Gluten Free and You Digest: June 2011

The Gluten Free and You Digest is a post in which I like to wrap up the month's events in a neat little package. Of course there are so many headlines bursting about gluten free awareness I will not get them all. That's where you come in. If you dear reader saw an article recently that you believe is noteworthy I invite you to comment about it in the comment section below this post.

I was diagnosed 3 years ago in June. If you have been diagnosed and really don't know which way to turn for help there are some really great resources. Through the University of Chicago you can not only get information about celiac disease but also by meeting certain criteria you can get a Gluten Free Care Package.

The National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse website is another source that is very user friendly and very informative. I recommended this website to my son's elementary school administration when he was diagnosed.

I am pleased to post that the prestigious Philadelphia Award was given to Alice Bast, Founder of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness  (NFCA) for her dedication to raising celiac awareness. Gluten Free and You would like to congratulate Ms. Bast on her award and thank her and the staff of the NFCA for their commitment to raising funds for research, education and screening.

Bast will be given the award, along with the $25,000 prize that comes with it, on May 17th, 2011. source: The Gluten Free Bulletin

 The following is the Mission and Vision Statements from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

Mission:

To be the leading organization in raising awareness for celiac disease and gluten intolerance that will facilitate research, education and early diagnosis, and improve the quality of life for children and adults affected by this autoimmune disease.

Vision:

We envision a world in which:

• Celiac disease is widely recognized as one of the most common hereditary diseases.
• Better, more accurate, and cost-effective screening methodologies are available and in use.
• A pharmaceutical cure is in place to prevent the onset or mitigate the effects of this autoimmune disorder so that men and women suffering from celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis can lead a normal life

 One last current event to share is that Sarah Jane Smith, one of the the NFCA's Celiac Disease Athletes for Awareness played this past weekend in the LPGA Championship presented by Wegmans in Rochester, NY. According to the  LPGA Season Overview, Sarah has had seven starts and one top ten finish. Congratulations Sarah!

"I changed my diet because Celiac disease runs in my family. Earlier this spring, I stopped eating wheat or gluten. I cut out bread and pasta and it's really helped. I feel better on the course and the new diet has given me more energy. It requires a lot of planning, though. You can't just grab a sandwich when you go out on the course. Now, I eat a lot of gluten-free energy bars, fruits and nuts, and rice cakes with wheat-free peanut butter." ~Sarah Jane Smith source: Gluten Free  NYC