MAY is Awareness Month

If you go here American Celiac Disease Alliance

you can read additional information (Awareness)

Uno's

Uno's understands people with celiac disease want to eat out and must have safe options. The casual dining chain will host a National Dough Rai$er for Celiac Awareness the week of May 25 - 31. Its the perfect time to highlight the restaurant's gluten-free menu. Even better, families and friends can enjoy Uno's Gluten-Free pizza! Check the map for your nearest location and print this voucher to take with you. Watch your emailbox for further details from the ACDA. Not on our mailing list? Sign-up Today!


Governors Sign Awareness Proclamations

Resident celiacs have stepped forward this month to help educate their state's top executive. The result? Governors John Lynch (New Hampshire), Martin O'Malley (Maryland), Ted Kulongoski (Oregon), and Sonny Perdue (Georgia) have each proclaimed 'May' as Celiac Awareness Month in their respective states. Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has made a similar declaration. These pronouncements further demonstrate that celiac disease is a condition which merits greater attention.

Thank you, Governors and Mayor Dixon!

Rep. Lowey Bill Educates Members of Congress

Food labeling champion, Rep. Nita Lowey (NY) has re-introduced the National Celiac Awareness legislation. As in the past, this measure is used to educate her colleagues about celiac disease and the issues faced by those with the genetic condition. Write your representative to support H.Con.Res. 110.

Sandwich bread alteratives

Thinking "outside" of the bun and bread

Pretty simply

Bunless burgers, hot dogs, Bunless veggie burgers, bunless salmon burgers "Most" kids enjoy hot dogs without the bun to begin with, so why not enjoy these other foods without the "bun" "Gluten"

Some additional ways to eat without the Gluten "bun/bread"

Corn Tortillas - Need a little heat.
Heat up ham and cheese in a corn tortilla. Quick and easy

These do need a little heat to keep from falling apart, but it doesn't take much. For a quick sandwich, lightly spray the tortilla with oil and put in a hot skillet over medium heat. Top it with a slice of cheese and ham or other sandwich filling. Let the cheese melt and fold over like an omelette. Quick and easy hot sandwich. Great for hot dogs and hamburgers too!

You should be able to find these at any grocery store.

Corn Thins - Great for kids.
Similar size and shape to rice cakes. My kids love to eat these for snacks, plain or with toppings, cream cheese and jelly, ham and cheese, bologna, etc. Consider eating for a quick breakfast too.

These are carried at a lot of health food stores, online and some mainstream stores.

Rice Cakes You are probably familiar with these. My kids enjoy Rice cake sandwiches.

These are easy to find at any grocery store or online.

Lettuce - Keep cool until time to eat.
Why not use lettuce to wrap your sandwich fillings? There are a variety of lettuces that would work for this. Take a big leaf and place your fillings in the middle, fold it taco-style, and enjoy! Perfect for egg salad, ham and cheese, hamburgers, hot dogs and more.

Gluten FREE Pancakes and Waffles
I'm sure you've got these in your freezer, it’s as quick and easy as popping them into a toaster. Spread peanut butter and jelly on them, Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread, cream cheese and jelly or fresh fruit… you get the idea. You can even use homemade gluten free Pancakes and waffles. Kids will enjoy these.

Rice Paper/Spring Roll Wraps - Need to hydrate.
How about using rice paper for wrapping up sandwich fillings. These round paper-thin wraps are stiff and fragile until you hydrate them. You hydrate them by simply placing them in a plate of water. It only takes about 10 seconds. Take them out of the water before it gets too soggy and starts to disintegrate. Let the excess water drip off, then place on a clean plate, or a crisp linen towel. (At this point, the wrap should be flexible enough to roll up. If not, give it a few more seconds in the water.) Place your fillings in the center of the top third of the wrap. Fold the top over the fillings, then fold in the sides. Next, roll it toward you, tucking and tightening it as you go. You’ll notice that the wrap is slightly sticky and stretchy. Use parchment or wax paper to wrap each one if you need to transport or save for later. Serve as is, or cut in half and serve with dressing.

You can find these at many grocery stores on the shelves with Asian foods. If your grocery store doesn't carry them, try an Asian food market or online.

Stay positive and think "outside" of the box think of what we can eat NOT what we can't Make living gluten free FUN I know I have. I feel happy and healthier because of it!!!!!!!!

Gluten Free Sponge Cake

4 1 cup 4 Tb 1 cup 1 tsp Eggs, separated Sugar Cold water Sifted cake flour Baking powder Beat egg yolks and sugar together until very light. Add water. Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to batter. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Oven Temp ~ 325° Baking Time ~ 30 Min. Yummy

Starbucks

Soooo exciting!!

From the Starbucks blog:

Hi, it's Erin on the Food team. I am so excited today to share an update on our blog about Gluten-free offerings. Starting May 5 we will be launching the Gluten-free Orange Valencia Cake with Almonds. And even better you are among the first to know!

