Gluten Free Resource » Celiac Disease

Gluten Free Resource Has Moved!

Kyle Eslick — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:04:12 +0000

You may have noticed that posting here has slown to a crawl lately. Though many of you probably thought it was a bought of laziness on my part, I assure you that laziness was not the problem. I’ve probably been busier the past couple weeks than I’ve been in a long time!

When Gluten Free Resource was started back in March, the plan was to provide the Celiac community with a number of Celiac and gluten free resources that people would find helpful. Well, I think this site was well on its way to doing so, but in the time since then I happened to acquire a much better domain name, so I’ve setup and started posting on our new website, Celiac-Disease. If you’d like automatic updates, you can get our new RSS feed or get updates automatically emailed to you.

For now, Gluten Free Resource will remain in tact, but most new posts will be made over at Celiac Disease. I have also taken the time to move many of our more popular posts over to the new site, so these resources will still be easily findable on the new website. The new site has a very similar, yet new and more polished design as well, so we are really excited about that.

In addition to this announcement, I have two additional announcements to make:

New Celiac Disease Forums

The Celiac community is a tight knit bunch and having people you can count on (both offline and online) is an important part of helping people have healthy and fulfilling lives. It was with that idea that I’ve gone and created a new Celiac Forums over at CeliacBoards.com. It is just launched, but I encourage everyone to get signed up for a free account and start up some discussions. In time I’m hoping that this will be a useful resource for the Celiac community and allow people to find the information and help they need.

New Celiac Directory

The third and final part of this post is the announcement of a new Celiac Directory over at CeliacNetwork.com. Celiac Network is a self-managed directory I’m giving to the Celiac community to house a bunch of great Celiac resources. The way a directory works is that you link to it somewhere on your website or blog (usually the sidebar or footer) and then submit your link and it will be added to the link directory. Then as people browse Celiac Network they will find your website!

Celiac Network already includes a large number of Celiac support groups broken down by state (ones with a website). It also includes a number of other great resources, so I recommend everyone check it out and comment below with your thoughts.

Any questions? As always, please let me know. Feedback is welcome and even encouraged!

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Is Intestinal Gluten Receptor A Gateway for Celiac Disease?

Kyle Eslick — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:28:18 +0000

Have discoveries been made with researchers who study Celiac Disease? According to Resurrection Health Care, it looks like some progress has been made. Here is an excerpt from their post:

The research team found that gliadin, the part of gluten that causes the most trouble for those with celiac disease, binds to the CXCR3 receptor. This results in the release of zonulin, a human protein that lowers the intestinal barrier to make it more permeable. While this effect is temporary in most people, the barrier stays down for long periods of time in people with celiac disease, causing disruption in the body’s system.

The finding may help in research on the cause and treatment for other autoimmune diseases, Fasano said. People with type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis may experience a similar condition in which offending antigens enter the body through this gateway in the intestines.

“For the first time, we have evidence of how the foreign antigen gains access to the body, causing the autoimmune response,” said Fasano, who is also a pediatric gastroenterologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. “Further study is needed, but this could allow us to intervene before the zonulin is either released or activated, preventing the immune response altogether.”

You’ll want to click over to read the entire post.

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Get Gluten Free Catering with GFMeals.com

Kyle Eslick — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:07:32 +0000

Are multiple people in your family on gluten free diets? Or maybe sometimes you get sick of all the homemade cooking that is required for a gluten free diet and just want a break? No matter what your situation is, there is a new service now available that I think pretty much all of us can find a good use for.

The service is GFMeals.com, and they specialize in providing you frozen, ready-to-cook, entrees, sides and baked goods that are both gluten free and casein free. That means their service is designed to cater to families dealing with autism, aspergers, ADHD and of course celiac disease.

If you’re interested in purchasing some gluten free food ahead of time to keep on hand for times when you need it, I definitely recommend Gluten Free Meals! They also allow you to purchase by the case if you prefer to buy in bulk.

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Products that Celiacs Need to Avoid

Kyle Eslick — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:33:27 +0000

In order to maintain a completely gluten free diet, it is essential that you do a lot more than just look for gluten in foods. Did you know that gluten can also be found in all sorts of other things? Did you know stamps contain gluten? Certain medicines?

It would be to difficult to compile a complete list of these products, but here are some things you should look for if you are living gluten free:

Lotions, creams and cosmetics (primarily for those with dermatitis herpetaformis).
Stamps, envelopes or other gummed labels.
Toothpaste and mouthwash.
Some medicines contain gluten.
Some brands of rice paper.
Laxatives.

Can you think of any non-food or drink items that contain gluten that I might have missed? Let me know in the comments below!

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FDA Labeling Laws Change Coming in August

Kyle Eslick — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:01:07 +0000

Remember that labeling law the FDA approved specifically to help people with Celiac Disease? I noticed Atlanticville has written a quick reminder about the change and thought I would pass it along. Here is a portion of their post:

Currently, U.S. food-labeling laws require that the eight most allergenic foods (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans) be listed by their commonly recognized name on ingredient labels of packaged foods sold in the United States. The labeling requirement, which took effect in 2006 under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, helped consumers identify ingredients they needed to avoid as a result of various allergies and intolerances; however, for individualswith celiac disease, the labeling requirement was only partly helpful.

