The art of blogging

I recently read an article by a Twitter friend who stresses the importance of blogging weekly. I have to admit that I have gotten away from blogging because I am lazy. Using my Twitter account is a great way to share information on a local/global platform with little effort. It is also a great way to 'drive' people to your blog, website, etc. and relieves you from taking/adding photos, adding a personal point of view or alliteration. It is basically a 'sloppy' way for those of us busy people to get the word out.

I have become pretty obsessed with my Twitter account and now spend more time looking for people to follow, checking to see who is following me, checking for Direct Messages and reading what everyone else is writing. This is leaving me with little time to actually 'tweet', which is why I am coming back to my blog.

Even though I don't have a lot of followers, I feel the people who take the time to read my blog share an interest and can actually, possibly learn something from me.

So, I am committed to writing a post a week. I hope those of you who have a blog will consider investing more time in your blog than your Twitter account.

Yeah for Social Media!

When is enough..enough

I have to say that I have been seriously reconsidering the amount of time I spend doing volunteer work. It isn't that I don't enjoy helping people or that I am looking to make money, but it is that I am so tired of complaints.

It seems all I hear lately is complaining and no compliments. People don't seem to be satisfied with me giving, in some cases, 4+ hours a day of my time. No, they want to ask me to take on even more responsibility and add to my work load without pitching in to help.

If it weren't for that handful of people who send me complimentary emails and who go out of there way to say positive things, I definitely would have given it up by now.

My challenge to you is to encourage you to go out and volunteer your time for a worthy cause. October is Celiac Disease Awareness Month and I am sure you can all think of some way to donate your time and or money to help increase awareness and raise research dollars:
* Patronize a local restaurant and encourage them to provide a gluten free menu.

* Wear “Gluten Free” gear (hats, t-shirts). This is a great way to strike up a conversation with a stranger and educate them about the disease.
* Write to your local media (newspapers, local TV stations, etc.). Suggest they run a story about Celiac Disease while you share your story and serve as their interviewee.
* Subscribe to a magazine on the gluten-free diet, like Gluten Free Living, Living Without, or Delightfully Gluten Free
* Start a local blog and share your experiences with the gluten-free diet
* Participate in a local health fair by volunteering your time or showcasing gluten-free services
* Join a local support group: Atlanta Metro Celiacs and Georgia's R.O.C.K. Chapter
* Join the local Atlanta Gluten Free Dinner Group, meet new people, share information on their message board and dine at local restaurants
* Set up a display at a local health food store, library, etc., to promote Celiac Disease awareness.

Before you criticize someone think about what you can be doing to help.

We need regulation in the U.S. NOW....

I just read an article about a bakery in Australia that was fined more than 1,300 for selling a gluten-free cake that was not gluten-free. The owner of the bakery was charged another $660 for not taking the necessary steps to prevent cross contamination.

We can't even get the FDA to define gluten, let alone police the companies that are currently producing questionable gluten-free products. What will it take for the FDA to realize that gluten is poison to people on the gluten-free diet? Despite what some celebrities say about it being a food allergy, our autoimmune disorder is nothing to take lightly and it is insulting to say the least that they (FDA) aren't even interested in helping to regulate this issue.

I have been working as a GF Product Specialist for more than three years and it is quite disturbing to see the number of companies that are jumping on the band wagon by labeling their products gluten free.

I personally research companies to determine their manufacturing practices prior to making a purchasing decision and I highly encourage everyone to do the same. Just because a product is marked gluten-free does not mean that you can 'trust' that is it completely safe. Contact the company directly to learn about how the product is made to see what else is manufactured on the production line and what other raw materials are stored in the manufacturing facilities. Remember that most companies do not own their own production lines, rather they share, so they need to be liable for the safety of the finished product.

Stop taking things at face value and do your own research. You are responsible for what you eat, so you need to your own research to be comfortable with the safety of what you eat. Remember there are many foods that are naturally gluten free, so you don't have to invest in all of the processed products.

Hopefully we can get our act together in the US soon and catch up with the system adopted by Europe that has been working for more than 30 years.

What's Next...gluten free ice?

I have to say that I am amazed at all of the products that are being labeled gluten free these days. Most people thought the new labeling law and the upcoming definition of gluten-free by the FDA would have the exact opposite effect. I recently saw it on a jar of peanut butter and a box of tea bags. What's next..gluten-free ice?

While it is important to read labels on product to check their gluten-free status, I feel some companies are going a little overboard. The gluten-free status should be reserved for products that are being tested in a professional lab to ensure there is less than 20 parts per million of gluten; however, more and more companies are just slapping the label on their products without doing any testing. These are the companies that should label their products 'made with gluten-free ingredients'.

This over aggressive labeling is leading to confusion and many questions from consumers. Some people really don't know the difference between a product that has been tested and one that has not, so they believe the products are 'safer' if they contain "Gluten Free" on the packaging. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case.

