A Canadian Celiac Blog

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

During my recent conversation with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com, she introduced me to Karen Joseph who works for ASSE, an international student exchange program based in the US.  One of Karen’s responsibilities is to find host families for incoming students who require a special diet for health needs.  Karen is uniquely qualified for this task as she is the mother of a now adult son with Type I Diabetes and Celiac Disease.  She understands the gluten free diet and spoke to me of the importance of finding host families who are prepared to support a student with celiac disease.  Karen has lots of stories of the students she has placed and how they made the gluten free diet work for them in a new country, hosted by a new family. 

If you are interested in hosting a student from abroad, or have a student at home who may be interested in studying abroad, you can find out more information at –

• Direct contact:  Karen@asse.com
• In Canada:  canada.asse.com/contact-us
• United States:  asse.com/contact_by_email_phone

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 –

As I mentioned during the podcast, I’ve met with lots of parents of celiac children.  It goes without saying that we all want the best for our kids.  “The Best” takes as many different forms as there are families.  Increasingly, families are trying to give their kids a view of the world that’s bigger than their own neighbourhood, or city, or even country.

I was fortunate to have travelled with my family as a child and young adult.  I still vividly remember things I saw on trips when I was quite young.  The urge to travel, to see new things and experience new cultures was something I have always enjoyed.  After my husband I were married, he took a job in Bermuda.  We were both so excited for everything we’d learn and experience.  Both of our daughters were born in Bermuda and have fond memories of living there. 

Living in a different place and immersing yourself in a new to you culture is something that takes time and acceptance.  You must be prepared to accept the culture and traditions of a new place, and the people from your host country should be accepting of you and willing to share their country and themselves with you.  Our growing family spent fifteen years in Bermuda.  Looking back, I can see that it took us years to truly fall in love with Bermuda, its residents and its way of life.

What I can see from the student exchange programs I’ve done research on through my podcasting is that all the time and effort it took us to become familiar with a new culture is part of the formula built into exchange programs.  We learned a great deal from our Bermudian friends, just as a student will learn from a host family.  We made an effort, to see and experience the sites and history of our new Island, just as a student will, while accompanying their host family on short trips during the school year.  We fell in love with the Island and its people.  Just as I’m sure exchange students whether coming to your country or travelling abroad with develop affection for their host country which will last for the rest of their lives.  My family and I are richer and more well-rounded because of the time we spent in Bermuda, just as international exchange students will be from their experiences.

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

The beginning of September means I have the opportunity to chat with my friend Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com.  On this episode we talk about strategies for parents and teachers to be on the same page about the celiac student and their needs during the school year.  Ellen has some great suggestions.  We also talk briefly about a student exchange program and the person in charge of the special diet requirements.  I hope to speak with her about this interesting topic on a separate podcast very soon.  In science news, researchers have come up with a tool to help doctors determine the risk of celiac disease to some of their youngest patients, and it turns out the gut microbiome has lots more to tell us, and this time it’s about the very specific differences in the small intestine, depending on where the same of the microbiome was taken from.  These advances in science will hopefully mesh together to allow for a better diagnosis rate in the future.

Ellen and I talk about some of my recent podcasts including the story telling author Ann Campanella in her book Celiac Mom (https://bit.ly/Ep233CeliacMom).  Ellen also comes clean about her interest in my co-host Arron’s ongoing journey after bariatric surgery. 

Seasons are changing and Ellen fills us in on where the food trucks go, as the weather gets colder.

Here are the links to Ellen’s articles –

NEWS FROM THE CELIAC SCENE

What to Tell the Teacher About Your Gluten-Free Child

Are We Close to Predicting the Onset of Celiac Disease in Children? 

Have You Thought About Hosting an International Exchange Student?

Small Intestinal Microbiome: An Understudied Ecosystem in Celiac Disease

Aaron’s Recovery Hampered by Heat

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 –

I’ve said it before, and I’m happy to say it again – the gluten free diet is hard.  I think one of the hardest parts is sending your celiac child off to school with a new class, and a new teacher. 

Ellen and I have tried to suggest some strategies for setting up a safe scenario for a child at school.  The fact is, every situation is different, every teacher is different, every celiac child is different, and every supportive family is different.  Given those variables, it’s no wonder there is lots of advice out there.  In addition to the advice, a family needs a strategy.

