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The Happy Coeliac

Don't let the gluten get you down!

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About

About Me - Samantha SteinI’m Samantha and I run The Happy Coeliac! I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in 2011, and soon after I started blogging to help get me through what was a difficult transition for me, both mentally and physically.

Although I have always loved baking , I was a very fussy eater as a child. In my late teens and early twenties my palate drastically changed and I became interested in all sorts of foods I’d previously spurned. Of course, the irony being that once I was diagnosed with coeliac disease my diet became restricted once more.

Nowadays I love coming up with new gluten-free recipes, visiting restaurants with gluten-free options and trying out the latest products. In 2015 I started a low-carb diet (<50g a day) to try and help with some of the symptoms of PCOS. It seems to work for me so I’m likely to start blogging about my low-carb adventures as well! I’m originally from London but in 2013 I moved to Haarlem, The Netherlands, where I can often be found cycling around on a rickety bike, playing with my cats and mangling the Dutch language.

Please feel free to get in touch by e-mail about anything you like. It’s nice to hear from people around the world and I’ll do my best to answer you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is coeliac disease?

Coeliac (US: celiac) disease is an autoimmune disease where the body starts to attack itself when gluten is eaten. It is not an allergy or sensitivity. There is currently no cure for coeliac disease, but rather the disease is managed by removing gluten from the diet

What are the symptoms of coeliac disease?

Symptoms vary wildly from person to person but can include: nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhoea, fatigue, headaches, mouth ulcers, joint pain, rashes or ezcema, depression, anxiety and much more.

What happens if you eat gluten?

Again, symptoms vary wildly. Some people will react straight away, others might not notice, but the internal damage will be the same. For me personally (since you asked) I will usually get immediate stomach pain, followed by bloating. In a few hours I’ll be screaming in pain on the toilet. Once the worst of that is over, I will start to develop symptoms such as mouth ulcers, swollen glands, flu-like symptoms for a few days, headaches and depression.

What happens if you keep eating gluten?

If I were to carry on eating gluten, I would be at an increased risk for bowel and stomach cancer, osteoporosis, anaemia and other deficiencies, infertility, and other autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a sticky protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and all their derivatives (triticale, kamut, bulgar etc). Therefore, anything you cook or bake with these grains will contain gluten. Normally flour, bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits, pizza and crackers contain gluten.

What is a gluten-free diet?

A gluten-free diet is any diet which doesn’t feature any gluten-containing grains. Substitutes can be made from maize, rice, buckwheat, potato or tapoica – which are all gluten-free. There are many, many gluten-free grains out there.

Why is everyone getting so excited about going gluten-free?

The gluten-free diet has become very popular in the last few years, partly due to certain celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zooey Deschanel and others going gluten-free. There are some who claim it helps them loose weight, but this has not been proven and it is thought that gluten-free products may be higher in sugar and calories than normal products.

Coeliac disease sounds pretty crappy – why are you happy?

You’re right, it’s a horrible disease and one that you have to think about every day of your life. I chose to call this blog “The Happy Coeliac” because I wanted to remind myself of a positive mindset every time I logged in to post. It is easy to get depressed on this diet – especially if your friends and family aren’t supportive – but we must keep trying to be positive because after all, we are the lucky ones. The vast majority of coeliacs are undiagnosed which means their health is at risk – the fact that I have been diagnosed is reason enough to be happy. 

Celebrate summer with a BBQ!

Gluten-free Bites: Backyard BBQ

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About Me

Hi, I'm Sam, a Brit living in Haarlem, the Netherlands. I was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2011, after which I started blogging as a way to help me cope with the massive lifestyle change that a gluten-free diet commands. Now I develop recipes, write cookbooks and try to enjoy life! Read More…

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Featured Products

  • Gluten-free bites: Backyard BBQ by Samantha Stein (The Happy Coeliac) Gluten-free Bites: Backyard BBQ £2.49
  • Gluten-free Baking at Christmas (eBook) £3.49
  • Gluten-free Baking at Christmas by The Happy Coeliac Gluten-free Baking at Christmas £6.99

Last chance for orders before Christmas & a low-carb update

Gluten free Baking at Christmas

Chestnut gnocchi with browned butter and sage sauce

Chestnut Gnocchi

Raspberry skyr cheesecake bites

Low-carb raspberry skyr cheesecake bites

Two weeks on a low-carb, high-fat diet

A low carb, high fat meal.

Singapore satay chicken with peanut dipping sauce

Singapore Satay Chicken

Gluten-free in Reykjavik, Iceland

Gluten-free in Reykjavik

Best of the Allergy & Free From Show 2015

Allergy Show haul

My new book, “Gluten-free Bites: Backyard BBQ” available from the Kindle Store now!

Quinoa Salad with feta and garden herbs

McDonald’s extends gluten-free availability to 50 branches across the Netherlands

McDonald's Gluten-free Big Mac

“So, like, how sensitive ARE you?”

Picture of women sitting down hunched over

Latest tweets

  • Can anyone give me their best #glutenfree #senzaglutine recommendations for #LakeComo #lagodicomo ? Especially: gel… https://t.co/eVJSVEY4jU May 22, 2019 2:09 pm
  • [New video] Planning a capsule wardrobe for Spring/Summer: https://t.co/41f4WmBPXs #sustainablefashion #slowfashion March 12, 2019 1:29 pm
  • Not related to #gf but I started a YouTube channel and need some love 🥰 Motherhood is driving me a bit mad at the m… https://t.co/aO7MJ8GfOV November 24, 2018 8:23 pm
  • Anyone have any #glutenfree recommendations in #Strasbourg? Found one gf restaurant, but it's gluten free AND vegan... 😕 March 30, 2018 8:22 am
  • In case anyone wondered, the #LCHF diet was so beneficial to my PCOS that I got preggo within 2 (irregular!) cycles… https://t.co/EKSBBCwUXw January 16, 2018 8:05 pm
  • Go to my Twitter page

Blog networks I belong to

The Happy Coeliac
Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs
Foodies100

mytaste.co.uk

About Me

Samantha develops gluten-free and low-carb recipes, and writes about health, nutrition, fitness and psychology. Read More…

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