Gluten Free in the City

Betty Crocker GLUTEN FREE cakes, cookies & brownie mixes in stores now!

2009-07-24T03:16:00.000-07:00

Holly crap! You mean to tell me I dont have to pay $8 to $12 for gluten free baking mixes & have to go to a special store for them anymore?!?! AND my friend and family can find it easily in the grocery store so they dont try to poison you trying their best to make you a gluten free surprise b day cake!?!?! YaY!

You know what this means. It means more and more people are going to know about our disease so we dont get "the look" when we speak up about it in public. I HATE "the look" and the step back, like I am contaminated. haha.

here is the link for the proof! http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gluten-free you can also check which stores in your area already carry the new line of products. For me here in LAS VEGAS it looks like all the SMITHS stores have all of the mixes. SMITHS also has an entire gluten free area (in most the smiths stores).

Happy Baking! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Sophia
ps. This comes right in time for my diet. greeeeeeeeeeat. I will have to wait a while to try these, so go buy em, and make some and take and post pics so i can see all the yummy gluten free goodness.

Matching necklace! Celiac Awareness Necklace

2009-05-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

I was up late & made the matching necklace to the bracelets. If you like my Jewelry you can order online at http://www.glutenfreeshampoo.com/page/340918205

If the link doesnt work, just type in www.glutenfreeshampoo.com and click on celiac awareness jewelry.

Have a great day!

Sophia

Celiac Awareness bracelets!

2009-05-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I made some really pretty Celiac Awareness bracelets. What do you think?

GLUTEN FREE FOOD from the GLUTEN FREE MALL

2009-04-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

If you are going to buy your Gluten Free Food from the Gluten Free Mall like I do, then please click on this banner to get to the site. It helps me & doesnt hurt you at all. :) Have a great GLUTEN FREE day!

Sophia

Biocard at home Celiac disease test kit

2009-04-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

A step forward!

Coming soon to America (and to our website at www.GlutenFreeShampoo.com) is the Biocard Celiac disease at home test kit! How exciting!

They have not yet gotten approval in the USA but plan to within the year! I have spoken to the makers of the kit & they have agreed to let me sell thier home test kits on my site. So keep checking back & make sure to sign up for my newsletter so you will be the first to know when they arrive!

Here is a bit of info in the kit.

Biocard™ Celiac Test is a home test for the detection of Celiac disease associated IgA antibodies to transglutaminase from a fingertip blood sample. Biocard™ Celiac Test can be used as an aid in the diagnosis of Celiac disease, but the final diagnosis must be confirmed by a medical doctor.

The Celiac blood test requires only 1 drop of blood from the fingertip, and it can be carried out and evaluated in under 10 minutes. The sampling is practically painless.

Glutino GF Veggie crackers = Yummy!

2009-03-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

These crackers are soooooooooo yummy! I had tried the plain crackers by Glutino & they were ok but the Veggie flavor is great! They should change the name of the Veggie crackers to Pizza flavor because that is what they really taste like. If you put some cheese on them and microwave them for like 10 to 15 seconds, they come out like mini crispy pizzas! You can really taste the tomato & basil in them.

I got them from Whole foods & they have all 4 flavors too. I would check them out if I were you.

Sophia

Moved on up to the south side! (of the LV strip that is)

2009-03-04T16:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, sorry I havn't posted in a while. I was busy packing & moving into my new place. It's way bigger & more comfortable with a HUGE kitchen for me to make all my Gluten Free Goodies in! Yay!

I will post again really soon.

bye for now!

Sophia

Fresh & Easy Turkey burgers, NOT Gluten Free!

2009-02-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

Warning: The Turkey burger patties from Fresh & Easy are NOT Gluten free!

I went to Fresh & Easy last Sunday to pick up a few things as I was on my way to my friends house to watch the Super Bowl. She was having a BBQ & I did not want to get sick, so I figured I would bring my own food. I was so careful as not to cross contaminate that I even cooked my food in my own pan. Later that night I started feeling bad & the next morning was even worse. I got really sick & couldn't figure out why.

