Greetings!

 

I'm David Cohen, a father, husband, sports business professional, health and fitness enthusiast, and world traveler living with celiac disease. I am based in Boston, Massachusetts, which I believe is the greatest city in the world! 

 

The primary motivation for creating this blog is to document my adventures with my wife, Megan, and our two daughters, Emerson (6 years old) and Isla (2 years old). I know that my girls will grow up before I know it, and that these adventures won’t last forever. However, my hope is that the blog will make the memories last forever. While traveling, we love to explore new cities, sample local restaurants and craft coffee, and immerse ourselves in nature and landscapes by going hiking.

 

Additionally, my content aims to provide valuable insights for individuals who live and travel on a strict gluten-free diet, as well as those who travel with young children. I understand firsthand that both of these variables can make traveling challenging.

 

In 2019, I was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease where consuming gluten, even trace amounts, causes long-term damage to the small intestine. Currently, the only treatment for Celiac Disease is to adopt a gluten-free diet. But, as many of us who have been diagnosed know, sometimes we continue to experience immediate symptoms and damage to our intestines, even when we avoid gluten.

 

Since my diagnosis, I have been living 100% gluten-free and I am also undergoing daily treatment with Budesonide to help with my symptoms.

 

After gaining a few years of experience, following a gluten-free diet at home has become relatively easy for me. I have control over the types of food available, adhere to strict kitchen protocols, and my wife and I have learned to create gluten-free versions of almost any recipe that traditionally contains gluten. For most of these recipes, I would challenge anyone to be able to discern the difference!

 

But, as an avid traveler, adhering to a gluten-free lifestyle while on the road has always been a challenge for me, especially in rural areas. In my pre-celiac days, it was easy to stop for food at a moment’s notice while on a road trip, but it’s not always as convenient now. Traveling requires advanced preparation and typically involves packing my own meals, snacks, and sometimes even my own cookware. Most restaurants, cafes, bars, and breweries are not well-versed in celiac safety or simply do not prioritize it for their business. For those of us living with celiac disease, it’s not as simple as ordering naturally gluten-free foods. We also need to ensure that we avoid cross-contamination.

 

Over the past few years, I have learned and adjusted to traveling with celiac disease through a lot of trial and error. I hope that my content will help others in their future travel endeavors.​

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