Tuesday, September 29, 2009
A Non-Sequitor
I was going to post something about something important, I'm sure. But instead, I will just point out this lovely fact: Glenfiddich is gluten-free. Enjoy.
Monday, September 28, 2009
National Family Day --
Today is National Family Day. I was made aware of this "holiday" by the security guard at my parking garage when he wished me a "happy family day." I replied-- "thanks!"-- without missing a beat, even though I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. A little googling uncovered a rather depressing fact; National Family Day is a day designated to eating dinner with your family. As opposed to every other day?
Apparently, the day is about getting your kids not to do drugs. If you eat with them, they are less likely to do drugs, the theory being that you are more likely to talk about it if you are forced together at a table for a period of time in the form of the family dinner. (The imagery of this can be funny...imagine a family, awkwardly sitting around the table, and the dad thinking, "Well, we've got nothing else to talk about. Might as well broach that drug thing.")
It occurs to me, though, that the reason eating together as a family leads to lower rates of drug use might be more fundamental. I think food can be a really unifying--and divisive--thing. Eating together, eating the same thing, brings you closer to one another. When you initially go out on a date, how often is it over dinner? And meeting up with friends, don't you usually grab a bite to eat? Similarly, eating separately can make you feel isolated and lonely. If you're at all like me, when you cook for yourself, you eat strange little meals that you would never serve your friends. You eat quickly, not really paying attention, just trying to get it done so you can move on to the next thing.
Unfortunately, even in families that do eat together, those who cannot eat gluten often eat alone. I have heard parents talk about their child being diagnosed with celiac and they, very conscientiously, ensure that the child eats gluten-free, but do not consider changing their own diet. Or when a spouse is diagnosed, the other offers sympathy regarding the difficulties of finding delicious, healthy gluten-free food while housing a sandwich. Or when a friend who shares a house has celiac, the housemates never clean the kitchen after eating bread, pizza, spilling beer. I was very lucky that, after my diagnosis, my husband helped me eliminate every trace of gluten from our home. He's been incredibly supportive and is often more cautious than I am.
I think, in consideration of National Family Day, if you know a celiac or someone who cannot eat gluten, you should join them for a meal. Experience with them how difficult it can be to eat gluten-free. Or, alternatively, show them that it does not have to be a trial. If you have a child who cannot eat gluten, make them something delicious and eat it with them. Just imagine how much closer they'll listen if they know that you care enough to make them feel included. Maybe they won't do drugs! Happy family day to you.
Apparently, the day is about getting your kids not to do drugs. If you eat with them, they are less likely to do drugs, the theory being that you are more likely to talk about it if you are forced together at a table for a period of time in the form of the family dinner. (The imagery of this can be funny...imagine a family, awkwardly sitting around the table, and the dad thinking, "Well, we've got nothing else to talk about. Might as well broach that drug thing.")
It occurs to me, though, that the reason eating together as a family leads to lower rates of drug use might be more fundamental. I think food can be a really unifying--and divisive--thing. Eating together, eating the same thing, brings you closer to one another. When you initially go out on a date, how often is it over dinner? And meeting up with friends, don't you usually grab a bite to eat? Similarly, eating separately can make you feel isolated and lonely. If you're at all like me, when you cook for yourself, you eat strange little meals that you would never serve your friends. You eat quickly, not really paying attention, just trying to get it done so you can move on to the next thing.
Unfortunately, even in families that do eat together, those who cannot eat gluten often eat alone. I have heard parents talk about their child being diagnosed with celiac and they, very conscientiously, ensure that the child eats gluten-free, but do not consider changing their own diet. Or when a spouse is diagnosed, the other offers sympathy regarding the difficulties of finding delicious, healthy gluten-free food while housing a sandwich. Or when a friend who shares a house has celiac, the housemates never clean the kitchen after eating bread, pizza, spilling beer. I was very lucky that, after my diagnosis, my husband helped me eliminate every trace of gluten from our home. He's been incredibly supportive and is often more cautious than I am.