A few days past & I went back to Fresh & Easy to get some veggies & Chicken to make some soup. While I was in the meat section I saw the turkey burgers I had a few days before. For some reason I picked them up and looked on the back for the ingredients which I assumed would just say ground turkey meat. I was SHOCKED to see that there was WHEAT CEREAL mixed in with the turkey burger!

Now I know being a Celiac we are supposed to read EVERY LABEL but I assumed raw meat, veggies, & fruit would be safe. I could see if the package was labeled "seasoned turkey burger" or something to that effect, but it wasn't. It just said "ground turkey patties". Also I could see no seasonings or anything that would catch my attention to make me think to read the back.

I told two of the staff members that were working about this and they both looked at me like I was from Mars. They both just looked at each other and told me, "well if you know you have a food allergy its up to you to make sure you don't buy anything with the allergen in it" basically blaming me for being dumb. I told them that it was only logical for me to assume raw meat wouldn't have WHEAT CEREAL mixed in with it & also asked them if I should be expected to read the back of a package of fresh chicken breasts as well? They both kind of gave me a look and just waled away.

I was upset but continued to shop because I wanted to make my soup. Just then a friend called me on the phone & I was telling her all about what just happened. When I got off the phone, a woman came up to me & told me she overheard my conversation & was very sorry about the turkey burger & the rudeness of the staff. It turns out she was the manager of the store. She told me that she totally understands my situation as she has food allergies as well. She herself was shocked to find out that the turkey burger had wheat in it. She told me to wait where I was while she refunded me my money for the item.

While I was happy that I found someone who understood my situation & also refunded the cost of the item, I was still upset about the unclear labeling. This is why I wanted to let you all know about it. Not so much to come down on Fresh & Easy because I still love that store, just to let you all know that you really do need to read EVERYTHING even if its a block of cheese or a slab of meat. You never know what they put in things these days!

Fresh & Easy

2009-02-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

Have you been to a Fresh & Easy yet? It seems they are popping up everywhere! That is great news because they have the freshest fruits & veggies I have ever had & at great prices!

Yesterday I went into Fresh & Easy to get some turkey burgers to grill for supper bowl & found great deals everywhere!

My favorite Glutino Gluten Free crackers were on sale that day for only $2 a box! Regular price is usually anywhere from $4.99-$6.99 a box for their 4.4oz size. So I got 4 boxes! You know how expensive gluten free food can be, so you have to snap up those deals whenever you can!

Next I headed for the freezer to check out the price on my all time favorite gluten free food which is Amy's organic (Gluten free) cheese enchiladas. Not only did they have them, but they were even lower then the ones I found at walmart the week before!

They were ONLY $2.99 EACH! WOW! Not even 4 weeks ago I was paying almost $5 each for these at Whole foods! My advice.....don't shop at whole foods if you can avoid it. They overcharge for everything. In my opinion they charge way more then they need to.

To find a Fresh & Easy near you, just look to the google ads along the side of my blog. They are usually the top sponsor. Please click thru the links on this blog to help keep it & me going! Don't forget to sing up to follow this blog & tell your friends!

Have a great Gluten Free day!

