DAY 2 OF 4 GOURDS

 

Acorn  

This gourd easily performs as a sweet or savory dish. Sauté it with onions, make a pie instead of using pumpkin, or roast it in the oven with butter and cinnamon. 

Looks Like: Dark green and yellow rind (sometimes whiteish or with bright orange patches) with deep ridges and yellowish, stringy flesh. 

Tastes Like: Sweet, nutty 

Nutrition Highlight: It’s got good Daily Values of B vitamins: 23% of the DV of Thiamine (vitamin B1), 20% of Pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and 10% of Folate (vitamin B9). It’s also one of the highest fiber-containing gourds. 

Spaghetti squash  

If you’re looking for a gluten-free substitute for spaghetti noodles, look no further than this gourd. Cut it in half, remove the seeds, and bake until tender. Take a fork and pull it through the open squash, and watch it turn into spaghetti-like strands. Spoon your favorite pasta sauce on top and enjoy! 

Looks Like: Ivory, yellow, or orange rind with long, stringy pale-yellow flesh. 

Tastes Like: Mild, neutral flavor 

Nutrition Highlight: High in beta-carotene. 

 
Ingredients 
2 teaspoons butter or oil
1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt and pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder 
½ teaspoon chili powder 

Instructions 

1. Slit the skin of the squash five times (like you do with potatoes.) 
2. Place in microwave for five minutes. 
3. If not soft after five minutes, add another three minutes. 
4. Carefully cut in half and remove seeds 
5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add butter and seasonings until melted 
6. Mix melted or oil seasoning into the squash, using a fork to pull strings parts 
7. Serve and enjoy

DAY 1 OF 4 GOURDS

 Gourds, those hard-shelled fruits – also known as squashes – that come from a flowering plant, are not just for decorative centerpieces and seasonal displays. Gourds are nutritious and naturally gluten-free. In addition to eating the gourd flesh – and in some cases the rind – you can eat gourd seeds, typically by cleaning and roasting them, just sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy.

Whether you call gourds a fruit or a vegetable, research shows the importance of eating plenty of vegetables and fruits to reduce chronic disease risk and improve health. Gourds contain “carotenoids,” the same pigment that turns carrots orange. Your body turns carotenoids into vitamin A which is good for vision and healthy skin. Gourds also contain other important vitamins and minerals, too.  

While the uncooked gourd adds a decorative touch to the table, cooked gourds add visual appeal to the plate with their vibrant colors. Take advantage of their shapes and use them as vessels for stuffing. Scoop the seeds out of a cooked squash and get creative. For example, add rice with dried cranberries into the hollowed-out gourd for a beautiful way to serve a side dish. 

Let’s take a closer look at gourds of various shapes, sizes, colors, and textures and learn why they can be healthy and delicious additions to gluten-free meals or even eaten as the main course over the next few days.

PREPARE GLUTEN FREE FOR ALL

 

Prepare All Gluten-Free for Ease 

The simplest way to entertain and ensure there is no gluten getting into gluten-free meals or snacks you’re serving is to decide from the outset that you’re preparing only gluten-free food. People less familiar with gluten-free eating might think you have to go with specialty foods and limited choices, but that is not the case. Going exclusively gluten-free might seem limiting at first – or even off-putting for gluten-eaters – but it doesn’t have to be. There are easy ways to make everyone happy eating gluten free.

Start by choosing appetizers and meal courses that are naturally gluten-free – like a salad with homemade dressing, roast chicken with roasted vegetables and rice, and baked apples topped with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Tortilla chips and salsa or a homemade dip with cut raw veggies are easy, naturally gluten-free appetizers.  

You could take this opportunity to showcase your favorite gluten-free dishes and introduce your friends to the wide array of gluten-free culinary options. If you’re cooking and baking for your get-together, go for recipes you’ve tried before with great success rather than experimenting with something new. This can help reduce stress so you can serve your gluten-free offerings with confidence.  

Pasta, bread, and baked goods are the most common foods where you need to go with gluten-free versions. You could introduce guests to these gluten-free foods that will often be new to them. Offering these items may elicit a reaction from your guests, whether positive, negative, or surprised. This can be a good way to increase awareness and enter a conversation about eating gluten-free, but if you prefer to avoid this scenario, offering naturally gluten-free dishes is the way to go. 

DAY 9 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 INFERTILITY

Researchers have recently realized that there may be an association between undiagnosed celiac disease and unexplained infertility in both men and women. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of attempting pregnancy (with unprotected sex).

In women, issues often occur during ovulation while in men, it may be due to insufficient sperm or the production of abnormal sperm. While it is yet to be clear why celiac disease is associated with infertility, experts believe it may be due to malnutrition as the intestines can no longer absorb nutrients effectively.