By strategy, I mean a plan with lots of options to pivot.  I’ve worked with many different families and the question of school always comes up.  During the podcast, I mentioned my top strategy is involving the child in discussions with the teacher.  My next suggestion would be, to be flexible.  You may have in your mind exactly what you want or need to say to the teacher, but until you have that conversation, you won’t know how your requests will be accepted.  Our thoughts and actions are all formed from our past experiences, and until you make a connection with the teacher, you won’t really know how to get through to him or her. 

Stay calm, and be ready to pivot.  You can’t assume that celiac disease is new to the teacher.  You might have to change from a teaching moment to a sharing moment.  Ellen had a good point by saying that as a parent you will be expected to do your part to make this a successful school year.   As much as we’d like to think that one conversation and the odd check-in is going to make things run smoothly – it just might – but, as a parent, one thing I’ve learned is just when I think I can predict my child’s behaviour, she surprised me.

The school situation is difficult, there are plenty of variables to make every family’s experience different.  Do your best, and remember every September is a new opportunity to learn more about your child and how they are dealing with celiac disease, their teacher, and their classmates.

I’m thrilled to speak with Ann Campanella about her book Celiac Mom.  Ann’s daughter was diagnosed at the age of 5 many years ago.  Ann reflects on her struggles as a parent of a celiac.  Her flair for story telling is often vivid and pulls at our heart strings.  Being a parent of a celiac child, we often find ourselves very protective.  This approach can take many forms, so each family’s story is different.  Ann draws us in with the detail that I’m sure her daughter has long since forgotten, but stays with parents as they navigate these troubled waters.  Ann talks about dealing with schools, choices of friends, and the good and bad about family vacations.  You can find out more about Ann and order her book in either digital or paper form on her website or on Amazon.  Ann is an accomplished author and shares more about her other works on her website as well.  Links are also on her website to her various social media accounts.

http://www.anncampanella.com/

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 –

As I spoke with Ann, I reflected on many of the celiac families I’ve met over the years.  The one constant is our determination to do the best for our celiac child or children.  However, as is human nature, each family accomplishes this in different ways.

I distinctly remember preparing “speeches” I would give to other parents or teachers about the importance of Deanna’s food, only to rethink, pull back to gain a better perspective.  I always had to think about how Deanna and her uniqueness would be perceived by her classmates and the adults around them.  In my mind, I also had to forecast how I would be seen by those same people.

We’ve all met adults who might rub us the wrong way.  Maybe they are too pushy, or too fanatical about something that’s a little out there.  I often wondered about parents who were vegetarian feeding their children only vegetarian or vegan meals.  Did the children understand the reasons they ate different from their friends?  What were the motives of the parents – health? conforming to a family dynamic?  And I always wondered what the children would choose, when they had the opportunity to choose for themselves. 

It was important to me that my musings were not judgemental.  After all, who was I to say that a particular eating style or diet is good or bad.  This did make me wonder though, how our family was being perceived, or even judged by others.  Yes, the diet was for medical purposes, but most people didn’t really understand what that meant, or the importance of it.

What I did learn being a celiac Mom was to have low expectations of the acceptance of our diet by others who had not been introduced to it before.  At the time, I felt badly if Deanna wasn’t invited to a particular birthday party, but in hindsight, I realize she may not have been able to eat safely in that atmosphere.  I see now that when people questioned my on my diet, I often took the opportunity as a teaching moment, but when someone showed reluctance towards Deanna’s diet, I often tried to turn the conversation positive, but pulled back on the “teaching”.

Being the parent of a celiac child is a bit of minefield.  We have to work diligently to ensure our child’s food is safe, the child learns why they have to eat differently, and eventually how to advocate for themselves.  We must do our best for our child, for our family, and we have to be seen to be always trying to set our children up for success in their diet and health.  This is something all families strive to do, but for celiac parents, it’s just more complicated.  I have always had an interest in celiac families and Ann’s is no different.  Also, I love to hear the positive outcomes of all that work as a family. 

