It has been interesting to see over the years the variety of symptoms that can be caused by food allergies. One of those symptoms often triggered by food allergies is anxiety.
The interesting part is not that people are anxious because they have symptoms caused by a food allergy, which would be expected if you had something like unpredictable or painful bowel habits. The interesting part is that the food allergy itself is triggering the anxiety.
I saw two recent cases of this which reminded me of the impact that food allergies have on our entire health, both physically and emotionally. These patients, one male and one female, were both suffering from a combination of food allergies which were only detectable on IgG food allergy testing. (This is not the kind of testing that you can get from an allergist.)
Once these foods were removed from their diet, these patients began to heal in a number of different ways. They had originally come in for their digestive problems, which completely resolved. However, they also reported that a significant amount of anxiety that they had been experiencing which they had attributed to a troubled emotional life also vastly improved.
There are many case reports in the medical literature of just this type of reaction happening in people with gluten intolerance. But the problem is not limited to gluten. Immune reactions to other foods are just as important and can cause just as many emotional and neurological problems.
If you suffer from anxiety or depression you should be properly assessed for food allergies. It may just be the help that you needed. For more information visit www.CenterForFoodAllergies.com.
Haley's Corner Bakery and Nature's Market
"All Goodness, All Gluten Free." That is the motto of Haley's Corner Bakery located in Kent, WA.
Haley's, like many gluten free establishments, has a very personal story behind it. Haley is a little girl who was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of two. Friends of the family, the Durans, found out and took action. But they didn't just send over some gluten free cookies, they started an entire bakery!
Haley's Corner Bakery offers breads, cakes, cookies, and even pizzas, and they do some dairy free things too.
We should all be so fortunate to have friends like Haley! She must be one popular little girl. You can read more about Haley's story and all of the wonderful things that she gets to eat at www.HaleysCorner.com.
While you're in the neighborhood you should also visit Nature's Market. I've been hearing good things about this grocery store. They have a really nice gluten free section on their website and carry over 500 different gluten free items, including some Dr. Schar products, which can be hard to find in the U.S. Dr. Schar is a major line of gluten free products in Europe.
Learn more about Nature's Market at www.NaturesMarketKent.com.
Haley's, like many gluten free establishments, has a very personal story behind it. Haley is a little girl who was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of two. Friends of the family, the Durans, found out and took action. But they didn't just send over some gluten free cookies, they started an entire bakery!
Haley's Corner Bakery offers breads, cakes, cookies, and even pizzas, and they do some dairy free things too.
We should all be so fortunate to have friends like Haley! She must be one popular little girl. You can read more about Haley's story and all of the wonderful things that she gets to eat at www.HaleysCorner.com.
While you're in the neighborhood you should also visit Nature's Market. I've been hearing good things about this grocery store. They have a really nice gluten free section on their website and carry over 500 different gluten free items, including some Dr. Schar products, which can be hard to find in the U.S. Dr. Schar is a major line of gluten free products in Europe.
Learn more about Nature's Market at www.NaturesMarketKent.com.
New GF Tortillas
I have it on good authority that there is a high quality gluten free tortilla on the market. I've not heard of this one before, but sources tell me that the Teff and Millet wraps from La Tortilla Factory are softer and more pliable than other gluten free alternatives, and don't crack or fall apart.
As many of you know, corn tortillas are quite nice fresh, but quickly dry out and become brittle. They are also small. Rice tortillas, found at Whole Foods, are a step up because they are larger and don't fall apart as easily, but they still tend to crack when you roll them.
I'm told that these teff tortillas are above all of that frustration. They don't crack or crumble, and I know from experience that teff is an excellent whole grain with a lot of flavor and an excellent nutritional profile.
They may not be available in stores yet, but you should request that your store carry them. You can order them online from La Tortilla Factory. Maybe you should thank them too. And let me know if you agree with my sources!
As many of you know, corn tortillas are quite nice fresh, but quickly dry out and become brittle. They are also small. Rice tortillas, found at Whole Foods, are a step up because they are larger and don't fall apart as easily, but they still tend to crack when you roll them.
I'm told that these teff tortillas are above all of that frustration. They don't crack or crumble, and I know from experience that teff is an excellent whole grain with a lot of flavor and an excellent nutritional profile.
They may not be available in stores yet, but you should request that your store carry them. You can order them online from La Tortilla Factory. Maybe you should thank them too. And let me know if you agree with my sources!
Stevia and Zevia
If you haven't heard of Stevia before, you're not alone. Stevia is a sweetener that only tastes sweet. It has no effect on your blood sugar.
