I came across a post today that talked about a bunch of desserts that every person living in Toronto should try this summer. While this post seemed pretty appealing - because let's be real, who doesn't love dessert.. - the subhead of the post is what really struck me which is what inspired this post. Under the title read "Gluten Free is SO 2015". Now obviously this was probably meant as some light hearted joke or what not, but this really struck me because it is the perfect example of the stigma around a gluten free diet being seen as a fad(which for some people it obviously is, but not all of us! Exhibit A over here :) ). You don't see people saying a peanut allergy is SO 2015 right?

Just FYI, you don't think gluten free people want to enjoy those desserts too?! I would die for a donut cone ice cream, some decadent donuts, or some next level ice cream cones. Those desserts would be on my bucket list just as much as yours IF ONLY I would even be able to indulge in them. IT actually sucks sometimes seeing these posts and knowing that I can't just go out and enjoy them while spending the day downtown. Instead, I start thinking up of ways to revamp the recipe so that I could make it at home which hey, don't get me wrong, I do not mind at all and actually enjoy doing :) but it's just a reminder that we do enjoy our dessert as well and Gluten Free is not SO 2015 for all of us but kind of more of a life long thing.

I get that saying "Gluten Free is SO 2015" was definitely just a light hearted joke, and I am not particularly offended (luckily I don't get offended easily, but some people would!) by it but I just wanted to point out that this just goes to show how many places don't take it seriously because it is seen as more of a fad rather than anything else. I'm sure I wouldn't only be speaking on my behalf but other celiacs as well by saying that it would be nice if there were actually more places who took the disease more seriously and took the right precautions so that we can enjoy their tasteful treats too! :) Although there are a few Toronto bake shops which already offer an extensive amount of Gluten free goodies (one of my favorites Bunner's bakeshop in Kensington Market), they are not widely available to us!!

For my fellow Celiac's/Gluten intolerants as well as the rest of you, here's a list of places you can enjoy gluten-free treats on the go, or on a nice summer day so you don't feel so bad about yourself ;) :

**Disclaimer: there are obviously a TON of GF treats found in grocery stores but this is for more of a grab and go type of thing!

- Menchie's Frozen yogurt : Many but not all are gluten free. The gluten free flavours will have gluten free listed on them which is your indicator to go nuts.
- Yogurty's : Same concept with the Gluten free flavours as Menchies.
- Bunner's Bakeshop: Located in Kensington market, this bakeshop has everything from poptarts, to cinnamon buns, cupcakes, and ice cream!! LOVE this place (* the french toast cupcake is to die for;) )
- Prairie Girl : Located on King St. West in Toronto, this place has amazing gluten free cupcakes. The first time I had one, I had to go back inside and make sure they were actually the gluten free cupcakes because that's just how good they were! They don't have that many flavours, but super worth your buck. :)
- Amadeus Cakes & Patisserie: Has some tasty macaroons and the best one's I have ever tasted to date (in my opinion) and they are all gluten free!! This sweet spot is located in Thornhill, right off of Clark and Bathurst.
- Olive and Chili : If you are located in the Ottawa area, then you have been blessed with this entirely gluten-free shop. They don't only offer desserts but a wide range of foods as well, ALL gluten free so you don't even have to worry about CC. In terms of desserts, they offer a wide variety ranging from Danishes, cookies(Oatmeal's my fav!), cakes, and ECLAIRS!!! (another one of my absolute favs). This has become one of my go to's.. but unfortunately because I don't live in Ottawa, it's only like a twice a year thing.

*(I have a couple pictures of some of these desserts that I'll link at the bottom of the post)

Those are the one's I could think of off the top of my head. Do you know of any gluten free dessert places?! If so, please let me know in the comments below or message me! :) I always love getting suggestions, and feedback.

Happy eating! :)
Léa S. :)

 Bunner's Bakeshop cupcakes                               Amadeus Macaroons 

The french toast flavor is the cupcake to the right in the second row from the top! :) So delish!!