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

On this episode, I again speak with Ellen Bayens of The Celiac Scene.  We talk about the articles she has presented to us this past month.  I have attached links below.  I also mentioned my recipe for Cauliflower Pizza, which you can find at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPS07XMdtwk&ab_channel=SueJennett

  NEWS FROM THE CELIAC SCENE
• Impure Oat Flour Foils Sweet Lorens Cookie Mix Across 35 States
• Study Assesses the Systemic Impacts of Celiac Disease
• Celiacs Come in All Shapes & Sizes!
• Diagnosis of Microscopic Colitis Might Actually be Celiac Disease
• A Shout Out to ‘Eat Out on Vancouver Island!’
• Alberta’s Freddy’s Flippin’ Gluten-Free Donut Truck Makes the News!
• Disordered Eating – Gluten-Free Diet Can Alter Perceptions About Food

A CANADIAN CELIAC PODCAST
• Food Choices for Celiac Kids
• Celiac Scene News Round Up

GLUTEN-FREE WEIGH IN PODCAST with Aaron
• Aaron is All Set for Surgery
• Final Preparations for Bariatric Weight-Loss Surgery

SELENA’S CORNER
• 3 Travel Apps for Gluten-Free
• Book Your Free 15 Minute Phone Call with Selena
• Tuesdays Instagram Questions & Answers
• Selena’s Symptom Relief Facebook Group

GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES
• 17 Creative Ways to Consume More Vegetables!
• Vietnamese Spring Rolls / Rice Wraps by Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet

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 –

I found the article Ellen posted about the Systemic Impacts of Celiac Disease was very interesting.  Rarely, do we talk about how having this difficult-to-diagnose autoimmune condition can have profound impacts on our lives, even once we’ve been diagnosed. 

I think it’s a good exercise to take some time to think about how your body coped with celiac disease prior to your diagnosis, and if any of those symptoms have translated into very real health effects or concerns, now that your celiac disease is, for lack of a better term “under control” on a gluten free diet.

I remember being taken aback when my celiac daughter, 4 or 5 years after diagnosis and on a gluten free diet, broke her arm and even once it had been given the appropriate time to heal, it had not healed completely (as evidenced by another break a few days later).  When we investigated the bone issue, we were told her bones were depleted of calcium with celiac disease and she won’t likely be able to replace the calcium until adolescence.  It took a while for me to wrap my head around the fact that my daughter now at least 4 years on a gluten free diet, and very healthy, still had weak bones.  It made me think about what I might be dragging along with me on my health journey.

We all have quirks about our bodies, but it might be worth it to take some time to think if those issues might be hold over from what your body went through while waiting to be diagnosed and start the treatment of the gluten free diet.  Food for thought, I suppose.

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

On this episode I speak with Dave Savage of Daiya Foods.  Daiya Foods is a Canadian food producer based in BC and supplying both Canada and US with gluten free, soy free, dairy free and vegan products.  Recently, Daiya Foods set up an allergen food pantry in a food bank in Toronto to be able to supply allergen friendly foods to clients who require it.  If you require the services of a food bank, or wish to donate to this food bank that is serving the allergen community you can contact them at:

Our Daily Bread Food Bank

191 New Toronto Street

Etobicoke, ON

Phone – (416) 203-0050

I also mentioned that Dave was able to provide us with links to their newsletter, for product information and coupons.  Here’s the link – Your Partner in Plant-Based Living. Get The Newsletter (daiyafoods.com) .

As well, Dave has provided my listeners with coupons for Canada and the US.

Canada: https://ppod.io/s/OIsGhX1OfAGEUueH
USA: https://ppod.io/s/8GHZnjip6WkKmmiL

Valid until December 31, 2022

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 –

My bakery closed more than five years ago (I’ve lost all calculation of time over the past 2 ½ years).  While I operated the bakery, I often had people come and ask for baked goods made without dairy, or nuts, or soy, or eggs.  I was torn, because I realized the need these people had for breads, cookies, desserts and even pizzas.  I struggled with how to handle this situation.

My struggle was made easier, by a saying that my husband often used – “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”.  I prided myself in being able to reconstruct a recipe that would be gluten free.  The challenges of being other allergen free was interesting for me, but I had to face reality.  Making a one-off dessert of bread would not keep a roof over my head at the bakery and I knew it would suck time from our already important commitments to customers. 

At the time, gluten free foods in regular grocery stores were notable for their scarcity and hit-and-miss quality.  I knew my mission was to stay on my gluten free path and service the customers I could.  Then a new trend started.  I began to see foods that were gluten free as well as free from a list of allergens.  Great! This was now going to be a solution for those who asked about specific free recipes.  What I began to notice, as I tried some of these foods is that once the mandate becomes removing often common ingredients, you can make a food that fits the bill, but is often neither tasty, nor pleasing.