I think, in consideration of National Family Day, if you know a celiac or someone who cannot eat gluten, you should join them for a meal. Experience with them how difficult it can be to eat gluten-free. Or, alternatively, show them that it does not have to be a trial. If you have a child who cannot eat gluten, make them something delicious and eat it with them. Just imagine how much closer they'll listen if they know that you care enough to make them feel included. Maybe they won't do drugs! Happy family day to you.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Gluten-free iPhone apps...as if you needed a reason
Ever since I saw a friend playing with the highly addictive "flick the paper into the trashbin" application on her new iPhone, I've been coveting them. My husband made some noises about giving me one for my birthday (subtle reminder) so I had put-off buying one. I may not be able to wait.
I just discovered that someone has been reading my mind and making iPhone apps from my thoughts! Or maybe I'm not the only celiac who has stood in a grocery aisle, mentally debating whether I want to take the risk of buying an item without going through the whole, check the label, call the company, search the web rigamorale...but no more! Zeer, Inc. has released the glutenScan app, which has a database of over 30,000 specific products and their safety for those on a gluten-free diet. I think I need an iPhone just for this app.
Since discovering this delight, I've found a number of other apps I want to try. There's the iEatOut Gluten and Allergen Free, which tells you what you can eat at restaurants--clearly an excuse for me to eat out more often. There's the iCanEat On the Go, which tells you what you can eat at common chains that would be found along a highway--I'm a little skeptical of the utility of this one. There's the glutenFreed, which searches for gluten-free restaurants for you based on your area.
Now someone needs to create an app that tells you whether there is gluten in certain medications and an app to figure out the difference between the cost of gluten-free groceries versus "normal" for flexspending purposes. Anyone up for the challenge?
I just discovered that someone has been reading my mind and making iPhone apps from my thoughts! Or maybe I'm not the only celiac who has stood in a grocery aisle, mentally debating whether I want to take the risk of buying an item without going through the whole, check the label, call the company, search the web rigamorale...but no more! Zeer, Inc. has released the glutenScan app, which has a database of over 30,000 specific products and their safety for those on a gluten-free diet. I think I need an iPhone just for this app.
Since discovering this delight, I've found a number of other apps I want to try. There's the iEatOut Gluten and Allergen Free, which tells you what you can eat at restaurants--clearly an excuse for me to eat out more often. There's the iCanEat On the Go, which tells you what you can eat at common chains that would be found along a highway--I'm a little skeptical of the utility of this one. There's the glutenFreed, which searches for gluten-free restaurants for you based on your area.
Now someone needs to create an app that tells you whether there is gluten in certain medications and an app to figure out the difference between the cost of gluten-free groceries versus "normal" for flexspending purposes. Anyone up for the challenge?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Lunches For All!
Caution: Political perspective below...
School lunch is apparently on everyones radar. The Child Nutrition Act is up for reauthorization this year and, with the new administration's focus on healthy eating--Michelle's vegetable garden on the White House lawn!--expectations are high that there will be increased funding. According to an editorial in the Washington Post today, President Obama has included an additional $1 billion in the 2010 budget, allocated toward school nutrition programs. That's great. I get it. The numbers from the proposed Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act of 2009 are staggering.
In case you're not up for reading a bill, I'll summarize: since the 1970s, obesity rates have tripled among children ages 6 to 19; sodium intake is 214% above recommended levels; 85 % of children consume more saturated fat than is recommended; type 2 diabetes, which is primarily due to poor diet and physical inactivity, is rising in children; 1/4 of children ages 5 to 10 show early warning signs of heart disease, such as elevated blood cholesterol or high blood pressure; AND in 1996, children aged 2 to 18 years ate approximately 118 more calories per day than children did in 1978, which is the equivalent of 12 pounds of weight gain annually. Final disturbing fact: the national estimated cost of obesity is $123,000,000,000 a year, (that's $123 billion), 1/2 of which is paid through Medicare and Medicaid.
I am not opposed to reform; I think it's clearly necessary and important. However, let's be clear. Even though food allergies generally are on the rise, and celiac disease affects approximately 1 in 133 people, none of the bills currently introduced address the fact that eating in school can be deadly to many of our children. Why isn't some of this additional $1 billion in funding being used to make sure that every kid can eat? Clearly a bit of a rant, but come on! If they think obesity is expensive, they should calculate the cost of not addressing this gap.
Currently, the only way you can force a school to provide gluten-free food for your child is to have them labeled "disabled" and getting a Section 504 plan implemented. This process can be extremely lengthy depending on the cooperation of your school. The ACDA has provided a handy website that summarizes each state's requirements and gives a "how-to" on getting the ball rolling.
While you're fired up, take a minute to contact your Representative and let them know that school lunches should be available to all kids.
School lunch is apparently on everyones radar. The Child Nutrition Act is up for reauthorization this year and, with the new administration's focus on healthy eating--Michelle's vegetable garden on the White House lawn!--expectations are high that there will be increased funding. According to an editorial in the Washington Post today, President Obama has included an additional $1 billion in the 2010 budget, allocated toward school nutrition programs. That's great. I get it. The numbers from the proposed Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act of 2009 are staggering.
In case you're not up for reading a bill, I'll summarize: since the 1970s, obesity rates have tripled among children ages 6 to 19; sodium intake is 214% above recommended levels; 85 % of children consume more saturated fat than is recommended; type 2 diabetes, which is primarily due to poor diet and physical inactivity, is rising in children; 1/4 of children ages 5 to 10 show early warning signs of heart disease, such as elevated blood cholesterol or high blood pressure; AND in 1996, children aged 2 to 18 years ate approximately 118 more calories per day than children did in 1978, which is the equivalent of 12 pounds of weight gain annually. Final disturbing fact: the national estimated cost of obesity is $123,000,000,000 a year, (that's $123 billion), 1/2 of which is paid through Medicare and Medicaid.
I am not opposed to reform; I think it's clearly necessary and important. However, let's be clear. Even though food allergies generally are on the rise, and celiac disease affects approximately 1 in 133 people, none of the bills currently introduced address the fact that eating in school can be deadly to many of our children. Why isn't some of this additional $1 billion in funding being used to make sure that every kid can eat? Clearly a bit of a rant, but come on! If they think obesity is expensive, they should calculate the cost of not addressing this gap.
Currently, the only way you can force a school to provide gluten-free food for your child is to have them labeled "disabled" and getting a Section 504 plan implemented. This process can be extremely lengthy depending on the cooperation of your school. The ACDA has provided a handy website that summarizes each state's requirements and gives a "how-to" on getting the ball rolling.
While you're fired up, take a minute to contact your Representative and let them know that school lunches should be available to all kids.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Loud Voices
History is filled with examples of vocal minorities effecting change, so I don't know why it continues to surprise me, but this research blew my mind: "Market research organization Packaged Facts clearly sees the trend toward gluten-free formulations as more than a fad, estimating that sales of gluten-free products will reach $2.6bn by 2012. In a recent report, it said that the gluten-free market has grown at an average annual rate of 28 percent since 2004, when it was valued at $580m, to reach $1.56bn last year." The market has grown twenty-eight percent in five years!
Consider, if you will, the concurrent research indicating that only around 50,000 people in the US have yet been diagnosed, out of an estimated 2 million. Put those together and you've got a very loud minority of the population insisting that our health concerns be addressed through the market. You can see it on store shelves--Chex cereal was reformulated to be gluten-free. And we're only increasing in number. Information like this makes me optimistic that, someday soon, healthy, delicious, gluten-free fare will be standard on every menu and easy to buy.
