Diagnosis as a New Beginning - My Story

Until I turned 30, I ate everything: pastries, beer, snacks, milk, yogurt, cheese… without any real problems. Or at least, almost none. Occasionally, I would feel bloated, but it always seemed normal and impossible to connect to any specific food. Honestly, I felt like I could digest a brick if I had to.

Then everything changed.

In the summer of 2020, I got COVID-19. I still don’t know whether COVID directly caused what happened afterward, but it was definitely a turning point. After recovering — and spending the next three months coughing — the first digestive problems started to appear.

It began with a constant feeling of a lump in my throat. That was when I started experimenting with diets and eliminating certain foods, mainly those known to increase stomach acid, like tomatoes and white wine. After months of medical tests — endoscopy, ultrasound scans, blood work, and more — nothing unusual was found.

Gradually, the sensation in my throat disappeared, but it was replaced by something worse: severe bloating. Mornings were usually fine, but after meals my stomach would expand like a balloon. Soon after came other symptoms: digestive issues, numbness in my arms and legs, sinus pain, and constant discomfort.

At that point, I had gone through almost every gastroenterology test imaginable. Everything came back “normal.” Then I finally did an antibody test, and my IgG levels were significantly elevated.

Almost a two fully years after the problems started, I finally received a clear diagnosis: celiac disease.

Ironically, this happened just before a planned trip to Paris. There was no way I was going there without trying real French croissants. So I enjoyed the trip, and after coming home, on May 5th, 2021, I ate my final slices of pizza — honestly, it was four slices of my favorite pizza — and stepped into a completely new world.

At first, it was a shock.

I suddenly realized I would need to change my life completely. Overnight, I was pushed into a world I knew nothing about: What exactly is gluten? Where is it hidden? Are traces dangerous? Do I need separate cookware? The first few weeks were filled with constant overthinking and uncertainty.

But then came relief.

For the first time in a years, I finally knew what was wrong. And even more importantly, my symptoms started disappearing. I began to see the diagnosis not as the end of normal life, but as a new beginning. As strange as it sounds, celiac disease gave me the opportunity to finally feel healthy again.

Yes, I had to be careful about food. But everything else suddenly became manageable.

The first few months were all about experimenting with food and learning how to fit this new lifestyle into everyday life: work, training, travel, social events, and everything in between.

One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to eat gluten-free while still supporting an active lifestyle — getting enough protein, vitamins, minerals, and overall nutrition for training and recovery.

At that time, I was still consuming dairy products. But about a year later, I completely removed them as well because casein was causing bloating and digestive discomfort.

Now, four years after my celiac diagnosis, I live a completely normal and fulfilling life — without gluten and without dairy. Cooking has even become one of my favorite hobbies.

That’s exactly why we started this blog.

I’m someone who lives gluten-free and dairy-free. My girlfriend is someone who lives with a person who eats gluten-free and dairy-free — which can be just as challenging in its own way.

Our goal is simple: to make life easier for people who have the same dietary restrictions but still want to train hard, stay healthy, and enjoy great food without feeling limited.