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Sunday, January 31, 2010
Suffolk County Gluten-Free Vendor Fair is Back!
As you may know from reading this blog, I am a huge fan of the Suffolk County Gluten-Free Vendor Fair. I grew up with many of the founding members of this group once they branched off from the Nassau Country Group. They have had three very successful and popular vendor fairs over the past 5 years and they are back with a two-day fair in August 2010. Here are the details with more to come as they are posted:

2010 FUNDRAISER & 4th GLUTEN FREE VENDOR FAIR
The largest gluten-free consumer event in North America!!!

Date: August 28-29th, 2010, Saturday & Sunday
Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Location: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 25
370 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway
Hauppauge, NY 11788

For more information, please visit the Suffolk County Celiacs web page.

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Friday, January 29, 2010
Celiac Disease Conferences 2010
Nancy Lapid, from the About.com Celiac Disease page, put together a great list of Celiac Disease conferences in 2010. Do you have any conferences to add to this list?

Celiac Disease Foundation
Annual Education Conference & Food Faire
20th Anniversary Celebration
Los Angeles Marriott Downtown
May 15, 2010

Gluten Intolerance Group of North America
Annual Education Conference
Minneapolis Airport Marriott
Bloomington, Minnesota
June 3-5, 2010
Conference Information

Canadian Celiac Association
National Conference
Winnipeg, Manitoba
June 4-6, 2010
Conference Information

The 2011 National Conference will be in Ottawa ON
The 2012 National Conference will be in Saskatoon SK

Coeliac Youth of Europe
Conference 2010
Valencia
September 16 to 19, 2010
Conference Information

Celiac Sprue Association
33rd Annual Conference
Kansas City, MO
October 28-October 31, 2010
Conference information

Major Gluten-Free Exhibitions in Australia and New Zealand
Irresistable Gluten-Free Food Show

Brisbane: May 15 to 16, 2010
Melbourne: October 2 to 3, 2010
Sydney: November 13 to 14, 2010

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
An Evening with the Paul Taylor Dance Company

It's that time of year again!

Kelly of the Celiac Chicks is hosting An Evening with the Paul Taylor Dance Company to benefit the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 7pm at New York City Center, with a pre-performance reception beginning at 5:45pm.

The spectacular program this year includes A Field of Grass set to songs sung by Harry Nilsson, Airs (music of Handel) and Syzygy (Donald York). Gift bags will include gluten-free desserts and coupons for gluten-free food. Tickets: $250, $125, $75 and $20. You must pre-purchase your tickets.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE...
A portion of each ticket you purchase benefits the Celiac Disease Center when you mention code CDC at the box office or by phone... or code 5372 at www.nycitycenter.org. Service charges apply to phone and web orders.

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Monday, January 25, 2010
Gluten-Free Frito-Lay
As I sit here eating some really delicious Lay's French Onion Dip, I was wondering if Frito Lay had a full list of gluten-free foods. I was happy to see some of my favorites made the list, including CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheese Flavored Snacks, DORITOS® COOL RANCH® Flavored Tortilla Chips, and LAY'S® Classic Potato Chips.

Here is what I found:

Our LAY’S® STAX® chips (all flavors) are made on gluten free lines, thus all LAY’S® STAX® products are free of gluten.

The[se] products do not contain gluten; however, they are produced on the same line as our products that do contain gluten. Although the lines are washed between batches, a slight residue may remain on the lines. Individuals who are extremely sensitive may be affected.

Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some people suffer from an allergy or intolerance to foods containing gluten. The Frito-Lay products included here do not contain gluten.

Please note: The information provided pertains only to products made and distributed in the U.S. Products sold in other countries under similar brands may be made using slightly different recipes and ingredients to accommodate local needs and preferences.


Last updated November 19, 2009

Full list here: http://www.fritolay.com/your-health/products-not-containing-gluten.html

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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sponsorship Opportunities: The University of Chicago Celiac Benefit
The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center is offering several sponsorship and underwriting opportunities for its upcoming annual benefit

Spring Flours
May 14, 2010
Swissôtel in Chicago

If your company would like to be a sponsor of the event, please contact Ronit Rose at 773-702-7593 for more information.

