Celiac Straight Talk

This is a recording of the "Living Your Best Gluten-Free Life" panel from our 2023 Community Summity. It features four gluten-free influencers, Phil, Liz, Erin and Emily, discussing how they've tackled their health conditions and thrived on the gluten-free diet.  Phil is the creator behind @PhilHatesGluten, a popular TikTok and Instagram account. He uses humor to allieviate the burden of managing eosinophilic esophagitis.  Liz Purvis is a celiac disease advocate and content creator (@yeet.that.wheat on Instagram and TikTok) living with celiac disease. Her content focuses on health equity and her experience as a Black woman living with celiac. Erin Smith is the creator of Gluten-Free Globetrotter, a travel website that provides information about eating gluten-free and traveling with celiac. She's been living with celiac disease since 1981 and eating gluten-free long before it was "trendy.”  Emily Shaw is best known for her viral DIY TikTok account @emilyrayna. She has been featured in prestigious publications

In this episode, we sit down with Juanita Belton, PA-C, MPH, physician assistant in gastroenterology and Director of Patient Empowerment at Color of Crohn’s & Chronic Illness (COCCI). COCCI was created to improve the quality of life for BIPOC who are affected by IBD, digestive disorders, and associated chronic illnesses through community, research, education, and advocacy. Juanita gives tips for talking with your doctor about your unique health needs.    Learn more about Celiac Straight Talk at https://www.beyondceliac.org/news-events/podcast-series/ 

Ambassadors Hayden and Alyssa join podcast coordinator Leah Popovic as they discuss what it's like to experience an athletic life style with celiac disease.  To hear more episodes of Celiac Straight Talk, visit https://www.beyondceliac.org/news-events/podcast-series/

We sat down with Arturo Chacón Cruz to learn just how he manages to stay gluten-free while traveling all over the world to sing opera, as well as his advice for convincing others that, while the gluten-free diet can be annoying, your health is worth it. To hear more episodes of Celiac Straight Talk, visit https://www.beyondceliac.org/news-events/podcast-series/

Dr. Hilary Jericho became a part of the Stanford University team at the beginning of this year, working for the newly developed celiac disease program at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. Learn about how Dr. Jericho's research in the psychosocial effects of celiac disease has made an impact on the Bay area. To hear more episodes of Celiac Straight Talk, visit https://www.beyondceliac.org/news-events/podcast-series/

Looking for gluten free restaurants in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania? Look no further! Meet Jeff Val, the creator of Gluten Free Lehigh Valley—a platform where the gluten-free community can connect with peers, doctors and more. This project is pioneering an effort to make celiac disease and gluten intolerance better understood not only in Lehigh Valley, but in communities across the country. 

By sharing her DIY interior design creations on TikTok, Emily Shaw became a social media sensation practically overnight. Shaw, who renovates spaces and repurposes budget household items, has nearly six million followers on TikTok alone, and has dedicated her career to this niche craft. Something her fans may not know is that she happens to have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease.    As a true innovator, she’s learned to nimbly navigate her newfound fame while managing celiac disease. Get to know how Shaw persisted despite her symptoms and what the future holds for her growing digital platform.    Follow Emily on TikTok or Insta at ​​@emilyrayna

In March, Beyond Celiac teamed up with Dr. Mark Davis, the Director of the Stanford Institute for Immunity, for a town hall session on t-cell dynamics in autoimmunity. Join us in learning about the importance of human studies and how the development mitochondrial physiology can help those suffering from non-GI symptoms of celiac disease.

Looking for an authentic gluten-free Italian meal? Teona Khaindrava will happily provide at Senza Gluten, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, New York City. Khaindrava, who opened the business in 2014, trains her hard working staff to prepare gluten-free pasta, cocktails, desserts and more while adhering to traditional Italian recipes and techniques. Learn how Senza Gluten has heightened the dining experience for people with celiac disease, as well as their mission to spread awareness.

