A Canadian Celiac Podcast

Living gluten free isn't just a dietary choice for people with celiac disease, it's a medical necessity. But what happens when the high cost of gluten-free food puts safe meals out of reach? In Episode 368 of A Canadian Celiac Podcast , host Melissa Secord , National Executive Director of Celiac Canada, explores the growing issue of food insecurity within the celiac community. Joining her are Dr....

Join host Caleigh McAulay and special guest Nicole Byrom as they share practical tips for staying safe at holiday gatherings while living with celiac disease. From avoiding cross-contact to communicating your needs, they also discuss how friends, family, and hosts can be supportive allies and help create a more inclusive holiday season.   To learn more about Celiac Canada, visit  www.celiac.ca . F...

In Episode 366 of A Canadian Celiac Podcast , Melissa Secord, National Executive Director of Celiac Canada , speaks with two inspiring Canadian Olympians who have navigated the challenges of elite sport while living with celiac disease. Christine Nesbitt , Olympic gold medal-winning speed skater, and Jacqueline Simoneau , Olympic artistic swimmer and Team Canada athlete, share their personal exper...

For 26 years, the J.A. Campbell Research Fund has supported groundbreaking research that advances our understanding of celiac disease and improves the lives of those living with it. Named in honour of Dr. James A. Campbell, a pioneer in nutrition science and a champion for Canada's gluten-free community, the fund continues to drive innovation through the next generation of researchers. In this epi...

What is it really like to be a man living with celiac disease? In this episode of A Canadian Celiac Podcast , Spencer Sandor, a member of Celiac Canada's Advocacy Committee, shares his personal experiences with diagnosis, adaptation, and life on a strict gluten-free diet. Joining the conversation is Alyssa Ramuscak, Research Analyst at Celiac Canada, who highlights findings from the State of Celia...

Heading off to university is an exciting milestone, but for students living with celiac disease, it can also bring unique challenges. From dining halls and shared kitchens to residence life and managing independence, maintaining a strict gluten-free lifestyle on campus requires planning and confidence. In this episode, Sue welcomes Anna Cowan , a university student living with celiac disease, and...

In this special episode of A Canadian Celiac Podcast , producer and editor Leah Vlasic steps in as guest host alongside Melissa Secord to explore two incredible events that brought the celiac community together this July. Melissa visits Davis Family Farm to learn more about the Sunflower Festival and Celiac Canada's second annual Day of Smiles , while Leah heads west to chat with a representative...

Celiac disease research is moving forward, but what do the latest findings actually mean for people living with the disease? This week, Health Promotions Manager Caleigh McAulay  welcomes Alyssa Ramuscak , Research Analyst at Celiac Canada, for a look at some of the newest and most promising developments in celiac research. They discuss key findings, emerging trends, and the questions researchers...

In this episode of  A Canadian Celiac Podcast , Melissa Secord speaks with Doris Foster, Chair of the Celiac Canada Board of Directors. Doris shares her personal journey with celiac disease, her career in healthcare, and insights into the power of advocacy, research, and community. Together, they discuss key milestones, ongoing challenges, and how Celiac Canada is working to Find, Treat, and Cure...

Summer is full of food-focused fun—from picnics and patios to road trips and festivals—but for those living with celiac disease, it can also come with unique challenges. In this episode, host Caleigh McAulay, RD, Health Promotion Manager at Celiac Canada , shares practical tips to help you navigate summer eating with confidence, featuring real tips and concerns from people at the Gluten-Free Garag...

In this special episode, Melissa Secord of Celiac Canada is joined by Floris van Overveld (AOECS) and Marilyn Geller (Celiac Disease Foundation) to discuss a major step forward in gluten-free labelling. Recorded during Celiac Awareness Month, they break down new Codex guidelines for precautionary allergen labelling—designed to reduce confusing "May Contain" statements and improve trust in gluten-f...

In this episode, Caleigh McAulay, RD, is joined by Aiden LeJeune, a young advocate using his voice to raise awareness, and Julie Greene, a parent navigating life with a child living with celiac disease. Together, they talk about what it's really like growing up gluten-free—from school and social situations to gaining independence as a young adult. Caleigh also explores the importance of youth advo...