Consider, if you will, the concurrent research indicating that only around 50,000 people in the US have yet been diagnosed, out of an estimated 2 million. Put those together and you've got a very loud minority of the population insisting that our health concerns be addressed through the market. You can see it on store shelves--Chex cereal was reformulated to be gluten-free. And we're only increasing in number. Information like this makes me optimistic that, someday soon, healthy, delicious, gluten-free fare will be standard on every menu and easy to buy.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Health Care Reform
My beautiful, perfect little son has been sick. For four days, he had an alarmingly high fever and was as lethargic as I had ever seen him. When his fever would not respond to tylonol, his pediatrician recommended we take him to the ER. Which we did. Without hestitation. A couple of hours later, reassured that nothing was seriously wrong, we paid the $50 deductible and went on our way. For me, $50 was an easy amount to pay for peace of mind; I didn't think twice about it. Probably because health care reform has been so much in the news, it did occur to me, even as I paid it, that there is a large population of people that would not have been able to afford to unhesitatingly run to the ER. I was saddened, in that moment, that some mothers might not have the means to ease their worries.
It's been several weeks since we took our son to the hospital and this thought--that health care is not available to everyone--has been increasingly nudging my conscience. Because I do not live under a rock, I've been half-aware of the raucous debate going on across the country. To a large degree, I have tuned out the specifics, finding the "debates" to be mostly ridiculous posturings by angry people. As Barney Frank exclaimed: "Trying to have a debate with you would be like arguing with a dining room table." I was not engaged because: (1) I did not think of how it would directly impact me and, like most people, I'm inherently self-interested; and (2) I had other things going on. Ok, bad reasons. But there it is. My trip to the ER changed that. Let me tell you why it has become clear to me that it is critical that everyone be provided access to some form of health care. Open your mind, please, and imagine, first, that you are a new mother or father. (If this is beyond the realm of possibility for you, imagine that you are a caretaker for someone you love more than yourself). Here we go:
You have a new child. He is perfect in every way, precocious, funny and bubbling with personality. You have been lucky; he's been healthy since the day he was born. His vaccinations are up to date and everything's going well until, suddenly, you lose your job and, with it, your insurance. Cobra is too expensive given the daily costs of living and, besides, everyone's pretty healthy in your family. Then one day, your child's previously sweet disposition turns sour. He's tired all the time and exceptionally cranky. You, already stressed to the point of losing it, chalk it up to the terrible-twos. It's not constant; there are times when you recognize that sweet child of before. Eventually, the crankiness becomes the norm and you don't really notice it anymore. Then, the bouts of diarrehea start. You think, he's got a stomach bug. True, he doesn't have a fever, but kids are like that. More worrisome is that he's slowed down. Where he was tired occasionally, now he's borderline lethargic. He has stopped chatting at you all the time and doesn't seem to be learning as much as he was. On the other hand, you have been busy looking for work. Maybe he is just watching too much tv? You consider taking him to the doctor, but decide that he is probably ok; rent is already late. Then, the nighttime screaming starts. Clearly, he is in pain. You finally take him to the doctor--a clinic that provides free health care. The doctors are harried and overworked. They draw some blood, a horrible experience requiring you to hold your child down, and run some tests. When the tests come back normal, they tell you: "He's just a kid." Except now you are scared. Your son's belly sticks out and he has stopped growing. After yet another night of constant diarrehea, you calculate your savings and decide to take him to the ER. The doctors run what seems like hundreds of tests. Your poor little baby is tiny on that huge white bed and it is terrifying to see him hooked up to machines and wires. After a night in the hospital, after the ER realizes you have no insurance, you are discharged with your sick, tired, scared little boy. And no wiser. You now have over $20,000 in medical expenses and no answers.
