Showing posts with label celiac disease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celiac disease. Show all posts

Thursday, May 24, 2018

An Update from Home Slice Pizza

Hey friends! Every couple of years I check back in with Home Slice Pizza to see whether they have found their solution for gluten-free pizza. Unfortunately, they haven't found their perfect version yet, but I received the following information for those who'd still like to dine!

Feel free to comment if you've tried their options below.

We strongly suggest (along with Home Slice!) that you try Via313. We've never gotten sick and it is AMAZING!

Home Slice’s response to g-free option: Thanks for your note. We have experimented with different locally-produced and homemade gluten free crusts and so far they just haven’t met our expectations. New York Style pizza is defined by gluten, so it’s been a tall order. We are just so hesitant to put out a product that is less than amazing, or one that is so different in look and texture from our regular pies that frankly we’ve gotten discouraged and have put our explorations on hold for the time being. The good news is that we do have items on our menu that are naturally gluten free: our delicious green salads (Greek, Caesar or House), the fresh and colorful Insalata Caprese, or the heartier antipasto plate. We even have some gluten-free desserts. Our Italian ices are made in house — lemon and chocolate, and they are super delicious and more satisfying than you’d think. They’re dairy free, too! Not many people have room for dessert after pizza so they often get overlooked, but we're super proud of them. (Also our home made rice krispy treats are gf.) Another tip we are happy to share: Via 313 has one of the best gluten free pizzas we’ve ever tasted. It’s not NY-style but Detroit-style, which means it’s thick like our Sicilian pie but with this awesome crusty cheese baked around the edges. After all our research I think we’d have a better chance of making a delicious gluten free pie more like this style than the thin crust. Please do let us know if you ever find a crust out there that you love, and we’ll investigate! Lastly, we have opened our North Loop location and we are featuring Classic Buffalo Wings at that location only. We will be making them crispy, spicy and tangy served with blue cheese dressing, all gluten free. We will continue to serve all our gluten free salads, antipasto and Caprese as well. We look forward to serving you soon! Your Homies

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Babies and Gluten: So Many Questions, Very Few Answers

I feel very lucky to share with all of you that I am a new mommy!

Hayes Miller Wells was born on
April 7th and was quite a little peanut (5 lbs. 13 oz. @ 39 weeks). It's been a typical experience so far...little sleep, pooping constantly, eating every couple of hours...but soon enough he'll stop breastfeeding and start eating real food. All parents with children who suffer from food allergies have the "great fear" that they will be safe at home and at risk out in the real world (aka a friends house).

I have both confusion and fear for my little one and his elevated risk for Celiac Disease, however reports vary so I'm not quite sure HOW likely it is. This article from Everyday Health uses data from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center says that his risk is 1 in 22 or 5-10%. However, this Celiac Disease Foundation page claims the risk is 1 in 10 for a close relative such as a child, parent or sibling. Since Celiac Disease is genetically linked, there is a 50% chance he'll carry the gene. While this article is from 2009, I haven't found statistics to the contrary.

As I read articles and peruse research on this topic, there are three main questions I'm looking to have answered:
  1. Does introducing gluten vs. avoiding it completely help or hurt his chances of triggering Celiac Disease?
  2. At what age should introduction take place to "test the waters" and depending on this answer, what difference can it make?
  3. What tests should I have run on Hayes and when?
The short answers to all of these questions seem to be...there is no definitive answer and it depends. Advances in understanding occur all of the time, but that doesn't help a parent who wants a step by step guide to their baby!
There are a couple of points of contention:

  • Breastfeeding - research consistently shows that breastfeeding is good for mom and baby. The debated question is whether it helps either prevent or delay the onset of Celiac Disease. 
    • This Parents Magazine article tells us that breastfeeding doesn't effect the likelihood or onset of Celiac Disease.
    • The Everyday Health article from above says, "breast milk also helps with gastrointestinal function and other areas of development. But research has shown that babies who are at risk for celiac disease may see a delay in symptoms if they’re breastfed. Recent research has found that babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of developing celiac disease later in life."
  • Introducing Gluten - again there is debate on when to introduce gluten to babies in general and those with high risk of Celiac Disease. This KevinMD.com article outlines two studies with different findings. 
    • The European PreventCD study found no difference in high-risk infants introduced to gluten between 4-6 months and those who were not. 
    • This Swedish study claims that the amount of gluten consumed by 2 years of age did impact the prevalence of Celiac Disease in high-risk children.
    • The general rule of thumb with allergens is to wait until 12 months to introduce.
    • Other parents note that they would prefer to wait and introduce once the child can be tested for Celiac Disease via blood test and/or endoscopy.
Of course, a final consideration is testing. There are blood tests and endoscopy results, both of which require gluten-consumption over a period of time to have accurate results, plus genetic testing. The Celiac Disease Foundation says that blood tests for antibodies shouldn't be done before age 3 and that the genetic test can be done at any time. Additional information on Celiac Disease testing for infants and toddlers can be found here.

