How To Find Inclusion, Community & Connection in Our Gluten Free Life

A Gluten Free PodcastEpisode 198My guest on today’s episode is dermatologist and founder of Southern Dermatology, Dr Ryan De Cruz. We’ll talk about skin issues related to coeliac disease and the ingestion of gluten, dermatitis herpetiformis and how we can look after our skin when living with coeliac disease and following a gluten free diet. What we’ll cover: * Ryan’s role as a dermatologist * The importance of dermatology in healthcare * Ryan’s personal connection to coeliac disease with family members living with the condition * Ryan’s recent holiday overseas and noticing the lack of awareness abroad and the complexities of dining out with coeliac disease * The gut/skin axis* Micronutrients often lacking when living with coeliac disease* The connection between hair loss, iron and coeliac disease* Dermatitis Herpetiformis and coeliac disease * Symptoms of dermatitis herpetiformis* Diagnosis and treatments for dermatitis herpetiformis* Absorbing gluten into the bloodstream from contact with the skin* Skin conditions linked to coeliac disease* General tips for looking after our skin health while living with coeliac disease* Resources and advocating with your GP to test for skin conditions Links Southern Dermatology website Follow Dr De Cruz on Instagram Follow Southern Dermatology on Instagram 📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] subscribe, share, or leave a review - it really helps grow our coeliac and gluten free community! This podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Are you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 197I've had many coeliac disease researchers on this show to share their latest research and findings. Today I want to collate all the exciting coeliac disease research around the world I'm watching right now. I hope you enjoy listening and please get in touch if you learn more developments in the research I talk about during this episode or you know of others that are worth talking about. What we'll chat about: * Reflecting on last my episode with the new Director for the Center for Celiac Disease Research and Treatment, Dr Maureen Leonard * Dr Jason Tye Din & Olivia Moscatelli from WEHI with their Interleukin 2 diagnostic breakthrough allowing patients to avoid the need to consume gluten while testing for coeliac disease accurately * Dr Maureen Leonard's work on the Celiac Disease Genomic Environmental and Metabolomic Study * How the CDGEMM study with help us understand how and why coeliac disease is activating in children * Italy passing a law to screen their population for coeliac disease and Type 1 diabetes in ages 1-17 * The importance of researching the mental health impacts of coeliac disease * Potential therapeutic for Coeliac Disease from Topas Therapeutics (TPM502) * Gluten Threshold study at Wesley Research Institute  * Hookworms and parasite study for coeliac disease treatmentLinks Interleukin Diagnostic tool blog postEpisode with Dr Maureen Leonard Celiac Disease Genomic Environmental, Microbiome and Metabolomic Study Italy's paediatric population screening for coeliac disease and Type 1 diabetes Coeliac Disease research in the UK TPM 502 Gluten Threshold Study Episode with Dr James Daveson Episode with Kristina Richardson Hookworms and parasite study for coeliac disease treatmentAre you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free PodcastEpisode 196Sourdough: It’s been around for thousands of years. The fermentation process is known to have many benefits for our gut. Normal sourdough is not gluten free, despite what many people think. However, you can make gluten free sourdough bread. Perhaps you’re curious to give a go. But where do you start to learn? Well, you’re in luck. My guest today will share her own gluten free journey and tips around creating gluten free sourdough. My guest on today’s episode is author, Ted X Speaker and founder of Wild Sourdough, Yoke Mardewi. We’ll talk about Yoke’s gluten free journey, sustainability, creating Wild Sourdough and her passion to help others eat healthier and live happier lives. What we’ll cover: * Yoke’s background and mission with Wild Sourdough * Yoke’s upbringing eating fermented food   * Sourdough and fermenting history * The simplicity of sourdough * Yoke’s ADHD and menopause journey * The importance of diet and the gut microbiome to our physical and mental health * How Yoke started making gluten free sourdough and created Wild Sourdough * Yoke’s focus on using high-quality healthy ingredients* Yoke’s Gluten Free Sourdough Zoom Q&A’s* Where Yoke stocks her gluten free flours * Tips around making gluten free sourdough * Creating a gluten free starter* How often to use your starter * Yoke’s Ted X Talk * Yoke’s upcoming plans for Wild Sourdough* One experience with a customer that stands out to Yoke * Where to buy Wild Sourdough Links: Wild Sourdough website Make Yoke's Gluten Free Sourdough recipesFollow Wild Sourdough on Facebook & Instagram Watch Yoke's Ted X talk on Youtube📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] subscribe, share, or leave a review - it really helps grow our coeliac and gluten free community! This podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Are you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free PodcastEpisode 195My guest on today’s episode is paediatric