DAY 8 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 

Symptom #8: Neurological Symptoms

Celiac disease can also affect the nervous system. The commonest way celiac disease affects patients neurologically is small fiber neuropathy. These patients usually present with tingling, burning sensation, numbness, stinging, and electric-shock sensations in the limbs, torso, or face. It can also lead to dizziness and fainting upon standing up, abnormal sweating, sexual dysfunction, bladder symptoms, skin changes, and hair loss.

The lack of familiarity of professionals with small fiber neuropathy can lead to wrong diagnoses and mismanagement of the condition. Less common symptoms include ataxia, seizures, or neuropsychiatric conditions.

DAY 7 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 

Symptom #7: Abnormal Bleeding

Approximately 20% of adults who have untreated celiac disease have issues with absorption of nutrients such as vitamin K. Vitamin K deficiency can lead to clotting disorders as there is prolonged prothrombin time which has been associated with lower levels of iron, hemoglobin, cholesterol, proteins, and serum aspartate transaminase.

Hemorrhage is a rare presentation but some of the recorded presentations of abnormal bleeding in celiac disease patients are ecchymosis (bruising), and bleeding gums.

DAY 6 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 

Symptom #6: Osteopenia And Osteoporosis

Osteopenia occurs when the bone mineral density is lower compared to normal. It is a precursor to osteoporosis. Once osteopenia becomes more advanced, it turns into osteoporosis, which is a condition where the bones are less dense and have a tendency to fracture. Both osteopenia and osteoporosis are complications of untreated celiac disease.

This occurs because the small intestine, which is responsible for absorbing nutrients such as calcium, is no longer working efficiently. Since calcium is vital in building and maintaining bones, patients with celiac disease often have bones that are less dense as they are deficient in calcium.

DAY 5 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 

symptom #5: Anemia

Anemia refers to a lower amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin. In celiac disease, damage to the intestines can cause difficulties in the absorption of iron, folate, and vitamin B12. In patients with celiac disease, those with iron deficiency anemia do not respond to iron therapy. Folate and iron deficiency anemias are commonly seen among celiac disease patients.

These nutrients are normally absorbed in the first two parts of the intestines where damage occurs in early stages of celiac disease. As the condition progresses, the lower part of the intestines is damaged leading to vitamin B12 deficiency anemia.

DAY 4 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 

Symptom #4: Weight Loss

Weight loss is defined as the reduction of body mass which occurs due to loss of fluid, fat, bone mineral deposits, muscle, or any other connective tissue. In children, there may be failure to thrive which means faltering of weight. The term failure to thrive is used to indicate insufficient weight gain and can be evaluated through comparing the weight of the child compared to the normal average.

Besides the weight loss, affected children also often stop growing in stature. Weight loss or failure to thrive are non-specific symptoms that can occur.

DAY 3 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 

Symptom #3: Mouth Ulcers

Celiac disease not only affects the intestines but also other soft tissues of the body (such as the oral cavity or mouth). While the mechanism on how celiac disease causes mouth sores is unclear, it has been suggested that it may occur due to a deficiency in vitamins and minerals as there is an inability to absorb them through the gastrointestinal tract.

The ulcers or sores associated with celiac disease appear to be similar to aphthous ulcers or “canker sores”. Celiac mouth ulcers can be managed through strict avoidance of foods that contain gluten as these sores eventually heal and diminish once the body is no longer processing gluten.

DAY 2 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 

Symptom #2: Diarrhea

In celiac disease, diarrhea that affects patients are often characteristic of stools that are pale, large volume, and bad smelling. There is also associated abdominal pain and cramping, abdominal distension, and bloating. As the bowel increasingly becomes more damaged, the patient may also experience lactose intolerance.  This often resolves once a gluten free diet is followed.

Many patients are often misdiagnosed as having irritable bowel syndrome only to be diagnosed with celiac disease much later. Screening of celiac disease is recommended for those who experience irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.

Day 1 OF 10 SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE

 Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease to which some people have a genetic predisposition too. It involves the small intestine and usually causes issues with the digestive process, although it can cause a wide range of symptoms. People with celiac disease have an intolerance to gliadin, a gluten protein that is in a wide variety of grains including wheat, barley, rye, and some oats. Unfortunately, the symptoms are hard to recognize and may be confused with other, less serious conditions such as IBS. If not managed appropriately, celiac disease makes the body vulnerable to other diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, anemia, osteoporosis, infertility, epilepsy, migraines, and in extreme cases, intestinal cancer. There is no cure for celiac disease; the only way to manage the condition is to adopt a gluten-free diet.

