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Ep 50 Holiday Survival Guide with Ellen
Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:
This week I spoke with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com to discuss the Holiday Survival Guide issued by the Canadian Celiac Association. We chat about our own experiences with relation to the tips and recipes given in the guide. Thanks to Udi’s and Schar for sponsoring the guide, and thanks to the contributors for their articles and recipes. I mentioned Lisa, a co-host on my other podcast Gluten Free Weigh In, is on a ketogenic gluten free diet, as this was of interest to Ellen. Lisa’s Instagram is gf_ketogirl. You can find the Holiday guide at https://www.celiac.ca/living-gluten-free/holiday-survival-guide/
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast
Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
The holiday season is always very busy and stressful foreveryone. Those of us with celiac disease must not only learn to function in our own lives on a gluten free diet, which is no easy feat, but at this time of year, we must learn to function in an environment that includes other friends and family members.
I’m sure most of us can remember back to a time when we had never heard of celiac disease or the gluten free diet. Once we were faced with it as our only treatment, it was a steep learning curve, all in an effort to become healthy. Now, it’s difficult to imagine knowing nothing about the gluten free diet, or its importance, but that’s the reality for many people we come into contact with.
I remember, it was December many years ago, when I had my endoscopy and the doctor told me to keep eating gluten until I had another blood test, then to go on the diet. It wouldn’t be till after the holidays that I would be able to meet with a dietician. After doing some research into gluten, I distinctly remember saying to my mother – “It can’t mean all gluten, it must be something where I have to limit it, or keep track of the amount, how can anyone live completely without gluten?” We all know how that turned out.
As frustrating as it can be for us to encounter those who don’t understand celiac or the gluten free diet, remember – we’re the lucky ones. We’ve had a diagnosis and we know how important it is to be on a strict gluten free diet. The Holiday Survival Guide gives great tips to help us through some difficult situations. Hopefully it won’t happen often, and I’m glad to say awareness now is better than ever. Ellen said it best in the podcast – this time of year is not the time to educate – but it is the time to be vigilant. Enjoy the holidays gluten free and hopefully stress free – it’s the healthiest thing you can do for yourself.
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Ep 49 Six Positive Aspects of a Celiac Diagnosis
Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:
This week I spoke about an article I wrote for the Winter 2018 Issue of Gluten-free Canada. I chat about the article, read some excerpts and add some extra thoughts. This magazine can be read online at –
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast
Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
We often hear that stress is dangerous for our health. Sometimes we can’t avoid stress, and yes, sometimes it does take over our lives in a negative manner. There are times when stress can be avoided or diminished by a positive attitude. I admit that at first when I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I didn’t have a good attitude. Most of us go through a period of mourning for the food experiences we can no longer have. I felt very alone, and in some way didn’t feel I deserved the extra effort it took to make healthy flavourful gluten free foods.
That all changed when my daughter was diagnosed 5 months later. For her, I would go to any length to make the best tasting, most nutritious gluten free foods. I was on a mission.
I don’t think my story is uncommon, and I only tell it now, in light of the soul searching I did when I challenged myself to write an article on the positive aspects of a celiac diagnosis. Most of us, at the time, don’t think of that moment as a high point in our lives, but on reflection, for me, that’s just what it was. I cope pretty well on my diet, amongst my friends and family, and with the stresses of life. I rely on my gluten free diet to keep me healthy and nourished. I work with my diet, not against it. We do pretty well together – my positive attitude at work.
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Ep 48 GFreeWifey Talks About Food Banks
Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:
This week I spoke with Jessica Danford whose online presence as GFREEWIFEY is well known at least amongst those from the Toronto area. Over this past year, she has begun a program to donate gluten free food to public food banks. This may sound simple, but it involves education of both management and volunteers at each food bank as well as mounting campaigns to have safe gluten free food donated to the food banks willing to handle it.
To this end, Jess has set up a GoFundMe page for donations at www.gofundme.com/gfreewifeyfoodbank
She can be found online at – www.gfreewifey.com
To be kept up to date on her projects, including the Community Cook Book sign up for her mailing list at http://eepurl.com/dsgyor
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Gfreewifey/
Instagram – GFREEWIFEY
YouTube – http://bit.ly/GFWifeyYOUTUBE
You can also email Jess at –
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast
Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
I suspect, like me, you receive many letters and personalized “asks” for money and assistance from numerous charitable organizations. For the most part these organizations are well meaning and use the donated funds in responsible ways to better the cause they are set up for. Many of us can look on these charities as worthwhile, and at the same time do not donate time or money to them.
There are many reasons for this, but the simple one is – I haven’t been affected by this situation or condition, so it’s not personal with me. This is nothing to be ashamed of, all charitable organizations acknowledge that their public “asks” are only successful with those who have been touched by the cause in one way or another.
Celiac disease is my cause, and I suspect that of most of my listenership. That’s the easy part. The harder part is to look at the “forgotten” celiacs. Those who cannot afford membership in the CCA, or to attend a conference, or who don’t have transportation to attend chapter meetings, or restaurant meetups. These celiacs are essentially invisible. We spend a great deal of time investigating new foods that we all hope will “improve our lives” or finding that next favourite restaurant, or that perfect GF picture for Instagram. It’s very difficult to imagine requiring a gluten free diet, but being in survival mode, not having enough money to buy the basics. Individuals, families and most heartbreaking of all, children, whose only treatment for a serious autoimmune condition is financially out of reach.
This is the beginning of the holiday season for many of us. It’s a season of sharing and giving. Both the Canadian Celiac Association and the GoFundMe page for GFreeWifey are excellent ways to do something special for our own this year. If we don’t, who will? Let’s make it Personal!