I’m Ciara Maria, a Galway Girl, and I have been a Coeliac for a loooong time! I was diagnosed back in 1999 when, to be honest, I didn’t even understand the word coeliac let alone gluten. I remember feeling confused, worried, scared, and all these feelings came with lots and lots of tears. What was I going to do and how was I going to survive?

Well, a lot has changed over the years and I now look back and truly believe that being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease on my 21st birthday was the best present I could have ever been given.

I’ve always tried to never let my diagnoses hold me back (and don’t get me wrong it wasn’t all plain sailing!), especially as I had a huge desire to travel.

Over the years I’ve always been interested in health and wellbeing, I studied nutrition and was a Pilates teacher at one point in my life, but it’s the last 12 months that I really have had a desire and drive to help newly diagnosed coeliacs and gluten intolerant individuals live a better life.

And to help people get to a happier point in their life…quicker.

Having spent 12 months prior to my diagnoses feeling sick, frustrated, unsure what on earth was going on with me, I now feeling extremely grateful that it was only one year of my life that I had to live with this sickness.

Today, I'm eating healthier than before, but trust me, it's still hard to have a perfect month. I have also tried to removed a lot of dairy from my diet along with added sugar, where possible, to try and focus on eating a diet which is anti-inflammatory and gluten free.

Happiness for me is a gluten free meal which make me feel good 20 minutes after I've eaten it! I'm always stoked when I get something yummy & healthy to eat, and it's not a salad!

I am not a doctor or a practicing nutritionist. I have completed a nutrition course and I have a huge interest in health & wellbeing. So along with my years of being a coeliac, I hope I can share some of my knowledge to guide you on your journey.

I now live in Queenstown, New Zealand with my husband. We've been here for 13 years and have many gluten free stories to tell from our travels together over the past 18 years.