It is not an artificial sweetener, it comes from the Stevia plant. It's an excellent choice for anyone with diabetes, yeast, a cane sugar allergy, or for anyone just looking be healthier but get that sweet taste.
I see a surprising number of people who have a cane sugar allergy. Yes, it is real and it can cause real problems, just like any other food allergy or intolerance. One of the greatest challenges with avoiding cane sugar is that in this country we put it in a huge majority of processed foods. Everything from ketchup to yogurt has cane sugar in it.
Now there is a new and interesting soda pop on the market called Zevia which, you guessed it, uses Stevia as the sweetener. I recently had my first can, Rootbeer, my favorite flavor, and I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted just like rootbeer. You can taste a slight difference in the sweetness, but I think that if you were raised on Stevia you'd find it to be completely normal. So give it a chance.
I'm not much of a soda drinker, but maybe now I can consume it without guilt or that sickly sugar feeling. You can learn more about Zevia and where to find it at www.Zevia.com.
Drink responsibly!
It is not an artificial sweetener, it comes from the Stevia plant. It's an excellent choice for anyone with diabetes, yeast, a cane sugar allergy, or for anyone just looking be healthier but get that sweet taste.
I see a surprising number of people who have a cane sugar allergy. Yes, it is real and it can cause real problems, just like any other food allergy or intolerance. One of the greatest challenges with avoiding cane sugar is that in this country we put it in a huge majority of processed foods. Everything from ketchup to yogurt has cane sugar in it.
Now there is a new and interesting soda pop on the market called Zevia which, you guessed it, uses Stevia as the sweetener. I recently had my first can, Rootbeer, my favorite flavor, and I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted just like rootbeer. You can taste a slight difference in the sweetness, but I think that if you were raised on Stevia you'd find it to be completely normal. So give it a chance.
I'm not much of a soda drinker, but maybe now I can consume it without guilt or that sickly sugar feeling. You can learn more about Zevia and where to find it at www.Zevia.com.
Drink responsibly!
Wisconsin Celiac & Food Allergy Expo
FYI. I thought that I'd pass on this information. Wisconsin is having their largest celiac and food allergy conference on October 24th from 11-3 at the Patriot Center (Cedar Creek Mall) in Rothschild, Wisconsin. Admission is $1, yes only $1, or a donation to Toys for Tots and Coats for Kids.
You can get more information by contacting Jennifer Knauf at 715-298-4060 or emailing northwoodsceliac@aol.com. You can preregister by emailing this address and including your name, address and phone number.
I hope that you enjoy it. I wish that I could be there. If you go please let me know how it went.
You can get more information by contacting Jennifer Knauf at 715-298-4060 or emailing northwoodsceliac@aol.com. You can preregister by emailing this address and including your name, address and phone number.
I hope that you enjoy it. I wish that I could be there. If you go please let me know how it went.
Not Everything Is Flat In Iowa....
..and a few other things I learned last weekend.
First, a big thank you to Meg Beshey, Jennifer Wilkin, and everyone in Iowa who gave me such a warm welcome and helped make my visit enjoyable. Iowa is amazing in how well organized the state is with regard to gluten intolerance. They have many strong support groups throughout the state, and they work together to create an annual Celiac Conference that moves to different parts of the state each year.
This year it was in Fort Dodge, and although I didn't see a fort, nor did I rent a Dodge, I did see some old friends and made many new friends, and learned about a variety of products that I thought I'd share with you.
All the rave was Udi's. This is the second time I've run into Udi's, but the first time it really sunk in. Udi's is a new bread out of Denver and everyone was talking about it. It is certainly good fresh, and it's dairy and egg free to boot. Udi's is supposedly available frozen at Central Market in Seattle, and is also available in many parts of the country.
I also had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of the Gluten-Free Chef, Robert Landolphi out of Connecticut. Robert is a professional chef and his wife is celiac. He has a new book out titled "Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook." I noticed a Tri-Spiced Onion Ring recipe that I really want to try, maybe minus the horseradish sauce. Chef Robert's presentation was very popular and he obviously knows what he's doing.
As usual, it was a great to see Breads from Anna, the producer of excellent bread mixes that are not only gluten free but also free of dairy, egg, soy, nuts, cane sugar, etc.. And yet they are still outstanding products in the field. I also saw Gifts of Nature, purveyors of gluten free oats, Expandex, and many other gluten free products.
I also met Julianne Karow, author of "Celiac Resource Guide, Helping to Navigate Life's Detour." This is a nice little book that can make a big difference to someone just getting started with a gluten free diet.
