I'm excited to introduce Deby from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is passionate about gluten-free, vegetarian, and healthy cooking. She can be found on Instagram @lachicaglutenfreedebuenosaires. In this interview, we will learn more about living in Argentina with celiac disease.
Question: How old were you when you were diagnosed with Celiac, and how did you get diagnosed?
Answer: "I was 50+ I had been experiencing horrible digestive issues for several years. Doctors insisted that I had gastro reflux or they treated me like a hypochondriac. They gave me medications that didn't help. I started reading about different digestive diseases and finally demanded they give me a test for celiac disease. My doctor refused, he told me only very thin people have celiac disease. (Can you believe?) On a trip back to the US, I went to an independent lab and they gave me the test. It came back positive. Nowadays, doctors are very aware of celiac disease and gluten intolerance. They say 1 of 167 adults have celiac disease here, and 1 out of 74 children."
Question: Do any of your family members have Celiac?
Answer: "I have a cousin who has celiac disease. Probably others as well."
Question: What do you find to be the hardest part of living with Celiac?
Answer: "I don't find it difficult at all. I don't get the victimization of celiaquia."
Question: Are there any positives that you feel came from your diagnosis?
Answer: "Of course. No more junk food on the run. I eat very clean and healthy now. Rather than grab a pizza slice or empanada (I live in Argentina) I look for nuts or a banana."
Question: Do you know anyone else with celiac?
Answer: "I know lots of people with celiac disease. Not just here in Argentina, but in other countries."
Eating out in Argentina
Question: How knowledgeable is the food industry regarding Celiac disease?
Answer: "They passed a law in 2009. All foods that are suitable for celiacs must be marked and approved by the ANMAT. (The ANMAT is the Food and Drug Administration.) It is a very comprehensive law, all food must be marked gluten free or contains gluten. They also continue to test, and if a food that previously passed, now has contamination they pull it off the shelves and publish it in the newspapers. It also says that all restaurants should provide GF options. At first, they did, now there are less than before."
Question: Are the menus clearly marked for allergens and gluten-free food?
Answer: "Yes, most restaurants use the international symbols for GF and Vegan. Other allergens are not usually marked so you need to ask."
Question: Do restaurants usually have something you can eat safely?
Answer: "Not all restaurants. There are 100% GF restaurants and bakeries. There are many that mark which options are GF. Some restaurants will tell you straight out that they have GF options but they cannot guarantee that there is no cross-contamination."
Question: What is the easiest/hardest about eating out?
Answer: "There are so many places, you just have to choose one."
Buying Gluten-Free food
Question: Is it easy for you to find gluten-free options at the grocery store?
Answer: "Yes. There is a special logo. You have to have government permission to use it. If it's on a product that was not approved by the ANMAT it's pulled from the shelves. The ANMAT has a list of all approved foods you can download. Imported foods that do not go through testing in Argentina are not allowed to use the logo."
Argentina is "much easier than any other country I have visited. Here, all dairy is marked. Canned goods are marked. Pretty much everything is marked GF. When I travel, I worry about eating things that are not marked in that country but are in Argentina. I need not only GF but lactose-free as well, and that is marked too in Argentina. There is also a chain of Gluten Free foods."
Question: What would you say is your biggest struggle eating gluten-free in your country?
Answer: "No struggle. It's pretty easy. I find other countries much more difficult."
Question: Is eating gluten-free more expensive?
Answer: "Only if you want to eat processed food. I eat clean. Fruit and vegetables are the same. I don't eat meat, but that's the same too. I make all my own breads, cakes, etc. Yes, flour is more expensive but everything else is the same (oil, milk, flavorings, nuts, etc). I think if you eat healthy, then it's not that much more expensive. I think some people who are newly diagnosed have a difficult time because they need to adjust their diet. Since things like empanadas, pizza, cakes, and cookies are more expensive, you need to find healthier options.
I started my Instagram profile @lachicaglutenfreedebuenosaires to show people who cannot eat gluten or lactose and are maybe vegan too, that they can eat well using my recipes. I use food found in the supermarket or in the fruit and vegetable stores."
Question: Does the government help with the expense of gluten-free food?
Answer: "Yes they do. But since I was not diagnosed in Argentina, they will not give me the subsidy. It's not a huge amount but it does help people."
Medication
Question: Do you have to worry about gluten in your over-the-counter or prescribed medication?
Answer: "No. Everything is marked. There are very few laboratories that do not have GF medications."
Travel in Argentina
Question: If someone was coming to Argentina for the first time, what would you say are the “must-see” spots?
Answer: "Buenos Aires is a huge city. You can start at the Congreso de Nacion and walk down Rivadavia (Avenida de Mayo) to the Casa Rosada. It's an amazing historical walk. Then you can go to San Telmo and La Boca. There is also Palermo, Recoleta. Hundreds of museums. I have lived here 20 years and still have not seen everything."
Although we live on different continents, speak different languages, and navigate vastly different healthcare systems, one thing remains strikingly similar: our stories of being diagnosed with Celiac disease. Across the world, so many of us face the same hurdles—years of misdiagnosis, uncertainty, and a lack of awareness.
It raises an important question: Why isn’t there standardized screening for Celiac disease? Why does it remain so difficult for people to get the answers they need? These shared struggles highlight the need for greater awareness, better education for medical professionals, and stronger advocacy within the gluten-free and Celiac community.
By sharing our stories and supporting one another, we can voice the need for change and make the journey to diagnosis and treatment clearer for those who come after us.
What has been your experience with getting diagnosed? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your story!
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