What I’m saying is at the time, I could make a gluten free, or dairy free, or vegan food that would be very good, but once I had to be both gluten and dairy, or vegan, my options for suitable ingredients was shrinking to the point that yes, my cake or cookie, or bread would work out and look okay, but the taste and texture just weren’t there – a result of too many compromises.

It’s obvious that we’ve come a long way since the days of my bakery.  Daiya Foods has unlocked some amazing strategies and techniques allowing them to produce allergen free foods that meet the mark.  Many home bakers have developed recipes to suit the restrictive needs of their families, but here is a company producing foods for a mass market.  Quite an accomplishment!  And yes, I did develop a gluten free, dairy free, egg free chocolate cake that was a hit with my customers and became the only chocolate cake made at the bakery.  Here’s a link from my baking show

to the home recipe –

www.suesglutenfreebaking.com/chocolate-cakes-brownies-13

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

On this episode I speak with Ellen Bayens about articles, topics and science that has been published over the past month about celiac disease and the gluten free diet.  We talk about why a new drug treatment study was abandoned in the Stage 3 phase, as well as research into how science will eventually tackle and treat celiac disease.  Artificial intelligence is being prepared to help doctors diagnose celiac disease – with 300 symptoms and normally many years of testing prior to diagnosis, this new tool may change the diagnosis landscape.  Mental health is in the news these days, with the stress of covid and the economy, and a recent study has looked at the rates of anxiety, depression and ADHD in the celiac population, particularly in youth.  Dr. Diane Mager of the University of Alberta is heading a team researching the specific dietary needs of children newly diagnosed with celiac disease.  They are reaching out to the community for participation in two studies, one for children and families and the other to find family friendly recipes to use as part of their resource package.  Here are the links to find out more information –  https://conquer-studies.weebly.com/ and redcap.link/GFcookbook.

Ellen had the tale of two restaurants, one that had gluten free items on their menu, but they are not actually gluten free and safe for celiacs, and the other restaurant that is going to great lengths to ensure their many gluten free offerings are safe for us.

Selena DeVries is back with her Instagram post about 18 snack bars that are gluten free and safe to eat.

Ellen has highlighted some of my recent podcasts including my chat with Christine Nesbitt as well as the deep dive Nicole Byrom and I took into understanding everything on a food label that wasn’t the ingredients.

NEWS FROM THE CELIAC SCENE

• Conquer Celiac Seeking Youth (14+years) for Recipe Ideas Survey
• Phase 3 of Celiac Drug Research Abandoned
• BROWNS SOCIALHOUSE Serves Mixed Message to Celiac Diners
• The Canadian Brewhouse at Uptown Mall OK’d for Celiacs!
• Artificial Intelligence to Help Physicians Diagnose Celiac Disease
• Celiacs Show Higher Rates of Anxiety, Depression and ADHD
• Research Offers Significant Advances in Treatment of Celiac Disease
• Every Day is Celiac Awareness Day on The Celiac Scene!

A CANADIAN CELIAC PODCAST

• Label Reading for Celiacs
• Christine Nesbitt Skates Circles Around Celiac Disease
• Celiac Scene News Round Up

GLUTEN-FREE WEIGH IN PODCAST with Aaron

• Facing Food as an Addiction
• Bariatric Surgery a Deflating Experience

SELENA’S CORNER

• 18 Gluten-Free Snack Bars
• Tuesdays Instagram Questions & Answers
• Selena’s Symptom Relief Facebook Group

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 –

It felt very strange to chat with Ellen about slowing down my podcasting schedule over the summer.  With two podcasts being produced every week, I spend a great deal of time setting up conversations, editing, and writing the show notes.  I can arrange my schedule to accommodate most circumstances, but when I’m stressed to pin down a guest whom I have communicated with, then at the last minute, they must change the date, that throws everything in flux.  I’m fortunate to have many good friends in the gluten free community with an online presence, who are willing and able to step into the fray at the last minute with interesting thoughts and resources.

Maybe now, that I’m reflecting on my production schedule, I can share some of the behind-the-scenes functioning that surprised me when I began podcasting.  A couple stand out.  First, the amount of time it takes to edit a podcast.  It’s said you should speak from what you know, and I always thought that the most time-consuming part of a podcast would be the research, but because of my familiarity with the subject matter, research comes easily.  The real time drain is in the editing.  Normally, depending on the guest and the material covered, it takes 5 – 6 times the finish length to edit the audio tracks of the conversation.  That means that a 30-minute conversation will take me 2 ½ to 3 hrs, just to take out the umms, and uhhs, and any mis-speaks or talk-overs.  I have to say, I enjoy the editing part.  It’s something I can do on my own, to my own standard and all I need is my computer and an electrical plug (it’s an old computer).  I’ve edited on a plane, on a train, on a cruise, waiting for a plane, in Florida on holiday and of course from my dining room table overlooking the lake just past my dock.

