About Me
My name's Ali Walsh and to look at me now, you'd be forgiven for thinking I've got a dream life.
After writing for Gluten-Free Heaven magazine for 5 years, my book, ‘Are You There, Gluten?’ got into the top ten bestsellers on Amazon and is endorsed by the actor Christopher Eccleston. I’ve helped thousands of people with coeliac disease or IBS conquer problems and transform their lives. Plus, I’m a frequent guest on BBC radio.
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But my journey hasn’t been a smooth one.
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At the age of twenty, I started years of chronic pain, multiple hospital trips and an operation under general anaesthetic that was totally unnecessary (I still bear the scar). And when I learnt what was actually wrong with me – that I had coeliac disease and a strict gluten-free diet would stop the pain – I honestly thought my problems were over.
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But just a year later I was in agony again. Unable to get immediate medical help, I decided it had to be food-related and started eliminating things.
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(N.B. I don't recommend this.)
Why 'Life on a Rice Cake'?
Eventually I went down to eating just rice cakes. I couldn’t bear anything tight on my tummy so I wore the same loose green cargo pants every day. Desperately hoping the torture wouldn’t get any worse, I’d press a boiling hot water bottle to myself until my skin was red raw to numb the stabbing pain inside my body.
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Months later, I finally managed to see a gastroenterologist who went through everything with me. He quickly came to the conclusion I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). I was told to make some simple changes, like avoiding caffeine, and two weeks later I was back in a pair of jeans. Yes, the cargo pants had their first day off!
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I was determined no-one else should face the same horrors. Realising no-one was offering sufferers the chance to address their holistic health, I began to seek out medical specialists to put together a coaching programme to help people overcome pain and feel in control again.
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The hardest part was finding specialists I could trust. I wanted experts in IBS and coeliac disease so my clients would get the help they needed. It took many awkward conversations, a lot of research and altogether two years to find the right people.
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I’ve had a massive shift in my understanding about mental health and how it can affect the digestive system. And I’ve discovered how the right techniques can also eliminate other problems, including chronic fatigue, insomnia and more.
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So while I wouldn’t wish my experience on anyone, it means I know exactly what it’s like to wish for a better life, to wonder if you’ll always have to know the location of every loo within a 2 minute radius, and to find solutions I never thought possible.
I'd love to meet you!
The biggest advancement I’ve had was realising that although many symptoms can differ, there’s one universal tool everyone can use that can instantaneously transform their life out of discomfort in three simple steps.
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I’ve learnt to eliminate my fear of IBS by using this little-known technique and I want the whole world to benefit, which is why I began Life on a Rice Cake.
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Life can be fabulous, no matter how difficult your symptoms are, and every life can be bettered, including yours.
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I'm a guest speaker at multiple events around the country and I'd love to meet you. Click the link below and find out where I'll be next so I can hear your story.
Let's chat!
