An Introduction to Taylor’s Mom on GlutenAway.com

I know for a while now many of Taylor’s followers have asked to hear from his mom or have asked what role I have played in Taylor’s pursuit of his blog and making a difference in the gluten-free community.  I thought a great way to kick off my efforts of supporting Taylor in providing new content for his blog is to give you a little glimpse behind the scenes of how things started, what we have gone through, and where we are now.

A Little About Me – Taylor’s Mom

Back in 2008, I learned that I had Celiac Disease and started living a gluten-free lifestyle.  I am sure that my story sounds a lot like many of yours out there.  I grew up with stomach problems my entire life along with many other debilitating symptoms like migraines and sinus infections.  I had a lot of problems with my stomach when I was close to Taylor’s age and even after being hospitalized for over a week I was told that I had IBS.  Starting in 2004 I started to have a lot more problems with my stomach and was also chronically fatigued.  I went from doctor to doctor and ended up in the ER more times than I can count.  I was told by my doctors that I had everything from hypoglycemia to possible lymphoma.  My discovery of having Celiac Disease came from a simple conversation that I had with a work colleague who was in remission from breast cancer and started seeing a holistic nutritionist.  One day I was complaining to her because I felt to terribly bad, so bad that I couldn’t function to the point where I could fall asleep standing up.  I told her that I really noticed the symptoms the night before when I was at a ball game and had a soft pretzel and beer.  She told me that what I had sounded like a gluten allergy.  My response was “what’s gluten?”  She briefly explained it to me and that’s when my research began.  I started a gluten-free diet and within two weeks I felt immensely better.  I realized that I had felt so bad for so long that I had no idea how bad I really felt.  I was a completely different person with so much more clarity and energy.  I quickly learned that gluten was the key instrument into my poor health and that the food that I was putting into my body was a direct correlation to how I feel every day.  I know … a very simple concept but something that took me a very long time to figure out.

Going Even Further Back

2007

Taylor is by far the most important person in my life.  I got pregnant very young at the age of 18, and like most 18 year olds I was very scared.  I wasn’t sure if I could give Taylor the life that he deserved and had planned to give him up for adoption.  I had the adoptive parents picked out, had met them and had everything set up through an adoption attorney.  Until the day that I had him and held him.  I just knew inside me that I could not let him go and that if I did it would be the biggest mistake of my life.  The day that I decided to keep him was also the day that I knew I decided to take him out of a secure home that could provide everything that he needed.  That day I made a promise to myself to do everything in my power to be the very best parent I could be and to provide those things that I took away from Taylor and so much more.  There has not been a day that has gone by where I have felt that I have made the wrong decision.  Things have been very tough along the way and I know without a doubt that I not only made the right decision for Taylor but I made the right decision for me.   I have focused my parenting on teaching Taylor the lessons that I wish someone would have taught me as well as building a relationship of mutual respect between us.


There have been some major life lessons that I have worked hard to instill in Taylor to help him along the way including:

• There is a consequence for every action – whether it be good or bad.
• Perspective and attitude is everything.  You can choose what kind of day you are going to have by the way you view the world.
• There are absolutely no limits on what you can do.  You are the only person who can set limits on yourself.
• There is nothing wrong with making a mistake.  There is something wrong with making the same mistake twice.
• Lead by Example.  The only way you can be a leader is to give something for someone to follow.

I can say that one of the greatest rewards of being a parent is to see Taylor grasp these things and apply them to his life.  Taylor is an exceptional kid who already had a foundation of sensibility, compassion, empathy and kindness.  Like all kids he is (was) a sponge that soaks up the world around him but unlike most kids he also has a strong desire to make a difference in the world.

I hope that with my additions to Taylor’s incredible content and perspective that I can add an additional voice that can be used as a resource for parents who are looking for a guide to help their child navigate through the world of gluten-free living.  Taylor and I will be working on some blog posts together where I will be writing tips on how to raise a gluten-free child where he will comment on how my tips have helped him through the years as well.  We feel that this will offer a unique perspective and hopefully great content that will help parents from not only the parent’s view but also the child’s.

In upcoming posts I will be writing on the following topics:

• Empathy
• Making Your Home a Gluten-Free Zone
• The Power of Attitude
• Planning Ahead and Being Prepared
• Importance of Advocating for Your Child
• The Power of Knowledge – Educating Yourself, your child and your family & friends
• Lead by Example
• The Evolution of Gluten-Free Living

I will also work on providing some great gluten-free recipes and products that we have come across along the way along with traditions for holidays and special occasions that have helped when transitioning into a gluten-free lifestyle.

If you have any questions or are looking for advice on situations with your child or have questions about raising a gluten-free child, feel free to contact me at lmiller@glutenaway.com.  I am more than happy to help in any way that I can. ~Laura