They have several different sponsorship levels, and all of them come with great benefits and lots of publicity.

Please support their efforts and consider a sponsorship or underwriting opportunity today.

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Gluten-Free Pita Bread Now Available
Yep, it's true. GFL Foods is now selling gluten-free pita bread. This is one of those gluten-free things that you've always wanted, but almost no one makes gluten-free pitas. Now you can buy them online directly from the GFL website. The pita bread came to me defrosted although the packaging does suggest that you keep the pita bread frozen. I liked the flavor, but the bread was a bit crumbly. I was wondering if it would hold together better if it stayed frozen until you ate it. I put the gluten-free pita in the freezer as soon as I got it and then microwaved it when I was ready to eat. I tried it once with hummus and another time with goat cheese and pepperoni for a pizza-like snack. The dips kept the pita together better. Overall, I would recommend you give these gluten-free pitas from a try if you are looking for a quick snack bread.

Buy yours today! GFL Foods, Inc.

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Saturday, January 16, 2010
A Special Gluten-Free Dinner at Wildfire-Glenview, IL
Please join the Univeristy of Chicago Celiac Disease Research Center at a special benefit dinner at Wildfire Restaurant in Glenview, IL, on Tuesday, February 16, 2010, at 6:30 pm. The dinner will be entirely gluten-free, with wine pairings for each course. The price is $60. Wildfire will make a donation of $25 per ticket to The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center. At the dinner, you can purchase raffle tickets for an iTouch! For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit their website at: www.celiacdisease.net/fundraising.

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Thursday, January 14, 2010
Gluten-Free Care Package Programs
The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center’s Care Package Program continues to expand and grow. During 2009, they sent out 22 percent more packages than last year, to 38 states around the country. They continue to welcome new sponsors to the Care Package Program. Current sponsors include:

Bhuja
Bob’s Red Mill
Chebe Bread
Dr. Lucy’s Cookies
Enjoy Life
General Mills-Bell Institute, Rice Chex
Kettle Cuisine
Mary’s Gone Crackers
Pamela’s Products
Purefit Protein Bars
San-J
Schär
TH Foods (Mr. Krispers and Crunchmasters)
Udi’s Gluten Free Food

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center is continually looking for new products to bring to newly diagnosed patients through the Care Package Program. If you know of a great gluten-free product that is not currently represented in the above list, please email them at info@ celiacdisease.net.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Gluten-Free on LI: La Bottega

I haven't been to the Roosevelt Field Mall in years, but it is nice to know if I am ever shopping there I would actually have a gluten-free lunch option right in the mall. La Bottega's offers gluten-free paninis in their Roosevelt Field Mall location. The Garden City South location (corporate) offers Gluten Free panini, soups and weekly changing gluten-free pasta. The Roslyn location offers all the same as Garden City South, plus Gluten Free Pizza! Other locations such as Floral Park, Long Beach and Roosevelt Field Mall all offer gluten-free panini only as of right now.

La Bottega Italian Gourmet was established in 2003 by Giuseppe & Marisa Ruta who started this panini trend with their first location in Garden City South, New York. Both lovers of traditional Italian cuisine, their dream was to create a store where customers would come, shop for specialty items and enjoy their most cherished Italian food… Panini!

Today La Bottega offers a menu of over 60 Panini, 25 Salads, and a weekly changing menu of dishes inspired by the cuisine in Italy. Growing beyond their expectations there are now 11 La Bottega restaurants, and 1 sister restaurant Caffe Barocco, across Long Island.


