Let Them Eat Cake, Gluten Free Cake

Cheesecake, Gluten Free-Style

Just a quick hello to those who enjoy Gluten Free and You, the blogspot, I have decided to remove AdSense adds not because they were offensive but because I definitely don't blog for the money. I blog because I want my children to have a virtual cookbook of their childhood favorites, a reference guide to products that we have tried and enjoy, as well as some current events of the growing need for Celiac Disease awareness. I also decided when I began this blog to share it publicly so that perhaps someone just finding out that they need to eat gluten free might not feel as overwhelmed a I did four years ago.

The month of May for my family is not only Celiac Disease Awareness Month, it also marks the anniversary of my son's and my celiac diagnosis.  Although I do not blog nearly as much as I did the first year I am no less passionate about the importance of following a strict gluten free diet if necessary. For more information on Celiac Disease see my May 15, 2010 post  What is Celiac Disease? and check out the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House link from that post.

From the bottom of my heart, Cheers to your health!

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 

GFY Goes International

According to Blogger Stats the GFY blogspot has been visited by folks in 10 different countries.  A year ago this little blog began as a way to chronicle my families' adventure in gluten free living. I wanted to have a place to keep recipes that I teach my children so that someday they will feel comfortable in the kitchen and hopefully continue to enjoy foods they grew up with.

Since then I have tried to include product reviews and gluten free news in the way of current events. I never dreamed people in 10 countries would visit.  I am honored that people from so many different walks of life would read something on my blog. Spreading gluten free goodness is so much fun. As always thank you for stopping by and come again soon.

Today is National Celiac Disease Awareness Day

It brings me great joy to announce that on August 3, 2010, the United Sates Senate voted unanimously to adopt S. Res. 605, a resolution designating today, September 13, 2010, as National Celiac Disease Awareness Day.

United Sates Senator James Inhofe  R.(Okla.) had this to say,

“As an ongoing supporter for this cause, I am pleased that the U.S. Senate passed this resolution again this year. I applaud the efforts of both Members of Congress and the many organizations who continue to raise much needed awareness for celiac disease that currently affects an estimated 3 million Americans and thousands of Oklahomans. Greater awareness of this disease is needed to properly diagnose and treat the many who suffer the debilitating affects caused by celiac disease.” 

Why September 13th? Well today is Samuel Jones Gee's birthday. Gee is attributed as the first person to link celiac disease and diet. Gee is also known for his inclusion of children in his work.

August 13, 2006, was the first National Celiac Disease Awareness Day; and thanks to Senator Inhofe and others, our government is taking notice and encouraging the ever needed awareness of this complex and often misunderstood disease.

ROCK- A Good Place to Start

Raising Our Celiac Kids or ROCK for short is support group developed by Danna Korn with chapters across the United States. Members of ROCK chapters get and give advice on all aspects of living gluten free whether you have celiac disease or another affliction which requires adherence to a gluten free diet.

I have already posted about ROCK before, but decided it was worth repeating for a few reasons. One, it is a fantastic organization and two I am wondering how many people are being told right now, "You really need to have your child on a strict gluten free diet.", and don't know where to begin. That was me just over two years ago. Well, ROCK is a good place to start. The organizer of the ROCK chapter I belong to was the voice of reason in the early stages of accepting that my child and I had celiac disease.

Don't hesitate, check the list on the link and see if there is a ROCK chapter near you. Call the organizer of the closest one to you. They can offer advice to you as your child goes back to school and a host of other issues.

This is Gluten Free and YOU because you are important and I appreciate you checking out my blogspot. Thank you and come again soon!

University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research International Walk for Celiac Disease

I am posting tonight because I am going to be participating in an upcoming walk/run. My family and I participated last year and I was overwhelmed with the sea of people who all had something in common. We either had celiac disease/gluten intolerance or were there in support of someone who does. We shared stories of heartbreak and satisfaction. It was a very special day for my son, myself and my family. 

 

There is still time to participate in a walk/run to benefit the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research International Walk for Celiac Disease.  There are still many events in May and June. The link www.celiacwalk.org will provide you with information on events and how to participate and/or donate. 

 

Many, many thanks from my family to the organizers of the walk/runs. The events are large and  getting larger every year with each new diagnosis. The celiac community is a growing one; with the Center's help it is my hope that patients can live better and healthier lives.

 

Raising Our Celiac Kids (R.O.C.K.)

A R.O.C.K. chapter can make a big difference in the life of a child with celiac disease, gluten intolerance and for any child whose pediatrician has suggested a gluten free diet. My family has attended R.O.C.K. activities.  The chapter members were so welcoming and supportive.  This is in part how I learned about many gluten free products that are not just gluten free, but delicious.

If you were to ask me how I found out about R.O.C.K., I would tell you that I got very lucky. It happened on my first trip to the grocery store after my son's diagnosis. My husband and I were wandering around somewhat bewildered, wondering if our son's diet was ever going to include bread again. An employee of the store must have seen my distress and during our conversation she handed me the card of a R.O.CK Chapter Coordinator.

The following is the story of  R.O.C.K  founder, Daana Korn. For the entire article, a list of R.O.C.K. Chapters across the United States, and books written by Danna Korn, see the following link

http://www.celiac.com/articles/563/1/ROCK-Raising-Our-Celiac-Kids---National-Celiac-Disease-Support-Group/Page1.html

Danna Korn founded R.O.C.K. in 1991 after her son, Tyler, was diagnosed with celiac disease. It has grown to international proportions, helping families all over the world deal with the unique challenges of raising a child on a gluten-free diet. When children are diagnosed with celiac disease at an early age, they usually have a severe intolerance to gluten, and are often extremely sick when ultimately diagnosed. Most parents share horror stories of visiting several doctors before finally arriving at a diagnosis, and are frustrated, exasperated, and angry, yet relieved to finally have a direction in which to turn. Sometimes it helps to talk about it, and it always helps to have some guidance when initially diving into the gluten-free diet. Raising Our Celiac Kids is a support group for parents, families and friends of kids with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. We welcome families of autistic kids involved in a gluten-free/casein-free dietary intervention program.

What is Celiac Disease?

Once my son and I were diagnosed with celiac disease, I found the following to be most helpful in understanding what celiac disease is. For this and much more see the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/

 http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/#what

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms.

The small intestine is shaded above.
When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi—the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine. Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream. Without healthy villi, a person becomes malnourished, no matter how much food one eats.

Villi on the lining of the small intestine help absorb nutrients.
Celiac disease is both a disease of malabsorption—meaning nutrients are not absorbed properly—and an abnormal immune reaction to gluten. Celiac disease is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease is genetic, meaning it runs in families. Sometimes the disease is triggered—or becomes active for the first time—after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.