DC Gluten Free

More Chicken! With a Bite.

2010-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Despite appearances to the contrary, I don't dig on beak. Poultry is not my thing. I'm not sure why...I get that its a great protein, generally accepted as healthy. I just don't particularly like it. But, it is cheap. And cooking on a budget lately has mandated chicken-creativity.

I actually loved tonight's dinner. I'll call it: Chicken with a Bite.

Take some chicken. We had 1.38 lbs of chicken breast. Chop it up into bite size pieces and sauté it up with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Squeeze half a piece of lemon over the chicken as it cooks.

Meanwhile, chop up whatever vegetables you have on hand. Add in some chunks of pineapple.
1/2 onion
1 summer squash
1 carrot
3 pieces of celery
1 red pepper
1 orange pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced

After the chicken cooks, set it aside in a plate. Stir-fry the veggies until cooked to taste.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Stir together:
1/4 cup of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of fish sauce
A big dollop of siracha
The juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch

Add the chicken back to the vegetables and stir together. Pour the sauce over and mix together. Sprinkle some basil over the whole thing. Voila!

National Museum of the American Indian

2010-05-04T12:02:00.000-04:00

As any worn out, hot, thirsty tourist who braves a DC summer can tell you, there aren't a lot of places to eat on the Mall. The Smithsonian circuit just hasn't traditionally been terribly eat-er friendly. Sure, you can grab an over-priced, dry sandwhich at one of the ubiquitous cafes...unless you can't. And after absorbing all that culture and history, the last thing anyone wants to do is subsist on a random yogurt and some sad fruit. The answer to a traveling celiac's prayers: the National Museum of the American Indian and its delightful eatery, mitsitim.

While the National Museum of the American Indian created a bit of controversy when it opened, one thing has never been in dispute: the food is fantastic. The cafe is a part of the cultural experience. It is cafeteria style eating with five unique food stations representing the broad regions encompassing the American Indian tribes. Thus, the Northern Woodlands menu will represent cooking techniques and ingredients traditional to tribes in that region and very different from, for instance, the Great Plains menu.

Besides being interesting and, in my experience, delicious, the food at mitsitim has another major point in its favor. The appropriate options are clearly labelled gluten-free! Delight! And the gluten-free options are not at all limited to the bland and the boring. Rather, a happy celiac can dig into a mouthwatering tamale or snack on some quinoa. Check it out. You'll be happy you did. (The Museum itself is pretty incredible too.)

May is the Month for Celiacs!

2010-05-03T14:05:00.000-04:00

in New York, Maryland and North Carolina. I'll go with it.

It's great to see that lobbying efforts in the community are paying off--government officials seem to be grasping the magnitude of the potential political impact of an effectively unified celiac voting block (sounds scary, doesn't it?) But if you think about it, celiacs are people who, almost by definition, are forced to be activists. Even those of us without any prior advocacy experience learn quickly that the most effective means of safeguarding our health is to speak up and educate the larger community.

There are any number of ways to celebrate Celiac Disease Awareness Month. You can: take a cooking class; attend a fundraiser; participate in a race to raise awareness; go out to eat at a new restaurant with a friend who is NOT a celiac (thus, educating both the restaurant and your friend); get tested for common vitamin and mineral deficiencies...the list goes on and on. Whatever you do--get out there and start talking. Its the best way to honor the spirit of the month and raise awareness!

Beyond Gluten-Free

2010-04-22T21:58:00.000-04:00

Having celiac is nothing if not completely life-altering. Your history has an immediate schism: pre-GF and GF. Memories are altered with the overlay of new information (oh, my ability to eat anything and actually lose weight is not a good thing?) Moreover, every new experience is colored with the shade of celiac. Immediately, grocery shopping is medicinal. There are explanations for inexplicable ailments. You aren't the crazy, hysterical hypochondriac.

I have found that, contrary to popular current opinion, managing the disease involves a holistic approach. Yes, you must eat gluten-free. You also, though, may have to change your make-up. You may need to treat the inevitable symptoms that come from having lived with untreated celiac for a long period of time. You also need to be aware that not everything in your life relates back to the disease. It is possible that you really just have a stomach ache. Or that the extreme exhaustion you are feeling is from your toddler being up all night instead of inadvertent glutening.