Source: http://www.labottegagourmet.com

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Monday, January 11, 2010
Pamela's Products Exhibits at Natural Products Expo West
PAMELA'S PRODUCTS EXHIBITS GOURMET GLUTEN-FREE CAKES AT FANCY FOODS SHOW AND UPCOMING
NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO WEST


Ukiah, CA (January, 2010) -- Pamela's Products, a national leader in the gluten-free foods arena, will exhibit at both the 35th Annual Winter Fancy Foods Show (Booth # 1557), January 17-19, 2009 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA, and, the Natural Products Expo West (Booth #2865) in Anaheim CA, March 12-14. Back from a number of appearances at East Coast events, Pamela's Products will offer tastings of the ready-to-eat, gourmet gluten-free line of cheesecakes, chocolate fudge cake and coffee cake during show floor hours at both West Coast Shows. Met with widespread enthusiasm, Pamela's Products ready-made cakes have been flying off shelves. The company anticipates even wider distribution this year.

With an award-winning line of over 30 products, Pamela's Products is the delicious alternative to traditional baking mixes and ready-made cookies. Pamela's Products booth at the upcoming Fancy Food Show will feature the line of cakes and cheesecakes, as well as their decadent packaged cookies. Cheesecakes are available in 3" mini and 6" sizes, and Chocolate Cake and Coffee cake in 6" serving size only.

President and Founder Pamela Giusto-Sorrells will be on hand with members of her team to discuss the products, ingredients, recipe variations, gluten-free cooking, and, of course, to share sumptuous treats.

Pamela's Products has built a reputation on taste and quality. The only dedicated gluten-free company to exhibit at the 2009 Summer Fancy Foods show in New York, Pamela's Products showcases gluten-free decadence and illustrates that gluten-free foods have been elevated to gourmet status. Used for creating both savory and sweet foods, Pamela's Products also has developed a full line of Specialty Party Recipes, perfect for weddings & celebrations of all kinds. Elaborate wedding cakes (as demonstrated at last year's Natural Products Expo), sumptuous appetizers and decadent main course components can be created--entirely gluten-free--and absolutely gourmet delicious.

Since 1988, Pamela's Products has set the standard for great tasting gluten-free food and has amassed a wide spectrum of followers. Ranging from individuals that follow a strict gluten-free diet to those that simply enjoy the taste, Pamela's Products demonstrates that gluten-free can be delicious.

Pamela's Products are a tried-and-true staple for Celiacs. Celiac Disease is the world's most common autoimmune disease, with the only treatment today being a strict adherence to a diet devoid of gluten. Gluten is most commonly contained in wheat (durum, semolina, kamut, spelt), rye, barley and triticale. (For more complete information, please visit www.gluten.net, "About".) People with autism spectrum disorders, cancer, wheat allergies, alternative diets, and even those adhering to a Kosher or 'natural' diet, also frequently turn to Pamela's Products for satisfying that sweet tooth or simply for making bread or pancakes.

For more information on the Fancy Foods Show, please visit www.specialtyfood.com/do/fancyFoodShow/Register. For the Natural Products Expo West, please visit www.expowest.com.

Media inquiries, please contact Agnes Gomes-Koizumi (agnes@ agkmedia.com) or Julie Du Brow (julie@ dubroworks.com) at 323-937-5488 or 310-821-2463.

ABOUT PAMELA'S PRODUCTS
Pamela's Products offers a complete line of Traditional Cookies, Organic Cookies, Biscotti, Simplebites Mini Cookies and Baking Mixes. Award-winning, Pamela's Products can be found in natural food and grocery stores throughout North America and on the web at www.pamelasproducts.com. Setting the standard for great taste since 1988, Pamela's Products continues to create the most delicious wheat-free and gluten-free foods, with their Baking & Pancake Mix and Chocolate Brownie Mix consistently holding the #1 position in the entire Natural Foods category.

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Saturday, January 9, 2010
Nature's Path Gluten-Free Cereals










I recently received two boxes of Nature's Path Organic Gluten-Free cereal. One box was Crunch Vanilla Sunrise and the other one was Crunchy Maple Sunrise. I decided to share my cereal with my two favorite people in the world, my gluten-free nieces A&E. As most toddlers are, A&E are very picky eaters. Add in the gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free aspect of their diets and things eating is sometimes a chore for them. I was glad to get these cereals in the mail because there were no ingredients that needed to avoid. They came to visit me in early November and gladly were eating right out of the box! (Mommy doesn't let them do that, only their #1 Aunt does!) They really liked the "Na-Nilla" the best and they kept asking for me for more. If the opinions of two adorable twins doesn't sell the product, I don't know what would! Except of course that it is gluten-free cereal and tastes delicious, of course.

From Nature's Path:
"Gluten-free cereals that are tasty enough for everyone at the breakfast table to enjoy…too good to be true? Not so with the two newest whole-grain, gluten-free cereals from Nature’s Path Organic Foods. Crunchy Maple Sunrise and Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise deliver an organic blend of corn, rice, flax, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth, and are a sweet and nutritious option for those avoiding gluten. But don’t worry, with yummy maple and vanilla flavors, there’s plenty of great taste for everyone at the breakfast table, not just gluten avoiders!

Nature’s Path’s new Sunrise cereals provide gluten avoiders with whole grains, fiber and are a good source of Omega-3’s. Unlike many gluten-free cereals which forfeit nutritional benefits and add excess sugar to improve taste, the Sunrise cereals prove you can have it all. And, because all of Nature’s Path products are organic, that also means they don’t contain artificial preservatives or additives, genetically modified organism (GMOs) or synthetic pesticides – something everyone can feel good about."


Crunchy Maple Sunrise

INGREDIENTS: Organic whole grain corn meal, organic evaporated cane juice, organic brown rice flour, organic yellow corn flour, organic inulin, organic quinoa puffs, organic maple syrup, organic flax seeds, natural maple flavor, organic buckwheat flour, organic quinoa, sea salt, organic amaranth, organic molasses, tocopherols (natural vitamin E). Produced in a facility that uses peanuts, tree nuts and soy.

Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise

INGREDIENTS: Organic whole grain corn meal, organic evaporated cane juice, organic brown rice flour, organic yellow corn flour, organic inulin, organic quinoa puffs, organic flax seeds, natural vanilla flavor, organic buckwheat flour, organic quinoa, sea salt, organic amaranth, organic molasses, tocopherols (natural vitamin E). Produced in a facility that uses peanuts, tree nuts and soy.

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Friday, January 8, 2010
Switch to Wheat-Free Tamari at Whole Foods Northeast
Thanks to the hard work of one of my NYC Celiac Disease Meetup group members, Whole Foods has swtiched to using wheat-free tamari in their prepared food items in the northeast region. Although they have made this switch is it always up to you check ingredients before you purchase. Please see email below.


Switch to wheat-free tamari completed‏
From: Rick White (NE NEO)

I’m pleased to report to you that all of our prepared foods teams throughout the Northeast region have made the switch to wheat-free tamari. Thanks for your patience as we’ve gone through this transition.

Sincerely,

Rick White

Rick White/Prepared Foods Associate Coordinator
Whole Foods Market/Northeast Region
930 Sylvan Avenue Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
office: (201) 567-2090 ext.218 fax: (512) 370-5655

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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Burger King Identifies Gluten-Free Menu Items
I don't eat most fast food simply because I don't like it but it is nice to know that Burger King is acknowledging some of their customers might be gluten-free. I am less than impressed with their press release that only lists 7 gluten-free menu items. I went to the Burger King website and couldn't find a complete list of gluten-free items. Could any of you readers find it? If so, please post in the comments section below.

Burger King Identifies Gluten-Free Menu Items

Burger King Corp. makes it easier for gluten-sensitive restaurant guests to make informed nutrition decisions.

PRESS RELEASE: MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Burger King Corp. (NYSE:BKC) today released a Gluten-Sensitive List: foods and ingredients on the BURGER KING(r) restaurant menu in the U.S. that do not contain wheat, barley, oats or rye. As part of nutrition efforts under its BK Positive Steps(r) corporate social responsibility program, the gluten-sensitive nutrition information supports BKC's commitment to provide guests with access to detailed nutrition information so they can make informed choices that fit their dietary and lifestyle preferences.1