Sophia A. Smukalla

Complete overview of Celiac Disease

2009-01-30T18:44:00.000-08:00

	American C.D. Alliance
	Celiac Disease info from American Celiac Disease Alliance Celiac Disease Celiac disease has been known by many different names in the medical literature over the years, including gluten-sensitive enteropathy and celiac sprue (to differentiate it from tropical sprue). CELIAC DISEASE can be defined as a permanent intolerance to the gliadin fraction of wheat protein and related alcohol-soluble proteins (called prolamines) found in rye and barley. CELIAC DISEASE occurs in genetically susceptible individuals who eat these proteins, leading to an autoimmune disease, where the body’s immune system starts attacking normal tissue. This condition continues as long as these food products are in the diet. The resulting inflammation and atrophy of the intestinal villi (small, finger-like projections in the small intestine) results in the malabsorption of critical vitamins, minerals, and calories. Signs and symptoms of the disease classically include diarrhea, short stature, iron-deficiency anemia and lactose intolerance. However, many patients will also present with “non-classical” symptoms, such as abdominal pain, “irritable bowel”, and osteoporosis. Patients may also be screened for celiac disease because of the presence of another autoimmune disease, such as type I diabetes or thyroid disease, or a family history of celiac disease, without having any obvious symptoms. Serum antibodies can be utilized to screen for celiac disease. However, the key to confirming the diagnosis remains a small intestinal biopsy, and the patient’s subsequent clinical response to a gluten-free diet. Clinicians in the United States must maintain a high index of suspicion for this disease, as it is significantly under-diagnosed in this country. What is a wheat allergy? People can also have other medical problems, besides celiac disease, when they eat wheat and related proteins. Wheat allergy is one of the top 8 food allergies in the United States. Allergic reactions after eating wheat may include reactions in the skin, mouth, lungs, and even the GI tract. Symptoms of wheat allergy can include rash, wheezing, lip swelling, abdominal pain and diarrhea. The branch of the immune system activated in allergic reactions is different from the branch thought to be responsible for the autoimmune reactions of celiac disease. What is gluten intolerance? People can also experience’ intolerance’ to gluten. Food intolerances are not thought to be immune mediated. GI symptoms with wheat or gluten intolerance may include gassiness, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and diarrhea. These symptoms are usually transient, and are thought NOT cause permanent damage. Patients with lactose intolerance, where the lactose sugar in diary products is not digested well, may also experience gassiness, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and diarrhea. Like gluten or wheat intolerance, these symptoms will pass once the lactose is out of the person's system, and will not cause permanent damage. Why is it important to know if you have celiac disease, versus wheat allergy or gluten intolerance? Celiac disease, wheat allergy and gluten-intolerance are treated similarly, in that patients with these conditions must remove wheat from their diet. It is important to note, however, that there is a difference between these three medical problems. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition, where the body's immune system starts attacking normal tissue, such as intestinal tissue, in response to eating gluten. Because of this, people with celiac disease are at risk for malabsorption of food in the GI tract, causing nutritional deficiencies. This can lead to conditions such as iron deficiency anemia and osteoporosis. Since a person with wheat allergy or gluten-intolerance usually does not have severe intestinal damage, he or she is not at risk for these nutritional deficiencies. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition, putting the patient at risk for other autoimmune conditions, such as thyroid disease, type I diabetes, joint diseases and liver diseases. Since wheat allergy and gluten intolerance are not autoimmune conditions, people who have food allergies and intolerances are not at increased risk to develop an autoimmune condition over the general population's risk. And finally, celiac disease involves the activation of a particular type of white blood cell, the T lymphocyte, as well as other parts of the immune system. Because of this, patients with celiac disease are at increased risk to develop GI cancers, in particular lymphomas. Because food allergies and intolerances do not involve this particular immune system pathway, and do not cause severe GI tract damage, these patients are not at increased risk for these cancers. Thus, while celiac disease, wheat allergy, and gluten-intolerance may be treated with similar diets, they are not the same conditions. It is very important for a person to know which condition they have, as the person with celiac disease needs to monitor himself or herself for nutritional deficiencies, other autoimmune diseases, and GI cancers. In general, the symptoms from food allergies and intolerances resolve when the offending foods are removed from the diet and do not cause permanent organ damage. Diagnosing Celiac Disease What are the appropriate screening tests for celiac disease? The tests of choice are antibody measurements in the blood, ideally performed before the patient has removed gluten from the diet. However, patients and physicians must remember that no screening test is perfect, and that the keys to confirming the diagnosis of CELIAC DISEASE remain a small intestinal biopsy combined with the patient’s subsequent clinical response to a gluten-free diet. Thus, a patient (especially a young child) with symptoms of CELIAC DISEASE should have a small