Many Thanks

Many thanks to Steve and Health Wise for the informative presentation.  The concept of a food journal was a great reminder.  Even though life is so fast-paced, if we really want to track the reactions we have then we have to write down what we consume and not rely on our memory!

We passed out samples of BiPro protein powder and El’s snack mix.  They have a long shelf life, so if you make it to the February meeting, let me know as we have many sample packages left.  The El’s marketing rep also shared that if you want to purchase some at elskitchen.com, you can use the code “online 15” to receive discounts on any orders placed.  If you like the snack mix but do not want to order online, let Steve know and Health Wise will order some if they can through their distributors.

GIG of Montgomery at Health Wise Foods

Reminder:  GIG of Montgomery will meet at Health Wise Foods on Atlanta Highway (see sidebar) this Thursday, January 26^th from 6-7 p.m. and it is open to the community.  Come listen to Steve’s presentation!

Gluten in Medications Survey

From The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness website: ‘The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) is working with St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions to study the effect on people who follow a gluten-free diet if they take medicine that contains gluten, a protein in wheat, barley and rye. The US Food and Drug Administration is funding this research study….This survey will take between 4 and 15 minutes to complete, depending on your responses. It closes on February 28, 2012.”

Go to the NFCA Website for more information and to take the survey.

Washingtonian

Sometimes I read an article that takes me through a kaleidoscope of emotions, from anger and lingering frustration to joy and a sense of encouragement.  This link should take you to a Washingtonian article entitled “Living with a Gluten Allergy.”  As I read the author’s story, I was reminded of how dismissive my (former) primary doctor was of a potential connection between my symptoms and gluten intolerance.  Even though I had done quite a bit of research already at that point, with access to more databases than most due to my employment, he would not even consider the possibility.  My lingering frustration is over how many physicians do not know the latest research since completing medical school that contradicts what they were taught.  Too frequently, patients are not being tested for celiac when there are more obvious symptoms; gluten intolerance tends to not even register as a possibility.  My encouragement from this article is due to quotes from two of the preeminent physicians of the field; here is an example: 

“If you came to our clinic two years ago and said, ‘Doc, I have these symptoms, and I know that when I eat less gluten I feel better,’ we’d give you a celiac test,” Fasano says. “If it came back negative, we’d tell you to go in peace. If you didn’t eat gluten and thought you felt better, we’d figure it was a placebo effect. That had been our attitude for quite a long time.”

I hope that through one avenue or another (thank you, Washingtonian!) more physicians will receive the message that sometimes new research mandates adaptation and sometimes a complete paradigm shift.

Change of Venue for January Meeting

The January meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Montgomery will still be held on Thursday, January 26^th from 6-7 p.m. but with a change in location.  We are excited to announce that we will be meeting at Health  Wise Foods at 5147 Atlanta Highway.  Co-owner Steve Thompson, who has been a principal for 25 years, will give a presentation on health issues related to gluten intolerance.  Steve has first-hand knowledge of the struggle to regain health amid an immune response to gluten.  Of course, Health Wise Foods has given our members a 10 percent discount since our inception last February, so come learn from Steve and enjoy perusing the many GF options that Health Wise offers!

Happy New Year!

While the pace of progress can seem frustrating and slow at times, a review of 2011 reveals amazing progress.  When I look back to when my son was diagnosed in 2008, the growth and efficacy of the movement for gluten intolerance awareness and options are even more remarkable.  Still, there is much awareness to spread and I have seen the power of people joining together at the local level.  Almost one year ago, our local GIG branch launched with three women who had a desire to increase awareness, build knowledge, and facilitate communication for those affected by gluten intolerance.  Today, GIG of Montgomery has 48 members, but there are hundreds more affected by gluten whether they realize it yet or not.  If we take a round estimate of the area population and multiply by the well-accepted medical (expert) community statistic of celiac (1 in 133) then there are at least 1500 in our area with celiac.  Further, various medical researchers place the percentage of those affected with some form of gluten intolerance at 6% or more.  Imagine if those statistics are proven correct, how many thousands more in our area might need to avoid gluten for maximum health.

We would love to have you join us on this journey!  A newsletter is the next project on the agenda and we plan to line up more knowledgeable physicians to speak at monthly meetings.  Health Wise Foods continues to give our members 10 percent off purchases as well as stock an amazing assortment of GF products.  Jason’s Deli gives our members a discount on the restaurant-sized loaves of Udi’s GF bread.  We will be communicating with even more restaurants in 2012 about providing samples of GF options and/or discounts for our members and several national companies have already contacted us about sending samples of their products for our members to try.  As the number of children represented by our membership climbs, we look forward to coordinating activities specifically geared to our children and youth.  Perhaps you can be a driving force to speed those goals to realization!  Many of our members have gotten involved in various aspects, and the collective knowledge base represented by our membership will benefit anyone who feels confused or adrift.  We can help you ask your physician the right questions if you are in search of answers, we can give tips about ordering food to help ensure attention to details, we can help you equip your kitchen for making great GF meals at home and avoid cross-contamination, and many more guidelines.  Perhaps most importantly, the power of numbers will spur area stores and restaurants to heed our voice.  Our first meeting of 2012 is on January 26^th from 6-7 p.m. at Health Wise Foods (see sidebar)—hope to see you there!

Response from Wrigley

I wrote Wrigley after frustration about ingredients that include “natural flavors” and was unable to find answers on their website.  Below I am sharing the response I received, adding my own highlighting.  Is it just me, or is the part I highlighted in green especially confusing?  Are they referring to “other types of gluten” beyond what the FDA proposed rule encompasses, addressed in 2^nd full paragraph?

“Thank you for writing to inquire about ingredients used in Wrigley products.
All U.S. Wrigley products are labeled within strict compliance of applicable laws and FDA regulations, including the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004.  Any materials identified as allergens within this Act (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans) are labeled within the ingredient line.
The FDA has issued a proposed rule on gluten-free labeling, allowing food products containing less than 20 ppm of gluten (sourced from wheat, rye, barley, oats or cross-bred hybrids), to be considered gluten-free.  [Federal Register: January 23, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 14)]
All U.S. Wrigley chewing gum and confection products have been assessed to be gluten-free with the exception of the products listed below, which contain ingredient(s) derived from wheat or are made on shared equipment that also processes products with wheat and may contain trace amounts of gluten.
Accordingly, these products are labeled as containing wheat-derived ingredients:
• Altoids® Chocolate Dipped Mints (made on equipment that also processes wheat which is stated in the “Allergy Information” line)
• Altoids® Smalls® Peppermint Mints (contains wheat maltodextrin which is stated in the ingredient line)
• Hubba Bubba® Gummi Tape Candy (contains wheat flour and wheat fiber which is stated in the ingredient line)
• Lucas® and Skwinkles® Branded Candy Strips (contains wheat flour and wheat fiber which is stated in the ingredient line)
If your sensitivity extends to other types of gluten or if you are extremely sensitive to gluten sourced from wheat, rye, barley, oats or cross-bred hybrids, then you may want to consult with your physician prior to consuming our products.
We hope this information has been helpful.  If you have any additional questions or comments please feel free to contact us at 1-800-WRIGLEY Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST.