when I take it. But the activated charcoal for for sure, is an excellent one. Yeah, nice. Yeah. Are you hearing some new, new things. Erin, I bet you've got some hacks too. Well, I was thinking maybe we should talk about our hacks, but this is leading right into it. So,
20:28
yeah, I also use this app called the GF scanner. Do you all use that? Yeah? Yeah, no, yeah. So it's really neat, because you can scan barcodes, and it will give you a green, yellow or red, on the possibility of gluten being in the product. And, I mean, if it's yellow, I basically don't play around. I'm like, nope, not taking a chance, because
20:53
it's like, could contain it's like, one of those, like, manufactured in the same facility as Yes, like, that kind of thing. Yeah, yeah.
21:01
Then the other hack, or a piece of information that I thought was very interesting, is how gluten shows up in so many products, even cosmetics. So people have to be careful of their makeup, their face, wash, their shampoo, all the things so and I love sunbum. I don't know about y'all, but I love Sun bomb, sunscreen. Oh, I
21:23
don't I does that gluten in it? I don't know, gluten free. Oh, gluten free. Okay, good to know. Yeah, I thought you were gonna say, hi, gluten Oh, my God, don't tell me. No,
21:33
no, those are just some of the products I use. And, yeah, the GF scanner, I think it's been super helpful. And just quickly checking, you know, in the grocery store, and not having to do a whole Deep
21:44
Dive. Okay, good to know. That's amazing. I don't even know about that app.
21:48
Yeah, I feel like just talking to you guys. It's like we could have a whole podcast just on this topic forever, because there's so much I just want to say about the Okay, so we got the gluten free app. We've got the medications we take, we take, I take my pots and pans. Christina uses the toaster bag. Are there anything? How's it for you? Erin, like, because you live in a house with a family, right? Yes. Do you have special protocols just with your family, like in the kitchen? How do you guys manage that? Because, yes, kids maybe aren't gluten free. I don't know. Maybe
22:16
we are considering it, but right now they're not. And so what we have done is I have my own air fryer, and I've got a label on there gluten free only, so I make all the gluten free food in there, and so it's never cross contaminated. And then the oven is where I can fix their regular chicken nuggets or whatever. But yeah, it's hard on the significant others too, you know. And like my husband, he pretty much eats gluten free now, unless we're out at a restaurant, you know, then he'll get whatever he wants. But yeah, so it, it's an adjustment for everybody. Oh, 100%
22:59
is, I just think my, my ex fiance, he we just, I was when, when we got together and said, This is a 100% gluten free home. I don't, do not want to risk cross contamination in the house. And he was like, all on board, which I appreciated the support. And then he always had stomach issues. And guess who found out Hugh celiac relationship 100% because he and they came and almost stomach issues almost became more pronounced because he was only eating gluten free with me. So it was when he away from me, which wasn't so often, that he would have something. It was like, you know, so that we were talking before we got on about how many people probably don't even realize they have a gluten intolerance or celiac disease, and listening to this definitely worth ruling out at the very it can shift your life for the better, and it's not at the end of the world. There are so many beautiful substitutes now and nothing nothing better than feeling good in your body. I don't know how you ladies feel about that, but
24:03
I can You're so right. And Erin, you say that I'm like, jealous because I continue to remain sick all the time. You know, despite being careful, and it's just the last two months has been non stop sick. You know, it's just been terrible. It makes you it makes me question, like, the traveling thing, or even ever leaving the house, really, because it's just so miserable. And then the other day, I mean, this is just, you know, side note, I went to the store. I bought some chips and some dip, like, Taco Bell, bean dip, right? I read the label and it says the only allergen is, like, dairy on it. I'm like, okay, and then I eat like, half the jar. And then I'm like, I'm totally going to vomit. And I go throw up. And then I go look at the label, and it's got barley down in the last ingredient. It says barley. And I'm like, Are you looted? That's cool. It didn't even say wheat on the allergens. And I read, like, probably the first like.
25:01
15. It's not but, yeah, it should be under, it should be under gluten rather than wheat, because it's not wheat technically. So, I mean, I was at a retreat, and they served a soup, and I asked, you know, and I didn't think, I didn't ask for everything. I just said, for sure, no gluten. They're like, it's vegetable soup, no gluten. I'm eating it halfway through. I'm like, it felt like someone was just doing this to my intestines.
25:28
Yeah, oh, my God.