Who better to get the first scoop than you who helped make it happen? This product was inspired by the passionate responses we heard from you on My Starbucks Idea.

The Orange Valencia Cake is a delicious moist citrus cake bursting with Valencia oranges and topped with crunchy almonds. Not only is it gluten-free, it is also prepared with 7 simple ingredients: Whole Eggs, Valencia Orange Pulp, Almonds, Sugar, Orange Peel, Gluten Free Baking Powder, and Orange Oil. Plus it delivers 30% of your daily value of vitamin C. Keep on the look out for it in the pastry case with a sign that says "gluten-free."

A single cake will be displayed unwrapped so you can see it clearly, but don't worry. They all come individually packaged to prevent cross contamination. And with the ingredient list right on the package, it's easy to see exactly what you are eating. Whether you are gluten-sensitive or not, this product is delicious and satisfying and I hope you will all enjoy it soon.

Want to know how it's made gluten-free? Come back to MSI in two weeks and Chris, the lead product developer will take you behind the scenes and share how this cake is made with care.

Gluten-free Food Update

What if I told you there was a little protein that could cause…

fatigue
depression
joint aches
bone pain
abdominal pain
bloating
diarrhea
low nutrient absorption
short stature
infertility
premature balding
cancer


Everyone say “hi gluten!”

Gluten is a troublesome protein that appears to be doing more damage to our healths than we initially thought. This little guy is found in wheat, barley, and rye "some" say Oat


A certain percentage of us contain genes that see gluten for the foreign substance that it truly is. Our immune system reacts to it, but that immune response itself can become toxic. As we load up on bagels over the years, the immune reaction to gluten can be toxic enough to cause a whole buffet of problems.

(Depression thought to be the most common, along with other vague symptoms like fatigue.)

(How many of us are gluten sensitive?)

According to some research it might be 50% or more. But there are other genes that determine whether a toxic immune response will occur and to what extent that response damages our tissue. It’s confusing, but it boils down to this:


It is believed that 30-50% or more of the population is gluten sensitive, thus are deteriorating their health by eating wheat.

When Gluten Gets into Our Bloodstream

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity:

When Gluten Gets into Our Bloodstream

Anyone can experience Gluten Sensitivity as a normal immune response to the abnormal presence of gluten in blood or body tissues.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity can develop if gluten, or rather, harmful partially digested fragments of gluten, wrongly pass through the small intestinal lining into our bloodstream. From the blood, these protein fragments can harm any of our body tissues.

Two important factors that may subject non-celiac people to a gluten sensitivity reaction are high gluten load, and increased permeability of the small intestinal lining, also called "Leaky Gut Syndrome."

1. High Gluten load

A high gluten load simply means we are eating a diet that contains too much gluten. Of course, the more gluten we eat, the greater is the risk of protein fragments entering our bloodstream.

2. Increased Permeability of the Small Intestinal Lining (Leaky Gut Syndrome)

Gluten may drive the immune system, even outside the gastrointestinal tract (extra-intestinal), to cause other diseases that we don't call celiac disease, but which are still derived from gluten.¹ Studies reveal extra-intestinal manifestations with positive blood tests for anti-gliadin antibodies without evidence of celiac disease. This finding indicates gluten entering the bloodstream via increased membrane permeability of the small intestine.

What is increased permeability or leakage?

Increased permeability of the small intestinal lining, also called hyperpermeability, refers to alteration of the complex barrier system that separates what's in our gut from the rest of our body. This protective system determines what substances may be allowed to cross from the inside of our small intestine to our bloodstream. An abnormal barrier allows harmful substances to "permeate" into deeper layers of the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream.

The major defense of the barrier system against permeation by harmful substances is comprised of tight intercellular junctions. Tight junctions (TJ) refer to the regulated spaces between enterocytes (cells forming the surface lining of our small intestine), causing these cells to closely adhere to each other, side-by-side. Disruption of TJ allows harmful substances such as gluten fragments to slip through them.

Only a single layer of epithelial cells separates the contents of our small intestine from the lamina propria (underlying tissues of the small intestine) and the rest of our body. Breaching of this single layer of cells can expose effector immune cells located in the lamina propria to a myriad of microorganisms and food antigens, leading to immune reactions.²

Breakdown of the barrier is implicated in the pathogenesis (development) of acute illnesses such as bacterial translocation leading to sepsis and multiple organ failure. It also has been implicated in several auto-immune disease, including Celiac Disease, Type I Diabetes Mellitus, Autism, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and atopic disorders such as Asthma, Rhinitis, Eczema, and Allergies.³

What factors other than gluten disrupt tight intercellular junctions?

