I've found somebody who truly understands

Radio presenter Aimee Vivian reflects on her coeliac journey, from diagnosis to making new friends and discovering a whole new way of eating

- PUNTEHA VAN TERHEYDEN

The very same month that DJ Aimee Vivian bagged her dream job with Capital FM radio in London in 2015, she was diagnosed with coeliac disease - an auto-immune condition affecting the gut. Both the diagnosis and the job had taken many years to achieve, and each would mark the start of life-changing journeys for her.

She says, "I was poorly for a long time, suffering lots of different symptoms, including fatigue, bloating and tummy pain. Getting the diagnosis as I started my dream job was both a relief and a worry."

While it was great to finally have answers, Aimee, now 31, was anxious about what her condition (where gluten in food causes the body to attack the lining of the gut) would mean for her life and career.

"As someone who was gluten-intolerant, I knew I had to change my lifestyle and go gluten-free. I went to the supermarket with my mum and bought enough gluten-free food to fill a kitchen cupboard. I didn't cook much then, so Mum made gluten-free versions of my favourite meals, like carbonara or lasagne, and even chicken and chips. It was daunting, but I realised I had to get organised around my meals and not be embarrassed to ask questions eating out."

Aimee began cooking more, starting with gluten-free pasta recipes, as she found her feet in the kitchen. "I soon learned I could still have a Sunday fry-up with bacon, eggs and gluten-free sausages and bread. I slowly became confident in what I could eat."

Luckily for Aimee, being on air proved to be a balm in more ways than one. "As soon as I went into that studio, it was like an off switch between my brain and gut," she says.