Jacksonville Florida - Travelling Grain Free, Poultry Free, Functional Nutrition & Kefir Water



Shannon Ford, Mrs. United States 2011, is an advocate for Celiac Disease Awareness. After being diagnosed in 2009, it became Shannon’s goal to bring more attention to the illness and advocate for better labeling of our nation’s food supply. A graduate of Florida International University with a B.A. in Psychology, the former Miss Florida USA also serves as a Miami Dolphins Ambassador (a select group of former Cheerleaders that represent the organization & advocate community service). Shannon strives to bring Celiac Disease awareness to others. In doing so, she has traveled the country speaking at various events & conferences, including Paleof(x), and was featured on the covers of "Paleo" magazine and “Delight Gluten Free” Magazine, as well as several times in “Shape” Magazine. Shannon is currently a Regional Director with IDLife, a health and wellness company in which all products are gluten-free.

Julia McRae has been in private practice for over twenty years, as a Certified Nutritionist. She herself suffered with Ulcerative Colitis in her youth. She has been colitis free for 30 years. Her passion to see others recover bowel health is one of the primary focuses of her practice. Customized, nutrient dense protocols are designed to bring lasting digestive health. She is a frequent guest speaker at Wellness events and for private businesses. Julia remains true to her belief that bowel health is foundational to a strong, functional immune system.

Recovering gluten addict, Jen Eccleston, is author of the blog “my BIG FAT grain free life” and owner of Jen Tilly Tea. Using humor and quite frankly, crybaby moments, she seeks to deal with food allergies, bowel health and autoimmune disease while retaining her belief that allergen free food really CAN taste delicious. Along the journey, Jen learned the important role probiotics play in overall health. After learning to make water kefir from a health conscious friend, Jen found herself and her family addicted to the delicious drink, and, just to make things weirder, she named her kefir grains. She now operates blue bottle bootlegger, hosting classes on the benefits of water kefir, including demos and tastings and allowing attendees to meet the offspring of "Squishy".

Jen Cuevas
The Gluten & Grain Free Gourmet supports delicious eating that is gluten, grain, soy, and poultry free. Jen Cuevas experienced her own journey to wellness by eating this way, and desires to share the message that life can still be delicious!
Just a few short years ago, Jen was ill with a multitude of issues (although not typical “Celiac” symptoms), including high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, sudden weight gain [over 60 pounds], Hashimoto’s, and arthritis (read more of her story here). After more than seven frustrating visits with various doctors, she finally learned about her gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease. In becoming well, she found that life without gluten was really great from a health perspective, but affected everything else that had a social factor.
In the time since her diagnosis, Jen has spent a lot of time learning. She was treated by Dr. Glen Aukerman (author: Better Health in 120 days) and attended all of his classes to understand the medical aspect of how various foods affect gluten sensitivity. After further health issues inspired her to do more research, Jen went completely grain and soy free in 2012, and became a certified coach under the direction of Gluten Free Society. She uses her own health journey to coach and inspire others to consider dietary changes as a way to achieve optimum health. In 2013 she established a support group, and found that food availability continued to be the biggest barrier to success. She began developing food products that support a grain-free, soy-free and even dairy-free lifestyle; many items are allergy-friendly and are free of refined sugars. She also offers allergen-free Communion to churches, raising awareness about the effects of gluten exposure.

Please fast forward through the hold music at the beginning of webcast.



Hartford CT Part II - Organic Food vs GMO, Cooking Home Style, and Important Gluten Free Facts


We are so excited about this week's webcast line-up! 
Part II of the Hartford GFAF Wellness Event, September 25 at 7:30 pm EST
brings you:
Amy Fothergill - Author of The Warm Kitchen
Beth Hillson - Food Editor of Living Without, Blogger, Author, American Celiac Disease Alliance and was the founder of Gluten Free Pantry
Bill Duesing - Organic Advocate and Founder of Northeast Organic Farming Association, Author, and Radio Host.



Hartford CT Part 1 - Coping, Cooking, and Living With Food Allergies


Are you ready for another incredible installment of speakers?
We have some lined up for you preceding the Hartford Gluten & Allergen Free Wellness Event on Oct 5 at Marriott Downtown, 200 Columbus Ave., from 10 am - 4 pm. We hope you will join us to see what a celebration we throw and just how tasty and much fun learning can be.

The webcasts can be attended LIVE and are always accessible on our Archive page listed above. These interesting hour and a half presentations are composed of 15 minute interviews. They are perfect for not only newly diagnosed, but are positive, interesting, and informative to anyone seeking a healthier life.