• gastrointestinal infections from microbes such as rotavirus, parasites, pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile toxins), and mycotoxins (toxins produced by fungi found in stored grain and dried fruit).
• fats such as rancid fats, sodium caprate, a medium-chain fat, and sucrose monester fatty acid, a food-grade surfactant, induce significant disruption.
• foods such as alcohol, lactose, caffeine, paprika, cayenne pepper, refined carbohydrates, some food preservatives and food additives.
• medications such as oral antibiotics, NSAIDS ( eg, Aspirin, Advil), corticosteroids, and oral contraceptives.
• psychological stress, oxidative stress
• intense exercise
• aging

What restores tight intercellular junctions?

Correction of the factors that cause TJ disruption and eating a gluten-free diet with foods that have been shown to restore TJ function after injury, such as:

• EPA and gamma linolenic acid (omega-3 fatty acids).
• butyrate (a short-chain fatty acid).
• glutamine (an essential amino acid).
• Black pepper and nutmeg.

What health problems can develop?

Mild problems that may come and go include irritability, sluggishness, tiredness, achiness, the "blues", fatigue, and disinterest in things that should cause interest. With less mental acuity and drive, a person with these symptoms may feel like a "couch potato." Others may say things like, "What's got into you?" or "You never want to do things anymore." Or "You don't take care of the house like you used to do." Children may not pay attention, whine or cry alot.

Gluten can wreak havoc throughout the body if leakiness is severe or prolonged. Gluten can affect the mind causing problems like depression and anxiety. Thinking difficulties may develop such as poor attention, judgment and memory or outright confusion. Behavioral problems may include hyperactivity or inappropriate social interaction. In some people, psychotic symptoms can develop which may be reversed on a gluten-free diet.

How can gluten cause problems in the brain?

The same gut-brain mechanism that allows oral medications used to treat mental problems, such as depression, to enter the brain also allows gluten to enter. Neuoroactive compounds [substances that affect the brain] derived from within the intestine can permeate either diseased or healthy mucosa, cross the blood-brain barrier and cause psychiatric, cognitive and behavioral disturbances.⁴ Both gluten and beta-casein in milk are neuroactive compounds that cross the intestinal lining into the bloodstream and cause the mental symptoms in susceptible people such as autism and schizophrenia. When gluten is the cause of schizophrenia, studies show that symptoms disappear in 2 weeks but will reappear in 3 days if gluten is again ingested.

What other problems can develop from gluten in the bloodstream?

Wherever gluten goes, it alarms our immune system to react because it damages any tissue it touches. When our body surrounds and encloses it, we form granulomas. These hard nodules can develop in the liver, joints, and skin. Granulomas are like pearls formed by an oyster. Our body encapsulates gluten to keep it from hurting our tissues much like an oyster does a grain of sand that lodges inside of it.

The longer we eat gluten, the greater is our risk of developing other auto-immune disorders such as, Alopecia Areata (hair loss), Psoriasis (skin disorder), Addison's Disease (adrenal gland disorder), Grave's Disease (hyperthyroid disorder) and Auto-immune Hepatitis (liver disorder).

In auto-immune disorders, the development of anti-gliadin antibodies may be attributed to the response to food protein [from gluten] and is often not closely related with Celiac Disease. ¹

What should I do if I think I have this problem?

If you suspect you have this problem, see your doctor. He may want to rule out Celiac Disease because Leaky Gut Syndrome is a part of this disorder. In either condition, blood tests for anti-gliadin antibodies can be done that specifically test for gluten. Other tests that determine Increased Intestinal Permeability (Leaky Gut) include Breath Hydrogen Test and Sugar Absorption Test. Both of these tests are simple.

Book/reasons to go Gluten-Free

Great book
Living Gluten-Free For Dummies

Practical, friendly guide to successfully managing

a gluten-free diet.

Reasons to go Gluten-Free

A gluten-free diet isn’t just for those with celiac disease or a wheat allergy. Although eating wheat products, especially whole wheat, does offer some health benefits, the gluten can actually be harmful. Here are some reasons you may want to go gluten-free.

• Humans don’t fully digest wheat. The undigested portions of wheat begin to ferment, producing gas. Icky, belchable, fart-forming gas.

  
  

• Wheat is a pro-inflammatory agent. A pro-inflammatory agent is rapidly converted to sugar, causing a rise in the body’s insulin levels, causing a burst of inflammation at the cellular level, among other problems.

  
  

• Wheat can cause leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition whereby stuff is leaking from your gut into your bloodstream — stuff that shouldn’t be there, such as toxins.

  
  

• Refined wheat has little nutritional value. Did you know that manufacturers actually have to enrich refined wheat because they’ve taken out all the nutrients? And even then, the wheat’s not that valuable, nutritionally speaking.

  
  

• Wheat is one of the top-eight allergens. Millions of people are allergic to wheat — so many, in fact, that it has made it onto the top-eight allergen list.

  
  

• Many people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and don’t know it. So, how many people fall into this category? No one knows for sure. But 1 in 133 people have celiac disease — but most don’t know it. No one knows how many people have gluten sensitivity, but estimates are that it may be as high as 50 percent, or even 70 percent, of the population