In that regard, it is useful to have an arsenal of resources to supplement your physician in treating the total life experience of having celiac. Eastern medicine--specifically, acupuncture and massage therapy--can be particularly helpful in relieving stress, counteracting headaches and just basic life management. There are infinite levels of ability, costs and venue available in DC. Unlike some things in life, however, cost does not necessarily correlate to ability. You can get a terrible massage at a fancy spa. You can pay a ton for acupuncture that is perfunctory and impersonal. Alternatively, you could check out my favorites.

For massage: Eye Street Massage. They aren't fancy. In fact, as you hike up the four flights of stairs in the dingy building, I can almost guarantee you'll be skeptical. But I've found that they are universally very good. I particularly like Dee and Pam.

For acupuncture: Pekoe Acupuncture. Whenever I get glutened, I get a migraine. It's a clear, direct correlative event. It sucks. Nicole Mires has helped me through some of my worst. To be honest, I don't go with any regularity (which I understand is how you get the most benefit). Nonetheless, I have found it to be really effective in managing pain.

From My Dad--With Love

2010-04-20T22:06:00.000-04:00

Celiac runs in families. My mom, for example, got it from me. At least, I was diagnosed and insisted everyone else get tested--hers came up positive. My dad, who discovered an abiding love of cooking in recent years, stepped up to his two-fold challenge; learn to cook gluten-free and do it in a tiny, northern Maine town with limited resources.

I love when he comes to visit in DC for many reasons, but certainly one of them is that he enjoys cooking, knows how to cook gluten-free and he's like a kid let loose in a candy store in our bountiful DC grocery stores. Every time he comes down, our standard of eating rises. On one of his recent trips, it was a cold, rainy day calling for soup. He made us the most incredible soup. After much prodding, I got him to write it down. He's been asking me to send it to him and, frankly, I think other celiacs could benefit from it, too. I make it whenever I'm sick (which has been frequent lately).

Thai Style Chicken Soup (from my dad's recipe)

1 package extra firm tofu--drained, pressed & cubed
2 cloves of garlic - minced (I usually use three or four. And I don't believe my father has ever made anything with less than 5 cloves of garlic)
1 in. ginger - minced
1 chicken breast - cubed
3-4 cups chicken broth
red pepper cut into strips
1/4 -1/2 fresh red chili peppers
1 cup julienned carrots
1-2 cups fresh baby spinach - chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
cilantro for garnish

Heat the oil in a wok, fry tofu until crispy (this requires a lot of patience--leave it longer than you might want). Remove the tofu and drain it on some paper towel. Add cubed chicken to remaining oil and cook, stirring frequently until no longer pink. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir for a couple minutes. Add carrots and red pepper, stir frying for 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach, stir frying until wilted. Add the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil and add tofu. Add the chili pepper and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, adding spring onions and cilantro as wanted.

F&K#&$!!!

2010-04-19T22:24:00.000-04:00

Damn you people on the train, with your germs and your sneezing and your failure to cover your mouth! Ok, so maybe its not the best idea to lick the poles on the metro (my toddler, not me). Lesson learned. Thank you. Again, my household has been struck down.

For the first day, I thought it was allergies. Really, really bad allergies. But no. Is it just me or do celiacs get sick all the time? I guess it makes sense, right? Compromised immune system and all? I actually thought that once you were on the diet and no longer testing positive, you were "normal". This does not seem to be the case. I think, in the last three months, I've been sick--with a cold, flu, etc.--at least three times. That's a LOT! And I'm not a good sick person. I'm whiny, pathetic, irritable, cranky. (When I'm sick!)

The icing on the cake is that, while food is increasingly labelled gluten-free, medication is not. Apparently, there are proprietary issues; pharmaceutical companies have resisted any attempts to require allergen labeling because they fear that their super-secret formulas will be stolen. Somehow. From the indication that it has wheat in it. Because the presence of wheat is clearly the missing link. Anyway. Suffice it to say, it can be tricky to determine whether a medication has gluten in it.

Take Zyrtec, for example (I thought I had allergies). Google it. Some sites say "zyrtec has gluten." Others claim that calls to the company have assured them that the medication is safe. Still others suggest that some dosages are fine, while others are dangerous. Calls to the company--typically the go-to measure of last resort--were, frankly, no more helpful. I got transferred around.

I don't have a great suggestion here. I'm worn down. Really, I don't understand the logic behind not mandating the drug companies label the presence of common allergens. I'm sure I'm overly cynical, but I have a fair certainty that effective lobbying has played a role. What can you do to fight that?

Meanwhile, it's late. I'm sick. I need to go to bed.

Chicken Soup

2010-04-09T18:56:00.000-04:00

We have nothing to eat. Much like I have nothing to wear. But a week-long headache has hampered my enthusiasm for grocery shopping. So. A Top Chef- like challenge presents itself. How to get something for dinner--that will not exacerbate a headache and will satisfy a toddler--from frozen food and leftovers?

Two small pieces of frozen chicken and a bowl of leftover brown rice later, I have chicken soup simmering on the stove.

Chicken Soup-ish

A bit of olive oil
2 small pieces of frozen chicken--thawed
1 big onion (can you get small ones anymore?)--chopped
5 cloves of garlic--sliced
1 qt of chicken broth (I use Pacific brand, free-range chicken sodium free)
1 cup of water
A bit of white wine (use Julia Child's method...a little for the soup, a little for me)
2 egg yolks
whatever mushrooms you have in the fridge
chopped up celery
1 big squirt of siracha
2 shakes of fish sauce
the juice of one lemon
1 capful of soy sauce
1 bag of spinach

I get that the amounts got fuzzy at the end. I blame the wine.

Start with the dollop of olive oil in a dutch oven. Heat it up. Sear the chicken until brown on both sides. Dump the onions in and remove the chicken. Dice the chicken and stir it back in. (If you have celery, add it). On medium heat, cook until the onions are slightly caramelized. Deglaze the pot with the white wine. Stir in the garlic. Pour in the broth and water. Add siracha, lemon juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and mushrooms. Stir. Simmer for...however long you want. Stir in the egg yolks slowly, noting the cool chemistry that occurs as the broth thickens. Add the brown rice. Simmer until gently boiling. Add the spinach. Stir together and wait until everyone shows up.

Think Twice About The Tea Parties

2010-04-07T21:49:00.000-04:00

The health care bill has passed. For that matter, the health care bill passed, was effectively castrated, and passed again. There are uproars and...tea parties. The ironically named "tea parties" (for who can imagine something so completely counter to the conservative, polite discourse that occurs at most tea parties?) are being held in protest.

To what? Well, to be honest, I am not entirely sure. Taxes increasing to pay for it? (Do they all live in DC where you really do have taxation without representation?) Illegal immigrants with no current coverage will suddenly have access to doctors, thus decreasing the availability of those doctors for citizens? (No, seriously, I heard that one. The lack of basic humanity that must exist to say something so egregious with a straight face...) I do, however, know one thing for certain: there are at least 1 out of approximately every 133 people in the U.S. who should be thanking whatever higher power they believe in that this health care reform has passed. That's right, celiacs. I'm talking to you.

Health insurance companies used to be able to refuse to cover pre-existing conditions if an insured had allowed their previous insurance to lapse for any significant amount of time. Now, there is a provision in the law that disallows insurance companies from refusing coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Celiac disease "presents" with a myriad of symptoms and its impact--if untreated--can be catastrophic on several systems. Anything from gas to severe depression can be clinically linked to celiac. It has been shown to lead to other autoimmune diseases and even cancers. Make no mistake, it is a serious disease. And it has been gaining in prevalence and diagnosis. Presumably, health insurance companies are becoming aware of its far reaching tentacles.