The second thing I didn’t expect was something that has developed over time.  As I’m editing, I realize that some of my guests forget that a wider audience will be listening, and I have to carefully carve out any intimations that may be overly personal.  Lately, I’ve left some of those in when I chat with Ellen, but I suppose that after so many episodes, maybe you feel like you know her as well as I do.  I remember when I was at college a few years ago, and I was preparing for an assignment to interview someone for the school radio station.  Our instructor said that we would know when an interview was going well, if it felt like a conversation between two interested parties.  I feel fortunate that after the initial nervousness of my first few episodes, I’ve had over two hundred conversations that felt just like conversations, and the bonus is that I get to share them with you.

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

As a follow-up to Episode 148 I speak again with Dr. Diana Mager from the University of Alberta as she and her team have formulated a gluten free food guide for children that more meets their specific needs.  Currently they are recruiting families of newly diagnosed children (less than one year, and between the ages of 5 and 18) to participate in a study to look at the effects of the enhanced food guide.  Participants will be given one-on-one education and other resources regarding the nutritional needs of children with celiac disease and how those needs differ from the general population.  Here’s the link to find out more – https://conquer-studies.weebly.com/

As well, Dr. Mager’s group is also conducting a study to gather family friendly recipes which will make up one of the resources to accompany the food guide.  If you have a recipe that might be suitable, you are asked to open the link and complete the survey.  You can find the link at redcap.link/GFcookbook.  You can also contact Dr. Mager directly at mager@ualberta.ca.

You will hear Dr. Mager mention the Conquer studies. Conquer stands for – Celiac disease Outcomes in Nutrition, Quality of life, and Emerging Research. You can follow the Conquer team on Instagram @conquer_celiac and on twitter @conquerstudies.

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 –

Often when we think of research studies for celiac disease, we get uncomfortable with the thought that just maybe as a participant you might have to ingest gluten.  This, to me, is intolerable.  What I have learned is that the research organizations aren’t fans of making anyone sick either. 

In speaking with different researchers, I’ve learned there are many ways that we, as a community can contribute to the body of knowledge that will make our lives better.  In the case of Conquer, you don’t need to have a newly diagnosed child, just a family friendly recipe to contribute.

A few years ago, I was approached to participate in a study that required a small sensor to be implanted under my skin.  At first, I dismissed the idea, but when I received the second request (apparently, I met some very specific criteria), the material mentioned the research was part of a larger effort to identify individuals at risk of having a stroke.  A couple of years earlier, my father had a stroke, and I was familiar with the impact it had on our entire family.  I decided to participate in the study.

On reflection, it’s clear to me that if you, or a family member could possibly benefit from the research being done, you are more likely, even compelled, to participate in a study.  When I was editing the audio for this episode, I stopped to reflect on my statement that this research could help an entire generation – what I meant was an entire generation of celiac kids.  We often don’t realize the impact of poor nutrition on our bodies till years later, but if enhancing the nutrition of children with celiac disease helps them have better outcomes in areas of stature, fertility, and bone health to name a few, this study and participation in it is well worth any outlay of effort.

Dr. Mager and her group are careful to ensure all participants come away with a better understanding of the health needs of a celiac child.  Sounds like a win/win to me.

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

It’s time for a deep dive into everything we can learn about our food from the packaging and labelling, that isn’t just the ingredients.  I speak with Nicole Byrom, RD for the Canadian Celiac Association about how to read a nutrition facts label, including serving sizes and vitamin sources.  Nicole explains the mystery around best before dates and when not to buy or use a dented tin.  Sometimes we can find a gluten free claim as well as a may contains – seems like a contradiction, but Nicole explains what we are actually looking for in the packaging claims, as well as which ones don’t pertain to our gluten free diet.  Everything you didn’t know you that you didn’t know about product labels.