And I met Beth Sitzmann with Arbonne skin care products. Arbonne has a number of gluten free and food free high quality skin care products and cosmetics. Contact her if you have questions about her products.
I discovered that there are regular gluten free ice cream cones (apparently everyone else already knows about this). I didn't get a chance to try them, because I didn't have any coconut milk ice cream on me, but I'm going to have to do this. I'm curious about what others think about the quality of the different cones. These were available at the Hy-Vee table, the local grocery store that carries a nice set of gluten free options.
Hy-Vee also had Lesser Evil junk food. I really respect a company that knows where it stands and doesn't deny it. I've had Lesser Evil and I really did like it. But I especially like their logo. Lesser Evil makes kettle corn and Krinkle Sticks.
I apologize to everyone I left out. There were many more fine companies and hard working people showing off their gluten free products at the conference.
By the way, I also learned that Iowa cows are the best tippers. And yes, I did get out of Dodge.
First, a big thank you to Meg Beshey, Jennifer Wilkin, and everyone in Iowa who gave me such a warm welcome and helped make my visit enjoyable. Iowa is amazing in how well organized the state is with regard to gluten intolerance. They have many strong support groups throughout the state, and they work together to create an annual Celiac Conference that moves to different parts of the state each year.
This year it was in Fort Dodge, and although I didn't see a fort, nor did I rent a Dodge, I did see some old friends and made many new friends, and learned about a variety of products that I thought I'd share with you.
All the rave was Udi's. This is the second time I've run into Udi's, but the first time it really sunk in. Udi's is a new bread out of Denver and everyone was talking about it. It is certainly good fresh, and it's dairy and egg free to boot. Udi's is supposedly available frozen at Central Market in Seattle, and is also available in many parts of the country.
I also had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of the Gluten-Free Chef, Robert Landolphi out of Connecticut. Robert is a professional chef and his wife is celiac. He has a new book out titled "Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook." I noticed a Tri-Spiced Onion Ring recipe that I really want to try, maybe minus the horseradish sauce. Chef Robert's presentation was very popular and he obviously knows what he's doing.
As usual, it was a great to see Breads from Anna, the producer of excellent bread mixes that are not only gluten free but also free of dairy, egg, soy, nuts, cane sugar, etc.. And yet they are still outstanding products in the field. I also saw Gifts of Nature, purveyors of gluten free oats, Expandex, and many other gluten free products.
I also met Julianne Karow, author of "Celiac Resource Guide, Helping to Navigate Life's Detour." This is a nice little book that can make a big difference to someone just getting started with a gluten free diet.
And I met Beth Sitzmann with Arbonne skin care products. Arbonne has a number of gluten free and food free high quality skin care products and cosmetics. Contact her if you have questions about her products.
I discovered that there are regular gluten free ice cream cones (apparently everyone else already knows about this). I didn't get a chance to try them, because I didn't have any coconut milk ice cream on me, but I'm going to have to do this. I'm curious about what others think about the quality of the different cones. These were available at the Hy-Vee table, the local grocery store that carries a nice set of gluten free options.
Hy-Vee also had Lesser Evil junk food. I really respect a company that knows where it stands and doesn't deny it. I've had Lesser Evil and I really did like it. But I especially like their logo. Lesser Evil makes kettle corn and Krinkle Sticks.
I apologize to everyone I left out. There were many more fine companies and hard working people showing off their gluten free products at the conference.
By the way, I also learned that Iowa cows are the best tippers. And yes, I did get out of Dodge.
Tings: Food of the Gods
I've been meaning to write about this product for ages. It isn't new, but if it's new to you then you are likely to be overjoyed.
I'm not a big junk food eater, but I must say that one of my favorite products is Original Tings. It's also a favorite in my family, and a favorite of many people I've met.
Tings is essentially the gluten and dairy free replacement for Cheetos. And believe it or not, I'd say that it is really much better than Cheetos - not nearly so messy or greasy. Tings contains cornmeal, rice, sunflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, nutritional yeast, and salt. That's it.
Tings is a product of a company called Pirate's Booty. They also produce another popular product, Veggie Booty.
Many grocery stores carry this "healthy snack." Their quote, not mine. Look for them in a store near you or visit www.PiratesBooty.com to learn more.
I'm not a big junk food eater, but I must say that one of my favorite products is Original Tings. It's also a favorite in my family, and a favorite of many people I've met.