Now imagine--under the old health insurance regime--that you lose your job and your insurance. Your cobra coverage expires. Six months later, you get a new job and--thankfully--new insurance. You fill out the paperwork, noting the existence of celiac. To the extent you think about it, you think that your celiac is being treated as much as is possible by your adherence to a gluten-free diet. But wait. You're having some difficulty dealing with the financial stress of being out of a job for so long. You want to see a doctor for depression, but your coverage is denied: depression is a symptom of celiac, a pre-existing condition. Your back is hurting. You want to get chiropractic treatment, but your coverage is denied: back pain is a symptom of celiac, your pre-existing condition. You break your arm and the doctors discover you have osteoporosis. Coverage for the treatment is denied: brittle bones are a side-effect of celiac, the condition that has effectively eliminated any security you may have felt from having insurance.

This concern, which I became aware of when my husband recently switched jobs, no longer exists. While the above are all hypothetical--I am as yet unaware of any real instance where someone was denied coverage for a celiac disease related incident--it is not difficult to imagine that the industry that denied insurance to a fat baby would make those not-so-attenuated arguments.

So. For all of you celiacs out there...avoid the Tea Parties. I don't think they can accommodate a gluten-free diet.

Caution: Wheat is included

2010-01-03T19:42:00.000-05:00

Though the FDA has blown through its deadline for setting parameters around acceptable levels of gluten and labeling, it appears that consumer response may take over driving that bus. Playdoh--that wonderful ubiquitous product of all childhoods--has put a label on the little yellow containers indicating that the dough contains wheat. Two things: (1) playdoh is not a food, but the manufacturers apparently understand that it may end up being eaten; and (2) playdoh is a children's product, the labeling of which indicates that parent-groups have been effective at getting attention for their gluten-free needs. A gold star goes to hasbro for putting this important information out voluntarily.

Presents for a celiac

2009-12-11T10:02:00.000-05:00

You know what your favorite celiac wants for Christmas/ Hannukah? I'll give you a hint. It is not a strange fake hamster (or a strange live hamster, for that matter). And while world peace would be great, lets be honest, it's probably not happening for a while. So. Simple answer: gluten-free food at your holiday party.

The season of parties is upon us and it can be intensely frustrating for a celiac to attend these soirees. Inevitably, amid the small talk and drinking, the fact that someone is not eating gets attention. Your celiac will probably tell you that it's no big deal, they prefer to bring their own food. Not true! What they would prefer is to eat with everyone else. An equality of food, if you will. The problem that's inherent in the system (anyone?) is that even if you make a gluten-free option, the likelihood that it will be contaminated is kind of high. Even people who are moderately aware of the effects of gluten tend to be less than careful about cross-contamination; "aren't you being just a bit too picky?" "can't you eat just a little?" "it won't hurt you." Add alcohol to the mix and there's almost zero chance that the gluten-free food will stay gluten-free if it's universally available. Therefore, the safe celiac will not partake even if there is a gluten-free option.

So. The more complex answer to what your celiac wants for the holidays: universal awareness of celiac disease and its restrictions.

Its been a...

2009-12-10T13:51:00.000-05:00

It has been almost a month since I put keyboard to screen and let loose. High time, I say, to get back into it. November is always a slightly tough month, but now December is here and demands to be celebrated! As most properly socialized people know, celebrations = food. Therefore...

Most Christmas-y food ever: oyster stew. Every Christmas eve, my family would load up into the van (there were a lot of us) and, eventually, after Christmas visits and services, end up at my grandmother's house for dinner. Some of my sisters detested the traditional meal and demanded an alternative, but, to me, nothing smells as rich, tastes as velvety or has such strong memorial resonance. The oyster stew would be warming on the stove when we arrived, filling the air with a buttery aroma. I am not going to post my grandmother's recipe because, frankly, it's not mine to give. But here you can get Madame Paula Dean's, which looks easy, delicious and, best of all, is gluten-free.

GF Goes Mainstream

2009-11-15T18:24:00.000-05:00

Have you seen that new legal show, "The Good Wife?" I'm loving it. The storyline: the wife of a politician having an affair with a prostitute (sound familiar?) has to go back to work when her husband is imprisoned for misuse of political office. Luckily, she's a natural litigator and has very interesting cases come up every week. This past week involved a slip and fall case that implicates the first amendment. It also implicates a gluten-free diet! When the plaintiff is asked why she would travel an extra 5 blocks (or some such number) to go to the kosher grocery store when there was a perfectly good grocery closer to her house, she answers, "My daughter has to eat gluten-free (dramatic pause) and there are more options at the kosher grocery." Spoiler alert: turns out, the plaintiff is in cahoots with the security guy and the whole thing was a scam. I think its awesome that they came up with gf needs as the cover story!