Here’s some links that Nicole mentioned –

Presentation on Labelling –

CCA-Labelling-Document-OCT21-1027_1-3.pdf (celiac.ca)

Nicole’s Gluten Free Granola Bars –

Granola Bars

Join CCA Dietitian, Nicole Byrom, as she cooks up a gluten-free granola bar recipe with her kids! For more great gluten-free recipes, visit: https://www.celiac.ca/gluten-free-recipes/

How to Read a Food Label to Make Sure a Food is Gluten Free –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_XXjiTnatY&ab_channel=CanadianCeliacAssociation

What Does 20ppm Mean in a Gluten Free Diet –

What does 20ppm mean in a GF diet?

Want to learn more about gluten threshold levels? CCA registered dietitian Nicole Byrom discusses the 20ppm and 10mg connection. Click here to learn more: https://www.celiac.ca/living-gluten-free-menu/ Voulez – vous en savoir plus sur les seuils de gluten? Nicole Byrom, diététiste professionnelle, discute de la connexion 20 ppm et 10 mg.

Article About Understanding Food Labelling in Canada –

Understanding Food Labels in Canada – Unlock Food

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 –

When we receive our diagnosis of celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, the first thing that sinks in for most of us is the food we can no longer eat.  It takes time to appreciate that food without gluten is our medicine.

At the same time, we are constantly hunting for foods that are labelled gluten free – this takes away the fear of being glutened.  Over time, we become more comfortable with the diet, reading ingredients, trying new recipes and venturing to new restaurants.  This process takes time and patience.

At some point during this food re-discovery journey, I had a lightbulb moment.  I’m sure this isn’t unique to me, likely everyone going gluten free experiences this ah-ha moment.  I remember, it was a bag of gluten free pretzels, I had checked for the gluten free claims and even read the ingredients when my eyes shifted to the nutrition facts table.  This was long before I operated my bakery and become involved with developing the information in the facts tables on my labels.

I was shocked!  How could a handful of gluten free pretzels have so many calories.  Sodium, I could understand, I do like my salty snacks, but fat, was a shock.  Pretzels are baked, not fried, how could they have so many calories.  Nicole did mention not to dwell on calories, but I began to question my gluten free food choices.  I would even go so far as to compare our gluten free foods to their wheat versions.  What I found was that in many cases, gluten free food had more fat, calories, and sodium than the wheat versions.  Oh yes, and fewer nutrients.  How could I have been blissfully enjoying my yummy pretzels while not considering their nutritional makeup?

I didn’t have an answer, but I did start to look closer at the nutrition facts on the foods I began to rely on.  I regularly compared them to their wheat counterparts.  Ours were often higher in the three numbers I looked at first – calories, fat, and sodium, and even when they seemed to be on par, our foods lacked in the nutritional benefits.  It’s a continuing journey, but I am trying to make my gluten free diet healthier, one food choice at a time.  If our food is our medicine, I want mine to be optimum (or at least the best choice at the time).

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode – Ever since I sat in on a virtual presentation from the Canadian Celiac Association featuring Christine Nesbitt, I’ve been anxious to have a longer conversation with her.  Christine was an elite speed skater who won numerous medals for Canada over a very distinguished career.  After many years of suffering unexplained digestive issues, Christine was diagnosed with celiac disease.  She explains how her diagnosis effected her skating, her travelling and being a part of a very competitive team.  Christine’s story is rich with reminders that celiac disease can be controlled and shouldn’t stop us from accomplishing anything we’re willing to put our best effort towards.

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 –

I’m not an athlete, never have been, unless you include two seasons on the high school badminton team.  I do, however, admire anyone with the dedication to put in the hard work it takes to be competitive in any sport.  Christine chose a very challenging sport and excelled in it.  It’s understandable that switching to a gluten free diet while training and performing at such a high level would have its difficulties.

I thought Christine’s look back as to how she could have handled the situation better was very insightful.  In her case, getting more of the team organizers in step with her situation, and doing more research on gluten free in the locations of competition events were the things she was able to identify.

We all know the diet is hard, but if, now knowing more about how to cope gluten free, what would each of us have done differently at the beginning?

I gave it some thought, and I realized I didn’t take the diet seriously enough at the beginning.  In one instance, I vividly remember taking my daughters to a swimming lesson, I had a granola bar because oats don’t have gluten in them.  I’m sure most of us can see where this story is going.  I got glutened because the granola bar was not gluten free, but I didn’t know any better.  The ride home after swimming lessons was slow and painful.  I couldn’t understand how I could feel so bad so quickly and struggled to make it back home safely.

