Ep 135 CCA Update with Melissa Secord
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
This week, I speak again to Melissa Secord, Executive Director of the Canadian Celiac Association about what’s going on at the national office. Melissa shares plans for the second installment of a national conference to be held virtually in November. We also talked about a familiar fundraiser going virtual, that may be a great way to get a local celiac community to participate from a distance. Currently McMaster University are finishing a study on covid19 and the celiac population in Canada – stayed tuned for more on that. Melissa was very pleased to tell me about the progress made on the workbook “Growing Up Celiac”, which has recently been translated into French. This book has been widely distributed to be given out to the families of newly diagnosed children. The CCA is keeping busy during this very abnormal year. You can find the CCA online at www.celiac.ca.
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
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
I’m excited to hear that McMaster University is compiling the information from a questionnaire on covid 19 which, with the help of the Canadian Celiac Association was distributed among the Canadian celiac community. I don’t think I’m alone when I hear about “pre-existing conditions” or “other autoimmune issues” when it comes to the investigations into the corona virus and why it strikes some people very hard, and leaves others without symptoms.
Growing up, not yet knowing I had celiac disease, I was one of those kids who got a cold, gave it away and then got it back again. I don’t think this is uncommon for someone with undiagnosed celiac disease. I got everything that was going around, just bad enough to be off school, and for reasons unknown at the time, every cold or flu just lingered. I got better, but it took a long time to completely recover.
It took a while after my diagnosis, as an adult, to understand some of the health issues I became accustomed to growing up. Slowly, it all started to make sense. I was beginning to understand what an autoimmune condition was and how it could affect my overall health. I finally understood why some medications didn’t seem to work for me and I only got relief from a higher than normal dose. Any bone or tissue injury seemed to take forever to heal, and I wasn’t very patient.
Now that we’re learning more about the corona virus, I feel good about a study based on the celiac community. All the evidence points to us not being any more at risk than the general population, but more investigation will give us a better picture. After years on a gluten free diet, I feel healthy. But I know that at any time, I’m only 20ppm away from feeling awful. Wash your hands (celiacs do this so often), stay home or at least in your small groups, and wear a mask. Small things, but just like staying clear of gluten, can make a huge difference.