Voting Day

2009-11-02T21:46:00.000-05:00

A coworker recently expressed his opinion that celiac is a psychosomatic illness. While he did not say I was crazy, he did say that he thought it was all in my head. This guy is (otherwise) intelligent, has a graduate degree in-what amounts to-logical thinking and somehow believes that a verified autoimmune disease actually does not exist. Because he cannot imagine its existence. It is outside the realm of his experience and ability to empathize. Essentially, he feels that if I could just stop thinking that I have a deadly reaction to gluten, my life would be a whole lot easier.

Now, this guy is a nut. And I laughed when I heard about his insane ramblings. But it stuck with me. And it's got me thinking. What if other people felt this way? What if a lot of people decided that celiac is a choice--and a bad one? What if it became a religious issue? (The Christian Bible does talk about wheat an awful lot; it is not impossible that someone could read it literally and decide that a life without wheat was not condoned by God.) What if people got together and decided that, because celiac was not something they experienced, because the Bible suggests separating the wheat from the chaf, because food issues are an inconvenience, that celiacs could not eliminate gluten from their diet?

Now you think I'm crazy. But bear with me. Tomorrow marks a hugely important day in the life of Americans. It is voting day. A lot of you out there may be thinking that, since it isn't a presidential election, your vote doesn't matter. You could not be more wrong. In almost every state, important decisions are being made about who will be making decisions on your behalf and what you and your friends will be allowed -- or not allowed-- to do. In Maine, a vote is being held on whether your gay friends (and whether you know it or not, you probably have some) should be allowed to marry. In Virginia, there are men up for election who condone bigotry, who have publicly decried a woman's role in working society. If these things outrage you, you should go to the polls. If they do not outrage you, then I would challenge you to put yourself in the shoes of those you think are more directly effected. Imagine you are a gay person in love or a woman who is just trying to do the right thing for her family.

The verse by Pastor Martin Niemoller is relevant tomorrow. We need to stand up for the rights of others, lest there be no one left standing to stand up for us.

Weird Gluten-Free Resources

2009-10-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

When you have a baby--at least here in DC--you get signed up for a ridiculous number of solicitations. (Or maybe I didn't see the opt out box). Most of these eventually just peter out. One, however, has followed me relentlessly, like a harmless stalker. Parenting magazine lands in my mailbox periodically and it provides a good thirty-minute distraction. This month the "snack" section caught my eye. Allergen treats! For kids! And their parents! The gluten-free snacks even looked delicious. Most of these, celiac parents are already aware of--like Lucy's Cookies--but it is nice to see them mainstreamed.

DC Tops List of Brainiest State, But Bad News For Celiacs

2009-10-13T21:02:00.001-04:00

DC has been named the top "brainiest" state in the America according to studies based largely on intake of DHA-fortified foods. Interestingly, medical experts not associated with the study indicated that certain other tests should have been included in the index including, specifically, tests for gluten-intolerance. Apparently, consumption of gluten by those with celiac is a factor in the development of dementia.

The Littlest Lobbyist

2009-10-12T17:34:00.001-04:00

Kyle Graddy has begun an early and hopefully effective career as a lobbyist. The nine-year old boy, with severe peanut allergies, described his recent Washington, DC experience for CNN. His eloquently simple description of the issues is maybe the most effective I have seen to date.

Magnesium Deficiency in Celiacs

2009-10-12T08:51:00.000-04:00

I was reading this month's Oprah -- yes, I'm a little embarrased to admit it, but I read it for the articles! ahem--and noticed a tiny little reference to the glutens. In a question and answer article on medical issues, someone wrote asking about magnesium and copper deficiencies. The author of the question had been told by a dietitian that he had a severe magnesium and copper deficiency. The expert responding to the question was skeptical, stating that it is rare to see the symptoms of a severe deficiency in these minerals in anyone not suffering from "Chron's disease or a gluten sensitivity". Interesting. Magnesium deficiency can cause serious symptoms, like frequent migraines, personality changes, depression and exhaustion. Worth checking into, for sure.

The Economic Benefits of a Celiac Diagnosis

2009-10-06T13:24:00.000-04:00

I got a medical bill yesterday. You know those notices you get from your insurance company that say how much the doctor's office charged for a service, how much you paid, and how much they are willing to pay? Before I was diagnosed with celiac, I used to get at least one a week. I was going to the doctor so often, I was convinced that they had a little note on the chart saying: "This one's crazy--disregard all complaints." I had gotten to that crisis point that apparently happens frequently for celiacs--my system was essentially shutting down. In many ways, my life and health have improved exponentially following the diagnosis, yet I have health issues that remain because it took so long to find out what was wrong. So I continue to get those medical bills. Luckily, as I've said here before, I have pretty great health insurance.

Just based on my own experiences, I could have told you that undiagnosed celiac causes an enormous economic burden both for individuals and for the health insurance industry. However, you do not have to take my word for it; the Journal of Insurance Medicine published a study back in March discussing this very phenomenon. Dr. Peter Green of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University joined forces with CIGNA HealthCare and, using anonymous data collected from 1999 through 2003, compared more than 10 million managed care patients in the U.S. They divided patients into four sub-groups: (1) newly diagnosed with celiac disease, (2) one symptom of celiac disease but no official diagnosis, (3) two symptoms of celiac disease but no official diagnosis, and (4) three celiac disease symptoms but no official diagnosis. After analyzing the medical resources utilized by each of the four groups, including amount and cost, they found that, after the first few months following diagnosis, the first group had consistently lower resource use and overall costs than the other groups.

Clearly, the study is not perfect. But how could this not make sense? Before diagnosis, those suffering with untreated celiac are sick. The list of symptoms is ridiculous. You have migraines, stomach problems (to put it mildly), extreme fatigue, skin issues, mental health problems. It goes on and on. Of course you are going to see the doctor, if you can. And the longer you go with untreated celiac, the sicker you become. It is an autoimmune disease; eventually it will wear your body out. It has been associated with other autoimmune diseases, cancer, osteoperosis, chronic fatigue. When you get to the point of other illness involvement, the medical costs are not going to go down. And those costs are pervasive.

The conclusion of this study was that early diagnosis would be economically beneficial to the health insurance industry. Yes! An important point! The blood test that ultimately was responsible for my diagnosis cost them about $100 versus the many, many thousands that they had put out previously just looking for what was wrong. But I would take it a step further. Early diagnosis is economically beneficial to just about everyone. Besides the pure health costs, imagine the work time that would not be lost for pointless medical tests, unnecessary hospital stays, care for family members who cannot be cared for by the patient. When you get right down to it, considering that an estimated 1 in 133 people have celiac but only a tiny percentage of those are currently diagnosed, the costs of performing the test on everyone are probably lower than the costs associated with undiagnosed celiac. (That might be an exaggeration. I clearly have not done those calculations.)

While health care is on everyone's minds, its a great time to suggest that your loved ones get tested. A simple blood test might save more than your friend's life... it might just save everyone a ton of cash.

Online Social Collaboration Community

2009-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

There's a new resource in town. Gling is a brand new social collaboration community. It is totally free and the content is member-driven. It combines several social networking forums; members can use the site as a base from which to blog, tweet and post comments. It is primarily focused on recipes, gluten-free friendly locations and foods.

So that's the short and dirty. The real story is that this resource has the potential to be a truly useful, supportive community for those who have celiac or cannot eat gluten. It is a distinctly user-friendly site. It's easy on the eyes, easy to navigate, and easy to contribute. Community members are very welcoming. Within a day of joining the site, I had four previously unknown people "friend" me, which gives me access to their resources. As noted, it is new. Which means that certain of the resources have not had time to get to maximum capacity of usefulness. The locations section is virtually empty for DC. We need members to add gluten-free hot spots. Still, there are great recipes and everyone is there for a single purpose: to spread the word about gluten-free living.