So now what? My plan is to continue to talk with new parents, plan on doing a genetic test as soon as my pediatrician recommends, breastfeed until it doesn't work for our family anymore, maintain a gluten-free household and to keep reading - I have 4 more months to learn more before deciding on when to introduce gluten to Hayes. I encourage all Celiac parents to share their "plan" to help us all and provide any information you can about your child and their experience.

Additional articles:



Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Recent Gluten-Free (Celiac!) Faves




As I've explained multiple times (because it frustrates me so much!) my full-blown searchable website has become infected so I can't search for many of my favorite locations. I also am unable to help others!

Therefore, I just wanted to bring to the top of my blog some of my favorite (and safe) gluten-free restaurants in and around Austin. I have spoken to the managers at every single one of these and eaten successfully dozens of times. 

Please feel free to comment and add to the list!

Breakfast Tacos:

American:

BBQ:

Tex-Mex:

Asian:

Italian:

Pizza (both use separate pans, utensils and toppings):
100% Gluten-Free: Wildwood Bakehouse!

Steak:

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Domino's Gluten-Free Pizza: Scary!

Anytime I find a restaurant that is adding gluten-free food items I get so excited...more options is always good, right? Unfortunately, after seeing the video below from Domino's I'm nervous for the launch of their "gluten-free" pizza. When I first heard, I thought it was fantastic that such a large chain would be bringing g-free pizza mainstream, but watch this video and you'll notice that:

- It isn't really gluten-free - they tell Celiac patients not to touch it
- There is cross contamination happening all over the place (oven, hands, pans)
- No mention of toppings and what is/is not gluten-free
- Side note: also doesn't look very good (they should've gone with Smart Flour Foods!)

Let me know what you think...



Thursday, February 16, 2012

G-Free and the Austin Marathon



This weekend marks the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon for 2012! Last year I decided to take on the half marathon to raise money for a local charity, Colin's Hope. Although I love their cause and wanted to run with them again this year, my MBA distracted me from fundraising and volunteering so I'm on my own. Many told me that after I ran a half for the first time (last year) that I would be driven to run the full 26.2 next...that did not happen. So, I plan on embarking this weekend on 13.1 miles with a fresh new playlist.

They tell you to carbo-load the evening before (okay maybe just eat a healthy meal full of vitamins/minerals but I prefer the excuse to have carbs) so my plan is to venture over to Brick Oven on 35th to have some of their fantastic gluten-free pasta, a Caesar salad and maybe a glass of wine if I'm feeling confident in the amount of water I'd forced down beforehand. After getting nice and full of energy I'll get a good night's sleep and wake up bright and early.

Gu is the preferred brand of energy snack for runners, and I've found that 24 of their items are gluten-free (almost all!). You can find the gluten-free items here. I have some Gu Chomps ready and waiting for me. If I'm lucky I'll then be able to find a group of runners to join me for lunch and a mimosa to celebrate our success! I wish everyone good luck and am determined to finish in less than 2.5 hours :)

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Dell Social Innovation Challenge: Support Me!

So I've decided to enter my project (G-Free in the City) in the Dell Social Innovation Challenge. It's goal to support social innovation in various categories across the globe. I'm competing in the health and food categories with my idea to make life easier for all of us who have to handle a gluten-free special diet on a daily basis. Check it out!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Sprouts "Gluten-Free Jubilee" through Feb. 1st


Gluten-Free Jubilee



Sprouts has built a loyal following of customers who seek gluten-free products – 
either because they or their family members suffer from Celiac Disease or other 
wheat-related allergies, or because they have joined the growing legion of 
people who simply believe that a diet with fewer gluten products is better. And 
for all of you, we offer our big gluten-free sale January 18-February 1, with 
25% off of more than 3,000 marked products throughout the store.




Long ago, we began tagging gluten-free products on our shelves. This is harder 
than it sounds. Some manufacturers claim that their products are gluten-free, 
and may even state that on their packaging. But the proof, as they say, is in the 
(wheat-free) pudding. Our buyers go one step further, and will not mark a 
product with a gluten-free tag unless the ingredient list meets our standards and
the facilities used to produce the products are specifically set up for gluten-free 
conditions.




Conversely, there are many products around the store that are gluten-free – 
they simply aren’t packaged in such a way that allows them to make that claim. 
This is especially true of many fresh foods.