I would ask that as a manufacturer you are proactive and make sure your products are actually in compliance with the proposed 20 parts per million requirement being established by the FDA. People who follow the gluten-free diet are very loyal consumers, so show us how trustworthy you are and we will be a consumer for life.

Being gluten intolerant/sensitive is not a choice, it is a required life style change that we will be with us forever. Make sure you are not 'poisoning' us and work to keep your products safe.

What's with all the Whining?

I haven't posted anything in a while because I have started writing for Examiner.com as their Gwinnett Gluten Free Food Examiner. There are a number of people writing about living gluten free. The vast majority of them are writing about positive experiences and encouraging people to support their local restaurants, grocery stores, etc.

Then there are the ones who are constantly whining about how things aren't good enough and we need to demand more. Some even think we are being treated as second-class citizens. What is wrong with these people? When I was diagnosed more than 12 years ago, I had a hard time just finding groceries. Eating out was just something I didn't do for fear of the unknown. I didn't know how to order properly and I just didn't want to risk a problem, so I learned how to cook for myself and spent my entire weekend cooking and packing lunches.

This is a great time to be on the gluten-free diet. Take time out to support those local companies who are stocking gluten-free products, providing gluten-free meals and teaching gluten-free cooking classes and be happy that people know, understand and are able to accommodate the gluten-free diet.

Be positive. It can only get better!

Local Dieticians who specialize in the GF Diet

When I was first diagnosed, I was sent to a dietitian. Back 12 years ago, dietitians really knew relatively little about following the gluten free diet. My dietitian gave me a hand out that had four or five recipes on it and told me not to eat gluten. When I asked her to define gluten, she stumbled a bit and then handed me more pieces of paper with information on gluten. Unfortunately, the information contained on these pages was far from complete and made my first grocery shopping trip a very emotional and frustrating ordeal.

I have since found there are a number of local dietitians who are very capable of helping patients navigate the gluten free diet. I really think it is important to work with a dietitian to learn about not only eating gluten free, but how to eat healthful foods. There are a number of prepared GF products do not contain fiber and/or protein.

I am listing our local dietitians below:

Bailey Koch, RD, LD, CNSD
CCDHC
993-D Johnson Ferry Rd., NE, Suite 440
Atlanta, GA 30342
404-257-0799

Danielle Devenie, Certified Nutritional Consultant and Lifestyle Counselor
Body and Soul Nutrition
770-827-7574
daniellecnc@gmail.com

Amy Roark, RD, LD, CDE
1240 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Suite 500
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-536-9864

Bernadette Saviano
404-531-0900

Carren Sellers, MMSc, RD, LD, CDE
404-583-6600

Julie Taube, MS, RD. LD, HFI
750 Hammond Drive
Building, 7, Suite 350
Atlanta, GA 30328
404-257-9001
Julie321@yahoo.com

Julia Turner, MMSc, RD, LD
2000 Iron Mountain Road
Canton, GA 30115
770-310-5692
Julia@smo-usa.com

Naturally Gluten Free Foods

I just worked with a customer at Return to Eden over the weekend who brought in her 16-year-old son who was diagnosed a week ago. She is going to have the whole family eat gluten free and she was struggling with what she could feed everyone. I realized she thought she needed to buy prepared gluten free products to be able to accommodate everyone.

It is quite easy to find and prepare naturally gluten free products. Many foods are naturally gluten free:
o Plain, unbreaded, unmarinated meats (beef, pork, ham and canned tuna), fish and poultry
o Vegetables and Fruits
o Legumes (beans and nuts)
o Dairy Products and Eggs

I rarely eat gluten free bread any more and have found that I really enjoy tuna fish rolled inside of a lettuce leaf, a hard boiled egg and some bean salad for lunch. Breakfast usually consists of scrambled eggs, bacon and fresh fruit. I do like to make baked fish with potatoes and broccoli for dinner. I am listing some food options that are naturally gluten free below:

Breakfast Ideas:
o Scrambled Eggs, Omelets, Poached Eggs
o Fresh Fruit, Yogurt
o Bacon or Sausage

Lunch Ideas:
o Tuna fish or chicken salad rolled in lettuce
o Salad topped with grilled meat with hard boiled eggs, cheese and bacon

Snack Ideas:
o Cheese and nuts
o Raw Veggies and dip
o Apples with peanut butter or Celery filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins (ants on a log)

Dinner Ideas:
o Baked fish, chicken, pork chops
o Potatoes (mashed, baked, fried), Rice, Quinoa
o Fresh vegetables

Lean to think outside of the box when it comes to naturally gluten free foods. It will save you time and money in the grocery store and it will teach your other family members about safe, gluten free options.

I pulled the photo below from a blog on the Internet. This person provided a diagram of a grocery store to help everyone shop for naturally gluten free products. I can't remember who authored this diagram, so I hope they will forgive me for not attributing proper credit.