Your mission if you choose to accept it: Sign up for gling and see if we can get the DC location filled with at least twenty spots in the next two weeks. Go!

A Non-Sequitor

2009-09-29T21:22:00.000-04:00

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.

National Family Day --

2009-09-28T16:16:00.000-04:00

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.

Gluten-free iPhone apps...as if you needed a reason

2009-09-25T11:50:00.000-04:00

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?

Lunches For All!

2009-09-21T16:15:00.000-04:00

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.

Loud Voices

2009-09-18T13:36:00.001-04:00

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.

Health Care Reform

2009-09-14T10:15:00.002-04:00

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.

Link to Advocacy Page for ACDA

2009-09-11T16:06:00.001-04:00

Advocacy

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New World

2009-09-11T14:04:00.005-04:00

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.

Lilit Cafe

2007-11-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

Lilit Cafe! Gluten free deliciousness! (From what my gluten-eating friends tell me, the other food is quite good as well.) This wonderful little cafe, located at 7921 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, MD, is worth the over half hour drive it takes me to get there. The little yellow awning is such a beacon.

The Lilit Cafe boasts a baker that has celiac. In addition to the sandwiches that the Cafe prepares on-site, with gluten free deli meats and cheeses, there is a large selection of baked goods that one can take home. There's wonderful sandwich bread that tastes remarkably like homemade honey-wheat 'normal' bread. The baker frequently changes her selections, offering several different types of cookies (snickerdoodles and chocolate chip). Even for someone who dislikes bananas, the banana bread is a treat.

The Cafe has been offering sandwiches for a while now. Recently, they expanded to pizza (I've only tried one kind--it was cheesy and a bit greasy, but certainly hit the spot). Given that the Cafe has a wide selection of wines and even offers gluten-free beer, it really is a perfect place to go for a seriously comforting meal.

Oh, and the homemade gelato helps too. Check it out: http://www.lilitcafe.com.

Community

2007-10-30T11:34:00.000-04:00

I know I've been blessed. I'm reminded of this every day that I don't get horrifically sick. Because of celiac, I can no longer eat mindlessly. Some days, when I'm working late or craving a donut, this seems like a curse. But really, how can I argue with feeling better than I have in years?

Besides being blessed with a diagnosis (finally!), I have been enormously lucky in my friends and family. My now husband proposed three days before I was told I have celiac; not only did he not ask for the ring back, he spent a day with me going through our kitchen and getting rid of every item that contained the contaminant. Our house is gluten-free--he gets his fix of bread during lunches at work.

I have close friends who love to cook. For years, I've been a very willing taste-testor. They cooked me my very first gluten-free meal. From a combination of love and curiosity, they have researched and learned about celiac. I still eat at their house frequently--delicious, gourmet meals. It is as safe to me as my own kitchen. In addition, I happen to be close friends with several other celiacs (a total coincidence!). It is so easy to eat out with them--there is no weirdness, no awkwardness at having to quiz the staff and we're less likely to get poisoned.

In the Capitol Hill area of Washington D.C., there is a small Thai restaurant--The Old Siam--that has become part of my community. I live close enough that it is my go-to spot for easy take-out or a night out with friends. Thai food is often naturally gluten-free. Many of the noodles are made of rice flour and the curries do not need flour thickening. That said, there are sneaky ingredients--watch out for soy sauce and, sometimes, fish sauce. The friendly people at the Old Siam have gone over their menu with me a number of times (it's always a good idea to check, in case they've changed the recipe). The spring rolls, all of the soups (except the tofu), shrimp-pineapple curry, pineapple fried rice, kee mow tofu noodle, and pad woon sen have all been safely prepared for me--just make sure to ask for no soy sauce. All of these dishes are delicious, but the shrimp pineapple curry is my favorite. Besides the food, the restaurant has the staff to recommend it; they are attentive and always willing to help.