"We understand that our guests have individual dietary needs, and as part of our HAVE IT YOUR WAY(r) brand promise, Burger King Corp. offers menu items for individuals with gluten sensitivity," says Cindy Syracuse, senior director, cultural marketing, Burger King Corp. "With our Gluten-Sensitive list, we're making it easier for our guests to identify these choices."
The Gluten-Sensitive List and other nutrition resources, including detailed nutrition facts, meal planning tools and information about allergens for all U.S. menu items, are available at www.bk.com. Some examples of BURGER KING(r) menu items in the U.S. that do not contain wheat, barley, oats or rye include:

* BK(r) Fresh Apple Fries with low-fat caramel dipping sauce
* All BURGER KING(r) beef patties
* Egg Omelet
* French Fries
* HERSHEY(r)'S Fat Free Milk
* Side salad (no croutons) with KEN'S(r) Honey Mustard, Light Italian or Ranch dressing
* TENDERGRILL(r) Chicken Breast Filet

In addition, under BK Positive Steps(r) in nutrition, BKC has identified more than 350 BURGER KING(r) meal combinations that provide 650 calories or less - approximately one-third of a daily 2,000 calorie diet. Examples of these meal combinations are featured on tray liners, queue signs and window decals at participating BURGER KING(r) restaurants nationwide, as well as available online at www.bk.com. The company also requires that all BURGER KING(r) restaurants in the U.S. feature a detailed nutrition poster in a visible and prominent location near the counter, and make nutrition brochures available for guests.

ABOUT BURGER KING CORPORATION

The BURGER KING(r) system operates more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and in 73 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING(r) restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. In 2008, Fortune magazine ranked Burger King Corp. among America's 1,000 largest corporations and Ad Week named it one of the top three industry-changing advertisers within the last three decades and it was recently recognized by Interbrand on its top 100 "Best Global Brands" list. Through its BK Positive Steps(r) corporate responsibility program, the BURGER KING(r) system is committed to being a socially responsible brand in all areas of its business - food, people, the environment and corporate governance. To learn more about the BK Positive Steps(r) corporate responsibility program and view the complete fiscal 2009 report, visit www.bk.com/corporateresponsibility. For more information on Burger King Corp., please visit the company's Web site at www.bk.com.

1 According to the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, gluten sensitivity is characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms experienced after ingestion of food containing gluten, a type of protein commonly found in wheat, barley, oats and rye.

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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
UFood Grill Gluten-Free Menu
Although there are no UFood Grill's in NYC, there are four locations in Boston and one location in California, Texas, and Florida. There is a decent gluten-free menu. Check out UFood Grill next time you see one!

Fired-up Burgers
All meat burgers, just order bunless

UBowls
Southwestern Chicken
Portabella Chicken with Broccoli

Wraps (without tortilla)
Buffalo Bleu Chicken
Portable Portabella
Santa Fe Veggie Burrito
BBQ Steak Tips & Broccoli

Grilled Entrees
Fire-Grilled Sirloin Tips
Turkey Medallions
Citrus Grilled Chicken
Enticin’ Bison

Sides
Whole-Grain Brown Rice
Fresh Steamed Broccoli
Steamed Veggie Medley
Sweet Potato Mash
Seasoned Black Beans

Specialty Salads
UFood Bistro Salad
Café Salad
Crispy Chicken Chopped Cobb (w/grilled chicken)

Chili
Hearty Three-Bean Chili

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Celiac Disease: I'm Always Ahead of the Trend!
Clearly being diagnosed in 1981 and writing my blog for three years now (wow!), I am more than ahead of the trend.... I am the trend setter. ;-)

Ranking what's out, what's in as 2010 dawns
By Monica Hesse and Dan Zak - Washington Post Staff Writers

Out: Peanut Allergies
In: Celiac Disease


Enough with that decade. Where's the "dislike" button?

On to the tweens! Our hair's as greasy as Jon Gosselin's plugs, our Twitter feed as gummed up as the 111th Congress. The Epic Icon Flush left us orphans of greatness. Cronkite: OUT. Updike: OUT. Farrah and Swayze: OUT and OUT. Funny thing about dying, though: It makes you IN one last time. Upon their deaths, the King of Pop and the Lion of the Senate underwent an image makeover quicker than you can say, "Larry, you're being inappropriate. You really are."