bowel biopsy, even if the antibodies are not highly suggestive. What are the different antibody tests available? Can there be errors in testing? The blood tests can be divided into 2 different types of antibodies: those which are “anti-gluten”, and those that “anti-self”. The “anti-gluten” antibodies are the anti-gliadin IgG and IgA. Ig stands for “immunoglobulin” or “antibody”. The “anti-self” antibodies are anti-endomysial IgA and anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA. The tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody is often abbreviated as “tTG”. Each antibody test varies widely in its sensitivity and specificity for predicting whether the disease is present in any individual. It must be remembered that NO test in medicine is correct 100% of the time in each person! There are also several conditions which may yield false negative antibody results. A false negative means that the patient actually has the disease, but the test result is negative. One of the conditions that may give a false negative result is Immunoglobulin A or IgA deficiency. If a patient has a low total IgA level, the antibodies may be falsely low. This is why I always recommend that a patient have a total IgA level drawn at the same time the antibody testing is done. Young children may not make the some of the “anti-self” antibodies, as it takes a somewhat mature immune system to make them. So in a young child, antiendomysial antibody, or the TTG antibody, can have false negative results. An inexperienced lab can misread the anti-endomysial IgA test, which requires someone to read a slide through a special microscope. It is possible that a celiac patient could have a positive antibody test at one lab, and a negative test at another. This is because different labs may use different commercial test kits, which vary in their sensitivity and specificity. And lastly, a person has to be ingesting gluten at the time the antibodies are drawn. A gluten-free diet will make the antibody tests negative. Let’s discuss the different antibodies and what the strengths and weaknesses are for each. Antigliadin antibodies The antigliadin antibodies IgG and IgA recognize a small piece of the gluten protein called gliadin. These antibodies became available during the late 1970’s and were the first step towards recognizing CELIAC DISEASE as an autoimmune disorder. Antigliadin IgG has good sensitivity, while antigliadin IgA has good specificity, and therefore their combined use provided the first reliable screening test for CELIAC DISEASE. Unfortunately, many normal individuals without CELIAC DISEASE will have an elevated antigliadin IgG, causing much confusion among physicians. The antigliadin IgG is useful in screening individuals who are IgA deficient, as the other antibodies used for routine screening are usually of the IgA class. It is thought that 0.2-0.4% of the general population has selective IgA deficiency, while 2 to 3% or more of celiacs are IgA deficient. If a patient’s celiac panel is only positive for antigliadin IgG, this is not highly suggestive for CELIAC DISEASE if the patient has a normal total IgA level, corrected for age. Younger children make less IgA than older children and adults. A markedly elevated antigliadin IgG, such as greater than three to four times the upper limit of normal for that lab, is highly suggestive of a condition where the gut is leakier to gluten. This can happen in food allergies, cystic fibrosis, parasitic infections, Crohn’s disease, and other types of autoimmune GI diseases. These antibodies may also be slightly elevated in individuals with no obvious disease. A strength of the antigliadin antibodies is that they are ELISA tests. ELISA is an abbreviation for “enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay”. This is a rapid immunochemical test that involves an enzyme, which a protein that causes a biochemical reaction. An ELISA test also involves an antibody or antigen. ELISA tests are utilized to detect substances that have antigenic properties, primarily proteins, such as gliadin. The importance of an ELISA test is that is it rapid, inexpensive, and run by a machine. Thus the results are independent of observer variability. The TTG test is also an ELISA test. This is in contrast to the antiendomysial IgA, where a slide has to be made, and a person has to look at it through a microscope. These are more prone to human error. Antiendomysium antibodies The antiendomysial IgA antibody is an excellent screening test for CELIAC DISEASE, with both a high sensitivity and specificity. It is considered the gold standard of antibodies. However, the subjective nature of this test (someone still needs to look at the slide under a microscope) may lead to false negative values and unacceptable variability between laboratories. This antibody was discovered in the early 1980’s, and rapidly gained use as part of a screening “celiac panel” by commercial labs in combination with antigliadin IgG and IgA. Its major drawbacks are that it may be falsely negative in young children, in patients with IgA deficiency and a lesser degree of villous atrophy, and in the hands of an inexperienced laboratory. Tissue transglutaminase antibodies or TTG Since tTG had been first described as the autoantigen of celiac disease in 1997, it has been utilized to develop innovative diagnostic tools. The tTG IgA ELISA test is highly sensitive and specific. The tTG assay correlates well with EMA-IgA and biopsy. However, it represents an improvement over the antiendomysial antibody assay because it inexpensive, rapid, is not a subjective test, and can be performed on a single drop of blood using a dot-blot technique. One negative aspect of the TTG antibody is that it can be falsely positive in a patient who has another autoimmune condition. TTG false positivity has been described in patients with both type I diabetes and autoimmune hepatitis. Theoretically, it can also be falsely positive in