A gluten free menu

2007-10-27T13:34:00.000-04:00

While it is fantastic that celiac is getting so much recognition lately, a clear downside is that restaurants are attempting to meet the demand for gluten-free cooking without taking certain necessary steps (education? training? safety precautions?). Gluten-free menus are popping up everywhere. I've been happily surprised at several restaurants when a hostess to whom I'm attempting to explain the disease whips out a menu and says "Oh, you're gluten free?" Unfortunately, hours after eating, I realize that the menu does not guarantee a safe meal. Don't get me wrong, it's a great start. But given that these places are also the ones most frequently sought out by a celiac visiting a new city, I wanted to post a really brief overview of experiences with the common chain restaurants in the area that advertise gluten-free menus.

P.F. Changs: (Tysons Corner) I love this place. I've been several times and have never gotten sick. In fact, this is the only chain restaurant with a gluten free menu about which I can make that claim. The staff is knowledgeable and the food is great; people have eaten with me and noted that they couldn't tell the difference between the gf food and the "normal" menu items. The lettuce wraps are awesome and, while some food critics are lately criticizing restaurants for offering the typical chocolate cake, I think many celiacs dream to be able to eat such a rich, chocolaty dessert.
Austin Grill: (Chinatown) Sometimes I get desperate for cheap, greasy Tex-Mex. Because they have a gf menu, I've gone several times to this Austin Grill. I'm clearly a slow learner (most people, I think, would go once or twice after having a bad experience...not me, I've been probably 5 or 6 since being diagnosed). The chips and salsa are fine. The guacamole is fine. The problems really only start when you order off the menu. Twice, I've had waitstaff that had no idea what I was talking about, even when I showed them the gf menu. On another occasion, I ordered off the gf menu, but got sick later. Once, I ordered a side off the gf menu and was given a "normal" substitute. The lesson--which I've now figured out--is don't eat here (unless you're looking for chips and margaritas).
Legal Seafood: (K Street and Chinatown) I'm from New England and am a little snobby about seafood. Legal's is ok--they have decent food. They are, however, extraordinary on the gluten-free issue. Their staff is very well trained and they have procedures in place to ensure that food reaches the table uncontaminated. Every time I've eaten at one of these restaurants, the manager has come to the table to reassure me that everyone in the food chain knows what goes into safe, gf eating. It is comforting to know that you can go out for dinner and truly not worry. Plus, the spicy calamari is addictive.

More later...

Learning to eat again

2007-10-11T17:33:00.000-04:00

While it is true that some people eat to live, I definitely live to eat. Or at least I did, until eating almost killed me. Despite having a very close friend that has been living with celiac for years, it took a long time for it to occur to me that it might be food that was making me sick. It took her continual nudging for me to finally ask for the test. The positive result was both a relief and extremely traumatic.

I love food. Before celiac interfered, I ate out almost every night. And I bought my lunch frequently, too. I was a little out of control. After being diagnosed, I couldn't imagine how I was going to get by; the disease would require a complete overhaul of my lifestyle. Initially, I was very strict and careful. Then, as I felt better, I would take stupid risks and, inevitably, get sick again. I'd go through phases. As I got frustrated with the restrictions, I'd decide the diet wasn't worth it and go eat as I usually did. Then, suffering, I'd resolve to be much more careful in the future. I went through a phase where I decided that restaurants would just have to deal with this; I'd explain--in really rudimentary terms--what I couldn't eat and expect the lovely Italian chef to whip me up something safe. In short, I was absurd.

Luckily, celiac is a lot more commonly diagnosed than it used to be. Because of the sudden increase in demand for gluten free food, many restaurants and groceries are increasing their offerings. Even better, the FDA has recognized the import of labeling and it is becoming much simpler for a person with celiac to eat healthfully. Of course, there is a downside. As "gluten-free" becomes a catch phrase, chefs sometimes take liberties with the labeling, resulting in a very sick celiac. Others may believe that they are offering truly gluten-free food, but because of poor staff training, the dish reaches the table contaminated.

This blog is meant as an easy reference for people with celiac trying to eat safely in Washington, D.C. I don't believe that having this illness should mean an end to eating out. Friends who have celiac have also been invited to post, to give it a depth of perspective. Because everyone with celiac has a different tolerance for gluten, I can only speak to my experience and make no claim that someone else may not have a completely different experience. I hope it helps.