About Andrea (aka Baltimore Gluten Free)
Let me introduce myself: my name is Andrea Balzano Tucker and I am a Health Educator, Mother, Celiac Advocate and co-leader of the Maryland Cel-Kids group. For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about nutrition and food as a vehicle to health. From a little girl reading my Mom’s Prevention Magazine in the 70’s, to my career as a Health Coach, Food as Medicine, was my internal mantra. I never imagined that my personal and professional interests would intersect as much as they did in 2010. That year, I was diagnosed with a thyroid autoimmune disease and my youngest child was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.
By all accounts, I had the background to handle going gluten free and managing a child that was strictly gluten free. I had worked in medical research, been a health educator and wellness advocate helping others make dietary changes, I had even worked for a time in the Gastroenterology Department of a major medical institution. All this background and I was still unprepared.
Living gluten free for medical reasons requires daily self-management and vigilance unlike any other disease management. Disease and symptom management – solely through food – requires the patient to take over daily as case manager. Add in the psycho-social component, especially when navigating a child through the waters, and it can be overwhelming.
What I was missing was support. Online, real time, I would take any that was offered gratefully because I learned so much for others’ experiences, education and resources. The more I talked to the gluten free community, the more I realized so many people were looking for the same! I had to do something. Baltimore Gluten Free was born of the desire to connect the gluten free community not only in Baltimore, but beyond.
This support exists and I’ve made it my mission to organize it in one spot for you. If you are looking for support where you live, check out the support group page . If you are looking for comprehensive medical support from a Celiac Center, check out our Celiac Centers page. If you need to learn how to be an advocate, at school, church, restaurant or with your own family, visit how to advocate.