other autoimmune disease. Treatment Celiac Disease (CD) is a life-long digestive disorder found in individuals who are genetically susceptible. Damage to the small intestine is caused by an immunologically toxic reaction to the ingestion of gluten. This does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods may affect those with celiac disease and cause health problems. Damage can occur to the small bowel even in the absence of symptoms. This is a a simple overview of the Gluten-Free (GF) diet. Not all areas of the diet are as clear-cut as portrayed by this Guide. This is intended to be used as a safe and temporary survival tool until the newly diagnosed celiac obtains additional information. Understanding these dietary requirements will enable the newly diagnosed to read labels of food products and determine if a product is GF. Gluten is the generic name for certain types of proteins contained in the common cereal grains wheat, barley, rye and their derivatives. ALLOWED Grains/Flours Rice, corn (maize), soy, potato, tapioca, beans, garfava, sorghum, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, arrowroot, amaranth, teff, Montina®, flax, and nut flours. NOT ALLOWED in any form Wheat (enkorn, durum, faro, graham, kamut, semolina, spelt), rye, barley and triticale. Frequently overlooked foods that may contain gluten and need to be verified: Breading, Coating mixes, Panko Brown rice syrup Croutons Energy Bars Flour or cereal products Imitation bacon Imitation seafood Marinades Pastas Processed luncheon meats Sauces, gravies Self-basting poultry Soy Sauce or soy sauce solids Soup bases Stuffings, Dressing Thickeners (Roux) Communion wafers Herbal supplements Nutritional supplements Vitamins & mineral supplements Prescription Drugs Over-the-counter medications Play-doh: a potential problem if hands are put on or in the mouth while playing with play-doh. Hands should be washed immediately after use. Distilled alcoholic beverages and vinegars are gluten-free. Distilled products do not contain any harmful gluten peptides. Research indicates that the gluten peptide is too large to carry over in the distillation process. This leaves the resultant liquid gluten-free. Wines are gluten-free. Beers, ales, lagers, and malt vinegar are made from gluten-containing grains and are not distilled, therefore they are not gluten-free. IF IN DOUBT -- GO WITHOUT! When unable to verify ingredients or the ingredient list is unavailable DO NOT EAT IT. Regardless of the amount eaten, it is not worth triggering your immune system and the damage to the small intestine that occurs every time gluten is consumed, whether symptoms are present or not. A person with celiac disease may have additional food sensitivity not related to gluten. WHEAT FREE IS NOT GLUTEN-FREE Products labeled Wheat-Free are not necessarily gluten-free. They may still contain rye or barley-based ingredients that are not GF. Spelt is a form of wheat and is not acceptable on a gluten-free diet. Contamination in Food Preparation When preparing gluten-free foods they must not come in contact with food containing gluten. Contamination can occur if foods are prepared on common surfaces, or with utensils that are not thoroughly cleaned after preparing gluten-containing foods. Using a common toaster for GF bread and regular bread is a major source of contamination. Flour sifters should not be shared with gluten-containing flours. Deep fried foods cooked in oil shared with breaded products should not be consumed. Spreadable condiments in shared containers may also be a source of contamination. When a person dips into a condiment a second time, with the knife (used for spreading), the condiment becomes contaminated with crumbs (e.g. mustard, mayonnaise, jam, peanut butter, and margarine). Wheat flour can stay airborne for many hours in a bakery (or at home) and contaminate exposed preparation surfaces and utensils or uncovered gluten-free products. Likewise, foods not produced in a gluten-free environment have the potential to be contaminated with gluten. This may occur when machinery or equipment is inadequately cleaned after producing gluten-containing foods. Food manufacturers are required to abide by Good Manufacturing Practices outlined in the FDA’s Code of Federal Regulations, to reduce the risk of contamination in manufacturing. Let common sense be your guide. Not All Adverse Reactions Are Due to Celiac Disease Lactose intolerance, food sensitivities or allergies to soy, corn, other foods or even the stomach flu, are common causes of symptoms similar to celiac disease. Newly diagnosed celiacs may have trouble digesting certain foods, especially fatty ones, until the small intestine has had a chance to heal and start absorbing normally. If necessary, keep a diary of foods eaten. Read labels, remember what you ate, and listen to your body. Like anything new, it takes time to adjust to the GF diet. It is natural to mourn old food habits for a short time. Stay focused on all the foods you CAN eat. Fresh fruits and vegetables are delicious and healthy. Fresh poultry, fish, meat and legumes provide protein and are naturally GF. Most dairy foods can also be enjoyed providing you are not lactose intolerant. GF substitutes for foods commonly made with wheat are available at health food stores and from GF food manufacturers. Try GF waffles for breakfast; a sandwich on GF bread for lunch; and rice, corn or quinoa pasta for dinner. Your new way of eating is very satisfying! The GF diet is a life-long commitment and should not be started before being properly diagnosed with CD/DH. Starting the diet without complete testing is not recommended and makes diagnosis difficult. Tests to confirm CD could be inaccurate if a person were on a GF diet for a long period of time. For a valid diagnosis gluten needs to be reintroduced. Celiac Disease is an inherited autoimmune disease. Screening of family members is recommended. Consult your doctor for testing.