That’s why the Gluten-Free Jubilee is such an important event. It’s a great 
opportunity for you to learn more about the ever-expanding supply of gluten-free 
products, and to save a few “wheaties” along the way.




Also be sure to check out our online Gluten-Free Guide (.pdf file).


Sprouts Locations - HERE




Gluten Free Guide Cover

Monday, January 16, 2012

Celiac.com: Higher Depression Risk in Women with Celiac Disease

This article was featured in my Celiac.com e-newsletter and I thought it was one worth sharing with all of my readers because it is a legitimate concern linked to the disease that many don't discuss. Enjoy...


Higher Depression Risk in Women with Celiac Disease

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Best year yet for gluten-free...and for the g-free me

With each new year we sit down and reflect, while also thinking about what we hope to accomplish in the year to come. In 2011 I was able to grow my blog and Twitter followers, start writing a book about my experiences coping with Celiac and begin the process of creating the company G-Free in the City. With all of these things underway I have a lot to finish up and move forward with in 2012.

Although it is a lofty goal, I do hope to finish up my e-book and self-publish by the end of the year. If you are thinking...how is Jaime going to write a book...I'm asking myself the same question! I'll figure it out though with some help from friends and support from my own gluten-free community.

On top of that I really hope to get an internship in the industry so I can learn from others who have worked with food and nutrition in the "real world". That process has already begun and let's just cross our fingers that I get a great position with inspiring individuals.

As far as my gluten-free challenges and troubles, my goal this year is to continue to share my stories and share with others to learn how they get through each day. I've learned so much from those I follow on Twitter and through the websites and blogs that I read, and I'm so thankful for how tight-knit the Celiac community really is.

Finally, I will try to cook more. If you know me this is probably the hardest of all to accomplish!

Not only am I setting goals for this year, but so are Celiac patients nationwide. We are all pushing for the FDA to finally pass some gluten-free labeling regulations (hopefully in Q3) and for even more manufacturers to realize that this market is not only here to stay but growing every year. The steps the medical community has taken this year are making it easier to diagnose and pinpoint gluten sensitivities and for that I want to support them in anyway possible. All that is related to gluten sensitivities is growing at a pace unseen since the beginning of the vegetarian craze, so jump on board!

Happy New Year!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Favorite G-Free Video Clips!

Okay, so you come across some interesting clips on the internet...YouTube, Facebook, who knows. So, I wanted to share some of my favorite gluten-free video clips, both serious and silly. Enjoy!

Reading Gluten-Free Labels:


First gluten-free commercial I've ever seen in mass media, go General Mills!


Adam Carolla Rant on Dieting and Gluten-Free:


Top 5 Tips for Gluten-Free Kids:


Haha...Sex and the Celiac:



Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Health Magazine: Gluten in cosmetics may pose hidden threat to Celiac patients

Found this article on CNN from Health magazine, very interesting information. Why wouldn't they use similar fillers and ingredients in make-up as some foods? I guess when you really think about it, it makes sense. I use MAC and haven't had any problems, but Neutrogena oil-free face wash gave me terrible itchiness and sneezing when I used it so I switched to Oil of Olay and haven't had any issues. The problem is that the ingredients aren't as easy to figure out! My rule of thumb is that I buy everything allergen and oil free and then purchase the sensitive formula if there is one...fragrance free detergent and lotions are a must as well. Here is some more information:



Gluten in cosmetics may pose hidden threat to celiac patients

People with celiac disease are accustomed to being on the lookout for gluten in their food, but they should also be aware of the gluten lurking in their cosmetics and toiletries, researchers warned Monday at a national meeting of gastroenterologists in Washington, D.C.
Food labels almost always say whether  a product contains gluten, a type of protein found in wheat, barley, and other grains. But the packaging of body lotions and other beauty products rarely provides that information, even though many such products contain substances derived from grain, says Pia Prakash, M.D., a resident in internal medicine at George Washington University.

