Black Friday NoGii Bars Deal!

Elisabeth Hasselbeck's gluten-free journey started in Australia while on the reality show "Survivor." While the rest of the cast was getting weaker and feeling worse on a limited diet, Elisabeth was feeling better the longer she was there. She found out later that she has celiac disease, so a diet of only rice and fish was actually helping to heal her gut.

Since her diagnosis, Elisabeth has been the golden girl of gluten-free eating, writing two bestsellers on the subject and starting a brand of protein bars and powder. NoGii bars and protein powder are a smart and delicious way to get your protein on the the go, without worrying that you're ingesting gluten. And because she wants to take care of people with celiac disease and others who can't consume gluten, she's offering us a Black Friday special.

What's So Bad About Celiac Disease?

What's So Bad about Celiac Disease?

To the (woefully) uninformed, Celiac Disease is an eating disorder, fad or a way to drop a few pounds.  For those of us who have it, however, it can mean years of misdiagnosis and pain.

Have you ever had a version of this conversation in a restaurant?
You: Does this entree have gluten?
Server: I don't know. Does it matter?
You: Well, yes. Can you check with the chef?
Server: I'm pretty sure it's gluten-free.
You: Well, can you make sure, please?
Server: I guess. What's the worst that can happen? Aren't you just allergic? Can't you just take a Benadryl?

Just an allergy. We Celiacs love that. And malignant melanoma is just a skin condition.

But, going back - our brilliant server asked what was the worst that could happen. Well, here's a list, Buddy:

• abdominal pain 
• diarrhea, sometimes debilitating 
• embarrassing gas 
• painful mouth sores and skin rashes 
• incapacitating fatigue 
• bone and/or joint pain 
• headaches, sometimes migraine 
• "brain fog" 
• depression and/or anxiety 
• tingling and/or numbness of the extremities 
• seizures 
• missed menstrual periods 
• mood changes 

If Celiac Disease is undiagnosed, or if one continues to ingest gluten after diagnosis (even just a tiny little bit) the consequences can be serious. Long-term, CD patients may have certain cancers in their future, such as Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and small intestine cancers. Celiac Disease can leave patients susceptible to certain conditions, such as: osteopenia/osteoporosis; dental issues, like enamel and structure defects; infertility and/or miscarriage; birth defects; anemia; failure to thrive (children.)

People who have Celiac Disease have higher rates of other autoimmune disorders, especially: Thyroid disease

• Type 1 Diabetes 
• Lupus 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis 
• Sjogren's syndrome 
• Psoriasis 

So obviously, there's nothing here that a Benadryl is going to fix. People with Celiac Disease have to be diligent about what goes in their mouths, especially when dealing with the under-informed public. I'm sure you know your body, and your CD, better than anyone. If you don't feel like you can trust a restaurant, don't eat there! You don't have to make a scene, but a follow-up phone call may go a long way to helping that place get with the program in the future.

Interested in learning more about Celiac Disease and what it does to you, physically and mentally? Check out these articles:
Allergic Living: Celiac Disease's Toll on Your Teeth 
NFCA: Celiac Disease Related Conditions
Celiac.com: Malignancies in Celiac
Celiac Disease Foundation: "Brain Fog" 
NIH: Celiac Disease and Reproductive Problems

Just for fun: What's the most ridiculous thing you've heard when ordering at a restaurant, regarding your desire for Gluten-Free food? Comment below and we can all roll our eyes together. :)

Gluten-free Jules: We're here for you!

If you know me, or my blog, at all, you know that one of my all-time favorite [gluten-free] people is Jules Shepard. Jules' was the first gluten-free flour mix I used, and I still use it today.  We met in person at an NFCA event in Philly over a piece of her incredible chocolate cake and, as far as I was concerned, I had a friend for life. So when I heard Jules was leaving her company I kind of freaked out a little. 

After some soothing communication from Jules and reading the blogs of some GFers I trust, I feel much better now, thank you. 

For those of you who don't know what's going on, or were waiting for the abridged version, here's the facts, Jack:

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

First of all, about Jules: Jules Shepard was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 1999. She conceived of and created a gluten-free flour that produced delicious baked goods, without the typically (up to that point) gritty, cardboard-like texture and non-flavor of most GF flours. She has written three important books on celiac disease and living gluten-free and is an unflagging supporter of the gluten-free community. In fact, when the new FDA GF labeling goes into effect this summer, guess who we have to thank? (Hint: That's her adorable face, above.)

What happened? Management disagreements. (To say the least!) Jules brought on partners to help run the business end of things in 2008, when her company really started taking off.  According to Gluten Dude's site: "The relationship with her partners eventually became hurtful and contentious, with her partners eventually no longer paying Jules for her work, locking her out of their communications program, preventing her from sending out her weekly recipe e-newsletter, denying her administrative access to her blog, and cancelling flour orders Jules had placed to make her wedding cake next month, among other things." Um...what? That is NOT how we do things in the GF world! Jules resigned and immediately began work on a new company. Then the "partners" did a bunch of other real nasty stuff (check out Gluten Dude for the sordid details. It's bad. Real bad.) and now Jules is scrambling to start all over again. From scratch.

Now what?  The new website is gfjules.com, where you can purchase her flour blends and mixes (whose formulations have never changed, by the way,) sporting a new name and logo. (Jules tried to get the "partners" to stop using her cute little likeness, but they won't.)

Want to help?  Me too. Here's what to do. First of all, if you were a subscriber to the old website (julesglutenfree.com) when Jules was at the helm, please go unsubscribe now. And obviously, don't buy anything from them.

Check out the new site, gfjules.com, and subscribe. Then you'll know the minute stuff happens. Since Jules is actively working on it, there's always something new.

If at all possible, support Jules. She's spending a gazillion dollars defending herself against these guys, plus trying to get her new business off the ground. There are some great ideas on the site for ways to help.  

Because that's what the gluten-free community is all about (besides eating GF): helping each other. Jules has been there for all of us for the past several years; I know we can pull together and help her through this difficult time.

Thanks GF friends.

You rock.

Gluten-Free in the News

You don't have time to keep up with the latest in GF news? I understand. Here's a little wrap-up for you.


Gluten-Free Olympians in the 2014 Winter Olympics
Fellow Examiner Jennifer Harris gives a great summary of all the GF athletes competing at the Olympics this winter.

Olympic Rings at Sochi 2014

Quicker Blood Test for Diagnosing Celiac Disease
Scientists may have come up with a quicker, easier way to diagnose CD, which doesn't involve snipping into the small intestine. Score!

Unmanaged Celiac Disease = Increased Risk for Hip Fracture 
Yet another reason not to "cheat" on your gluten-free diet.

9 Things You Should Know Before Going Gluten-Free
The Huffington Post gets in on the action, mostly warning away faddists. There is some useful info here.

Gluten-Free Celebrity News: Scandal's Dan Bucatinsky
A celebrity living with Celiac Disease.