Andrew's Story

This post was written by Andrew Merriam, and lovingly edited by Amy Merriam.

I was diagnosed with Celiac in late 2018.  I was convinced by my doctor for two years prior that my stomach issues were a result of inflammation of my intestinal lining (I was born premature, and thus had a higher statistical chance of this occurring than most people apparently), and was told it was unrelated to diet choices, was given medication, and sent on my way.  The medication helped me to a point, but anytime I inquired about any possibility of greater relief from symptoms, I was told that the meds are the "best they can do" and that I just need to "deal with it" presumably for the rest of my life.

I'm a guy, so the "Oh well....deal with it" mentality has been ingrained in my psyche for the past 31 years.  My wife however, would chime in on occasion "All the symptoms you have are pretty much on par with Celiac Disease.  You should try going gluten free to see if it helps. Worst case is you see no change."  Even though I knew something was up beyond what my doctor diagnosed me with, stupidly, I brushed off my intuition. 

When Christmas season of 2018 rolled around, my wife bought me a 23andme DNA test (she gave it to me early because she wanted to time the results to come in around Christmastime).  The results showed I'm part Neanderthal (which Amy jokingly says explains a lot about some facets of my personality), and also said I had the genetic markers for Celiac.

I was surprised (and kicking myself after the fact because I could have saved myself from years of discomfort), but went along with trying a gluten free lifestyle to see if it helped.  Thankfully, I was able to cut out two of my medications I relied on daily for stomach pain after only a month, and overall, I feel so much better physically than this time last year (and NO more stomach pain).  ....I did have a moment of spontaneous denial on month 2 of going gluten free that "I don't really have Celiac", and fell victim to my nemesis named Little Caesar's Pizza, but the resulting day and a half of feeling horrid convinced me that going back to products containing wheat would be a very poor choice.  

In terms of food preferences, I enjoy spicy and bitter flavors.  I am a fan of anything with the word "buffalo" in front of it such as wings, tenders, and nuggets.  I am a fan of beer (which was difficult thing to cope with breaking away from the gluten containing beers given the amount of fantastic breweries nearby), but have found Glutenberg Stout and IPA to serve as good substitute if I'm in the mood for a pint of beer, and my wife has taught me a new appreciation for hard ciders (which are more widely available in our area than gluten free beers).  

I enjoy Mexican food, sushi, and a good steak.  I'm also a big snacker, and am a fan of potato chips, or anything salty with the exception of pork rinds. And cheese, any cheese really. I do have an affinity towards Kombucha Tea (which Amy is NOT a fan of) as well, and will give any flavor a try once or twice.

Unfortunately, I have Asthma which limits some foods I can eat if I want to avoid a flare up. On the occasions I feel like chocolate, I will go for a bar of Enjoy Life Ricemilk chocolate (which tastes just like milk chocolate without causing me to sprint towards my inhaler), and I will never turn down some good dark chocolate if someone offers.  Amy will sometimes modify recipes that are dairy heavy with coconut or almond milk which I very much appreciate!

I have very much enjoyed making this blog with Amy, as it has helped me have a strong introduction into the world of gluten free, and it has also allowed me to spent time with my wife. I can't wait to learn more about gluten free life, and meet more people in the gluten free community.