Part I - September 18 - 7:30 pm EST
We will be looking at Coping, Cooking, and Living with Food Allergies with Rustie MacDonald, Dana Fuggi Martin, and Nikki Everett

Part II - September 25 - 7:30 pm EST
We will be delving into Importance of Organic Food and Our Health, Myths of Gluten Free Living, and Learning to Convert Your Favorite Recipes to Allergen Free with Bill Duesing, Beth Hillson, and Amy Fothergill


Virginia Beach VA Part II Free Webcast - Peanut De-Sensitization, 504 Plans, School advocacy, Organizational change



In this week's web cast we focus on Food Allergy Associates of Virginia Beach with Dr. Liz Koman, Charity Luiskutty, and Kristin Osborne. These ladies have a wonderful dedication to helping those with food allergies and can impart a huge amount of knowledge to you including:
Peanut De-Sensitization
504 Plans
School advocacy
Organizational change
& so much more

Listen in for FREE anytime


Virginia Beach VA Part I FREE Webcast - Survival, The Importance of Where Our Food Comes From, Adapting kitchens to allergy free

I can't believe how incredibly lucky we are to have the great speakers we have in each event. The Virginia Beach event is no different in that respect, but very different in some respects. Your line up includes a Cupcake War contestant, someone who lives as a celiac in the wilderness, and an amazingly positive teacher of mindfulness, which are who we will be focusing on for this segment of Journey to Health & Wellness webcasts.

Be sure to join us September 13 at the Wyndham Oceanfront in Va Beach from 10 am - 3 pm EST for the first Gluten & Allergen Free Wellness Event to visit this coastal gem of a city.
You may join us LIVE or visit our archive anytime for playback at your convenience
This webcast is sponsored by


Raleigh NC Part II FREE Webcast - Mindfulness and Reducing Stress for Health, Herbal Medicine, Cooking for Families

Journey To Health & Wellness Raleigh Part II FREE Webcast
July 24, 2014
7:30 pm - 8:45 pm Eastern
LIVE RIGHT HERE!

We are so excited to bring you an in depth preview of speakers at the
Raleigh NC Gluten & Allergen Free Wellness Event to be held on August 9
at Doubletree Brownstone on Hillsborough St. from 10 am - 4 pm.
The complete roster of speakers can be found on the Raleigh page of our web site at www.gfafwellnessevent.com as well as pre-registration.

You may listen to Part II webcast in full below or download and listen later with the slide audio file.


Jen Johnson offers an integrative mind-body approach to healing. She has been working as a coach since 2000 and
working as a Counselor since 1991. Jen has been practicing Mindfulness Meditation since 1985 and teaching it as a tool for stress reduction since 1986 and practicing yoga since 2002 and teaching it since 2010. Jen’s primary teachers and influences have been Sarah Powers, Rick Hanson, Ronald Siegel, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tara Brach, Dori Langevin, Stephanie Keach, and Geshe Lobsang Tenzin.

When Jen is not coaching, counseling and teaching, she enjoys photography, writing, birding, walking on the beach, sea kayaking, and playing with her little dog Eos. Check out Jen’s photography at www.meditatecreate.com


Amy Fothergill was trained at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. She never thought her culinary skills would be necessary to manage her family’s special diet but has found her cooking knowledge has come in handy. Currently she is a cooking instructor, consultant, blogger, and author of a gluten-free cookbook, The Warm Kitchen. She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband and two children.





Nichole Thomas is founder of Virtuous Living, wife to Etan Thomas, a 12 year NBA veteran she met 17 years ago on their first day at Syracuse, and dedicated mom to three beautiful children, Malcolm, Imani & Sierra, family and their overall well-being is her top priority, but things haven’t always been easy.
For years Nichole and her family suffered from a multitude of health challenges. Hers related to bearing children and Etan’s from the rigors of being a professional athlete. She was eventually able to attribute her issues to a severe gluten intolerance. With her propensity for science and knowledge of anatomy, Nichole quickly learned that food had the ability to heal, not only her problem with gluten but those adversely affecting her
family in general. So exercising her passion for cooking, she spent the last 8 years researching and cultivating the knowledge and techniques required to prepare healthy food in therapeutic, delicious and creative ways and the results have been phenomenal!

Today, Nichole embraces her gluten free lifestyle and invites others to share the benefits of her education and experiences through Virtuous Living LLC, a specialty brand of products and services addressing the needs of the gluten intolerant community.


Thanks for joining us and we hope to see you August 9 in Raleigh!

Raleigh NC Part I FREE Webcast - Saving Money & Cooking Gluten Free, Tips on Raising an Allergy Free Child, Sugar Cleanse

Journey To Health & Wellness Raleigh Part I FREE Webcast
July 17, 2014
7:30 pm - 8:45 pm Eastern
LIVE RIGHT HERE!

We are so excited to bring you an in depth preview of speakers at the
Raleigh NC Gluten & Allergen Free Wellness Event to be held on August 9
at Doubletree Brownstone on Hillsborough St. from 10 am - 4 pm.
The complete roster of speakers can be found on the Raleigh page of our web site at www.gfafwellnessevent.com as well as pre-registration.

This series includes:
Pam Jordan - I'm A Celiac
Tiffany Hinton - GF Certified Mom
Chandice Probst - Gluten Free Frenzy
Jennifer Fugo - Gluten Free School

You may listen to Part 1 webcast in full below Please join us July 24 for part 2 with Jen Johnson, Amy Fothergill, and a surprise guest!