A definition of “gluten-free” has been developed for voluntary use on product labels, effective in August. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs and highly refined oils are not included, but any other processed food may put “glutenfree” on its label if it contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. There will also be new retail labeling guidelines in the fall regarding the country of origin of beef, lamb, pork, fish, shellfish, fruits, vegetables and peanuts. The information must state whether a product comes from the United States only, foreign sources only or is of mixed origin. Restaurants, cafeterias, food stands, and a few other small entities are exempt from this regulation.

Foods not governed by these guidelines may result in misleading labels that do not accurately reflect where individual ingredients are grown and processed. For example, a candy bar that is labeled “Product of France” may actually contain peanuts from Argentina.

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Living the Gluten Free Lifestyle

Kyle Eslick — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:41:09 +0000

Most people that are living gluten free lives are doing so for health reasons, and in particular, due to being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. What many don’t know, however, is that the gluten free diet has gained some popularity in many areas of the United States among many health conscious people, who see the diet as a good way to eat well and improve their lives.

As you’d expect, Los Angeles is one of the places where this trend has picked up, and the L.A. Times recently wrote a post about the gluten free lifestyle:

Judy Beckett, a retired educator, was diagnosed with celiac disease two years ago: Her gut cannot tolerate gluten, and switching to these foods has improved her digestion and quality of life. Claudia Lopez, a housekeeper and mother of four, is looking for gluten-free food for herself and her family. She recently switched to it at the urging of a health expert she heard on Spanish radio.

Beckett and Lopez have plenty of company as more and more consumers embrace the gluten-free trend. Users run the gamut: There are people like Beckett with celiac disease who must be on the diet; others who believe the diet can alleviate chronic intestinal complaints and boost energy; still others who believe the gluten-free diet may help in the treatment of autism and a host of other disorders, including schizophrenia, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, attention deficit disorder, migraine and even fertility problems.

And some people are trying the diet simply because they’ve heard it is healthful.

“A lot of people are going gluten-free . . . but they really don’t know why,” says Suzy Badaracco, president of Culinary Tides, a company that forecasts food trends. “It’s just like, “Quick, it’s gluten-free, it must be good!’ “

Click over to check out the rest of their post!

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Gluten Intolerance Quickly Becoming Common

Kyle Eslick — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 12:14:49 +0000

For those of you with Celiac Disease or some form of gluten intolerance, you are not alone. Many have heard the figure 1 in 133 people are believed to have Celiac Disease, but could it possibly be even more?

As the diagnosis continue to grow, so does the attention focused on the disease by doctors, so I wouldn’t be surprised if even more people than previously thought have some form of gluten sensitivity.

Another benefit that comes with the disease getting more attention is the attention provided by cooks, restaurants, and even large corporations, who are looking to capitalize on this with gluten free products. Here is one story of how far things have come in the last decade (from the Current Argus):

Once considered a rare condition, celiac disease or gluten intolerance is becoming one of the most common genetic conditions in the world, with a wide range of symptoms that can range from digestive problems to depression.

The disease cannot be cured, only controlled through careful diet.

For sufferers in Carlsbad, there is much help to be found through the local Celiac Disease Support Group.

The group offers good information on alternative food choices as well as recipes and general information on how to cope with the disease and diet. However, members agreed, the emotional support is probably the most important offering at the meetings.

Angie Madl was diagnosed eight years ago. For her, the support group has meant a great deal as far as the sharing of important information she might not have found on her own. What keeps her coming back is the camaraderie of knowing others who suffer from the same disease.

“I was diagnosed too late,” Madl said, noting she wasn’t given any information or told what to do.

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Celiacs Need to Know About Hepatitis B Vaccine

Kyle Eslick — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:22:20 +0000

Based upon the nature of Celiac Disease and its relationship with the immune system, it seems that some people with Celiac Disease are not adequately protected by the Hepatitis B vaccine. Here is an excerpt from About.com’s post:

When you receive the hepatitis B vaccine series, your immune system is supposed to respond by producing antibodies to the hepatitis B virus. In addition, some of the immune cells that are involved in the body’s response to the vaccine become what’s known as “memory cells.” Many studies have shown, however, that in patients with celiac disease, the vaccine does not always produce adequate (or “protective”) levels of antibodies or memory cells.

Click over to check out the rest of the post.

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Going Gluten Free at Disney World

Kyle Eslick — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:32:39 +0000

I always found that the hardest part about being on a gluten free diet is traveling. Fortunately traveling is getting a little easier as awareness grows and a larger percentage of the population is diagnosed with things like Celiac Disease.

Today I noticed a post about Balancing Food and Fun at Disney World, which includes an interview with Joel Schaefer, Disney’s Special Dietary Needs Manager. In the interview, they discuss Disney’s committment to people with special dietary needs. Here is the main part relevant to those of us with Celiac Disease:

My child has celiac’s disease. Are there kid-friendly options for her? I would love for my child to be able to experience Mickey Mouse waffles and a safe cookie or brownie.

We have a variety of options for Guests with celiac disease and most locations have gluten-free pancake and waffle mix. You will need to contact us ahead of time to see what locations can accommodate your request.

Click over to check out the full interview.

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Video: Gluten Free Shopping with a Nutritionist

Kyle Eslick — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:38:11 +0000

One of the biggest adjustments for someone that is trying to get used to living gluten free is learning to shop and read labels. For your first trip to the store, you may want to take a nutritionist with you to make sure you know how and what exactly to look for.

Here is a three part series I found on YouTube of a Celiac and a nutritionist covering what to look for:

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