Monday, July 30, 2012

Dana Vollmer wins Gold and sets a world record at the Olympics!

Dana Vollmer, a well-known American athlete who is currently in London for the Summer Olympics, just set a world record in the 100 meter fly taking the gold metal! Why am I so excited about this? Dana Vollmer is GLUTEN-FREE!

Four years ago, Dana tried out for the Olympics and didn't make it to Beijing. This was a big disappointment after making it to her first Olympic trials at age 12 and making the Olympic team in 2004 at only 17 years of age.

Despite battling injuries after the 2008 tryouts and trying to overcome her food allergy, Dana has made all of her fans proud - especially the gluten-free ones!

I am excited to see how she will continue to do in her career! Follow her on twitter @DanaVollmer

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Upcoming NFCA Webinar: Cross-Contamination in Restaurants: What You Need to Know


Topic: "Cross-Contamination in Restaurants: What You Need to Know"
Date: Thursday, August 16, 2012
Time: 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
Speakers: Pam Cureton, RD, LDN, Clinical and Research Dietitian, Center for Celiac Research, University of Maryland, Amy Jones, MS, RD, LD, Chief Clinical Dietitian and Celiac Support Group Facilitator, Mary Rutan Hospital , and Ken Schelper, Vice President of Davanni’s, Board of Directors for Minnesota Restaurant Association
In June, NFCA asked you to share your gluten-free dining concerns. Now, your questions and comments are guiding the development of a special webinar on cross-contamination in restaurants. The session will be presented online and will focus on three core goals: education, empowerment and advocacy - the cornerstones of NFCA’s mission. This educational session will feature a panel of third party industry experts, including both foodservice and healthcare professionals. The session will last for 75 minutes, with each panelist speaking for 20 minutes and a 15-minute period at the close of the presentation for Q&A.

Register Now
Supported by a generous anonymous donor with a passionate interest in health and wellness.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Looking for a safe, Gluten-free vacation?

Eating our in your local area can be difficult but what about staying safe and healthy while on vacation in a foreign country? Communicating in English can be hard enough, most people look at you like you're speaking a foreign language - gluten? casein? That's just wheat bread, right? We only serve white bread here . . . I am sure you've heard it before. However, Bob and Ruth, have been working to try and change the discomfort. When Bob was diagnosed with Celiac in 1995, he started organizing dinners that were safe for him and fun for his family and friends to enjoy. He then organized a few vacations and when he realized that he had a real knack for it so he and his wife started Bob & Ruth's, a company dedicated to making traveling gluten-free safe, healthy, and fun! Here is the latest e-mail I received:
                             Bob & Ruth's Gluten-free Dining & Travel Club

                             MONET, JOAN OF ARC, BOB & RUTH ? ? ?

                                        THE WAIT IS OVER !   ANNOUNCING:

            BOB & RUTH'S 2013 European River Cruise & Tour

                                April In Paris & The Seine

                                 April 19 - 28, 2013


We begin with three days in Paris with our own Gluten-free Hostess, showing us
her "City of Lights" and introducing us to her favorite restaurants with a wide
array of Gluten-free food to be offered.  We'll see the Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower,
Notre Dame Cathedral and more.

Then we'll board UNIWORLD's award-winning boutique River Baroness, cruising
through the scenic country side of northern France that inspired the French
impressionists.  Stand on the ground of the Normandy invasion.  Stroll through
picturesque villages with - yes - lots of "old rocks" and see the site of where Joan
of Arc was martyred.

Rouen is of pre-Roman origins, serving as a Viking capital and later William the
Conqueror called it home before moving to England.  Honfleur is one of the most
visited town in France as it is one of them most well preserved maritime cities with
its picturesque narrow backstreets and old timber-framed house fronts showing off
its artistic and cultural heritage.
We are offering a $125 PER PERSON EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT if your reservations are
made by AUGUST 27, 2012.
For our Current Members Only there is the additional $25 Early Reservation Discount
date is August 15, 2012.
Due to extremely high demand for European river cruises, and in order to guarantee
us a quality gluten-free culinary experience, we must have the minimum number of
participants NO LATER THAN AUGUST 27, 2012.

For all the details check out our website 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Find me in October in Indiana!!

Excited to be attending this expo again this year! It was amazing last year and I know they have many more things planned for this year's Expo. For more information check out www.glutenfreelivingnow.org!


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Join me in October in New York!

In October, I will have the pleasure of Speaking at the 35th Annual Celiac Sprue Association Conference. This year's theme is "Charting the Course" and the conference is designed to help you navigate the waters of a gluten-free lifestyle! Click here for more information.


I will be presenting my favorite topic "Living Heart Healthy with Celiac Disease" and I would love for you to join me!


