Traveling the World with Celiac Disease: Sarah Welch’s Gluten-Free Adventure
Traveling internationally with celiac disease can feel intimidating. Different languages, unfamiliar ingredients, and cross contamination risks can make something as simple as ordering a meal stressful. But for Sarah Welch, those challenges became the start of a mission to help others travel the world safely with celiac disease.
In this interview, Kyle Dine sits down with Sarah, creator of Celiac Sarah Explorers, to talk about her diagnosis, how she built a community of over 100,000 followers, and her goal of documenting gluten free travel around the world.
From Diagnosis to Global Community
Sarah was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2021 at age 23 shortly after graduating from college. The diagnosis came as a surprise. Despite being an active athlete and Division I swimmer, routine bloodwork revealed abnormal liver enzyme levels that led doctors to investigate further.
Like many people newly diagnosed, Sarah initially felt overwhelmed and isolated. Everyday activities like eating at restaurants or traveling suddenly felt complicated.
Instead of letting that stop her, she began documenting her experiences online. What started as a personal outlet quickly grew into a thriving community. Today her platforms under Celiac Sarah Explorers reach more than 100,000 people who follow her for gluten free travel advice and encouragement.
Her goal is simple. Help people with celiac disease feel less alone and more confident exploring the world.
A Year of Global Gluten Free Travel
Sarah is currently undertaking an ambitious travel journey. She plans to visit increase her total tally to visiting 40 to 50 countries in this year, with a long term goal of visiting more than 100 countries.
Rather than focusing only on destinations known for gluten free food, Sarah is intentionally visiting places that can be more challenging for travelers with dietary restrictions. Many of her recent trips include destinations across Asia and Oceania.
During our conversation she shared recent experiences traveling through Japan and Taiwan.
Japan, she noted, has improved significantly in recent years for gluten free travelers. Awareness is growing and more restaurants are learning how to accommodate dietary needs.
Taiwan presented more challenges due to language barriers and fewer clearly labeled gluten free options. However Sarah emphasizes that preparation and communication tools can make a big difference when traveling abroad.
The Importance of Communicating Dietary Needs
One of the biggest challenges for travelers with food allergies or celiac disease is communication. Explaining a serious dietary restriction in another language can be stressful.
That is where Equal Eats allergy translation cards can help. These cards explain dietary restrictions clearly in the local language so chefs and restaurant staff can understand the seriousness of gluten exposure.
Sarah shared how she uses the cards while dining internationally. During her travels in Japan and Taiwan she has been documenting exactly how they help her communicate safely in restaurants.
Her upcoming YouTube vlogs will show real examples of using translation cards while ordering food abroad. For many travelers with celiac disease this kind of practical demonstration can make international travel feel much more possible.
Supporting the Gluten Free Travel Community
Beyond sharing restaurant tips, Sarah’s work focuses on helping people feel confident after a diagnosis. Many people experience anxiety around eating out or traveling once they learn they have celiac disease.
By sharing real experiences, both the successes and the challenges, Sarah hopes to show that traveling with celiac disease is still possible with the right preparation.
Lightning Round Travel Favorites
Favorite food: Potatoes
Favorite drink: Iced matcha latte
Travel essentials: Eye mask and noise canceling headphones
Favorite travel activity: Walking through cities and exploring neighborhoods
Favorite countries: Australia, Italy, and Japan
Follow Sarah’s Journey
Sarah will continue sharing gluten free travel experiences from around the world as she visits new destinations and documents how to navigate restaurants safely.
Follow her adventures through Celiac Sarah Explorers on:
Helping Travelers Eat Safely Anywhere
If you live with food allergies or celiac disease, clear communication can make all the difference when dining abroad.
Equal Eats allergy translation cards help travelers explain their dietary restrictions in more than 50 languages so they can eat more safely wherever they go.
Learn more at https://equaleats.com
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