"Lipsticks and powders and foundations are probably the ones we worry about most, and you really never see ingredient lists on those products," says Prakash, who helped conduct the research. She and her colleagues surveyed the websites of 10 leading makeup companies, Prakash says, and found that "none actually provided any information on products that contained gluten."
An estimated 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease. When these people consume gluten, their immune system attacks structures (known as villi) that line the small intestine and are crucial for absorbing nutrients from food.
Symptoms can include diarrhea, bloating, weight loss, fatigue, and joint pain. The only way to treat celiac disease is to avoid eating gluten.
At the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, Prakash and her colleagues presented a case report on a 28-year-old woman with celiac disease who had successfully controlled her symptoms for several years by restricting the amount of gluten in her diet.
After starting to use a new body lotion, however, the woman developed an itchy, blistering rash on her arms, as well as abdominal bloating and diarrhea - all of which disappeared once she stopped using the lotion.
Pretty much anyone who's sensitive to gluten could experience a similar reaction, says Marie Borum, M.D., the lead author of the study and a professor of medicine at George Washington University.
Gluten can't be absorbed through the skin, but people may accidentally ingest small quantities of lotion, lipstick, or other products if they have the product on their hands or use it around their mouth.
Health care providers and consumers alike need to be aware of the potential for this type of inadvertent gluten exposure, Borum says. "If you're just focusing on food intake, you may be missing something that's very important and could make a difference in someone's life."
So how can celiac patients avoid hidden gluten in toiletries and cosmetics?
A handful of companies do make gluten-free cosmetics, and consumers can also contact manufacturers directly to find out which of their products contain gluten. (An informal survey of online forums for celiac patients shows that many companies are forthcoming with this information.)
When products do list their ingredients, careful label reading is a must, but simply looking for the word "gluten" isn't sufficient, the researchers say. For instance, the vitamin E found in beauty products may be derived from wheat and contain gluten, even though the label just lists "vitamin E," Borum says.
Copyright Health Magazine 2011

Sunday, October 16, 2011

At Home Food-Testing Kits

At the GFAF Expo and a few times before that I had come across these testing kits that allow someone to test their food for gluten. The idea is great, but it needs a lot of work before it will become mainstream at all. From what I learned the two companies who are developing this technology mainly work with manufacturers and consumer packaged goods companies for help with their product adjustments, etc.

The two brands that I learned about (and spoke to at the Expo) are GlutenTox Home and EZ Gluten. Thus far I don't find a whole lot of advantage to the kits in the way that they are currently functioning, unless you really feel like you must send it with your child for a meal at a friend's house or when you MUST eat out and there is no way of ensuring gluten-free food otherwise.

In my opinion, the main problems with the tests are the price and the complication. I am aware that the steps are easy to follow but there are SO many steps and it takes approximately 10 minutes for the test to process. For example, if I have some cake that a friend says they made gluten-free I would take a piece and put it into a test tube, add liquid, shake it, let it sit and then stick the testing strip in to see if it's over 10ppm (the average for these tests). By the time I've completed all of this everyone else will have eaten, as much as I love good food I would rather stick with something I know is safe and be done with it.

Image of GlutenTox Home - 2-test Trial Size

The second current roadblock is the price. We all know that prices of pharm products get better with time and I have no doubt that will be the case here too. Right now though it's approximately $10-$15/test. For one use that is a LOT in my opinion. I've been really trying to come up with use cases that would warrant these costs and honestly I could verify it only with a traveling situation where the waitstaff didn't speak English and I could NOT get sick (hotel far away, on a bus, etc.).

Despite these drawbacks I love what they are trying to do. The fact that something like this even exists is a move in the right direction for gluten-free food testing and piece of mind for Celiacs. I will be sure to continue following the developments of these companies and others who are working to make life easier for us!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Gluten/Allergen Free Expo Recap

Last weekend I made the trip to Dallas for the GFAF Expo - and it was AMAZING! I have to say too that I haven't been that full in awhile, you can't not try every single gluten-free food on display. For the first time since I was diagnosed I felt totally comfortable talking about Celiac Disease. Being around people who live with it, understand it and care about it was so nice.



I want to thank Kim Koeller (GlutenFree Passport) and Joel Warady (Enjoy Life Foods) especially for sitting down with me to chat about how they got involved in the gluten-free industry and where they think the growth and needs are going. Both have done so much for the industry and I feel very lucky to have met them. I cannot wait to finish school and start working in it myself.

There were so many highlights. I was impressed by many of the foods, especially some of the local items. What does seem to be a trend is that there are many bakeries/bread items as substitutes and not as much in the form of meals. I was able to find the best bread so far from Local Oven that is located in the Dallas area:


Thank goodness that Subway was there as well because I've been so curious about their gluten-free test. Of course I was wondering how they were training the sandwich artists, handling cross contamination, etc. and the head of the effort, Micki Winterburn, was more than willing to chat about it. So far they are in only a couple of markets, including Dallas, and we all cannot wait for a nation-wide release so I'm hoping the test is successful:


Finally, one of the biggest highlights was just talking to so many people about their experiences, symptoms, diagnosis stories and the ways they handle their gluten-free diet. I actually felt lucky because I was one of a few who only has a gluten problem, many others have eggs, soy, nuts and more in addition to being gluten-free. I cannot wait to go next year!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Gluten/Allergen Free Expo: Hit List!

