Hey there! My name is Julie, and I’m the face behind Free For All Food. You’re probably here because you’re looking for gluten free, dairy free, or low FODMAP recipes or because you also live with chronic illness… Or because your one of my family members or friends (hi, mom!).
I always like to read these “About” pages on blogs because I like to know why the blogger started them. So here’s a little of my story:
I live in the Twin Cities with my husband, Joel, and our dog, Kinsley. And in 2016, shortly after we got married, Joel finally convinced me to see a doctor for my digestive issues.
After seeing several doctors, one of them told me I probably had IBS. She then handed me a piece of paper that explained the low FODMAP diet and wished me luck. When I started, I was SO overwhelmed! I had no professional help, and I relied mostly on low FODMAP bloggers and google searches to guide me through.
A few years and more symptoms later, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Now I know that these chronic illnesses are the culprits behind my digestive troubles AND several bouts of Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). Eating gluten free, dairy free, and low FODMAP is one of the main ways I manage those ongoing symptoms.
I started Free For All Food as an Instagram page with the hope of organizing my recipes. But what I found instead was a community of people who understand what it’s like to live with food intolerances and chronic illness. I don’t think I realized how much I craved that until I found it! So my hope is that Free For All Food will be a place where we can navigate the world of FODMAPs and chronic illness together.
Oh! And I decided on the name Free For All Food because I once went to a gluten-free bakery in Minneapolis (Sift, for my Twin Cities friends), and they had a sign on the wall that read “It’s a Gluten Free For All”. I thought it was hilarious, and Free For All Food was born.
Thanks for being here,
Julie