Fussy eating: How you can cut out the gluten

An arable farmer, it was hard for him to contemplate meals without wheat, but it’s something he and the rest of the family have got used to after Rachel radically altered her diet in a bid to find relief from debilitating migraines and the autoimmune disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

Her self-help research revealed that food intolerances can trigger migraines and that Hashimoto’s, which attacks the thyroid gland causing fatigue, weight-gain, dry skin and depression, can be helped by eating wholefoods and avoiding gluten.

“I went from being a real foodie, keen to try anything and everything to going gluten-free, then dairy-free and cutting right back on sugar,” says Rachel.

“It was a shock for me. I grew up in a farming family eating traditional meals and I wasn’t at all picky about what I ate. Now I’m a nightmare dinner guest,” says Rachel, whose “free from” food odyssey prompted the launch of her blog, Adventures in Fussy Eating. The blog, written under her pseudonym, Mary Sweeting, began as a hobby to indulge her passion for healthy food and cooking, while teaching herself more about social media and photography.

Over the past year, it has gathered legions of followers across the world, thanks to the growing numbers of people forced to follow restricted diets.

“Blogging has helped me to improve my own health too. I’ve learned a lot along the way. Now my migraines are much less intense and although the thyroid issue is an ongoing problem, I feel healthier and more energetic, and the condition of my skin has improved,” says Rachel.

“It’s also helped teach me more about social media, which has helped with my job in PR. It’s been a really interesting journey and it’s ongoing.

“I’ve just enrolled on a nutrition course.”

Her original recipes for delicious gluten and dairy-free dishes, which include Raj-style rosti and Moroccan orange cake, have been a big hit with her fans and they are all created in the kitchen of her home, near York. She also offers tips on improving your digestion and overall wellbeing and there are restaurant and book reviews plus ideas on how to survive eating out. Oriental restaurants are best as they have lots of dishes without wheat and dairy. Some cafés, like Yorkshire’s Filmore and Union, also offer gluten-free bread, while Pizza Express now does gluten-free pizza, according to Rachel, who has compiled a Top 20 Places to Eat for Fussy Eaters.

“I really enjoy the blogging and the community is really friendly and helpful. Sharing is a big part of the blogosphere.

“It has introduced me to lots of like-minded people who are into food and photography.

“Other bloggers have taught me all about food styling and taking pictures, as well as sharing tips on how to eat a diet free from gluten and dairy that still ticks all the taste and fun boxes that normal food and cookery does.”

The blog is, she says, a creative outlet with a host  of added benefits.

“I bumped into someone who follows the blog and she said she’d actually changed what she ate on the day I posted a healthy recipe. I was thrilled. It’s powerful stuff and incredibly rewarding.”