Celiac Warrior Gal

If you are gluten free and from CT (like I am), you will be delighted by this story. A mom in Enfield looked for a way to work and be a stay-at-home mom, and a booming macaroon business was born. Stephanie Thomacos from Enfield, CT is a self-taught baker who operates her macaroon business from home. She initially started baking with her grandfather on a farm, making box cakes. As she experimented with various foods, she became inspired to make macaroons. "I used to buy them from a bakery in New Jersey. They were really expensive and I never thought I could make them, but I just decided one day to try. I loved it and decided to make a thing of it. Other people loved them and nobody else around here does it ( it's true. No one does !). It's an unsaturated market for macaroons so I decided to jump in on it . -Journal Inquirer Thomacos baked up a ton of macaroons and showcased them at a recent Farmers Market in Ellington. She sold out of her macaroons not even halfway

If you have a bag of Purely Elizabeth GF granola that contain cashews, and have best-by dates beginning in November and going through the end of this year, you may want to toss them. Bags that were sold at Whole Foods, Costco, Publix, Purely Elizabeth's website, Thrive Market, and Amazon are a part of the recall. If you purchased granola from Walmart or Target, you are NOT a part of the recall. Granola BARS are also not a part of the recall. Purely Elizabeth put out a statement last week regarding the recall. They are working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the matter. As of right now, there is no recall on the website. This story is developing.

If any of you are in the NYC area on May 19, you have to check out a comedy show being sponsored by the Celiac Disease Foundation. Tickets are $25 each and all proceeds go to the Celiac Disease Foundation. For more information, and to buy tickets, click here .

On Thursday, the US House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies released a report under the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) regarding funding for Celiac Disease research. It included a letter from the Chief Executive Officer of the Celiac Disease Foundation, which you can read here . Basically, Marilyn Geller, the CEO of CDF, shared her testimony last month and it led to Celiac Disease research being included in these federal documents. The inclusion of Celiac Disease in such a report has never happened before (history-making, guys!), and if Celiac Disease research gets the funding, it can help researchers learn more about the disease, and it could help them find a cure. Before you throw the confetti, nothing has been signed into law just yet. The documents have to go through the Congressional appropriations process and be signed by the White House. Geller is confident that it

Celiac Disease Awareness Month is here, and it is important that we continue to raise awareness in hopes it helps the rest of the world to take us seriously. This morning, I came across a heartbreaking story of a woman who died from complications of celiac disease. She had ignored her symptoms and didn't adhere to a GF diet. She, like all of us, ate wheat products for a portion of her life. Her body loved wheat. I mean, wheat products were yummy! When she was diagnosed with Celiac, not only was it during a time when gluten free food was very sparse, she had difficulty giving up what she loved: foods with wheat ingredients. She suffered the consequences of not adhering to a GF diet, as her liver gave out on her. She also had an enlarged stomach and had gained 30 pounds. She succumbed to her complications, and her daughter has spoken about her mother's health issues. She, like all of us, are hoping for more awareness to be raised. We as Celiacs need more support. All of

If you have Celiac Disease and you are in the Syracuse area, you have to stop by 3 Bears Gluten-Free Bakery and Cafe. The dining establishment has been going strong for 5 years and is exclusively gluten free. The business was recently honored for it's top-level customer service. Jennifer Stowe, the manager of 3 Bears has worked to build her restaurant's reputation. Due to her establishment being exclusively GF, doctors have recommended the bakery to their gluten free patients, both Celiacs and those with an allergy/intolerance. Stowe is hoping her business will continue its upward momentum. She plans on adding new niches, and she is even working on getting a liquor license for her bakery and cafe. She is also hoping to expand her menu to include those with other food allergies and dietary restrictions. 3 Bears offers a wide selection of foods, including sweet treat baked goods, sandwiches, pizza, wings, dinners, and many more. My Two Cents If I am ever in the Syrac

 Getting diagnosed with Celiac Disease can be pretty tough (believe me, I remember how hard it was for me). You may be the first among your family and/or friends that has been diagnosed as Celiac. It can be lonely (even though my grandmother had it, and I was partially raised by her, she had been gone for a few years when I was diagnosed. I had no one). What gave me some comfort was that I was not alone. Some of the celebrities I look up to were also Celiac Disease sufferers. People like Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Emmy Rossum had been living with the disease for years before I was diagnosed. I researched both and learned a lot from them. Also, learning that my first celeb crush has 2 Celiacs in his family really helped me feel less alone. Here is a list of celebs who have diagnosed Celiac Disease: Elizabeth Hasselbeck (public figure) Emmy Rossum (actress) Wil Wheaton's mom and sister Meg Cabot (author) Sarah Joy Brown (actress) Joe C (rapper who frequently performed with