What's left, then? Where are our legends-in-the-making? Queasy from a recessional hangover, we squirmed into our Snuggie (turns out: not comfy, not funny), watched some instant Netflix on our PS3s, and slipped into a sleep (no Propofol, we swear). We dreamed a dream and woke up with a dowdy Scotswoman spooning us in our cultural bed.

There is good news. Washington: Finally IN, and getting inner! So flee New York, head down the Appalachian Trail, grab a beer and join our summit here by the White House gates. We're not on the list, so we made our own. Yes, it's inappropriate, but we did this for the show.

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Monday, January 4, 2010
Gluten: What You Don't Know Might Kill You
From the Huffington Post

by Mark Hyman, MD
Practicing physician and pioneer in functional medicine
Posted: January 2, 2010

Something you're eating may be killing you, and you probably don't even know it!

If you eat cheeseburgers or French fries all the time or drink six sodas a day, you likely know you are shortening your life. But eating a nice dark, crunchy slice of whole wheat bread--how could that be bad for you?

Well, bread contains gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and oats. It is hidden in pizza, pasta, bread, wraps, rolls, and most processed foods. Clearly, gluten is a staple of the American diet.

What most people don't know is that gluten can cause serious health complications for many. You may be at risk even if you don't have full blown celiac disease.

In today's blog I want to reveal the truth about gluten, explain the dangers, and provide you with a simple system that will help you determine whether or not gluten is a problem for you.

The Dangers of Gluten

A recent large study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people with diagnosed, undiagnosed, and "latent" celiac disease or gluten sensitivity had a higher risk of death, mostly from heart disease and cancer. (i)

This study looked at almost 30,00 patients from 1969 to 2008 and examined deaths in three groups: Those with full-blown celiac disease, those with inflammation of their intestine but not full-blown celiac disease, and those with latent celiac disease or gluten sensitivity (elevated gluten antibodies but negative intestinal biopsy).

The findings were dramatic. There was a 39 percent increased risk of death in those with celiac disease, 72 percent increased risk in those with gut inflammation related to gluten, and 35 percent increased risk in those with gluten sensitivity but no celiac disease.

This is ground-breaking research that proves you don't have to have full-blown celiac disease with a positive intestinal biopsy (which is what conventional thinking tells us) to have serious health problems and complications--even death--from eating gluten.

Yet an estimated 99 percent of people who have a problem with eating gluten don't even know it. They ascribe their ill health or symptoms to something else--not gluten sensitivity, which is 100 percent curable.

And here's some more shocking news ...

Another study comparing the blood of 10,000 people from 50 years ago to 10,000 people today found that the incidences of full-blown celiac disease increased by 400 percent (elevated TTG antibodies) during that time period. (ii) If we saw a 400 percent increase in heart disease or cancer, this would be headline news. But we hear almost nothing about this. I will explain why I think that increase has occurred in a moment. First, let's explore the economic cost of this hidden epidemic.

Undiagnosed gluten problems cost the American healthcare system oodles of money. Dr. Peter Green, Professor of Clinical Medicine for the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University studied all 10 million subscribers to CIGNA and found those who were correctly diagnosed with celiac disease used fewer medical services and reduced their healthcare costs by more than 30 perecnt. (iii) The problem is that only one percent of those with the problem were actually diagnosed. That means 99 percent are walking around suffering without knowing it, costing the healthcare system millions of dollars.

And it's not just a few who suffer, but millions. Far more people have gluten sensitivity than you think--especially those who are chronically ill. The most serious form of allergy to gluten, celiac disease, affects one in 100 people, or three million Americans, most of who don't know they have it. But milder forms of gluten sensitivity are even more common and may affect up to one-third of the American population.

Why haven't you heard much about this?

Well, actually you have, but you just don't realize it. Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity masquerade as dozens and dozens of other diseases with different names.

