Formal introduction

2004: The year it all began.

I was finishing my first year of college at University of Missouri Northwest. The whole year I had enjoyed everything that I was supposed to: new friends, sorority life, sleep overs, football games, and my new diet of pizza and beer. Sound familiar? Well, it eventually lead to the dismal "freshman 15"- every nineteen year old girl's worst nightmare! Yet, as final exams rolled around, I started to lose all that weight without any help; I was not dieting and I hardly exercised. I eventually began to sleep through my morning classes and became depressed. For as long as I could remember, my stomach had always hurt, but this was worse. The migraines and sinus infections only came more often too- I was an all around mess. My physical health interfered with my studies, so my parents and I eventually decided that I would come home to California after finishing the year.

 

When I finally came home, I weighed 100 lbs. Everyone said that I looked like a skeleton, yet nobody knew what was wrong with me. Was it stress? Possibly, because doctors now say that a stressful or traumatic event can lead to the trigger of Celiac Disease. This is what I was diagnosed with: Celiac Disease. After handfuls of tests and misdiagnosis, a few trips to the emergency room for dehydration and kidney infections, my mom's endocrinologist had finally diagnosed me.

My mom is one of the most generous women that I know. Immediately after my diagnosis, she took me to Mother's Market and bought me everything that I could find that was gluten-free. At the time, we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but we were so relieved to have a glimpse of hope: maybe this gluten-free diet would finally put me on a healthy track. She even joined the Celiac Sprue Association, the largest non-profit support group for Celiacs in America. My dad has also been a huge support, trying all of my gluten-free goodies and assuring me that they taste great :)

For a while I tried the gluten-free diet, with little success, so I got fed up and quit. Now I know that I did not feel 100% better because of all the hidden gluten and cross contamination- you Celiacs know exactly what I'm talking about! I had no idea that gluten was in my toothpaste, my soy sauce, my salad dressing, etc. It was not until another year later that I would fully accept the responsibilities of living with Celiac Disease. I had finally had enough with the chronic sinus infections, painful acne, stomach aches, all of which completely cramped my lifestyle!

I can happily and successfully say that I have embraced my Celiac Disease and have been gluten-free for over a year, which brings me to my internship with Gluten Free & FABULOUS! Almost one year ago, my boyfriend's parents told me about an article they read in their local Arizona newspaper about Larry Schneider, CEO of Gluten Free & Fabulous (GFF). Larry's company had created a new gluten-free (gf) pizza that was also created in an entirely dedicated gf facility: the first pizza company to do so! This was a big deal because one major discrepancy between a healthy and unhealthy gf diet is cross-contamination, which can easily occur if a company makes their gf foods on the same equipment as regular food. When they told me about the article, I decided to check out the website. It turns out that Shari Cole, VP of Marketing for GFF, lived and worked out of Los Angeles, although the corporate headquarters were in Phoenix, AZ (where the pizza factory is). On a whim, I decided to e-mail her and tell her a little about myself and ask if she would be interested in having an intern. I was interested in a career in the Public Relations/Health industry, and I was a junior in college with a major in Journalism and PR and had Celiac Disease, so I thought I'd fit right in. Not 15 minutes after I sent my e-mail did Shari call me back saying, "Laura, I think it's a fabulous idea! That'd be phenomenal!"- later I would learn that those are her two signature phrases!

So that's how the story goes, and leads me to today. I am going into my last semester of college and have been an intern for Gluten Free & FABULOUS for almost one year. 

Curious about how gluten-free food gets in to grocery stores, or how we get the word out about the need for gluten-free food? Ever wonder which products are the best in each category? Want to know some phenomenal tips, recipes, and insights into the gluten-free industry? Or what it's like to be a college kid surrounded by cocktail bars (filled with beer), college food (gluten filled pizza, sandwiches, and everything microwavable) and group outings (mainly to places without gf menus!)? 

You've come to the right place: I am a gluten-free girl, living and working in a gluten-free world- and I'm here to let you in! 

"A girl should be three things: classy, fabulous, & gluten-free!"

-Coco Chanel (with a Laura twist)

Cheers,

Laura