Monday, July 16, 2012

Celiac Disease Foundation Insight Newsletter, Spring 2012

Every quarter, the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) publishes a newsletter with updates on their organization. They also feature new products on the market, updates on the progress of Celiac Awareness, as well as introduce movers and shakers in the Celiac field, the latest in medical research on Celiac Disease, and much more! If you don't subscribe to the newsletter, then I recommend that you do because I always find something useful in it.
This issue was particularly exciting because I made the front cover and page 3! The newsletter began with some highlights of the education conference. If you were not able to make it this year, try to make it for the next one - I will post the info on it as soon as it is available. It was extremely educational, well-organized, and had lots of vendors with new products for all the visitors.






This newsletter was also extremely helpful to me because I have recently been very ill and struggling with pain immediately after I eat. I had blood tests run and the only thing that was off was my eosinophil count. My physician had no clue what it meant other than I must have had an allergy to something I eat. I was told to avoid the trigger but my only guess as to what the trigger is would be refined sugar which is an inflammatory food. Then I got my issue of CDF Insights and while I was flipping through it saw that it featured a new research article that found a link between Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis. It occurs more often in the Celiac population than the general population and should be kept in mind when persistent esophageal pain is persistent. Even as a nurse practitioner, I still find that it is difficult to get medical professionals who are unfamiliar with Celiac Disease to understand. That's why its important to educate yourself and advocate for yourself in the physician's office. CDF Insights helps me do just that!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Gluten Free Living Now Expo in Carmel, IN

I am very excited to have the opportunity to attend and speak at the Expo for the 2nd year in a row!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Are Burger King's New Fries really Gluten-free?

I've been going through my inbox and reviewing mail that I have starred and have intended to return too. I came across the article about Burger King's new gluten-free fries. In December, the folks at Burger King changed their french fry recipe and then confirmed that their new fry recipe, the first change since 1998, is gluten-free. The new fries are thicker, with reduced sodium and a coating that makes them crisper and keeps them hotter. They have been available in all of Burger King locations since December 5.  
However, I am making this post because even though the company claims that the fries are gluten-free they do warn that their new product may be cooked in the same oil as other products that contain gluten. Burger king has a gluten sensitive menu that can be found here.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Hip-hip hooray, Hershey’s announces their gluten-free array!

I recently found an article printed in a Triumph Dining blog that announces some good news for those of you who are gluten-free with a chocolate addiction! For the original article, click here. However, here is the story:

For all you gluten-free individuals out there who might be chocolate-covered bakers, sweet-tooth suckers and/or dessert devotees, you’re probably going to enjoy this long-awaited bit of news from Hershey’s. Indefinitely, Hershey’s has recited their “Check the Label” mantra to gluten-sensitive consumers, but, as of a few days ago, they have virtually been able to put that bulletin to rest. Though, for an ultra-safe measure, they still recommend a quick checking.
Finally, feast your eyes on the list of Hershey’s gluten-free products that they nicely assembled for the gluten-free community. MmmMmmMmmm! Butterscotch baking chips, Almond Joys, York Peppermint Patties, dark chocolate syrups…. the whole nine yards! Please do keep in mind, not all of Hershey’s candies are gluten-free and an assortment of their seasonal sweets contain gluten ingredients – like their seasonal-shaped Reese’s peanut butter cups.
Here’s to a more feasible indulgence of gluten-free sweets!

Also, Hershey’s recently went on the record to issue a press release to clear up the water about the relationship between their index of products and the gluten-free standards defined by the FDA. Below is the printed disclosure that you can find on their website regarding which Hershey’s products are qualified, by FDA standards, to be labeled gluten-free.
“Hershey is committed to providing products that meet your dietary needs, and many people today are interested in gluten-free foods.
A food bearing a gluten-free claim does not contain the protein from wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, triticole, farina, vital gluten semolina, malt vinegar or protein derivatives of these foods.

For your convenience, the current products listed below have been fully evaluated and qualify as gluten free using standards proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Please note this list is not all inclusive as we have other gluten-free confections. The best way to determine if our products contain a gluten ingredient is to read our product label. This label includes an accurate, current listing of the ingredients in our products. Because, on occasion, the list of ingredients can change, we strongly encourage you to check the ingredient label on the package each time before you make a purchase.”

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Positive Celiac Disease Blood Test, Negative Genetic Test

The NFCAhas a wonderful website set up to educating the public about Celiac Disease and making sure that those who have been diagnosed are compliant with their diet and able to work through any issues that may arise. On their website, they have a section for parents where you can submit a question to a pediatric gastroenterologist. You can find more questions with answers here.