Gluten Sensitivity: One Cause, Many Diseases

A review paper in The New England Journal of Medicine listed 55 "diseases" that can be caused by eating gluten. (iv) These include osteoporosis, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, cancer, fatigue, canker sores, (v) and rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and almost all other autoimmune diseases. Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric (vi) and neurological diseases, including anxiety, depression, (vii) schizophrenia, (viii) dementia, (ix) migraines, epilepsy, and neuropathy (nerve damage). (x) It has also been linked to autism.(ix)

We used to think that gluten problems or celiac disease were confined to children who had diarrhea, weight loss, and failure to thrive. Now we know you can be old, fat, and constipated and still have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Gluten sensitivity is actually an autoimmune disease that creates inflammation throughout the body, with wide-ranging effects across all organ systems including your brain, heart, joints, digestive tract, and more. It can be the single cause behind many different "diseases." To correct these diseases, you need to treat the cause--which is often gluten sensitivity--not just the symptoms.

Of course, that doesn't mean that ALL cases of depression or autoimmune disease or any of these other problems are caused by gluten in everyone--but it is important to look for it if you have any chronic illness.

By failing to identify gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, we create needless suffering and death for millions of Americans. Health problems caused by gluten sensitivity cannot be treated with better medication. They can only be resolved by eliminating 100 percent of the gluten from your diet.

The question that remains is: Why are we so sensitive to this "staff of life," the staple of our diet?

There are many reasons ...

They include our lack of genetic adaptation to grasses, and particularly gluten, in our diet. Wheat was introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages, and 30 percent of people of European descent carry the gene for celiac disease (HLA DQ2 or HLA DQ8), (xii) which increases susceptibility to health problems from eating gluten.

American strains of wheat have a much higher gluten content (which is needed to make light, fluffy Wonder Bread and giant bagels) than those traditionally found in Europe. This super-gluten was recently introduced into our agricultural food supply and now has "infected" nearly all wheat strains in America.

To find out if you are one of the millions of people suffering from an unidentified gluten sensitivity, just follow this simple procedure.

The Elimination/Reintegration Diet

While testing can help identify gluten sensivity, the only way you will know if this is really a problem for you is to eliminate all gluten for a short period of time (2 to 4 weeks) and see how you feel. Get rid of the following foods:

• Gluten (barley, rye, oats, spelt, kamut, wheat, triticale--see www.celiac.com for a complete list of foods that contain gluten, as well as often surprising and hidden sources of gluten.)

• Hidden sources (soup mixes, salad dressings, sauces, as well as lipstick, certain vitamins, medications, stamps and envelopes you have to lick, and even Play-Doh.)

For this test to work you MUST eliminate 100 percent of the gluten from your diet--no exceptions, no hidden gluten, and not a single crumb of bread.

Then eat it again and see what happens. If you feel bad at all, you need to stay off gluten permanently. This will teach you better than any test about the impact gluten has on your body.

But if you are still interested in testing, here are some things to keep in mind.

Testing for Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac Disease

There are gluten allergy/celiac disease tests that are available through Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics. All these tests help identify various forms of allergy or sensitivity to gluten or wheat. They will look for:

• IgA anti-gliadin antibodies

• IgG anti-gliadin antibodies

• IgA anti-endomysial antibodies

• Tissue transglutaminase antibody (IgA and IgG in questionable cases)

• Total IgA antibodies

• HLA DQ2 and DQ8 genotyping for celiac disease (used occasionally to detect genetic suspectibility).

• Intestinal biopsy (rarely needed if gluten antibodies are positive--based on my interpretation of the recent study)

When you get these tests, there are a few things to keep in mind.

In light of the new research on the dangers of gluten sensitivity without full blown celiac disease, I consider any elevation of antibodies significant and worthy of a trial of gluten elimination. Many doctors consider elevated anti-gliadin antibodies in the absence of a positive intestinal biopsy showing damage to be "false positives." That means the test looks positive but really isn't significant.

We can no longer say that. Positive is positive and, as with all illness, there is a continuum of disease, from mild gluten sensitivity to full-blown celiac disease. If your antibodies are elevated, you should go off gluten and test to see if it is leading to your health problems.

So now you see--that piece of bread may not be so wholesome after all! Follow the advice I've shared with you today to find out if gluten may be the hidden cause of your health problems. Simply eliminating this insidious substnace from your diet, may help you achieve lifelong vibrant health.

