Valentine’s Day Candy

Of all the lists of GF Valentine candy that I have seen, the one compiled by the “Celiac Family” blogger is the one that I appreciate the most.

One-Year Anniversary!

The Gluten Intolerance Group of Montgomery is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a special meeting on February 23^rd geared towards educating the public on the latest research about how widespread the immune response to gluten has become and the tremendous range of potential symptoms.

GIG-Montgomery welcomes Dr. Robert R. Brinson, MD of Digestive Disease Associates.  Dr. Brinson is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a Diplomate of the Subspecialty Board of Gastroenterology.  Dr. Brinson is also a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition.  Dr. Brinson has had a private practice of gastroenterology in Montgomery since 1989 and has widely published on the role of nutrition and intestinal diseases.  He was recently named to the 2011 list of America’s Top Gastroenterologists.

Additionally, Moe’s Southwest Grill is providing samples of gluten-free options from their menu for the meeting on Thursday, Feb. 23^rd from 6-7 p.m. at Taylor Road Baptist Church. 

Thank You for Examining the Research, Dr. Oz

WOW, what a difference a couple of years make!  Dr. Oz used to be fairly dismissive of gluten intolerance—now listen to him. 

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/health/dr_oz/dr-oz-mehmet-celiac-disease-gluten-intolerance-wheat-symptoms-20120119

I cannot tell you how many people with thyroid issues have looked at me like I am crazy when I mention the potential correlation.

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!