Kayla King has been living with celiac disease for over 17 years, “centering her life” around food and maintaining a safe, healthy diet. After receiving a business degree and becoming a nutrition coach, King recently launched MyMeal, an app helping people with restricted diets find restaurants which cater to their needs. Learn about how King is using online advocacy to change the way people with celiac disease, chronic illnesses and allergies can feel more secure about going out to eat.

Our webinar from January 19, 2023 discusses some of the biggest celiac disease news and research from the past year. Learn about what is to come with these discoveries and how patients come upon a proper diagnosis from Dr. Amelie Therrien, a gastroenterologist and celiac disease researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s (BIDMC) Celiac Center.

Join Podcast Coordinator Leah Popovic as she speaks to well renowned actress and producer Sam Doumit about her experience living with a wheat allergy. Doumit, who starred alongside Rob Schnieder in the film “The Hot Chick,” provides insight to working in Hollywood with dietary restrictions, as well as how her attitude and self-advocacy has played a role in her health today.

In this episode, we chat with two renowned gastroenterologists, Dr, Benjamin Lebwohl and Dr. Ritu Verma, about the role genetic tests and biopsies play in diagnosing celiac disease. What can these tests tell us about a patient's health? Are they necessary to diagnose celiac disease? The conversation is followed by a community Q&A.    Dr. Lebwohl and Dr. Verma are members of The Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (SSCD). The SSCD is a professional organization of physicians, nurses, dietitians, and allied health professionals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico who specialize in the treatment of celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders.

In this episode, we chatted with Colleen and Libby, two sisters who were diagnosed with celiac disease at the same time, shortly after their older brother was diagnosed. Their story emphasizes the importance of getting relatives tested, regardless of symptoms, and sheds light on what it's like to grow up with celiac disease today.    This episode is sponsored by imaware. Use our code to get a discount on at-home testing kits!

World-renowned celiac disease expert Dr. Stefano Guandalini, MD, sat down with us to answer your questions about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. In this episode, the audience-submitted questions focused on conditions that are commonly seen alongside celiac disease. Dr. Guandalini is also the medical advisor for the sponsor of this Town Hall, imaware™.

We facilitated a community Q&A with Amelie Therrien, MD, gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, about potential non-dietary treatments for celiac disease. She answers your questions about how some of these potential treatments work, the role of the gluten challenge in clinical trials, and whether treatments may work for other autoimmune conditions, too. This event was sponsored by the Solutions for Celiac study on latiglutenase. 

Beyond Celiac ambassador Noah Lustbader is one of the youngest scientists working hands-on towards a cure for celiac disease. As a junior in college at Vanderbilt University, Noah is already pioneering a multi-centered project with Vanderbilt’s Clinic Director Dr. Dawn Adams, including centers such as Mayo Clinic and Harvard. In this episode, he talks about his experience as an undergraduate research assistant alongside Dr. Arnold Han at Columbia University's Irving Medical Center, studying t-cells and possible therapeutic strategies for celiac disease in a professional laboratory.

Healthcare systems across the globe often fall short when caring for celiac disease patients. Himanshi Pareek shares how misinformation from her doctors in India worsened her condition, leading to her own scientific discoveries which countered the medical advice she received.

Roby Sobieski is an actor, model and magician whose appearance on “The Bachelorette” has lended him lots of social media popularity. His aunt, Alice Bast, founder and CEO of Beyond Celiac, connects him to our organization, where Roby has advocated for greater celiac disease awareness, and even volunteered at our 2020 virtual event entitled “An Evening Beyond Celiac.” In this episode, Podcast Coordinator Leah Popovic learns more about Roby’s connections to celiac disease, as well as his experience with Bachelor Nation and what his future may hold. 

You might recognize Sarah Joy Brown from her various on-screen acting appearances, such as General Hospital and Big Momma’s House. Get to know more about her life behind the scenes as an actress with celiac disease, as she speaks with Podcast Coordinator Leah Popovic on the importance of visibility and advocacy, especially in the acting industry.