My lightbulb moment came when my daughter was diagnosed a couple of months later.  There was no messing around with the diet, we were all in.  As a Mom, I was the authority on the diet, and knew I had to look after myself, in order to be able to feed her properly to keep her healthy. 

I suspect many of us, whether it be from a lack of knowledge, or indifference, take some time at the beginning to get it right.  In Christine’s case she was expected to race, at an elite level while she was still figuring the gluten free diet out.  That is a monumental task.  As I said earlier, I admire the dedication of athletes, but in Christine’s case, it took grit, stamina and change of lifestyle to continue training and competing in a sport she loved after her diagnosis – something to be truly admired!   

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

On this episode I’m at the Gluten Free Garage, which is large food show in Toronto.  I’ve attended the show previously with the podcast, but this year, I was helping at the booth for the Canadian Celiac Association.  The CCA booth was a place for attendees to drop off gluten free food donations.  This is something that was done in previous years by Jessica Danford, but she wasn’t able to be at the event this year, and the CCA was happy to help.  If you would like more information on gluten free food donation, visit the CCA’s website www.celiac.ca and search Save Me For Gluten Free. 

I took the opportunity at the food show to speak with some of the interesting people I met.

I spoke with Carmen Luongo from Shar Gluten Free and he was able to let us in on some new upcoming products.  I highly recommend their Twin Bar – each package contains three packs of two bars.

I met Robyn Harrison of Robyn’s Gluten Free Baking Courses.  You can find out more about Robyn at www.glutenfreebakingcourses.com.

Gaston spoke with me about celiac research being done at McMaster University.  You can find out more and sign up for their research newsletter at www.mcmasterceliacclinic.ca/research.

It was great to see Josh from the Bakery at St. Anne’s Spa at the show.  I’ve been to the bakery in the past, and everything I tried there was terrific.  You can find out more about the spa at www.steannes.com.

Terry from the restaurant Riz was excited to tell me about Riz moving to a new location with an expanded gluten free menu.  The new location will be opening in the next few weeks.  Their website is www.rizglutenfree.com.

Gluten Free Fest is a Food Show being put on by The Gluten Free Collective in Kitchener Waterloo on September 18^th.  You can find out more at www.glutenfreefest.ca.

I met Vanessa Sarraino who has just released a new cookbook called Celiac Sweeties.  You can find out more at www.vanessacarraino.com or to order the book, you can call her directly at 647 654-0023.

It was nice for me to catch up with Derek from Camp Celiac.  Last year, I helped out with the food and menu for camp and I’m looking forward to the kids coming again this year.  Space for this special camp is filling up fast.  You can find out more at www.celiaccamp.ca.

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 –

When I operated my gluten free bakery, it was always exciting to attend food shows and sell product.  Every show was different, but the constant was the tremendous amount of work involved prior to the show, during the show and after the show (when everyone involved was exhausted).  Because gluten free food normally doesn’t contain preservatives, it was important to bring the freshest food to the show, provide samples and make sales.  Food shows are so much work for the businesses selling, but they should be fun and exciting for the attendees – and the Gluten Free Garage is just that!

Food shows fall into a few very different categories –

• Presentation of foods to industry and stores to encourage them to put the product on their shelves.
• Local food festivals in communities to encourage tourism and community spirit.
• Specialty food shows showcasing a particular type of food, by industry, ingredients, nationality or diet.

Clearly gluten free food shows fall into the specialty food category.  The clear difference with our food shows is that the attendees are required to eat a special diet and this interaction gives the attendees the opportunity to see new products and hopefully taste them as well.  The tasting is critical for the gluten free consumer.  Let’s face it, most loaves of bread look alike and some of the more perfect looking ones, are not the most pleasing to eat, so the opportunity to taste before buying is important and often the best way to build a customer base.

I was very impressed with the companies I saw at the Gluten Free Garage.  Many were new to me, and I suspect covid issues have something to do with that.  Ingredients, recipes and even packaging has improved since I operated my bakery.  Hats off to all those bakers and cooks who prepared for weeks, got up early to bring their food to the event, stood at their busy booths all day and then had to make the exhausting drive home again before taking care with any product that remained.  These efforts are not unique to gluten free bakeries, but they are required of gluten free bakeries and businesses more than similar businesses in the gluten world.  Well Done – Exhibitors for bringing the food, Ronnielyn for organizing the event, and the generous attendees for their food donations!