Gluten Free Travels
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical doctor or counselor. All of my posts are from my own personal experiences in the areas of my own health and wellness. My posts are meant to inspire you in your health journey, but do not qualify for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Please consult a licensed medical professional or counselor. I cannot be personally held responsible for any advice you take from my blog postings and implement into your life without consulting a medical professional first.
For me the days before traveling are the worst. I am anxious, and have what I call my “celiac freak out” moments about where I will eat. You need food to function, but when you have Celiac Disease food can either be fuel or poison, and the last thing you want to do is get sick in a town or place you do not know. I also worry and stress about how the person or people I travel with will be. Most of the time everyone understands, so shout out to all the AWESOME people who have traveled with me, but I always hate being that person who has to make the decision of “where we are eating.” Typically, I try to narrow it down to three restaurants and let everyone else decide on which one. I have gotten better at not feeling so guilty about this, but it still happens because my Celiac is not just affecting my life in that moment but someone else. All of that aside, there are some tried and true things I do to prepare before traveling. No matter what I am going to be a stressed out hot mess, but these action steps help me feel a little less anxious when it comes to my gluten free travels.
All my supplies when I traveled to a conference earlier this month!
1) Download Find Me Gluten Free! This app is the BEST! I keep it on my phone at all times. It helps traveling be a whole lot less stressful and is the backbone to how I deal with being in a new place. You can open it and look up restaurants based on what is closest to you that has gluten free options. You also can look at reviews other people have submitted. Now, just because a restaurant is on the app doesn’t mean it is “Celiac Friendly” restaurant, and information can be outdated. So make sure you always stress the importance of dietary needs when dining out.
2) Research and mentally/emotionally prepare yourself! Before traveling I have to give myself a pep talk about how it will all be okay, and that I have done this before. I typically will research the area and see just how much or slim the pickings will be. Typically I will use the app to research the area. If the restaurant options are slim I start talking about it with the people I am traveling with to prepare them, and start making calls to restaurants I am interested in possibly eating at.
3) Pack staple items! Whenever I travel it is the majority of the time for work. Even though most hotels and conferences have breakfast available I never feel safe in regards to the preparation that went into making the food. So before travel I always load up on some oatmeal and snack bars. If I am traveling in a driving distance I sometimes pack peanut butter, and gluten free bread in case I need to make a quick sandwich, and to have for late night hunger. Even when I have flown to conferences I have packed oatmeal and snack bars. It takes up space but is so worth it to feel that extra safety of not starving while traveling.
So there you have it! Hopefully these tips will help if you have Celiac or know someone who has it, and helps you get a glimpse into the life. Traveling with Celiac Disease is certainly a challenge. I try my best to not let it control my traveling experience and impact me enjoying my time in a new place, but it certainly can cause some added stress within me. Thankfully, I have not gotten seriously sick during my traveling experiences the past almost six years. However, I always have my medications with me that help me make it through a celiac attack if it does happen.
Until next time,