Celiac Disease is an inherited autoimmune disease that affects 1 in 100 people in the world. Approximately 97% of people who have Celiac Disease do not know they have it. When Celiac Disease is left untreated, it can put the sufferer at risk for osteoporosis, infertility, cancer, and even death . What happens when someone with Celiac Disease ingests gluten? Gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, and most oats, triggers an immune response when it is ingested into the body. The body begins to attack itself, resulting in malabsorption of nutrients (gluten kills the villi in the small intestine. Villi are responsible for absorbing nutrients). This brings about symptoms of diarrhea, pain, and more than 300 other symptoms associated with Celiac Disease. Symptoms vary from person to person, and they vary in severity. While there is no cure for this disease, it can be treated by a life-long, strict adherence to a gluten free diet. You may be thinking, "I see glu

Aldi's is my favorite grocery store because they offers their own inexpensive gluten free line. I have been buying their gluten free items for years and I have never had an issue. Well, you can imagine my happiness when I found out they were unveiling more GF items. Along with their breads, cheesecakes, pretzels, mixes and more, they will be adding the following items: Chocolate Frosted Donuts Ravioli Skillet meals PB&J bites GF Linguini More bread items Croutons Empanadas These items will be in every Aldi's store as of May 8. Get your reusable bags ready! May 8th will be here before you know it. And like I said, this Celiac has NEVER had an issue with their brand LiveGFree.

If you have Celiac Disease and you recently had a child, you may be wondering if you passed the disease onto your child. After all, we all know that Celiac Disease is an inherited autoimmune disease. I inherited Celiac Disease from my grandmother. Now that I have a child of my own, one of the first things I worried about is that I passed the Celiac gene to him. I told my son's pediatrician that Celiac does run in the family and that I have it. I expressed general concern that my son might have the gene. My son's pediatrician told me that they usually do those types of tests in a few years, so it's something they will probably test for when he turns 3, unless symptoms become present (luckily, he's been handling gluten foods pretty well). Anyways, I did some research on genetic risks and found out that the general incidence of Celiac Disease is around 1%. If there is a family history of Celiac (and if a first degree relative has been officially diagnosed with it), th

Last week, I wrote about how those of us who are gluten free are unknowingly buying food that still contain a dangerous about of gluten in it. As if that was infuriating enough, when you add the cost that we already pay for our food, it's enough to have steam actually come out of your ears. Researchers studied 5,600 food tests over the course of 18 months. The results came back that 1 in 3 food items were not gluten free, meaning, it tested ABOVE 20ppm. Over 5 years ago, a law was passed that companies who want the GF label had to test under 20ppm. The simple fact that these errors continue to happen is just putting those of us with Celiac Disease at risk for serious complications (cancer, infertility, osteoporosis, death). Look, I know a small portion of us can be overbearing with having to be completely GF. However, these food issues are playing with our lives. None of us want to be sick, and we certainly don't want to die from complications related to Celiac Disease. I r

If you have Celiac Disease, or a gluten sensitivity, dining out at restaurants these days may seem like a dream come true. With more restaurants offering gluten free options, it is making it easier to dine out....or is it? A study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology , found that gluten resides in 32% of restaurant foods marked gluten free. It was also found that 52.3% of GF pizzas contain gluten, and nearly 51% of GF pastas contain gluten. The researchers tested the food with the Nima device, which uses a small sample of food to detect gluten. While this may seem shocking and somewhat criminal, the USDA law that grants manufacturers the ability to label packaged food GF if it tests under 20ppm, does not apply to restaurant foods. My Two Cents I highly urge you all to speak to your waiters about their GF options. With Celiac Disease, you can't take any risks. I also recommend that you stick to 100% GF restaurants. I will be posting about random GF restauran

If you are gluten free and living in the Louisville, Kentucky area, a new 100% gluten free restaurant is coming your way. Silly Axe Cafe will be located at 2216 Dundee Road, where the old DiOrio's Pizza and Pub used to be. The menu will feature pasta salads, quesadillas, and multiple assortments of sandwiches. ALL will be gluten free. Those of you who are wondering if the place can be trustworthy, I have some good news for you. The owners maintain a gluten free diet due to allergies. The owners are also thinking about adding some GF favorites to the menu (fried chicken and mac & cheese). Read on to learn more about this gem of a restaurant: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/money/louisville-city-living/2019/01/25/gluten-free-restaurant-silly-axe-cafe-opening-louisville-highlands/2667223002/ My Two Cents I wish I were in Louisville. I would practically LIVE in a place like this! If you live in the Louisville area and you check out this restaurant, let me know how it is!