Hey there. My name is Krista and in 2011 I discovered that I had a gluten intolerance. Originally, I assumed that I didn’t have Celiac Disease and since then I have started developing an interest in food allergies and dietary restrictions and have been doing a lot of reading on Celiac Disease. Through this reading and follow up discussion with my doctor, we now suspect that I may suffer from Atypical Celiac Disease as I have many of the associated symptoms and other ailments. If you’re interested in finding out more on how I was inspired to start Food Allergies Etcetera, you can check out the “Origins” category posts on the blog.
I’m a creative and quirky individual, but also extremely sensitive. Most people see me as a happy-go-lucky girl, who takes great pride in helping others. But I am also very open about my battle with depression (which is common in those who suffer from Celiac Disease). I know how exhausting it is to live with a big dark secret and I hope that by being open and honest about my experiences, it will encourage others to open up about what they are going through and seek help.
I also have a genetic predisposition to cancer due to having Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (AFAP). I’m currently waiting to have my colon (large intestine) preventatively removed to stay ahead of my condition before it has a chance to develop into cancer.
Initially the intent of the blog was to share info and create some branding for a dream restaurant that catered to people with food allergies and dietary restrictions. However, due to a number of life altering events over the course of several years, that dream has been put on hold. The blog will now likely serve to share my experience with having my colon removed and its impact on my digestive system and mental wellbeing.
Hope your day is fantastic!
Cheers,
Krista
Food Allergies Etcetera 
GREAT blog! I’ve been wheat free for a year and a half and dairy free for about 6 months (I miss milk chocolate!)
I, too, love eating out. Giving up wheat is difficult but now that I’m dairy free too I’m completely lost when I go to restaurants! Nachos with corn chips, salads with cheese and all my go-to foods are no longer an option. I’ll be posting some recipes but they’ll also be dairy free. I look forward to reading more! 🙂
Allison
Excellent! Well, not excellent that you had to give up a lot of your favourite foods … but I’m sure it means that you’re feeling a lot better as a result and that’s what’s excellent 😉
I look forward to your posts & your recipes! 🙂
Hi Krista! Your story is very interesting and somewhat similar to mine. I actually just had a GI appointment today. Here is my story. I am 31 years old. I had my first colonoscopy at age 21 in which time they found a really aggressive colon polyp. The doctor removed it and I was to come back the next year for a follow-up colonoscopy. The next year they said that I was their “little surprise” last year. Such an aggressive polyp was very odd in a 21 year old. They said that if they hadn’t caught it, I would have most likely developed cancer by 30. Scary thought now that I am 31 and have a 2 year old son who needs me. Anyway, no colon polyps the year after so they pushed it back to a 3 year. At my 3 year colonoscopy no polyps again. My 5 year I almost didn’t go back but I was having other issues. At 16 I had IBS which got better in my early 20’s but then as that let up around 26 I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis. I was on Reglan but wanted to get pregnant so I went off of it. Had an awesome pregnancy and could eat anything. My digestive system was great during my pregnancy. Anyways, after my son hit 1 year old I got all the Gastroparesis symptoms back again. That was why I went back. That’s when they pushed for the 5 year colonoscopy. That was a couple months ago. They found another colon polyp but not as bad as the 1 before. It did cause my doctor to recommend I come back in 3 years though, not 5 like before. So I asked my doctor at my appointment today if this could all be food related. My digestive system is a mess, IBS, Gastroparesis, possibly GERD. I have colon polyps…etc. He said that he didn’t really think so. He says he thinks my system is just very slow. I told him that when I eat a lot of fruits and veggies I feel pretty good. When I eat wheat and dairy that is when I feel like the food just sits in my stomach. I have the greatest respect for my GI practice but it is just crazy how no one ever wants to address food allergies as a possible reason why we are sick. Some other symptoms I have is ear buzzing (it is SO annoying), pins and needles itchy feeling, and sometimes my lower back aches horribly. I have also thought I might have issues with my pancreas, adrenals, thyroid, and thought I might be Diabetic or at least problems with regulating my blood sugar. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with your struggles and with so many people having food allergies these days I think your restaurant is an awesome idea. Good luck with your dream and with your health.
Penny
Thanks for sharing your story Penny!! You’ve had a rough road medically, too. There’s a website/blog that possibly might be helpful with your digestive issues. Their Facebook page is called SCD Lifestyle and their website is scdlifestyle.com .
Thanks for the encouragement too! It’s been a rough year for me and I’ve taken a break from blogging. Hoping to pick it up again in the new year 🙂
Good luck to you too with your health issues! Hope to hear back with improvement updates from you! 🙂