Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Kubik.
Erika, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started about eight years ago. I was getting ready to go off to college, when I went to the doctor to get a physical. In talking with the doctor, I made a discovery that changed my life forever. I was diagnosed with celiac disease – an autoimmune disease that attacks the lining of one’s small intestine. Two weeks before I was about to set foot on my college campus I learned that I had to change my diet and lifestyle forever.
Since then, I’ve come a long way. I went from googling what is gluten to becoming an expert and advocate on the autoimmune disease.
In college, I had a class during my second semester senior year. It was social media marketing. In the class, one of the semester-long assignments was to create a blog, so naturally I decided to write about what I knew best — celiac disease.
At the time, I never thought this class project would turn into what it is today. In fact, I was shocked when I received comments and questions from folks outside of my class.
Before I knew it emails were flooding my inbox . . . “My daughter was just diagnosed…”; “I just eliminated wheat and dairy from my diet – do you have any ideas for a healthy, hearty breakfast”; “How on earth does one pie a cake that sets and rises?” “What are your favorite brands of Gluten Free Bread?”
It was clear that people wanted answers, and for some reason, people were turning to me (of all people) for expertise.
When I graduated college, I transplanted to Chicago – not knowing anyone – to launch my professional career in communications and marketing. In my free time, I continued to contribute to the blog and decided to create an Instagram account to keep the momentum going. That’s when things really took off.
Before I knew it, I had a few thousand followers and brands reaching out to me to collaborate. I’ve partnered with several local restaurants and gluten free brands and continue to be get paid for eating and helping those newly diagnosed with celiacs. Talk about a dream come true!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
By no means has it been easy. Life wasn’t meant to be easy – regardless of where you come from.
I’d say initially, the hardest part was figuring out what I could and could not eat. I still struggle with this. You see, with celiacs, you are more prone to develop new allergies and ailments as you maintain a gluten free diet. Since then, I’ve given up dairy completely as well as oats and alcohol. I’ve also uncovered that I am anemic and have early onset osteoporosis.
Outside of the eating situation – having celiacs has made having a social life incredibly challenging. Living with roommates who don’t clean up after themselves has resulted in me getting sick in my own home due to cross contamination. Additionally, with cross-contamination eating out is nearly impossible and forget about eating over at friend or family member’s house. I’ve learned to always bring my own food with me = even for holiday parties. I still get looks from loved ones that just don’t understand.
Luckily though, I have a handful of incredible friends and family members who support me and are always looking out for my health.
Please tell us about The Bite-Sized Celiac.
Outside of my full-time job in corporate communications, I serve as the Chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Young Professionals Network for the Chicago Chapter of the PRSA. Additionally, I also serve as the President of the City of Chicago’s Alumnae Chapter for Kappa Delta Sorority and maintain my blog (The Bite-Sized Celiac).
As a blogger, I am known for my clean-eating and recipes using whole foods with a primarily paleo diet in Chicago. I frequently am tapped on where to go in the city for a great meal, how to grocery shop for a celiac on a budget, and for advice on the awkward social circumstances surrounding celiacs.
I never intended to make money from this. It was more so a way to pass the time, to help others, and showcase my love and talent in the kitchen. What makes me tick and keeps me going is meeting and interacting with individuals who are newly diagnosed with celiacs. By far, my proudest moment was hosting a gluten free/celiac friendly Halloween trunk-or-treat event in the community — open to the public. Seeing those kids’ faces light up because they were able to partake in the trick-or-treating fun was more valuable than any paycheck I’ve ever received.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I could – I would have started investigating my stomach issues as a kid much sooner. I would have asked the doctors more questions and spoken up sooner. I wouldn’t have taken “there’s nothing wrong with you” as an answer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thebitesizedceliac.com
- Email: thebitesizedceliac@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thebitesizedceliac
Image Credit:
Aviva Media
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