gastroenterologist, physician-scientist and the new director for The Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at Mass General for Children, Dr Maureen Leonard. We’ll talk about Dr. Leonard’s own coeliac disease diagnosis, the CDGEMM study, the gut microbiome, refractory coeliac disease and much more. We’ll talk about: * Maureen’s newly appointed position of director for The Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at Mass General for Children, succeeding Dr Alessio Fasano * Maureen’s history of working alongside Dr Fasano and their ongoing work relationship * Mission for the The Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at Mass General for Children and its history * Dr Leonard’s coeliac disease coinciding in her medical training* How Dr Leonard’s coeliac disease has influenced her work in coeliac disease research by bringing empathy to her patients and study participants * The unique need when you have coeliac disease to announce your disease and your gluten free requirements * The aim of the Celiac Disease Microbiome and Metabolic Study (CDGEMM) and what Dr Lenoard and the insights the team have gained so far* Environmental factors contributing to coeliac disease activating in individuals * Analysing changes in the microbiome within stool samples prior to coeliac disease onset * Understanding the onset of coeliac disease in order to discover possible prevention methods * Precision medicine and biomarkers in relation to coeliac disease * Use of prebiotics and probiotics for management of coeliac disease * Persistent symptoms and damage in adults and children with coeliac disease despite adherence to a strict gluten free diet * Research in mucosal healing in children with coeliac disease * Defining ‘non-responsive’ or ‘refractory’ coeliac disease and the current management strategies in place for this condition * Defining the gut microbiome and how its effected in people with coeliac disease* How the gut microbiome can influence the immune system, intestinal barrier integrity, inflammation, gluten metabolism and more * Alterations in the gut microbiome being seen in cohort of children prior to coeliac disease diagnoses * Faecal transplants and coeliac disease* Defining gluten ataxia * Collaboration amongst The Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at Mass General for Children and other organisations in the US and around the world * Biggest question for Dr. Leonard within coeliac disease research currently * Dr. Leonard’s advice for parents of children newly diagnosed with coeliac disease * Story of one child’s coeliac disease diagnosis and the changes in behaviour following a strict gluten free diet Links Follow Dr. Leonard on Instagram Celiac Doc Center For Celiac Disease Research and Treatment 📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: aglutenfreefamily@gmailAre you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 194The world is a crazy place right now with advancements in AI and social media, which are both influencing how we live our lives with coeliac disease and navigating gluten free life. Real-life events and meetups are something which are needed more than ever. We recently collaborated on a meetup with Amelia from Social Coeliac Sydney at the Sydney Gluten Free Expo which was so much fun! Today we'll talk about how AI, social media and real-life events are influencing our coeliac and gluten free lives and how we can begin to think about how we can create more opportunities to connect with the gluten free community while supporting gluten free businesses. What we'll cover: * Reflecting on the past few guest episodes* Themes of AI, Social Media & Real-life events and meetups * The positives and negatives of AI for coeliac disease * Positives and negatives of social media in our gluten free lives * Positives of finding the coeliac and gluten free community online * Being mindful of misinformation * The algorithms pushing controversial and emotive content (especially negative or hate-fuelled content) * How people are using AI for their own wellbeing * Being mindful of how we're using AI in our coeliac, gluten free and health in general * Looking towards the future with coeliac disease and the gluten free diet with AI* Could AI help coeliac disease research and healthcare in general in the future? * The importance of the human element within our coeliac and gluten free lives * The power of real-life meetups and being social for our coeliac and gluten free lives * The importance of supporting gluten free businesses * Teaser of next week's guest episode * The importance of having intention behind using AI & social media in a positive way in our gluten free life Links Men with coeliac disease Instagram The Celiac Project PodcastA Gluten Free Podcast Facebook Group📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] subscribe, share, or leave a review - it really helps grow our coeliac and gluten free community! This podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Are you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 192It’s hard being diagnosed with coeliac disease no matter what age or where you’re from. There’s so many adjustments to make. Now, imagine being an Italian male where your whole upbringing, culture and community is based around food… and not just any food - Italian food, which is heavily based on gluten: pizzas, pastas, breads