Fast forward: Your son has celiac disease. The average time between the onset of symptoms and a diagnosis is nine years. Think about that. Think about what nine years means in the life of a child. Now consider--if that child does not have health insurance, how likely is it that a diagnosis will be made? Frequently, the only way the test is run is if the patient knows to ask about it. If you don't have health insurance, you may not get to that point--the point where you've run out of other answers.
My doctors estimate that I have had active celiac since I was 15. I was not diagnosed until I was 28. And I've had fantastic health insurance that whole time. A child who is suffering from untreated celiac can have serious and lasting health problems. If a child is malnourished during critical growth periods, that loss of growth will likely be permanent. A child who is malnourished will be unable to learn to their capacity, resulting in probably permanent scholastic disabilities. For those of you who feel that the costs of providing basic health care to everyone are too high, I would submit to you--the costs of NOT providing it may be much higher.
Please, take a moment to contact your representative and tell them, we need health care reform.
It's been several weeks since we took our son to the hospital and this thought--that health care is not available to everyone--has been increasingly nudging my conscience. Because I do not live under a rock, I've been half-aware of the raucous debate going on across the country. To a large degree, I have tuned out the specifics, finding the "debates" to be mostly ridiculous posturings by angry people. As Barney Frank exclaimed: "Trying to have a debate with you would be like arguing with a dining room table." I was not engaged because: (1) I did not think of how it would directly impact me and, like most people, I'm inherently self-interested; and (2) I had other things going on. Ok, bad reasons. But there it is. My trip to the ER changed that. Let me tell you why it has become clear to me that it is critical that everyone be provided access to some form of health care. Open your mind, please, and imagine, first, that you are a new mother or father. (If this is beyond the realm of possibility for you, imagine that you are a caretaker for someone you love more than yourself). Here we go:
You have a new child. He is perfect in every way, precocious, funny and bubbling with personality. You have been lucky; he's been healthy since the day he was born. His vaccinations are up to date and everything's going well until, suddenly, you lose your job and, with it, your insurance. Cobra is too expensive given the daily costs of living and, besides, everyone's pretty healthy in your family. Then one day, your child's previously sweet disposition turns sour. He's tired all the time and exceptionally cranky. You, already stressed to the point of losing it, chalk it up to the terrible-twos. It's not constant; there are times when you recognize that sweet child of before. Eventually, the crankiness becomes the norm and you don't really notice it anymore. Then, the bouts of diarrehea start. You think, he's got a stomach bug. True, he doesn't have a fever, but kids are like that. More worrisome is that he's slowed down. Where he was tired occasionally, now he's borderline lethargic. He has stopped chatting at you all the time and doesn't seem to be learning as much as he was. On the other hand, you have been busy looking for work. Maybe he is just watching too much tv? You consider taking him to the doctor, but decide that he is probably ok; rent is already late. Then, the nighttime screaming starts. Clearly, he is in pain. You finally take him to the doctor--a clinic that provides free health care. The doctors are harried and overworked. They draw some blood, a horrible experience requiring you to hold your child down, and run some tests. When the tests come back normal, they tell you: "He's just a kid." Except now you are scared. Your son's belly sticks out and he has stopped growing. After yet another night of constant diarrehea, you calculate your savings and decide to take him to the ER. The doctors run what seems like hundreds of tests. Your poor little baby is tiny on that huge white bed and it is terrifying to see him hooked up to machines and wires. After a night in the hospital, after the ER realizes you have no insurance, you are discharged with your sick, tired, scared little boy. And no wiser. You now have over $20,000 in medical expenses and no answers.
Fast forward: Your son has celiac disease. The average time between the onset of symptoms and a diagnosis is nine years. Think about that. Think about what nine years means in the life of a child. Now consider--if that child does not have health insurance, how likely is it that a diagnosis will be made? Frequently, the only way the test is run is if the patient knows to ask about it. If you don't have health insurance, you may not get to that point--the point where you've run out of other answers.