That's all for today. Now I'd like to hear from you ...

Are you one of the millions that have been lead to believe gluten is perfectly safe to eat?

How do foods that contain gluten seem to affect you?

What tips can you share with others about eliminating gluten from your diet?

Please let me know your thoughts by posting a comment below.

To your good health,
Mark Hyman, MD

References

(i) Ludvigsson JF, Montgomery SM, Ekbom A, Brandt L, Granath F. Small-intestinal histopathology and mortality risk in celiac disease. JAMA. 2009 Sep 16;302(11):1171-8.

(ii) Rubio-Tapia A, Kyle RA, Kaplan EL, Johnson DR, Page W, Erdtmann F, Brantner TL, Kim WR, Phelps TK, Lahr BD, Zinsmeister AR, Melton LJ 3rd, Murray JA. Increased prevalence and mortality in undiagnosed celiac disease. Gastroenterology. 2009 Jul;137(1):88-93

(iii) Green PH, Neugut AI, Naiyer AJ, Edwards ZC, Gabinelle S, Chinburapa V. Economic benefits of increased diagnosis of celiac disease in a national managed care population in the United States. J Insur Med. 2008;40(3-4):218-28.

(iv) Farrell RJ, Kelly CP. Celiac sprue. N Engl J Med. 2002 Jan 17;346(3):180-8. Review.

(v) Sedghizadeh PP, Shuler CF, Allen CM, Beck FM, Kalmar JR. Celiac disease and recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a report and review of the literature. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2002;94(4):474-478.

(vi) Margutti P, Delunardo F, Ortona E. Autoantibodies associated with psychiatric disorders. Curr Neurovasc Res. 2006 May;3(2):149-57. Review.

(vii) Ludvigsson JF, Reutfors J, Osby U, Ekbom A, Montgomery SM. Coeliac disease and risk of mood disorders--a general population-based cohort study. J Affect Disord. 2007 Apr;99(1-3):117-26. Epub 2006 Oct 6.

(viii) Ludvigsson JF, Osby U, Ekbom A, Montgomery SM. Coeliac disease and risk of schizophrenia and other psychosis: a general population cohort study. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2007 Feb;42(2):179-85.

(ix) Hu WT, Murray JA, Greenaway MC, Parisi JE, Josephs KA. Cognitive impairment and celiac disease. Arch Neurol. 2006 Oct;63(10):1440-6.

(x) Bushara KO. Neurologic presentation of celiac disease. Gastroenterology. 2005 Apr;128(4 Suppl 1):S92-7. Review.

(xi) Millward C, Ferriter M, Calver S, Connell-Jones G. Gluten- and casein-free diets for autistic spectrum disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(2):CD003498. Review.

(xii) Green PH, Jabri B. Coeliac disease. Lancet. 2003 Aug 2;362(9381):383-91. Review.

Mark Hyman, M.D. practicing physician and founder of The UltraWellness Center is a pioneer in functional medicine. Dr. Hyman is now sharing the 7 ways to tap into your body's natural ability to heal itself. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, watch his videos on Youtube and become a fan on Facebook.

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Friday, January 1, 2010
Gluten-Free New York City Map
I thought the new year would be a great time to update my Google map of gluten-free restaurant, bars, and stores that sell gluten-free products in New York City. With over 60 listings, I hope this is one of the most comprehensive maps of gluten-free Manhattan online at the moment. (Send me others if you find any!) This map includes GFRAP restaurants as well as restaurants that provide gluten-free menu items. As with any dining experience, it is best to call ahead to make sure a gluten-free menu is still available. Also, when you get to the restaurant please speak with the waitstaff about your gluten-free dietary needs. Once you have had a great gluten-free meal at one of these places, I encourage you to write a review, email the staff, etc. It is your feedback that will keep these gluten-free menus around! You can also print the map with all of the listings directly from the Google link.

Enjoy! I welcome all feedback or additions that need to be made.


View Gluten-Free in New York City by Gluten-Free Fun in a larger map

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