This is my last podcast episode, Celiac Canada will be steering the ship from now on as I transfer the podcast to them. An exciting time for me as I know that Celiac Canada will be able to do amazing things when they take over. This podcast has two parts: first, I speak with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com about articles she has brought to our attention over the past month, and; second Ellen an...

The big news is out. I am transferring my podcast over to Celiac Canada. I'm thrilled to be speaking to Melissa Secord, CCA Executive Director and Caleigh McAuley, RD with CCA about future plans for the podcast as well as plans for Celiac Awareness Month in May. Melissa let us in some of the ideas and plans the CCA has for the podcast which will begin with Episode 357. I've got one more episode to...

It's the beginning of April and that means I have the opportunity to speak with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com to discuss the articles she has brought to our attention over the past month. Ellen and I discuss a recent study that looks at how patients with celiac disease interact with their health care professionals. This is, of course dependent on the particular health care professional, but t...

This podcast afforded me the distinct pleasure of having a conversation with both Registered Dietitian Selena De Vries and Ellen Bayens of  theceliacscene.com . Selena often shares her insights into ordering and eating at fast food restaurants – something most of us miss, and Ellen has extensive experience with eating safely at a variety of restaurants. Our   conversation can help identify what th...

It's the beginning of March 2026 and my opportunity again to chat with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com about studies and topics she has brought to our attention over the past month. Ellen and I tackle the tricky diagnosis of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NSGS). I say tricky, because currently science is still struggling to find a way to make a diagnosis of celiac symptoms when a patient doesn'...

On this podcast I speak with Registered Dietician Nicole Byrom. Both Nicole and I have daughters with Celiac Disease. We break down our conversation into three portions – talking about a parent having celiac disease, talking about a diagnosis for the child, and talking about the diagnosis of a sibling. We also recognize that children require different approaches depending on their ages. We've brok...

It's the beginning of February 2026 which means I can take the opportunity to speak again with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com about news and information she has brought to our attention over the past month. Ellen and I spoke about a new app that may solve your problems with record-keeping for your gluten free food deduction on your taxes. We try and take some of they mysteries out of the ROME...

On this podcast I speak with Cindi Little the Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet. I wanted to chat with Cindi to explore some of the ways gluten free convenience foods and mixes which have relatively recently exploded onto the market can be used in creative ways to be more satisfying and help us expand our daily menu selections. Cindi and I speak about gluten free breaded chicken pieces that are now wid...

Hapy New Year! It's the beginning of January 2026 which means I can take the opportunity to speak again with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com about news and information she has brought to our attention over the past month. Ellen speaks to us about a study done on children properly diagnosed with celiac disease who, after months on the gluten free diet and lower antibody numbers are still showing...

On this podcast I speak with Melissa Secord, Executive Director of Celiac Canada regarding the recent petition that was up for signatures. The time to sign has now closed and I was interested in how successful the CCA was in getting signatures a second time for this petition, and what the next steps are to push for the reality to make gluten free more affordable in Canada. Sue's Websites and Socia...

It's the beginning of December 2025 which means to me that I get to catchup with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com about information she has brought to our attention over the past month. First, by December 6 th , let me remind you about signing the e-Petition from Celiac Canada to request that the Federal Government consider a Gluten-Free Tax Credit. Here's a link to sign the digital e-Petition -...

On this episode I'm again speaking with Cinde Little, the Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet regarding a new way for those of us who want to cook and bake gluten free, whether it be for ourselves or for others. Cinde has organized a membership group to try recipes, communicate and learn together how to cook and bake gluten free. She hopes to take the anxiety of trying new recipes with lots of tips to he...

It's the beginning of November 2025 and my opportunity to discuss news and information that has come out in the past month with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com . Ellen keeps us up to date on what's happening regarding celiac disease and gluten free. First, let me urge you to sign the petition Celiac Canada is putting forth to the federal government regarding the cost of gluten free food and how...