How and when did you discover that you had intolerances to both gluten and dairy?
Caroline Oldham
I discovered I had coeliacs disease when I was 17 years old, I had a lot of issues with random skin rashes (this is called dermatitis herpetiformis), bloating, tiredness and random vomiting. When I was diagnosed, I was also given skin tests for other foods which showed I had a lactose intolerance too. Lactose was the thing that was making me sick.
What other symptoms should people look out for if they are dairy intolerant?
If you are lactose intolerant there are many symptoms such as grumbling tummy, diarrhoea, pains in your lower tummy and bloating.
Please tell us about your journey into veganism.
Although I don't identify myself as vegan I follow a very heavy plant based diet as I do believe that eating too much meat is not good for your body and for me I prefer to find my proteins in vegetables such as avocados. I find as I grow I have become more inclined to vegan products such as using agave syrup instead of honey and I have felt that the use of animal products is really not needed that much anymore. The only thing I struggle with is soya. After being diagnosed as a lactose intolerant I switched to a heavy soya diet and did not realise the health implications. These have unfortunately hit me at a later stage of my life due to the heightened oestrogen I was having in my diet. As a woman, all these things were not known to have an effect when I was diagnosed so I found out the hard way. I'm not saying this is for all women but from my personal experience it did not agree with me.
How do you feel both mentally and physically since making the switch?
Physically a dramatic difference, I absolutely love the gym and I go about 4 times a week but I was too tired most of the time. I find having lots of fruit and vegetables in your diet gives you a lot of nutrients and natural energy, plus you mentally feel good as you know that you are eating fresh and healthy products. Since being diagnosed, I have so much more energy, I'm less tired, I don't have a huge bloated tummy anymore and I don't have a constant skin rash.
Please tell us about forming Biteappy as a result of your own experiences.
Biteappy (www.biteappy.com) was formed on a trip to Amsterdam. Myself and my boyfriend were finding it incredibly difficult to find somewhere to eat and after hours of google searching I realised that there was no platform to help you find places which were not only gluten free but also had dairy free with vegetarian options. I wanted to build something which gave users the option to search for restaurants with multiple dietary requirements. You do find that many people tend to have multiple dietary requirements whether it is diagnosed or just lifestyle choice.
Why do people think that intolerances mean that they can no longer eat out?
I think that it is the fear factor, when you suffer from allergies and intolerances and know how the food you can't eat makes you feel- it is quite terrifying as a diner. Especially with those who are anaphylactic. I think that the restaurant industry is definitely getting better and I think with training which is always needed there is a better understanding of the importance of being safe when serving food to people with intolerances. My fear used to be going out and having a lovely meal and then spending the next 48 hours in pain. I now believe with businesses like mine and all the wonderful bloggers out there- the education is slowly setting in. Things will only get better and diners can become more confident.
What is your favourite vegan restaurant to eat at?
Ooh that's a hard one as there are lots, I live in Brighton so I am little biased to the food down here. There are some great 100% vegetarian restaurants which serve a large amount of vegan options including Terre a Terre and Food For Friends. I also like Mildreds in London, if you can handle the queue it is worth a visit!
What is your favourite vegan meal to cook at home?
I have many but I do really like my gluten free pasta, with my homemade pesto mixed with broccoli, sweetcorn and onions, whatever the season it is totally delicious! The pesto is really easy and on my blog if you want to check it out!
What are the best dairy free foods you've come across?
So many, pure butter is great for cooking, almond milk for my coffee, coconut milk for my cereal and these are all vegan too. My favourite chocolate is the chocolate covered mulberries by The Raw Chocolate Company, these are divine!
What is next for you?
I have many things up my sleeve at the moment which are soon to be revealed to the public- so watch out on my social medias for these. I will continue to grow Biteappy and my blog and carry on helping people along my way who struggle when they first get diagnosed or make a change in their eating habits.
Tagged in Vegetarian Vegan Caroline Oldham