Symptom #1: Steatorrhea

Steatorrhea is a term that describes the presence of an excessive amount of fat in the feces causing stools to be bulky and hard to flush (floats). It also looks pale and appears to be oily. These stools also smell foul. In patients with steatorrhea, some may experience oily anal leakage or fecal incontinence. The increased fat excretion can be measured by determining the level of fecal fat.

Steatorrhea can be caused by many conditions such as exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, poor digestion due to lack of lipases, loss of bile salts, conditions with intestinal malabsorption (such as celiac disease), and more.

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WENDYS FRIES GO GLUTEN FREE

 Your heard it here, French fry fans, Wendy's is reformulating their

French fries to be gluten-free.  The original fries contained no gluten

ingredients, but were prepared in fryers that were shared with 

gluten containing foods.  

By the end of September, French fry's in the U.S. and Canada will 

be gluten free.  Keep in mind, always be careful of cross contamination

within a busy fast food environment.

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When Can You Develop Celiac Disease??

 Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medications that contain gluten. The later the age of celiac disease diagnosis, the greater the chance of developing another autoimmune disorder. There are two steps to being diagnosed with celiac disease: the blood test and the endoscopy.

DENTAL AND CELIAC

 Dental enamel problems stemming from celiac disease involve permanent dentition and include tooth discoloration—white, yellow, or brown spots on the teeth—poor enamel formation, pitting or banding of teeth, and mottled or translucent-looking teeth.

Either nutritional deficiencies, combined with the celiac disease destroying the child's small intestine, causing the defect directly, or the child's immune system damages the teeth as they develop.

Gluten Ingredients To Watch For

Starches Found in Medications

The following inactive ingredients are considered “red flags,” as they may be sourced from wheat, barley or rye. If you see a red flag ingredient, it means that more information is needed to find out if the drug’s ingredients contain gluten. Some ingredients are more obvious than others.

• Wheat
• Modified starch (if source is not specified)
• Pregelatinized starch (if source is not specified)
• Pregelatinized modified starch (if source is not specified)
• Dextrates (if source is not specified)
• Dextrin (if source is not specified; the source is usually corn or potato which is acceptable)
• Dextrimaltose (when barley malt is used)
• Caramel coloring (when barley malt is used)

CELIAC DISEASE AND THE HEPATITIS B VACCINE

 For celiac patients, the hepatitis B vaccine is just as safe, but it is far less effective. In a study published back in 2003, Dr. Joseph Murray of the Celiac Disease Foundation Medical Advisory Board, and other researchers, searched through a medical database and found that out of 19 people with celiac disease who also were vaccinated for hepatitis B, 13 did not show an adequate response. Many studies have confirmed that celiac patients have a very high rate of non-response to the hepatitis B vaccine.

The exact reason for this phenomenon is most likely genetic, at least in part. Interestingly, a 2007 study out of Hungary found that celiac patients who were already being treated with a gluten-free diet fared much better than those still eating gluten. 

The researchers in that study found that not only did the children on a gluten-free diet respond as well as the control group to the hepatitis B vaccine, but children who initially showed no response to the vaccine were able to later develop immunity by going on a gluten-free diet and getting re-vaccinated. The authors also suggest that patients who do not respond to the hepatitis B vaccine be tested for celiac disease.

But in celiac patients who were vaccinated after they were diagnosed and already on a gluten-free diet, the difference in response rate was insignificant. From these studies, it seems that only patients with active and untreated celiac disease are at risk for not responding to the hepatitis B vaccine.

Top 10 Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Top 10 symptoms of Celiac disease

1. BONE LOSS 
2. ANEMIA
3. LIVER DISEASE
4. DIARRHEA
5. BLOATING
6. CANKER SORES
7. IBS
8. CONSTIPATION
9. ACID REFLUX
10. RECURRENT MISCARRIAGES

Symptoms Of Celiac

 Symptoms of Celiac disease.

May Celiac Awareness Month

 May is Celiac awareness month

BUD LIGHT SELTZER ???????????

 Is Bud light seltzer gluten free??  Many people are asking this question.  Many of the hard seltzer, spiked alcohol drinks often are made with malted barely, making those drinks not gluten free.

According to the www.gluten bee. com website, yes bud light seltzer is in fact gluten free.

TEFF

 Teff is a tiny grain that is highly nutritious and naturally gluten free.  Slowly gaining popularity as a gluten free substitute, this grain is also being used extensively in gluten free baking and cooking.

Teff has an earthy, nutty flavor and tends to be sweet as well.  It is also known as the worlds smallest grain  and measures about 1/100 the size of a wheat kernel.

Teff is high in fiber that may help with glucose control and colon health.

So I Test Positive For The Celiac Gene

 Testing positive for either HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 does not mean you have to change your eating habits unless you have symptoms of the disease (including damage to the villi that line the small intestines). The test will simply tell you that you have a propensity for the disease, nothing more.