So, in one day I have to hit a vendor fair of over 70 companies that I'm interested in. Because of that I did a lot of research this week to make sure I hit my top interests. I thought I'd share them with you all too in case you have any information or thoughts!



·         Kim Koeller
o   GlutenFree Passport: http://glutenfreepassport.com/
·         Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery - http://www.rudisglutenfree.com/category/blog/gluten-free-events/ Love the outreach
·         San-J – On front page of website: http://www.san-j.com/
·         Schar – great use of technology and web interaction - http://www.schar.com/us/ 
·         Living Without - http://www.livingwithout.com love it, want to learn anything and everything I can about getting involved with them 
·         Enjoy Life 
·         Happy Baby – organic baby food, focus on allergens and keeping them out – this is awesome! http://www.happybabyfood.com/
·         EZ Gluten – definitely…who knows they could be the next big thing – test strips for gluten in food - http://www.ezgluten.com/
·         Lovegrown Foods – http://www.lovegrownfoods.com/blog/ - would love to discuss their expansion plans
·         CrunchMaster – http://crunchmaster.com/health.aspx
·         Udi’s
·         Namaste Foods –  http://www.namastefoods.com/index.html
·         GF Coupons - http://www.gfcoupons.com/  anyone looking to buy them?
·         Allergy Free Foods - http://www.allergyfreefoods.com/index.php/who-we-are/meet-our-staff their CEO Kellie would be a great person to get to know…15 years in marketing and business development
·         Gluten Intolerance Group
·         The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center – what is their main focus? Awareness, testing, FDA? 
·         Natural Grocers - http://www.naturalgrocers.com/ they have a challenge on their hands, what is their marketing and business development strategy for differentiation??
·         Subway – pure curiosity, I would love to know how a non-gluten focused restaurant chain like Subway is going to make the switch
·         Dr. Stephen Wangen – Healthier Without Wheat - http://ibstreatmentcenter.blogspot.com/ Try to see him!!

Friday, September 23, 2011

eHow Article: How to exercise with Celiac

This article was shared with me by a friend and I found it fascinating because I'm an avid exerciser. I definitely ignore instructions #3 and #4 with my love of water sports, running and tennis but I do believe that extra attention must be paid to the level of calcium that I'm taking in. Check it out and realize that this is extreme!! I have to assume that these issues would be most relevant to someone who went un-diagnosed for many many years or is elderly....
http://www.ehow.com/how_4494608_exercise-celiac-disease.html




How to Exercise With Celiac Disease




Celiac disease is a disorder where the immune system is triggered after eating gluten, causing it to attack the lining of the stomach. This can lead to malnutrition, weight gain or weight loss, decrease in bone and muscle strength, an increased risk for osteoporosis, arthritis and muscle soreness. Exercise can help celiac patients greatly if patients are aware of the risks and precautions at all times, before starting a new routine.




Difficulty:
 
Moderately Easy

Instructions

    • 1
      Start exercising with celiac disease by realizing the importance of physical fitness for anyone’s health. By consistently exercising 4 to 5 days per week (doing something you enjoy), you will help your body function and become stronger with celiac disease than if you skipped physical activity altogether.
    • 2
      Increase calcium in the diet. Many people with celiac disease have weakened bones from malnutrition and years of misdiagnoses. Even if your bones and body seem stronger, damage can still be done without your knowledge. So, start taking a gluten-free calcium supplement and eat a variety of vitamin rich foods like kale, spinach and dairy (or soy products if allergic).
    • 3
      Be aware of the dangers of high impact exercise on bone strength, if you're suffering from celiac disease. Consider minimizing exercises like running or high-impact aerobics and switch to gentle walking, Pilate’s or water activities. If forfeiting your running routine is just too hard to bear, than strongly consider visiting a chiropractor or physician on a regular basis for consistent evaluation of bone health.
    • 4
      Watch out for unexpected injuries or broken bones. Celiac disease patients are more likely to harm themselves because of weakened muscle and skeletal systems, so try skipping dangerous sports (like skiing or football) for gentler activities (like swimming). When in doubt, simply wear all of the appropriate protective gear needed if you're participating in any extremely physical activities.
    • 5
      Whether or not you are trying to lose, gain or maintain weight with physical fitness, listen to your body at all times. If you have recently been contaminated with gluten and are still recovering, then let your body rest with some gentle Yoga or stretching. If your bones are brittle and you feel that physical fitness is difficult, then simply try 15 minutes every day instead of pushing yourself too far.


Read more: How to Exercise With Celiac Disease | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4494608_exercise-celiac-disease.html#ixzz1YonYWMEN