The symptoms of celiac disease cover a wide range and are variable from person to person, but according to the Canadian Celiac Association, there are some symptoms that seem to be particularly common among celiac children.

These are: vomiting, irritability, behavioral changes, delayed growth or puberty, short stature, and dental enamel abnormalities.

According to Celiacs, Inc., the symptoms of celiac disease usually manifest in children after three to five months after they first ingest gluten, but this period of time may be shorter (“as short as one month”).  Their website lists additional celiac symptoms commonly found in children, such as a large abdomen, abnormal stools (large, pale, or floating), flattened buttocks, and acute diarrhea and dehydration.  Older children will experience “more subtle” symptoms such as: poor appetite, poor growth, and anemia.

Tina Turbin
http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info
b.a.

Celaic disease, which has a wide variety of symptoms in itself, often is attended by other health conditions. According to the Canadian Celiac Association, for this reason, it’s recommended that people with celiac disease symptoms or a family history of celiac disease get tested for the following associated conditions:

-Osteoporosis
-Type 1 diabetes mellitus
-Other autoimmune disease (such as autoimmune hepatitis or autoimmune thyroid disease)
-Down syndrome
-Turner syndrome
-Lymphoma

Tina Turbin
http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

You can order a copy of the Winter print edition of the Journal of Gluten Sensitivity to read my article, “U.S. Has Yet to Define ‘Gluten-Free’ for Food Labels,” in which I take up the critical subject of the FDA’s gluten-free labeling regulations.

The Journal of Gluten Sensitivity is a print and online quarterly newsletter co-edited by the founder of Celiac.com, Scott Adams. It publishes articles geared toward those on the gluten-free diet for reasons of celiac disease, gluten intolerance, as well as wheat allergies, keeping readers up-to-date on the latest scientific research and developments in the gluten-free arena. I am honored to have my article included in its Winter publication.

Check out the link below to subscribe to the newsletter:

http://www.glutenfreemall.com/catalog/journal-gluten-sensitivity-celiaccom-paper-edition-online-edition-year-subscriptionissues-celiac-disease-newsletters-p-469.html

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

Over recent years, avoiding gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, has become increasingly popular among Americans. Many people on the gluten-free diet have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten that can affect the entire body, in particular the small intestine, causing serious health problems. A study is suggesting that people who are at risk for celiac disease (because they are related to a celiac patient) should undergo antibody testing and that those with positive results, showing antibodies which are specific to the disease, can benefit from a gluten-free diet.

Celiac disease (CD) has a wide range of symptoms including headaches, chronic fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea, although some celiacs have been known to not exhibit any symptoms. Untreated, celiac disease can lead to severe complications such as infertility, liver disease, and certain cancers. While an estimated 1% of Americans have celiac disease, it’s supposed by experts that an even greater percentage of Americans are sensitive to gluten, meaning blood tests can confirm certain anti-gluten antibodies, while intestinal damage doesn’t exist.

In the study, headed by Dr. Katri Kaukinen of the gastroenterology department at Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine in Finland, 3,031 healthy people who were related to a celiac patient but exhibited no symptoms were administered antibody blood tests. 40 of these people with positive results, who had anti-gluten antibodies, which are found in people with celiac disease, were divided randomly into two groups—a group of people told to switch to a gluten-free diet and a group supposed to maintain their regular gluten-containing diet.

The results? Those who went on the gluten-free diet experienced improved health, including gastrointestinal health. When the study was over, 85 percent of the participants opted to maintain a gluten-free diet. The researchers concluded that screening for at-risk individuals should be stepped up.

The gluten-free diet may also help aging baby boomers with age-related health problems and diseases, many of which can be tied to gluten sensitivity and can be alleviated on the gluten-free diet, such as depression, obesity and weight gain, skin disorders, dibromyalgia, memory loss, diabetes, thyroid problems, arthtritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and osteoporosis.

In fact, the gluten-free diet may be an optimum diet for humans. According Drs. Vikki and Richard Petersen, D.C., C.C.N. in The Gluten Effect, grains are fairly new to our diets in the history of humankind and have been shown to be negatively affecting our health.

If you’re at risk for celiac disease but not showing symptoms, it’s recommended that you should get screened as soon as possible. Even if you aren’t at risk for CD, switching to a gluten-free diet under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner may be a responsible choice.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.Info

k.m.

I’m pleased to say that my popular Gluten-Free “No Pudge” Brownies in a Cup recipe has made it into the latest Vancouver Chapter Canadian Celiac Association’s Newsletter! My “No Pudge” brownies are one of my favorite quick gluten-free desserts. These babies are low-fat and don’t even taste gluten-free. The best part? They take just a minute to make in the microwave!

The CCA is a fantastic organization—what an honor to have my recipe featured by them.

Hungry for some delicious brownies? Check out my “No Pudge” Brownies in a Cup recipe here:

http://glutenfreehelp.info/20-minute-recipes/no-pudge-brownies-in-a-cup-2-points-weight-watchers/

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Knowledge is power when it comes to celiac disease and gluten-free living. Lucky for us Shelley Case, RD, (pictured above) author of the Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide and acclaimed celiac and gluten-free nutrition expert offers a FREE newsletter and FREE handouts online.

Her newsletter offers timely news, recipes, great information, and special discounts. She offers many handouts on all sorts of topics like general information on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, nutritional information, and a gluten-free diet guide for families. Check out the links below!

Get the handouts here: http://www.glutenfreediet.ca/handouts.php.
Sign up for the newsletter: http://www.glutenfreediet.ca/ezsignup.php.

Tina Turbin

http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Dr. Alessio Fasano answers the question, “Why is replacing wheat hard?” in his Scientific American article, “Surprises from Celiac Disease.”

Explains Fasano, gluten is what makes wheat-containing baked goods so airy and light. During the baking process, the strands of gluten “trap” carbon dioxide gas and water from the ingredients, and then they expand.

In making gluten-free goods, GF bakers usually use a combination of several different flours and starches, as well as other ingredients because just one substance can’t do on its own what the gluten in wheat does.

This explains why GF products can be so much more expansive than wheat-based items and why it’s so hard to get that true-to-taste quality in them.

Stay tuned for more interesting tidbits and be sure and visit the all wheat and gluten-free recipes on this site!

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

I often come across people having trouble replacing milk or dry milk in their GF recipes. Here’s a list of some simple solutions I’ve find. Your own opinions and solutions are always welcome, too!

-If you don’t require a lactose-free substitute, you can use powdered baby formula or buttermilk powdered milk.

-If you’re lactose-intolerant, use Vance’s DariFree powder in plain powder, a perfect substitute for regular dry milk. Other lactose-free substitutes include almond meal, Ensure (which is GF), Coffee Mate (which is also GF), dry rice milk powder, dry soy milk powder, a variety of nut flours, and last—but certainly not least—coconut milk (yum!).

-If you’re worried that dry milk may contain gluten, you can set your mind at ease. You can find plenty of brands of gluten-free dry milk, such as NIDO by Nestle or Carnation. You can call up the companies for more information regarding their facilities.

-The road to becoming a great GF cook is one of experimentation. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Try GF bread recipes without any milk or powdered milk at all and see how it comes out. Sample different nut flours as substitutes and see what works best. Trial and error is how some of the best GF recipes were developed!

Hope you find this helpful in your GF baking!

Tina Turbin

http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Fulfilling the requirements of both the Canadian and U.S. government standards for gluten-free (http://glutenfreehelp.info) facility certification is no easy task. Ask Beth Armour of Cream Hill Estates, Canada.

Cream Hill Estates routinely undergoes painstaking and expensive tests to eliminate any and all possibilities of cross-contamination. The complicated and demanding process begins with the transportation of the select seed and crop of specific farmers via “proper” vehicles to the gluten-free facility.

The cost of the select seed is high. It is 99% pure, with only one non-oat seed per 25,000 seeds of oats. The fields must be proven gluten-free for three years with additional standards met such as distance to other lands and ditches. Inspectors visit regularly.

“Cream Hill Estates uses only equipment dedicated to further the process by high pressure air and industrial vacuum to eliminate any possibility cross-contamination,” Beth says. “Their trucks and storage bins are handled the same way.”

Cream Hill Estates tests their products at various stages in the lengthy and expensive process, and they are also tested at a laboratory certified by the Canadian government.
The Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) has established a specific standard for growth, harvesting, and processing oats in Canada of 20 parts per million (ppm). Beth Armour says her oat flakes test under 5ppm. http://www.creamhillestates.com/

Adding gluten-free oats to a celiac person’s diet (http://glutenfreehelp.info/celiac-or-gluten-sensitive) is another test. It can be tolerated successfully with a gradual approach in recommended dosages. The additional fiber and health benefits will be a welcome addition to the celiac patient’s diet. It’s recommend that a quarter of a cup of dry rolled oats be the maximum for adult consumption.

Dr. Peter Green, MD, the head of the Celiac Disease Research Center at Columbia University (http://glutenfreehelp.info/gluten-free-info), recommends annual blood tests as well as “appropriate timed” biopsies for celiac patients who decide to add oats to their diet. Dr. Green supports the attempt to add oats to the gluten-free diet for additional fiber and increased variety.

Watch the video review I did on these Cream Hill Estates products here or below.

Tina Turbin
www.glutenfreehelp.info

For celiac patients and gluten-sensitive individuals, staying gluten-free is a health matter. Celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, can have devastating effects when untreated, leading to a variety of symptoms and conditions such as migraine headaches, malnutrition, gastrointestinal problems, early menopause, and infertility. Even exposure to the slightest amount of gluten can cause serious health effects.

With the estimated three million Americans with celiac disease and six percent of Americans with a food sensitivity to gluten, which can cause a variety of symptoms similar to those of celiac disease, it’s no surprise that the gluten-free sector of the food industry has boomed. However, despite the fact that gluten-free foods represent the fastest growing food industry in the United States, the FDA has yet to establish gluten-free labeling guidelines, so that so-called “gluten-free” foods may actually contain dangerous levels of gluten for celiac patients. Without labeling standards, celiac patients need to be particularly avid about staying in the know about which food products are safe and which ones to avoid. A user-friendly gluten-free test can empower celiac patients with a method to test their food for themselves at home or while dining out at restaurants, on vacation, or in another person’s home.

According to GlutenTox Home’s website, the GlutenTox Home test kit can detect gluten at 20 ppm (parts per million), the general standard used for calling food “gluten-free.” The test can also be made to detect as little as 5 ppm of gluten for individuals who need to follow a stricter diet. The home test kit makes use of a new antibody called G12, which was developed to recognize gluten, helping the tester to avoid accidental ingestion of the protein in their food.

The GlutenTox Home kit is user-friendly and can be conveniently in one’s own kitchen or elsewhere. Results will appear within 10 minutes, but can appear within as few as two minutes. The product’s website contains a helpful video demonstrating how to use the test. As a children’s author, I’m often on-the-go or traveling, with little time to spare, and GlutenTox’s Home test kit more than satisfies my needs. On my latest European Book Tour, I discovered the kit and used it many times over the course of my travels. For individuals who are particularly sensitive to gluten or who travel or dine out, GlutenTox’s Home kit is certainly worth a try.

Tina Turbin

Resources:

GlutenTox Home: Product http://glutentoxhome.com/en/product.html

University of Maryland School of Medicine: University of Maryland School of Medicine Researchers Identify Key Pathogenic Differences Between Celiac Disease & Gluten Sensitivity http://somvweb.som.umaryland.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1474