My doctors estimate that I have had active celiac since I was 15. I was not diagnosed until I was 28. And I've had fantastic health insurance that whole time. A child who is suffering from untreated celiac can have serious and lasting health problems. If a child is malnourished during critical growth periods, that loss of growth will likely be permanent. A child who is malnourished will be unable to learn to their capacity, resulting in probably permanent scholastic disabilities. For those of you who feel that the costs of providing basic health care to everyone are too high, I would submit to you--the costs of NOT providing it may be much higher.
Please, take a moment to contact your representative and tell them, we need health care reform.
Friday, September 11, 2009
New World
It's been two years. Two incredible, event-filled years. I've gotten married, had a child, recovered from the mind-blowing world shift that accompanies having a child and am, finally, regrouping and rejoining society. And in the intervening two years, DC has changed in a million important ways. There's a lot to write about.
I know that the gluten-free community already has two great advocates in the DC area--the DCgluties and the Gluten Free Optimist (who is fabulously splitting her time and writing for the examiner)--but I truly feel that there can never be too many resources. We all have different perspectives and experiences. It is important that people with information on living gluten-free get it into the universe. For sure, it's too difficult to go it alone.
That said, I'm going to try to widen my focus a bit. We in DC are uniquely situated in the epicenter of the political world; it feels almost irresponsible to ignore the opportunities for impact. Therefore, to the extent that issues arise that are relevant to those of us with celiac or who should, for health reasons, live a gluten-free lifestyle, I will attempt to get the word out. I'll still be talking about other gluten-free relevant things, too.
Initially, I want to give a shout-out to the American Celiac Disease Alliance, http://americanceliac.org/, a non-profit advocacy group initially formed back in 2003. This organization has recognized the need for inclusivity; its members include representatives from the medical community, the food industry, and persons living with celiac. They've focused on several issues in the past six years and helped to effectuate the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (want to read it? you can at http://www.foodallergy.org/Advocacy/FALCPAlaw.pdf). They are now directing their resources to the critical issue of the availability--or lack thereof--of gluten-free school lunches for children suffering from celiac. As we all know, celiac can be particularly devastating in children. It can have a lasting impact if left untreated. Yet many public schools--where our children spend an enormous percentage of their lives--have neither the awareness nor the resources to properly feed a child with celiac.
If you're interested in learning more about this issue, or--as I hope--in supporting the ACDA's efforts, just click on the link to their incredibly handy advocacy page.
I know that the gluten-free community already has two great advocates in the DC area--the DCgluties and the Gluten Free Optimist (who is fabulously splitting her time and writing for the examiner)--but I truly feel that there can never be too many resources. We all have different perspectives and experiences. It is important that people with information on living gluten-free get it into the universe. For sure, it's too difficult to go it alone.
That said, I'm going to try to widen my focus a bit. We in DC are uniquely situated in the epicenter of the political world; it feels almost irresponsible to ignore the opportunities for impact. Therefore, to the extent that issues arise that are relevant to those of us with celiac or who should, for health reasons, live a gluten-free lifestyle, I will attempt to get the word out. I'll still be talking about other gluten-free relevant things, too.
Initially, I want to give a shout-out to the American Celiac Disease Alliance, http://americanceliac.org/, a non-profit advocacy group initially formed back in 2003. This organization has recognized the need for inclusivity; its members include representatives from the medical community, the food industry, and persons living with celiac. They've focused on several issues in the past six years and helped to effectuate the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (want to read it? you can at http://www.foodallergy.org/Advocacy/FALCPAlaw.pdf). They are now directing their resources to the critical issue of the availability--or lack thereof--of gluten-free school lunches for children suffering from celiac. As we all know, celiac can be particularly devastating in children. It can have a lasting impact if left untreated. Yet many public schools--where our children spend an enormous percentage of their lives--have neither the awareness nor the resources to properly feed a child with celiac.
If you're interested in learning more about this issue, or--as I hope--in supporting the ACDA's efforts, just click on the link to their incredibly handy advocacy page.
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