Why gluten-free AND vegan, you ask

I'm writing this blog for a true minority - for those of you out there who are gluten-free AND vegan, or have the joys of living with someone following this diet.

I'm in the later category - my husband, Matt, who had never had a solid bowel movement for as long as either of us could remember - saw an allergist 6 months ago and was diagnosed with FPIES - food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome. He's basically allergic to the protein in meat and dairy. It's a childhood illness, Matt was told - unusual for adults. 

The allergist ruled Matt out as Coeliac because the blood test didn't come back with an allergy to gluten - BUT the allergist said that didn't mean Matt couldn't still be INTOLERANT to gluten, and that could actually cause the FPIES condition he was diagnosed with.

Since 2010, Matt had already cut out meat and dairy from his diet, as they gave him a persistent stabbing stomach pain and made him nauseous. After the allergist, gluten was eliminated too - and after 3 days, overhearing Matt's number 2 was no longer like listening to someone run a bath. For the first time in as long as we have been together (13 odd years), Matt is now producing solid results!

So no more gluten. For Matt, anyway!