Living with an invisible disease

Ali Walsh finds out the things you can’t see are the ones that matter the most… Have you ever played a game of, “Which would you rather?” Generally, it’s a pub-style game where you’re given two ridiculous options to choose between. “Would you rather be set upon by a tiger or swallowed whole by a […]

The links between coeliac disease and other conditions…

Ali Walsh finds the links between coeliac disease and other conditions is not as bad as you may think… You might think years of undiagnosed coeliac disease as the worst thing anyone could go through. It’s a pattern coeliacs experience time and time again: stomach cramps, chronic diarrhoea, depression and the constant fear of the […]

Why you’re not really missing out on gluten

Ali Walsh goes on a mission to find out if our memories of gluten really are as wonderful as we may imagine… There’s only one time we coeliacs are meant to eat gluten. Steady, now! Don’t get too excited. It’s pre-diagnosis – when the doctor requests you eat gluten for 6 weeks prior to an […]

10 ways to regain your identity

Ali Walsh, from The Local Bakehouse, shows how having coeliac disease need not define you…  Do you ever wish you could be your old self? The one you were before you had to eat gluten-free? I don’t mean you’d want to suffer those old symptoms again – who would? I mean having a happy-go-lucky lifestyle […]

How to have a gluten-free wedding

Planning a wedding can be a stressful experience – Ali Walsh does the hard yards for you… When I got married we had an entirely gluten-free wedding and I had endless compliments on the food. Why? We took everyone for a curry and then had a cocktail bar in the evening. The wedding cake was gluten-free (natch – I made […]

The cheating Coeliacs: Why having ‘cheat days’ is only cheating yourself

Ali Walsh uncovers some statistics about coeliacs who are prepared to take a gluten hit. But are ‘cheat’ days okay? Amy raises a doughnut to the camera and winks as she takes a bite. Her video post on Facebook gets hundreds of likes. Why is everyone cheering her on? She’s coeliac and she’s having a […]

Balancing act: Catering for a coeliac toddler’s birthday party

Ali Walsh has the problem of a toddler’s birthday to settle… My son is about to turn two and I’ve been completely overthinking his birthday. I want to make a showstopper cake (what everyone will expect);  I’ll settle for a normal cake (but miss a great opportunity to show off); but I’ll probably get an alternative […]

10 ways to get a coeliac to fall in love with you

Ali Walsh, from The Local Bakehouse shows why going gluten-free will be the most romantic thing you ever do… Love. A deep affection that takes time to form. Or only 3 seconds when you realise your new boyfriend has recreated a Chinese restaurant menu without gluten (because you’re coeliac). This actually happened to a friend of […]