Gluten Dude

The purpose of this app is simple: to better the lives of those living with celiac disease and anyone else who must eat gluten-free; to create a close-knit community where people in the gluten-free community come to discover, to learn, to share, and to connect, all to make their lives easier and healthier.

Living a 100% gluten-free life has it challenges: physically, mentally and socially. Using the Gluten Dude app will help alleviate those challenges. How? Read on.

CHALLENGE: EATING OUT
Eating out is one of the more stressful parts of having celiac disease. One crumb is all it takes to set off the autoimmune response. Everything that is fun and spontaneous about eating out can be overshadowed by the anxiety of whether you can get through your meal unscathed

SOLUTION: A directory of 100% gluten-free restaurants, guaranteeing you a safe meal. Each restaurant includes images, a description, reviews, ratings, directions, etc. Eating without fear. What a concept.

The app also includes restaurants that are not 100% GF but 1) have been recommended by others in the celiac community; 2) have been personally vetted by my team; and 3) take certain precautions to minimize the possibility of cross-contamination. A “Dude Vetting Note” is added to each of these listings.

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CHALLENGE: DISCOVERING ONLINE GF COMPANIES AND FINDING COUPONS
Did you know there are over 140 awesome gluten-free companies that you can order from online? Everything from pasta to cookies to mixes to breads to cakes to muffins and more! Most of these items cannot be found in your local stores.

SOLUTION: The GD App has a directory of every one of these online companies, with a description of who they are and what they sell, and a direct link to their online store. LOOK FOR THE SPECIAL GLUTEN DUDE COUPONS!!!

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CHALLENGE: GETTING ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS
The internet is littered with falsehoods and dangerous information regarding celiac disease & living gluten-free. People are looking for answers to their problems, quickly and accurately, and they are not sure where to turn or who to trust, putting their health in jeopardy.

SOLUTION: A forum where discussion is encouraged but fear-mongering and misinformation will not be. You deserve to get honest answers from those who have been in your shoes.

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CHALLENGE: ISOLATION
Celiac disease is a very misunderstood disease and can be quite isolating. I've received so many emails over the years from people whose own friends and family don't take their disease seriously; who don't get invited out to eat because they're "too difficult"; who are bullied at school simply because they can't eat gluten. And most of the time, there is no one there to turn to, to listen to you, to understand you.

SOLUTION: Live chat. This app will connect you with others in the celiac/GF community, allowing one on one private chats.

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CHALLENGE: FINDING GLUTEN-FREE BEER
Beer, sadly, is not gluten-free. The most popular "gluten-free" beers on the market today are actually "gluten-removed" and are not safe to drink. There are a handful of amazing 100% gluten-free beers out there, but they can be difficult to find.

SOLUTION: The Gluten Dude app shows thousands of stores, bars and restaurants where people can purchase gluten-free beer. Stay thirsty my friends!

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AND LASTLY...WHO IS GLUTEN DUDE?
My real name is Scott but within the celiac and gluten-free communities, I'm known as Gluten Dude, a passionate and outspoken celiac disease advocate. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2008 and I launched my blog in 2011, which now has over 700 posts, 9 million visits and 34,000 comments.

TESTIMONIALS:

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You changed the journey for me."

"You make me smile, you make me cry, and you make me mad. But most of all, you make me grateful that I don’t have to figure this all out on my own."

"Your latest post is why my son wants to be Gluten Dude when he grows up."