Q & A from NFCA

Positive Celiac Disease Blood Test, Negative Genetic Test

Question:
Hello, I was diagnosed with celiac 2 years ago. First by blood serum, then by biopsy. Both of my children were tested and had positive high blood serum tests; however, the child specialist we were referred to did some extra gene testing on my daughters and said neither one would develop the disease. My concern is both my girls, ages 9 and 6, display all of my previous symptoms before I was diagnosed. My 6 year old is almost 7 has not lost a baby tooth yet. She is so small I carry her around like a 3 year old. My 9 year old, who always complains of stomach pain, has started to get a few gray hairs.
My question is.... Shouldn't a biopsy be done for them as well for a proper diagnosis? The specialist is telling me no, but my gut tells me there is something there.
Answer:
Because I do not know exactly which blood tests were ordered and I cannot review the tests myself, it is difficult for me to say what to do in this situation. We know that genetic predisposition plays a key role in the development of celiac disease. One of two HLA (human leukocyte antigen) genes, HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8, is necessary to develop celiac disease.  Patients who are negative for both of these genes are very unlikely to suffer from celiac disease. If your daughters are negative for both HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, I would recommend talking to your pediatrician and your pediatric gastroenterologist about other possible diagnoses.
Sincerely,
Center for Celiac Disease at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Thursday, July 5, 2012

July Product of the month

I know that I have put snack bars on here before as a recipe of the month. However, I am so excited about the new one recently found. Many of you may know that along with my Celiac Disease, I have allergies to dairy and soy. While attending the Gluten Intolerance Group's Health and Wellness Expo in Seattle, I came across Zing Bars. Not only are they gluten free but they are soy free, corn free and most of them are dairy free as well!
Zing bars were created by 4 nutritionists and taste amazing! Zing Bars are 100% natural with absolutely no artificial additives, sweeteners or flavors.
Each bar has a nut butter base—peanut, almond or cashew—with added protein, fiber, agave nectar and either fruit or organic fair-trade dark chocolate. The ingredients were chosen to provide the same complete nutrition that is recommend for all meals: Heart healthy fats, high fiber, high quality lean protein, and low glycemic carbs. To learn more about the bars, check out About the Bars on their website. The photo to the right is of my favorite flavor, Peanut butter and Chocolate chip!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

July Recipe of the Month

I had the pleasure of meeting Brittany Angel over a year ago in Seattle at the Gluten Intolerance Groups (GIG) Health and Wellness Expo. She has an amazing blog that is geared toward people with multiple allergens including gluten. This is her recipe and I thought you might enjoy it! For more of her recipes, click here.

Red White & Blue Cupcakes

  • 1/2 Cup Milk (Dairy or Nondairy- any variety)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract 
  • 2 Tbs Oil or Melted Butter (any mild tasting variety)
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar. (see note above)
  • 1 Tsp. Baking Powder (I use double acting)
  • 1/4 Tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 packed Cup Coconut Flour 
  • 3 Tbs Tapioca or Arrowroot
  • Food coloring (natural or artificial - your choice)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 9-10 cupcakes liners in muffin tin. (I like using white liners to show off the stripes in the cupcakes).
  2. In a blender combine the Eggs, Milk, Vanilla and Oil. Blend on high for about 30 seconds. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
  3. Pour 2/3 of the batter into a bowl and add blue food coloring a little at a time until it reaches the color blue that you like.
  4. Using a spoon plop and smooth a heaping TBS of blue batter into each of the cupcake liner. Then place a spoonful of white batter, then finish off with a second spoonful of Blue. Do this carefully as you don’t want the colors to mix.
  5. Place in oven and bake 28-30 minutes.
Want to know what frosting Brittany used? Read more about this recipe and her cookbooks below:

"For this recipe to keep things nut free, I used a Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting that I created for my cookbooks. It worked perfectly with these cupcakes as the flavor is extremely complimentary and the frosting has a nice structure and holds up well to the big pretty strawberry placed on top.  This recipe can be found in both the Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide Part 1 and the Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide Part 2. It is comprised of ground up coconut flakes and a few other ingredients (Beyond being nut free its also vegan, soy free and egg free as well).  Both books are available on amazon and are also available for kindle. (For more info on the content of these books read this.)

For those of you looking to keep things natural as I do- Check out India Tree. They have some fun naturally colored sprinkles too!

I used blue and white stripes in this recipe, as I was short on red food coloring. With red, I find I need to use 10 times more to get the color I want. So, with that being said if you have a full bottle of red stocked in your pantry and you want red and white stripes instead- Go for it! If you go that route try throwing some blueberries on top of your cupcakes instead."

for the original recipe and a few more of Brittany's tips, try this link