are Italian staples. Imagine all of that being stripped away from you, and on top of that, being perceived as ‘weak’ even by your family members. What would you do? Well, my guest today used his own adversities to create gluten free food that replicated the gluten containing foods he missed so much. By created these gluten free versions of the foods he craved, he was then able to help others find these foods, allowing them opportunities to eat together again with friends and family without feeling different. My guest on today’s episode is founder of Ardor Gluten Free, Vince Lotito. We’ll talk about the struggles of being diagnosed with coeliac disease as an Italian male, creating premium gluten free foods out of his own needs and how these foods have created an impact and following within the Australian gluten free community. What we'll cover: * How Vince and I connected * Ardor's mission and the inspiration behind it * Vince's mission to create and encourage inclusivity amongst the restaurant and cafe industry * Vince's coeliac disease diagnosis, chef background and how this impacted his life * Challenges of being an Italian male diagnosed with coeliac disease * Being perceived as "weak" from family members in regards to being coeliac and navigating a gluten free diet * Symptoms Vince experienced and presumptions from his GP* What helped Vince through his coeliac disease diagnosis initially * Mental health impacts of coeliac disease* How Vince came up with the idea of Ardor * Vince's experience competing in an Italian gnocchi competition * Ardor product range * Wheat being modified in our current market * Ardor navigating these current financial times * Creating coeliac disease and gluten free awareness amongst the hospitality industry * Vince's connection with the community * Where to find ArdorLinks Ardor Gluten Free Follow Ardor on Instagram & Facebook  Interested to being tested for coeliac disease? Diagnosis process of coeliac diseaseA Gluten Free Podcast Facebook Group📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] subscribe, share, or leave a review - it really helps grow our coeliac and gluten free community! This podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare Are you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 192Living with coeliac disease and navigating gluten free life is hard. Even when you’re based in a highly populated city such as Sydney, there’s many hurdles at play. How can you find safe places to eat, not feel left out in such a huge city and connect with others navigating gluten free life? My guest on today’s episode is the founder of Social Coeliac Sydney, Amelia. We’ll chat about Amelia’s coeliac diagnosis inspiring her to hold meetups around Sydney, navigating living with coeliac disease and being in Sydney and our collaborative meetup at the upcoming Sydney Gluten Free Expo. What we’ll cover: * How Amelia and I initially connected * Amelia’s coeliac disease diagnosis and how it impacted her life in many ways * How Amelia compared her gut-related symptoms to her husband pre-diagnosis * How Amelia’s symptoms led her to advocate for herself at the GP* Amelia’s coeliac disease diagnosis experience * Living with coeliac disease and navigating gluten free life in Sydney * Socio-economic differences in Sydney * Knowing where to find the best gluten free cafes, restaurants and products * Why Amelia wanted to create a Sydney gluten free list - a resource to help guide fellow coeliacs and those in the gluten free community * Why Amelia started her gluten free meetups and events * How Amelia runs her gluten free meetups * What happens at Amelia's meetups * Supporting gluten free businesses * Details around our meetup together at the Sydney Gluten Free Expo Links Follow Social Coeliac Sydney on Instagram Meet up details for Sydney Gluten Free Expo A Gluten Free Podcast Facebook Group📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] subscribe, share, or leave a review - it really helps grow our coeliac and gluten free community! This podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Are you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 191On today's episode of gluten free thoughts I explore why men struggle to talk about their physical and mental health. For myself, being a male with coeliac disease I've been forced to discuss my own physical and mental health struggles. It's so important we break down the stigmas and barriers preventing men from coming forward to talk about their physical and mental health. How can we do this? We'll discuss some strategies in this episode. What we'll chat about:* Recap of Melanie Persson's episode last week* The idea of not wanting to be excluded when in any minority group * Why I want to talk about men's mental and physical health * My own coeliac disease diagnosis story setting off a series of events that forced me to talk about my own physical and mental health * The lack of men talking about coeliac disease and gut issues in general * Men reaching out to me when I shared about my own coeliac disease journey * Coeliac disease skewing much more to females versus males and why I think this is * Why I struggled with talking about my own physical and mental health and how a coeliac disease diagnosis changed that * Barriers in place for men to be able to feel open to discussing their physical and mental health * Toxic