Tings is essentially the gluten and dairy free replacement for Cheetos. And believe it or not, I'd say that it is really much better than Cheetos - not nearly so messy or greasy. Tings contains cornmeal, rice, sunflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, nutritional yeast, and salt. That's it.
Tings is a product of a company called Pirate's Booty. They also produce another popular product, Veggie Booty.
Many grocery stores carry this "healthy snack." Their quote, not mine. Look for them in a store near you or visit www.PiratesBooty.com to learn more.
Zoo Doo
Today on my way to work I heard about our local biannual poop festival. Poop is an area of expertise of mine, and I often talk about digestive problems, so I figure that any excuse to write about the lighter side of this unique topic is worth taking.
This is the time of year when Seattleites can get their very own share of a zoo animal. Of course, we don't get the animal, but maybe it's the next best thing, Zoo Doo. This composted and organic soil enhancer is so popular in Seattle that they actually sell the stuff. And not only that, it's so popular that you can't just walk up and buy as much as you want. You have to enter a lottery process and hope(?) that you are one of the fortunate ones selected to haul off your own truckload of elephant dung.
This is such a big deal that it even has a name, the Fecal Fest. Yes, I realize that we are kind've strange out here in Seattle. And I'd like nothing more than to be able to brag to you about the high quality of the effluent that I dumped on my garden, but as of yet I can't say that I've participated. This is mostly because I probably just don't put enough effort into taking care of my yard.
If you'd like to participate in the 2009 Fall Fecal Fest, visit http://www.zoo.org/zoo_info/zoodoo.html. And if you don't live here, maybe you'll be lucky enough to have your own local Zoo Doo. You can only hope.
This is the time of year when Seattleites can get their very own share of a zoo animal. Of course, we don't get the animal, but maybe it's the next best thing, Zoo Doo. This composted and organic soil enhancer is so popular in Seattle that they actually sell the stuff. And not only that, it's so popular that you can't just walk up and buy as much as you want. You have to enter a lottery process and hope(?) that you are one of the fortunate ones selected to haul off your own truckload of elephant dung.
This is such a big deal that it even has a name, the Fecal Fest. Yes, I realize that we are kind've strange out here in Seattle. And I'd like nothing more than to be able to brag to you about the high quality of the effluent that I dumped on my garden, but as of yet I can't say that I've participated. This is mostly because I probably just don't put enough effort into taking care of my yard.
If you'd like to participate in the 2009 Fall Fecal Fest, visit http://www.zoo.org/zoo_info/zoodoo.html. And if you don't live here, maybe you'll be lucky enough to have your own local Zoo Doo. You can only hope.
Clif Nectar Bars
A fairly recent discovery of mine are the Clif Nectar bars. They have four different bars that have about just as many ingredients. The bars are named primarily for their ingredients: Cherry Pomegranate; Cranberry Apricot Almond; Lemon Vanilla Cashew; and Cacao.
Since I never trust a fruit bar marketing itself as a chocolate bar, I haven't tried the Cacao yet. Besides, I'm not much of a chocolate eater. I'm one of those people who if given a choice between a sweet or a salty option, I generally prefer the salty option. In fact, one of the things I miss most about not being able to eat gluten is not being able to eat onion rings. Darn shame.
Anyway, I've had the Lemon Vanilla Cashew and found it quite good. The only other ingredients are dates and goji berries. They all use dates as the sweetener, but I'll let you look up the rest for yourselves if your interested. You can find these at many grocery stores, and can learn more at www.clifbar.com/food/products_nectar/
Since I never trust a fruit bar marketing itself as a chocolate bar, I haven't tried the Cacao yet. Besides, I'm not much of a chocolate eater. I'm one of those people who if given a choice between a sweet or a salty option, I generally prefer the salty option. In fact, one of the things I miss most about not being able to eat gluten is not being able to eat onion rings. Darn shame.
Anyway, I've had the Lemon Vanilla Cashew and found it quite good. The only other ingredients are dates and goji berries. They all use dates as the sweetener, but I'll let you look up the rest for yourselves if your interested. You can find these at many grocery stores, and can learn more at www.clifbar.com/food/products_nectar/
Health Care in Other Countries
This weekend while hanging out with the family at the beach (cold and windy), I stumbled across a well written article about health insurance coverage in other countries. The current "debate" on health insurance reform is generally lacking in facts. It was refreshing to see an article in the Oregonian that presented some real information about exactly what does and does not occur in other countries.
I encourage you to read it for yourself. You can access the article at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/08/health_care_abroad_the_myths.html
I encourage you to read it for yourself. You can access the article at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/08/health_care_abroad_the_myths.html
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