Walmart has GLUTEN FREE frozen dinners!

2009-01-30T18:03:00.000-08:00

I COULDNT BELIEVE MY GLUTEN FREE EYES WHEN I WAS IN WALMART LAST NIGHT.

WE WENT TO GET MY GIANT BAG OF MIXED VEGGIES (NORMANDY BLEND IS THE BEST!) AND I TURNED AROUND AND RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE VEGGIES WAS A ROW OF AMY'S ORGANIC FROZEN DINNERS AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT MY TWO FAVORITE ONES THAT ARE GLUTEN FREE WERE MORE THEN $2 LESS THEN ANY STORE I HAVE EVER SEEN THEM IN!

JUST IN CASE THIS WAS A ONE TIME DEAL OR MISTAKE, I WENT AHEAD AND BOUGHT THEM OUT OF STOCK OF THE CHEESE ENCHALADAS ($3.48@) AND THE TEMALE VERDE ($3.
89@)

THOSE TWO ARE THE BEST EVER! RUN OUT TO WALMART AND CHECK IT OUT AND HAVE YOURSELF A YUMMY GLUTEN FREE LUNCH OR DINNER!

SOPHIA,
PS. THE CHECKER AT THE STORE SAID WALMART IS WORKING ON A SPECIAL SECTION FOR ORGANIC, NATURAL AND SPECIAL DIET FOODS! YAY....ONE STORE FOR ALL MY SHOPPING? COULD THIS REALLY HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME?!?!?!