masculinity, partying and not talking about physical and mental health amongst men* Being perceived as 'weak' by talking about physical and mental health * Why men believe being strong involves not being vulnerable and why we're worried about the aftermath * Sonny Well's coeliac disease diagnosis * How we can create safe spaces for men to talk about their physical and mental health * The importance of listening to men when they're being open and vulnerable * How men in our lives being open and honest about their physical and mental health not only helps the men themselves but all their friends, family and people in their lives * Teaser of next week's episodeLinks Episode 1: My Coeliac Disease Diagnosis Story Sonny Well's, founder of Sonny's Food Episode Episode with Anthony Dionne, Founder of Pasta Di Casa Episode with Listener of the show, Stephen The Imperfects PodcastThink a man in your life should be tested for coeliac disease? Diagnosis process of coeliac diseaseLIFELINE A Gluten Free PAre you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 190My guest on today’s episode is gluten free cookbook author and former Masterchef Australia contestant, Melanie Persson. We’ll talk about the difference of living gluten free in the UK versus Australia, the release of her new cookbook Gluten Free Feasts and some tips for holding a gluten free feast of your own. What we'll chat about:* Reintroduction - a little background Melanie and brief recap of her coeliac diagnosis, Masterchef Australia experience and creating her first cookbook* Mel's experience being in Leeds & living gluten free in the UK in general (comparison to living in Australia) * Recent Free From Festival experience and connecting with others in the UK gluten free community* Motivation behind the new cookbook Gluten Free Feasts * Theme of cookbook and sneak peek into some of the 80 recipes * Mel's personal favourite recipes from the upcoming book * Top tips for entertaining and hosting (making a feast) for both coeliacs or having a gluten free guest * Stories of cooking gluten free feasts for friends/ family (struggles & wins) * Mel's perspective of not compromising on taste and setting a higher standard for gluten free food within broader society  Links Preorder and purchase Gluten Free FeastsFollow Melanie Persson on Instagram, TikTok & FacebookEnter cookbook giveaway A Gluten Free Podcast Facebook Group📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] subscribe, share, or leave a review - it really helps grow our coeliac and gluten free community.This podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance.Are you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 189When you or a loved one is diagnosed with coeliac disease, it can feel like everything changes — food, social life, identity. That was my experience, and I know many of you can relate. In this solo episode, I want to explore how we can find inclusion, community and connection in our gluten free lives — and how we can support each other through it.In This Episode, I Share:A story from last week’s guest Sonny Wells, who created Sonny’s Food, the world’s first gluten free fast food chain, after his own diagnosisA recent gluten close-call with my daughter, and how these moments remind us of the importance of community and supportTalking Points:Acknowledge the Isolation It’s okay to grieve this life shift. Accepting the hard parts helps you move forward.Redefine Inclusion True inclusion means building new spaces where your needs are fully respected.Your Journey is Yours Alone Don’t compare. Your timeline and emotions are valid.Find Your Community Online, in person, or through A Gluten Free Family — seek spaces where you feel understood.Connect with People Who Get It Gluten free parents, teens, students, travellers — find your people.Share Your Story Telling and hearing stories helps us feel less alone and more empowered.Create New Traditions Whether it’s pizza night or a local GF event, make safe food moments fun.Support Gluten Free Businesses They’re working for us — let’s return the favour with reviews, shares and support.Advocate Together From petitions to policy, there’s power in numbers. We need each other’s voices.Be a Connector Help others by listening, sharing resources, and being the support you wish you had.You Belong Here You’re not alone. If you need connection, reach out — I’m here, and so is this community.Next Week’s Episode:🎉 I’ll be joined by Mel Persson (The Very Hungry Coeliac) to talk about her brand-new cookbook Gluten Free Feasts, life in the UK, and her ongoing food journey. You won’t want to miss it!Want to Connect?🌐 aglutenfreefamily.com 📩 DM or email me — I’d love to hear your story ⭐ Leave a review if this episode resonated 📣 Share with someone starting their gluten free journeyDisclaimer:This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The information shared is based on personal experiences and should not be considered medical or dietary advice. Always speak to a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, medications or health routine.Are you looking for a low cost business, that is easy to run and has a high return on investment? OMG! Decadent Donuts wants you! Join this creative, inclusive and rapidly expanding business today. Apply here: https://omgdecadentdonuts.com/opportunity/  Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam!