Ep 212 March 2022 Roundup
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com has given us some great articles to look at this month. Somehow, she found an article written on the issues of cross contamination in restaurants in Malta. It’s amazing to see that celiacs in another part of the world with a very diverse cuisine from ours have the same issues ordering food in restaurants. As well there is an interesting study that was done recently looking at the blood tests done with children and how indicative they are of a final diagnosis of celiac disease. The aim of this study is to identify a benchmark level for blood tests that would indicate a biopsy for a child is not necessary.
We discuss the curious issue of Novak Djokovic, the international tennis star who has publicly said that he is on a gluten free diet for his health. There is more behind this story, and much of it will leave you with more questions than answers.
Are you familiar with the FODMAP diet? Ellen explains the premise of the diet and how it is being used by some celiacs who are struggling to gain remission from their symptoms. In Episode 93 of this podcast, I interviewed Steven J. Singer, who runs Fody Foods, helping those who are using the diet as a tool towards better health.
Ellen gives us more information on how you can post questions on Instagram for Selena DeVries @celiac_dietitian. As well Selena offers a focused Facebook group for those with persistent symptoms, along with courses and assistance on her website www.healthbean.ca.
Ellen and I go on to speak about food including the Taco Revolution foodtruck, Trumps Foods Hazelnut Torte on Amazon.ca, the Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet online cooking classes and Stella’s Perogies, which my daughter recently found in Ontario at a Metro store.
• Restaurant Cross-Contact Concerns are Common to Celiacs World Wide
• Standards for Diagnosing Celiac Disease in Children, Without Biopsy, Continue to Evolve!
• Is Gluten-Free Tennis Superstar Novak Djokovic Undermining our Credibility?
• Low FODMAP Diet Found to Improve GI Celiac Symptoms in Celiacs
• Tuesdays Instagram Questions & Answers Session (FREE!)
• Join Selena’s Symptom Relief Facebook Group
EVERYDAY GLUTEN FREE GOURMET ZOOM CLASS CALENDAR
Mar 2 – Thai Curry & Salad Rolls
Mar 5 – Yeast Bread Series: Soft Dinner Rolls
March 23: Beautiful Buttermilk Biscuits
April 2: Yeast Bread Series – Pizza
April 9: Understanding Gluten Free Flour
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Celiac Kid Stuff – https://www.celiackidstuff.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 –
Sometimes you get to the point where you think you’ve heard it all. This is never the case with celiac disease, from the variety of symptoms to diagnosis stories, there is always more to learn. The story Novak Djokovic told about the testing that led him to believe he has a gluten sensitivity is one I’ve heard before, among others.
When I operated my bakery, I had the privilege of speaking one-on-one with most of my customers. They wanted to explain their difficulties with gluten free food or the gluten free lifestyle and often wanted to share their diagnosis stories. I was always willing to listen, in hopes I might be able to offer some advice. I heard too many stories of stool samples being sent to labs in Texas – after which the patient would receive an extensive list of the foods they cannot eat. These lists were not limited to gluten, or even lactose, but went on with lists of food additives, vegetables, meats and grains. The question I got after I was shown one of these lists was – What CAN I eat? These tests may have a purpose, and for some they may even identify a condition that has slipped through the cracks. My response was usually that I didn’t know how the results were arrived at, and didn’t have much faith in them. My attitude was – If a test is valid and useful for medical practitioners it would be available in Canada and not only from a pricey lab (hundreds of dollars) in the US. You may not agree with me, but seeing the test results without any instructions on what to eat, or follow up to re-test or monitor, didn’t seem like a valid strategy for such a dramatic change in diet.
Once, on the topic of diagnosis, I was told about the “loaf of bread” test, similar to the one given to the tennis star. When I appeared sceptical, I was assured by my customer that the person who performed the test, was not legally able to diagnose celiac, so this was the best alternative. Clearly this was not a qualified medical practitioner, or they could have at least asked the patient’s doctor to request lab work. My customer thought I would be happy to hear this test wasn’t done by anyone qualified to make a full diagnosis. To the contrary, I was upset to think that someone could perform (as Ellen called it) a party trick, change someone’s diet for life and not even attempt to get a qualified diagnosis.
Most women who have had a child remember the “test” that was performed over their pregnant belly with a ring on a string to determine the sex of the baby. That party trick had a 50/50 chance of being correct, and no one ever took it seriously. These other “tests” have much less validity, and people pay for the privilege, which makes them want to believe, and often they delay or defer any valid testing for celiac disease – and we all know that doesn’t go well.
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