25:30
There's absolutely no gluten. They're like, yeah, for sure, for sure. And then they told me what it was anyway. They told me the box it was from, but they didn't have it anymore. So I went to the store of the I'm in, you know, I'm in Portugal, and I go to the place, and I'm, like, out of curiosity, what does it have stock? What does stock have? Oftentimes, gluten. And I was able to, you know, we get gaslit sometimes too. Like,
25:55
that's yes, that gives me cheers.
26:00
Like, I know better than you, there is no gluten in this. Or, like, people think it's in our like, our symptoms are in our head, and, yeah money, they're in our gut. I'm pretty sure they're in our gut. And that alarm is going off saying you were like, yeah, yeah, you're
26:15
so right. Because then you start to question yourself, at least I do. I'm like, Am I crazy? You know? Am I, like, so, like, psychosoma, yes, with the stuff that's causing me to have symptoms, am I being too much Exactly? Oh, my God, I just got you smoked when you said that. Yeah, that I feel that, like, deeply unbelievable, yeah? But, like, I'm still, like, emotional right
26:35
now, yeah? And Christina are saying, you know, you could get gluten every once in a while, while you're traveling. And that happens even for me. Like I was telling Kim before we got on that I don't travel very much because I'm scared, and I love traveling, and so you guys are giving me some hope. And because, like, the other day, I went to a coffee shop, and I know what's in the you know, the coffee syrups tarani, like I've emailed them before, and I've gotten their ingredient list, so I know what is safe, but I think I got cross contaminated, you know, and so I got sick. And even though I don't go anywhere, I rarely eat out, just getting a coffee. And I got sick. So, it can happen anywhere. Really
27:22
happen anywhere. And, you know, now, with that said, there's like, I forget which what? There's like, cruise lines that are now offering gluten free. Oh, yeah.
27:35
Oh my God,
27:35
that's what I have done. Yeah, I have gone on Carnival. And I will say I have done really well with Carm Yes, cruises and the gluten free, that's
27:45
great. And there's like a resort in Costa Rica. I cannot recall the name at the top of my head. That's like, 100% gluten free. Oh
27:54
my gosh.
27:56
And now so like,
27:57
I feel like a treat coming on.
27:59
I mean, maybe
28:01
I know there was a gluten free, free cruise once upon a time. I don't know what cruise on it was, but I think the other thing to be clear here too, just so the listeners know, like you can get gluten or your celiac can get activated, whether it's wheat, barley or rye, yeah, yes, Yep,
28:21
yeah, exactly. Hops and beer, you know anything? Yes, coffee.
28:26
And also heard that we could have similar reactions to corn. I don't know if you guys are sensitive to corn, but somehow or another, our body can misinterpret. I had my
28:37
my father said Doctor at one point told me to I should not eat any grains whatsoever, because it's all basically cross contaminated the way that it's like, grown in the field. I know, I know Italy and Europe has got a different standard for that stuff. But anywhere in the United States, he was like, You should not eat corn. You should not eat, you know, obviously gluten, or any of those grains, rice, any of that. He told me not to eat any grain whatsoever, ever if I wanted to be totally healthy. Of course, I don't do that. I've heard that talk
29:05
and and also, like oatmeal, even if it's gluten free, affects, you know, affects my stomach. But the what's very close protein to gluten is actually dairy. So that's why so many folks who are, you know, gluten intolerance, or celiac, also can't do dairy. And actually, the esophageal issues are almost always dairy related next to the gluten, so I don't know.
29:28
It probably is my last test. Like, I was totally flared on the lactose. He's like, You cannot have any dairy unless you take a lactate before you eat, like, cheese or something like that. And he told me, Cabot these out of Vermont is like, has no lactate in it, just FYI. So I've been trying to eat that more, yeah,
29:47
yeah. And so I do once
29:50
the protein that's similar, so rather than the lab, so I don't maybe worth just just testing out to see how you feel, because it may not be the gluten in. Yeah, because I had a friend who's has celiac and is so sensitive, and she was being extremely diligent. And then found out it was almonds. It was two. So now that she stopped almonds, her inflammation is now, but she was, she was also, I mean, she got to that point. I mean, and for those listening, it can really get you to this point, because it's harsh. It's harsh. Yeah, sorry, what were you saying?
