The AOCD describes the basic DH cycle, which usually consists of a burning feeling on the affected area, followed by water blisters which tend to get scratched off, followed by scabbing and healing, which takes one to two weeks, then a new outbreak of these bumps or blisters. According to the AOCD, “DH is a lifelong condition, but remission may occur in 10 to 20 percent of patients.”

Celiac patients with DH also often experience mild or no gastrointestinal issues, although villous atrophy will most often still be present. Some people with DH show the signs of celiac disease, although some people just exhibit DH without the characteristic gut symptoms of celiac disease.

Diagnosis usually requires a skin biopsy and sometimes specific blood tests, and the treatment is the gluten-free diet. Once you’ve completely eliminated gluten from the diet, an alleviation of the rash can take months. Drug treatment can also be used to suppress symptoms. Dapsone can cause an improvement in DH “in days, ” according to the AOCD.

The drug does have side effects, and for this reason, treatment begins with small doses of the drug, gradually increased until the symptoms disappear. Due to the side effects of Dapsone, blood tests will be conducted weekly or bi-weekly for the first three months of treatment. A few other alternative drug treatments are available, such as sulfapyridine and tetracycline, in case Dapsone doesn’t work, although these other drugs aren’t as effective.

Miranda Jade

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

I was a bit skeptical testing “already-cooked” rice in a bowl. It appealed to me somewhat, as it was organic and preservative-free, and sometimes I do need a side dish and don’t want to wait for the standard forty minutes for my brown rice. So I gave Go-Go Rice a shot and asked my test team in L.A. to try it out as well.

I popped this little dish in the microwave, after peeling back the cover slightly, set the time, walked away, got myself a glass of juice, and it was done. The moment came to test it. I could not believe how moist and tasty these little hearty grains of brown rice were. I thought it would be dried-out and need something to make it taste good. Not at all. It tasted as if I had just cooked it stove-top, with the same consistency as stove-top rice.I called the L.A. team and before I could say a thing, they went on and on about how convenient, fast, and unexpectedly delicious the organic brown rice was.

The master of the creation, T.J. Song, Stanford Business School graduate, with seventeen years of global trading (in Korea and the U.S.) and ten-plus years in the natural and organic food business in the U.S. under his belt, was a rice lover. In fact, it was and still is his daily staple. He wanted convenient “rice meals’’ for a long time. He found consumers purchasing products like this, but to him, these meals weren’t that good.

In 2004, he finally decided there was a potential business and ventured into the cooked rice business with a facility completed in 2005. Go-Go Rice was successfully introduced March 2006 to Expo West. Minsley, Inc. currently manufactures and distributes these delicious, convenient rice bowls.

We thank T.J. Song for being a man with a vision and taste.

Miranda Jade
www.glutenfreehelp.info.

Just as with celiac disease, the prescribed treatment is the gluten-free diet. Once you’ve completely eliminated gluten from the diet, an alleviation of the rash can take “months,” says the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).

Additionally, Dapsone can cause an improvement in DH “in days.” The drug does have side effects, and for this reason, treatment begins with small doses of the drug, gradually increased until the symptoms become suppressed.

Due to the side effects of Dapsone, blood tests will be conducted weekly or bi-weekly for the first three months of treatment. According to the AOCD, “There are a few alternative treatments if Dapsone cannot be used (sulfapyridine, tetracycline), however these do not work as well.”

For diagnosis and treatment, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

Miranda Jade
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

Over thirty years ago, Mr. Ritt opened a bakery in Philadelphia that would later become a gluten-free establishment and gain a dedicated fan base among the gluten-free community. It’s no surprise that after closing his bakery’s doors, Mr. Ritt was met with the demands of his enthusiastic customers who couldn’t do without his tasty creations. Lucky for us, in response to their feedback, he developed a variety of mixes, which can now be conveniently ordered online. We had the opportunity to test some of these mixes, and we were quite satisfied.

Mr. Ritt makes a wide assortment of gluten-free mixes, allowing the gluten-free community to make all sorts of baked goods, from cookies and cakes to baguettes, pizza crust, and hamburger buns. The mixes are excellent, with great flavor, versatility, and quality ingredients.

The All-Purpose Buckwheat Flour Blend is a high-fiber and high-protein mix. This one is ideal for baked goods with a flavor that’s stronger than chocolate chip cookies, according to Mr. Ritt’s website. Pizza and Italian lovers can use the Multipurpose Italian Bread and Pizza Crust Mix, which is not only gluten-free but also egg- and dairy-free.  This mix is good for hamburger and hotdog buns as well as pizza crust.

Waffle-lovers, rejoice! Mr. Ritt’s Buttermilk Waffle Mix can be used for not only waffles, which were the mainstay of Mr. Ritt’s bakery for years, but also pancakes and even a tempura mix.

If you’re a fan of soft pretzels, as I am, you’ll love the Quinoa Bread and Pretzel Mix, a delicious mix that’s not only free of gluten, egg, and dairy, but made with quinoa flour, rich in protein and fiber. As far as I know, it’s the only soft pretzel mix celiacs can make at home!

Mr. Ritt has used his impressive experience to enable us to reproduce his cherished goods in our kitchen with versatile, nutritious, and delicious mixes. What’s more, Mr. Ritt says more are coming. I highly recommend his products for your gluten-free baking needs!

Miranda Jade

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

This sauce is delicious and the perfect accompaniment to my GF crab fritters (include link)!

INGREDIENTS

½ c mayonnaise
½ c sour cream
1 grapefruit (squeezed of juice)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine ingredients and heat in a pan until warm.
2. Serve over Gluten-Free crab fritters (include link) or any other recipe of your choice.

Miranda Jade
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Try this really yummy shrimp recipe using Cajun Choice seasoning. It is so good for dinner, for appetizers or just on a salad for a light lunch! Try also with yummy veggies.

Ingredients:

1 Cajun shrimp seasoning packet

Approximately 24 precooked medium sized shrimp

1/3-1/2 butter stick

1/3-1/2 lemon juiced

Directions:

Put all shrimp in a pan on a low-medium heat (if your shrimp are frozen be sure to run room temperature water over them before you cook them to be sure they are defrosted)

Add whole packet of Cajun Choice Shrimp seasoning evenly on top of the shrimp.

Cut butter into small pieces and add directly into pan.

Once butter is all melted stir shrimp, seasoning and butter all together.

Add lemon to mixture.

Stir some more to make sure lemon is all over shrimp.

Cook for about 2 more min and serve.

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as an appetizer.

Miranda Jade

www.GlutenFreeHelp.Info

k.m.

Now that you’re gluten-free, you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite recipes. If you have tons of family recipes that have been handed down to you, this can be very good news!

The conversion process is simple: just use gluten-free flour blend (which you can make yourself using my gluten-free flour blend recipe—or buy it prepackaged) one-for-one. This applies to cookies, pancakes, and muffins.

Does your recipe require cake flour? You can make your own by combining 1 ¼ cups of your gluten-free flour blend with ¼ cup of tapioca starch or flour or ¼ cup of corn starch.

The one-for-one substitution doesn’t apply to all recipes, though, such as with Danish sweet rolls and yeast breads.

Miranda Jade
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

I like bacon, and I like candy, so I gave this recipe a try, and boy, was it delicious! Kids will love this gluten-free treat, for sure.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. bacon

Brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice bacon into 1-in.strips and coat with brown sugar.

3. Bake at 350 degrees on a broiler pan for approx. 15 mins., turning once.

4. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Miranda Jade

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

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.

Miranda Jade
http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info
b.a.