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South Riding woman makes gluten-free travel a breeze
When her 4-year-old son, Ryan, was diagnosed with celiac disease three years ago, Karen Broussard wondered if her family would still be able to eat out and travel as much as they used to.
People with celiac are intolerant to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley – ingredients in many foods.
Ryan has to avoid most flour-based foods like pasta, bread, cookies, crackers and even many sauces, glazes and marinades.
“The biggest challenge is avoiding things you wouldn't think of, like soy sauce and some corn-based cereals that contain malt flavoring,” said Broussard, who lives in South Riding. “We went through three years of trial and error.”
The Broussards have learned to accommodate Ryan's special diet, but eating out still can be a challenge depending on the chef or restaurant.
Last year during a vacation to the Caribbean, Broussard came up with the idea for a Web site to help others with the same concerns about traveling on a gluten-free diet.
And so, GlutenFreeTravelSite.com was born.
“I wanted to give people a vacation from worry,” she said. “Now they can relax, knowing the place they've chosen is well-versed in cooking gluten-free.”
The site, which launched about a month ago and is supported by advertisements, is an easy-to-use, one-stop shop for anyone interested in traveling gluten-free.
It is mostly composed of travel reviews submitted by people all over the country who have traveled to places around the world. The reviewers provide ratings from one to five, depending on how friendly the location was to those eating gluten-free.
There are already more than 100 reviews and suggestions for hotels, cruises, restaurants, resorts and grocery stores that cater to those with celiac disease.
Broussard said celiac is under-diagnosed. One in 133 people are affected by it, she said, but about 97 percent of them don't even know they have it. Most of them just have some gastro-intestinal issues or other health problems – and don't know the cause.
“Doctors are becoming more aware of what to look for,” Broussard said.
As of now, about 90,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with celiac disease.
If someone with celiac eats gluten, the ensuing reaction keeps their body from absorbing nutrients from food. Some of the symptoms include diarrhea, muscles cramps, bloating and weight loss.
Ryan was diagnosed when he suddenly began losing weight as a toddler. A blood test confirmed that he had celiac disease.
When people are first diagnosed, eating out can seem like a huge challenge, but Broussard's Web site can help make it easier.
From Disney World, California and the Caribbean to Europe, South America and Australia, the reviews give a first-hand account of dining at resorts, hotels, restaurants and cruises and rate them on how well they were able to handle someone on a special diet.
Site users also can subscribe to reviews from a certain region and will be e-mailed every time a new review is posted relating to that location.
This way, people planning a trip in advance can collect information about places to stay or visit when they do travel.
Broussard also includes links for learning more about celiac disease. There is also a prize offered each month for the most helpful and in-depth review -- a copy of Triumph Dining's Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide, which highlights restaurants all over the world that cater to a gluten-free clientele, Broussard said.
“We love to eat out and we love to travel,” she said. “That's why I created this site, because planning trips is always time consuming, but when you're trying to plan around a special diet, it can be very time consuming. This will make it easier.”
Contact the reporter at ecoe@timespapers.com
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