Biography
I was diagnosed with the skin condition Nodular Prurigo in my late 30s, which I believe is a common time to develop this. It’s difficult to explain just how debilitating it is. If you can imagine an itch that you have been told not to scratch and multiply that by 100 then that is where we are at. I have been prescribed every cream, steroid, pills, skin coverings, but sadly none of them have worked and there is no cure.
This led me to try to soothe (not eliminate) the symptoms by nutrition and life style. I discovered that following a gluten free diet and avoiding ultra processed foods as much as possible made a real difference to the severity of the itching. I am now experimenting with my cooking, using the fantastic products out there. It may take a bit more time and effort but it is so worth it. My plan is to create content around cooking/recipes but I’m not a chef so I’d like to make it simple and relatable for everyday people like myself.
For me the biggest obstacle is going out for the day or travelling and trying to find food/snacks on the go which are not full of sugar or lacking nutritional value. When eating out I often feel like a burden when having to declare that I’m gluten free. You just want to “fit in” and not be “different”. However many establishments now cater for allergies/intolerances which is very positive.
I live in Scotland and used to attend the Allergy and Free From Show in Glasgow and am gutted that this is no longer. Speaking to experts and other visitors really makes you feel part of a community and that you are not "the weird one". There are many people out there whose allergies are literally life threatening and having somewhere to gain tips and advice is wonderful, not to mention trying out the exciting new products available!