Amadeus' Macaroons in Earl grey (my personal favorite!), salted caramel, and vanilla!

Red Velvet cupcakes!

As relieved as I was that I had finally found an answer to my problem, I knew making the shift over to a gluten free lifestyle was not going to be easy. Many say, oh it could be worse, or oh that's not too bad.. but there are actually many components to going gluten free when it is for health purposes rather than going gluten free by choice. Choosing to do something by choice is, from experience, a little easier to accept than doing so because it is the only option you have. With that being said, a huge part of me was definitely excited, ecstatic even that this pain would finally subside but there's no doubt that I was still pretty nervous and scared because I didn't know what to expect.

In this blog post, I'm going to outline the initial steps to going gluten free and why it's important to do so.

1. Cut out Gluten from your diet 
The first step in going gluten free is obviously to cut out everything that contains gluten (and I say obvious... but you will learn eventually that it actually isn't so obvious as there are many hidden sources of gluten!!)** Gluten is mainly found in anything that contains rye, barley, and wheat. It can also sometimes be found in sister crops such as oats, which is why it's important to get those labeled gluten-free. So what does this mean? This means that you should be eliminating everything that contains those major three grains. Examples : Breads, pastas, pizzas, pastries, cakes, muffins.. and the list goes on. Essentially, anything that contains those grains or flours is now out of the question.

You will have to read labels thoroughly to make sure that these ingredients are not present in the foods you are buying. It sounds like a lot, but there are alternatives once you start looking for them! :) Many grocery stores now have dedicated gluten-free aisles and fridges. In there you can find GF pastas, breads, sweets and much more :).

2. Seek professional help
For many, it won't be easy to do this on your own. Post diagnosis, you will be encouraged to see a dietician, nutritionist, or even call the helpline in order to get a breakdown of the foods you can eat. You can even go see a naturopath (which is what I have been doing) because I personally prefer that.

In addition to that, celiac disease leads to malnutrition which left untreated, can lead to a series of multi systemic conditions. In order to avoid that, you want to get a check up with your doctor to identify your deficiencies. Once that's done, you'll be recommended to supplement so that you can get your numbers back up there.

From my personal experience, I had to supplement with Iron, Calcium and magnesium, Vitamin D, B12, Fish oils, Probiotics.. and that's all as far as I can remember.

It's also important to have someone to talk to. Whether it be family, a friend, or even a professional, this will help you a lot because the nervous system is compromised at this point. It is a misconception that celiac disease is a disease of the gut that only leads to symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Although these symptoms may be present, celiac takes a huge toll on the nervous system resulting in conditions such as depression, mood swings, and anger. It not only affects your mood but can also lead to peripheral neuropathy, gluten ataxia, and muscle spasms which is why I believe that seeking professional help in terms of your nutrition and having someone to talk to go hand in hand. This is personally why I prefer seeing a naturopath because they assess you as a person in whole meaning they consider not only your physical state but mental as well, but again, this is just a personal preference of mine! :)

Avoiding gluten isn't as easy as it sounds seeing as there are hidden sources of gluten. The issue of cross-contamination is also one that many overlook. Over my next few blog posts, I will go into more depth regarding those issues and how to tackle them.

As mentioned, there is also a wide range of health risks associated with Celiac disease (I have named a few above) and left untreated, this can lead to other health-related conditions some more serious, and others a little milder but regardless, this is why it's important to eliminate gluten from your diet upon diagnosis. This will prevent conditions from worsening and allow you to get back to a healthy lifestyle. In my next blog post, I will provide a breakdown of common conditions associated with celiac disease.

I hope this blog post was insightful on the initial steps you or a loved one should take. Feel free to comment if you have any questions, or concerns and make sure to spread awareness to help us all live a happy, healthy life. :)

Happy Celiac Awareness month! :)
With love,
Léa S.