With that being said, most celiac specialists will advise you and your family to be regularly monitored in the event one or more of you eventually become symptomatic. This is because the HLA mutations are passed from parent to child, with some children inheriting two copies of the mutation (one from each parent) while others only inheriting one. Those inheriting two are at greatest risk.

If you have symptoms and all other test results are negative, a positive HLA test may justify a trial period during which you stop gluten to see if your symptoms improve.

Identifying The Celiac Gene

 

Identifying the Celiac Genes

Two chromosomal mutations, known as HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, are commonly associated with celiac disease.

By definition, HLA (human leukocyte antigen) is a cellular protein which triggers an immune response. With celiac disease, aberrations in the HLA coding can cause the immune system to go haywire in the presence of gluten and attack cells of the small intestine.

Despite the fact that HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 are both linked to this effect, having the mutation doesn't necessarily mean that you'll get the disease. In fact, as many as 40 percent of the U.S. population have these mutations, mostly in people of European descent. Of those who do carry the mutation, only around 1 to 4 percent will go on to develop the disease in their adult.

Prevalence Of Celiac Disease

 Inheritance. Celiac disease tends to cluster in families. Parents, siblings, or children (first-degree relatives ) of people with celiac disease have between a 4 and 15 percent chance of developing the disorder. However, the inheritance pattern is unknown.

It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications. When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine

What Foods Trigger Celiac Disease??

 Gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye — triggers its symptoms. There's currently no cure for celiac disease. A strict gluten-free diet — also known as the celiac disease diet — must be followed to allow your body to heal.

LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF CELIAC DISEASE

Long-Term Health Effects

People with celiac disease have a 2x greater risk of developing coronary artery disease, and a 4x greater risk of developing small bowel cancers.

The treatment burden of celiac disease is comparable to end-stage renal disease, and the partner burden is comparable to caring for a patient with cancer. 1 2

Untreated celiac disease can lead to the development of other autoimmune disorders like Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS), and many other conditions, including dermatitis herpetiformis (an itchy skin rash), anemia, osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage, neurological conditions like epilepsy and migraines, short stature, heart disease and intestinal cancers.

ROLE OF VITAMIN B6

 Vitamin B 6 helps form red blood cells and maintain brain                                                                             function.  Vitamin B 6 deficiency is uncommon but has been                                                                         associated with various conditions including a weakened immune                                                                  system and dermatitis cheilitis. 

Foods high in Vitamin B 6 include pork, poultry, fish, peanuts,                                                                       soy beans, wheatgerm, oats and bananas.

ROLE OF VITAMIN A

 A nutritious diet is a vital component of a healthy lifestyle.                                                                             Many adults have known about the value of fruits and vegetables.                                                                 Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue,                                                               mucous membranes, and skin.  According to the WHO vitamin A                                                                  deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children                                                               and increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

   Common symptoms found in infants and children include:

• Gas

• Pale, foul-smelling stools

• Tooth enamel damage

• Short stature

• Anemia

• Growth problems

• Weight loss

• Chronic diarrhea, which can be bloody

• Constipation

• Vomiting

• Abdominal bloating and pain

• Fatigue

• Irritability

• Not growing as expected

• Neurological symptoms including learning disabilities, ADHD, headaches, lack of muscle coordination, and seizures

SYMPTOMS OF CELIAC DISEASE IN ADULTS

  In adults the most common symptoms of celiac disease are stomach problems, like gas and diarrhea. 

If you have this condition and eat a food that has gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley), your immune system attacks your small intestine. That causes damage and makes it hard for your body to absorb nutrients.

In adults, other common symptoms of this immune problem include:

• Bloating

• Abdominal pain

• Weight loss

• Constipation

• Nausea and vomiting

WHAT IS CELIAC DISEASE

An immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

Over time, the immune reaction to eating gluten creates inflammation that damages the small intestine's lining, leading to medical complications. It also prevents absorption of some nutrients (malabsorption).

The classic symptom is diarrhea. Other symptoms include bloating, gas, fatigue, low blood count (anemia), and osteoporosis. Many people have no symptoms.

The mainstay of treatment is a strict gluten-free diet that can help manage symptoms and promote intestinal healing.

DENTAL DEFECTS IN PEOPLE WITH CELIAC

 Dental enamel problems stemming from celiac disease involve permanent                                                    dentition and include tooth discoloration, poor enamel formation and mottled                                                 looking teeth.

In fact, it is possible your teeth and gums will show signs of celiac disease even                                            before you develop other symptoms, such as diarrhea or bloating.  

People with Celiac disease tend to have more cavities, and outbreaks of canker                                            sores.