30:23
I was I was just thinking how people don't really understand how awful it is when you get gluten. Like, it's not like, it's our system in 24 hours. It's not like a 24 hour stomach bug, I mean, like, I really feel like this wave of fatigue and pain and ickiness for at least two weeks as, Oh
30:48
yeah, inflammation, joint pain, I think Christina shared last time she gets that the bloated belly, right? Christina,
30:54
I look like I'm literally pregnant. Like, yeah, I'm in mistakenly pregnant. I mean, people have mistakenly thought I was pregnant after consuming gluten. That's how bad? Yeah, I've never had
31:04
that one, but I've seen people with it like they're fine, and then an hour later their stomach is just way out, like they're eight months pregnant, like that is just unbelievable. Yeah, gosh, you guys, it's been so great talking to you. I just are listening. Just understand one that you might have people in your life that are going through this to just kind of understand, like the psychological issues that come with it, like the pain behind it. And then, you know, just having you ladies to talk to about it just feels really good to just have other people that understand going through, you know, Oh, yeah.
31:38
And I just want to say, like, there's such a love language, if you know anyone who has, like, a sensitivity to an ingredient, there's such a love language and being curious and asking questions and offering offering options, and, you know, asking what feels okay and what feels safe for them, because you can hear us. There's this guilt and this shame when we go to, you know, a whole gathering, or we go to a restaurant and just simply asking, Are we being too much? Are we being is this so inconvenient for the person? Are they having to go out of the way for us? Like we don't we don't want this, but also we don't want to be sick for two weeks, like, like Aaron just mentioned. So we appreciate those in our lives who you know are trying to make it the world just a bit safer for us and more comfortable. Really appreciate it.
32:25
Totally. I'm so glad you said that. Yeah. Any final thoughts? Erin, well,
32:31
if someone is interested in trying to get a diagnosis, you know, talk to your doctor. Talk to your family to see if there's been any family history of GI issues. But really once, even though the condition is hard, it feels so much better once you have a clear path for treatment, because then you know that you're going to feel better. And at least in my experience, once I was gluten free, at least for six months, definitely by the one year mark, I felt like a completely different person. I felt like I got me back, and my kids got their mom back, my husband got his wife back. And like, yeah, it was so special that I could be awake and alert and happy and not in pain. So it's really life changing once you find the right treatment and you know what's going on. Yeah, thank
33:24
you for saying that. Thank you ladies for just meeting with me today. I really appreciate it and spreading the the word. And Christina's got an excellent blog. Can you spell it Christina? Because I will put the link, but we spell it out,
33:37
it's, it's a weird one, so it's 1b, u, E, N, Camino, but it's with a Q instead of a C. So Q, A, M, I, N, O, and that's simply because the C was already taken. But I also doesn't piggyback off or in and say, like I said it, nothing tastes better than feeling good in your body. Like my panic, my panic attacks stopped, my skin cleared up, my brain fog went away. I mean, I don't know how I was operating in such extreme brain fog for all of those years prior to diagnoses, like I felt like a different person. And I was like, I became part of me. Just, like, just, I think, like, so there is, there really is something on the other side of the rainbow here, like a lot of a lot of you found, and I was going to say one last thing, one last thing traveling that's really exciting when you're using the app, and I'm in, like, all these foreign countries, and it takes together this place, like places that you would probably never find usually, and I get there and the owner has their own story about how They were diagnosed, or their family member was diagnosed, I found a 100% there's a gluten free market on the island of an owner her she had celiac disease all over her her son was diagnosed, nearly died from it, and she wanted to give me a hug. She wanted a picture with me. Like there is such beautiful conditions and community to be made within this sphere. So there is a lot of joy within the disease. I just want to share that as well. Oh,
35:05
I love that. Well, if you go to Lipson in Portugal, there's a totally gluten free tapas restaurant there that I went to, and I literally ordered all the tapas in this restaurant. My mom was with me. We just ate everything they had in the restaurant. It was so
35:21
good. What was it called?
35:22
Do you remember I'll have I'll have to find it. I'll send it to you. I can't remember the name of it, but I was like, I am literally in heaven. I never want to leave.
35:31
Yes,
35:33
I love that. Oh, ladies, oh,
35:35
I could talk to you forever. I've got a 12 o'clock that's why I gotta go. But I just thank you so much. And, yeah, reach out anytime. And you guys, if anybody listening to this, if this helps one get diagnosed or even stop eating gluten, if you're feeling sick, I like we've done our job today, so I really appreciate you guys coming and sharing your stories. Yeah,
35:56
thank you. Kim, thanks everybody. Nice to meet you. Christina, yes, likewise,
36:00
Aaron will be in, will be in. Hugs to you. Okay,
36:04
yeah, you guys do. Bye.