About

Hi, my name is Audra and I am a GF-er runner (gluten – free runner).

I design the spaces we live work and play in. I am a daughter, granddaughter, sister, and friend. I believe in God and that every person has good in them. I am passionate about freedom and democracy. I support our military. I love helping others. I by no means, have any of life figured out. But I am learning that in order to be happy, you must be happy with where you are at. I know that Celiac Disease does not define who I am. And I am telling you, it doesn’t define you either.

I have been running competitively for over 20 years now. I am certainly not the fastest runner, but I’m not the slowest either. I did not run competitively in college, because my wise-would-be-coach asked, “What’s your major?”

“Architecture,” I said proudly.

“I don’t want you on the team, unless… you would consider changing majors?”

She said that students with in architecture didn’t have the time to put in and wound up torn between track and school. Crushing as it was,  she was so right. I chose the BArch over the uniform, and continued to run on my own, and it turns out it was one of the smartest decisions I never made.

While competing in college was something I dreamed about, it would have been perilous to my health (so was architecture for that matter, as some of you may well know). After being constantly sick with all sorts of infections, getting to a point where my anemia had me in the infusion center for 1 day/week for 5 weeks, every 6 months, to get iron pumped in my veins, it took finding the right Nurse Practitioner to help.  She sent me to a hematologist/oncologist  (blood doctor) who had the relentless determination of Sherlock Holmes, and after two years he solved the case of my illusive iron deficiency: Celiac Disease.

No, all my health issues did not just dissolve instantaneously. There are still several bumps in the road, but since going Gluten Free in March 2012 when I was diagnosed, things have gotten a lot better. For one thing, my 12 years with anemia finally ended after just three months of being gluten free. I cannot wait to see what other good things and great discoveries come out of this.

I started this blog because I get asked a TON of questions all the time about Celiac disease and what’s gluten free and can you make a recommendation? Instead of copying and pasting the emails that I would send, I decided to share it openly for all. Having Celiac disease, I now realize how I have become an advocate sharing the real deal behind the gluten free fad.  When you first get diagnosed it can be so overwhelming and unfair and just plain, awful. I know you didn’t ask for this disease, but you are now an advocate too, and it’s up to you to learn as much as you can, heal yourself, and help others heal as well. Spread that knowledge like love and Nutella! (Which is, thank heavens, gluten free!)

After all, of all the incurable diseases out there, I would waaaaay rather have this one that can be resolved simply by avoiding the consumption of gluten. I feel pretty darn luck if you ask me. My life has improved since being diagnosed, both my physical and mental health.

Things will get better for you too, I promise.

So much love,

Audra