I have been somewhat withdrawn from the Celiac world for the past few weeks.

I think something happens when you’ve been reading research articles, blog posts, tweets, facebook updates, google alerts, new posts and videos every day about Celiac Disease.

I think it’s called Information Overload.

And it’s different when all this information is about a disease that afflicts you. The information is a constant reminder that hey, you’ve got a condition, you’re not normal, and it sucks.

Do you ever want to just forget about it and not have to think about it on a daily basis? I know I do.

I guess that’s what I’ve been enjoying for these past few weeks. I am fortunate that during that time I didn’t really have much to stress over in regards to gluten. I didn’t have any awkward social gatherings, no glutenings, and I felt pretty good.

I am very grateful that I don’t suffer when I am eating gluten-free as I know so many people with Celiac Disease do. So it was a luxury to be able to forget about it by choice.

But I think there can be a balance where you can still stay in the loop without going crazy.

Have you found that balance? Do you ever just take a break from Celiac Hyperawareness?

How do you unplug?

Thanks for reading Hyperaware by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

For those who don’t know how affiliate programs work – basically in exchange for linking to a product, the company will give the blogger a referral bonus/commission if people click on your link and buy the product. While I’m totally down with affiliate links (in fact, my Amazon links are affiliated!) I hadn’t had the chance to actually read one of their books so I didn’t feel comfortable supporting it until I had the chance to do so.

That’s when they generously offered to send me a book to read, no strings attached. How awesome is that? So my lovelies, let’s take a gander at this, shall we?

As I expected, the bulk of the book consists of a very thorough listing of gluten-free restaurants and menu options sorted by state. Each listing provides the address, phone #, website if applicable, and a short summary of what gluten-free fare they offer and any special notes about their kitchen and staff. There’s also a labeling system that shows symbols next to each entry:

Here you can see what their restaurant listing by state looks like:

If there are restaurants that aren’t in any major cities, they’ll be grouped together under “All Other Cities” in the back of each state’s section.

Overall I’d say the restaurant list to be very well done. I can’t really wrap my head around how they were able to get so many details.

While the largest part of the book, Section 2, is centered around the restaurant list, there are other helpful sections as well. Section 1 gives advice on how to convey your needs and establish relationships with your restaurants. Section 3 has gluten-free lists and menus sorted by chain restaurant. They wisely preface this section with warnings regarding cross-contamination and the fact that the lists/menus are provided by the restaurant and have not been independently tested and confirmed to be gluten-free.

So, what do I think of the book overall?

I think The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide from Triumph Dining is perfect for the gluten-free traveler, as long as they remember to use their common sense as so warned by the author.  The book can easily fit in a bag or purse and is really easy to read and navigate through. The only thing I wish this book had would be a mobile app to allow it to be even more portable and more frequently updated. If you travel for work or pleasure, I’d definitely add this book to your Celiac arsenal! This would also make for a great gift for someone you know who travels and is gluten-sensitive.

You can learn more about this book on their website at TriumphDining.com.

Thanks for reading Review: The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

Today marks my third week of kicking the sugar habit. I think it’s fair to say that I’m at the point where eating low-sugar can be easily maintained. It hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be. It also hasn’t been as life-changing as I thought it would be, either.

I’ve heard all sorts of claims when it comes to ridding your body of sugar addiction. Promises, promises. Like:

To be honest, none of these seems to have happened to me. At least, not yet.

I’ve been averaging about 10 grams of sugar a day, with it spiking up to 16-17 grams when I eat an orange.  Usually the sugar comes from veggies (a serving of celery has 2 grams, who knew?), berries (1/2 cup blueberries = 7 grams), and hidden in condiments (ketchup!).

To track my food I’ve been using MyFitnessPal.com, which is strangely fun for me; I like looking at the numbers. Tracking food is also a great way to discover health patterns, like feeling consistently unwell after eating a particular food.

One positive that has come from the sugar cleanse is that my taste buds have become better adapted to tasting natural sweetness. Things taste sweeter to me now. I used to eat a teaspoon of raw honey as a treat, but now I can’t stand it – it’s way too sweet! Blueberries taste perfect now whereas before I didn’t much care for them. I can drink herbal teas without any sweetener. I can drink black teas without sugar, too. The only tea I really feel a need to add sweetness to is chai, and for that I use 1/2 tsp maple syrup. I have tried using stevia, but it tends to accentuate the bitterness that can be found in the clove and cardamom. Blech! A little maple syrup + unsweetened coconut milk makes for great chai!

I really feel like I’ve gotten rid of my sugar addiction for good. I don’t really crave it as much anymore. It saves me a lot of time in making tea because I no longer have to brew – sip – add sugar – taste – add more sugar – taste – until it tastes perfect. I just need to add hot water and I’m done.

I’m sure there are long-term benefits that I will notice further down the line as well. Plus, sugar is just empty calories; an easy calorie deficit is always nice to have!

Do I miss sweet stuff? Sure! But what I miss is actually the memory of what they used to taste like. I know now that if I did eat something super sweet I wouldn’t be able to stomach it.

What do you think? Are more beneficial side effects in store for me down the line? Have you tried a sugar cleanse?

Thanks for reading Beating Sugar, Week 3 by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

It’s time for the weekly news roundup of what’s happening in Glutenland — Glutonia — Celiacville — Glutenopolis.. um, you get it.

Hey there! This loudest news this week has been Dominos’s new, so-called gluten free pizza. The whole conversation has been pretty exhausting for me, but if you would like to read more about it check out Gluten Free City’s post and the link to other blog posts at the bottom.

And now for the Pinterest Pick of the Week…

Coconut-Almond Macaroons from Chimera Obscura

Have you heard anything interesting this week?

Thanks for reading Weekly News Roundup, May 5th – May 12th by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

For the longest time I’ve been wanting to kick the sugar monkey off my back. As a child I was definitely addicted to sugar — sugary cereals, poptarts and toaster strudels, candy, ice cream, cheap chocolate, sweet iced tea, kool-aid, the works. In middle school there was an ice-cream/candy truck that would visit at the end of the day and I would be in line for another cheap treat. In high school there were vending machines and I’d often get myself a cherry coke to enjoy in homeroom.

If I ate that way today I’d surely weigh 500 pounds, but as a kid I was able to plow through it without a care.

As an adult I dropped a lot of those habits, and after a while I dropped soda too (that one was hard!). The Celiac Disease diagnosis pulled away even more unhealthy treats, and I’ve considered my diet to be pretty healthy since then. Still, I was adding sugar to my hot tea and having 4-5 cups of tea a day.  I wouldn’t really eat sweets though I would eat fruit at least once a day for treats and snacks. It all adds up!

About a week or so ago I began suspecting that I might have fructose malabsorption, so I figured it was the perfect time to break my sugar addiction and avoid fructose, too.

It’s been a week so far and nothing revolutionary has happened yet, though I have noticed some small changes. The first day I tried going cold-turkey and I would definitely advise you to NOT try that. By late afternoon I was feeling lightheaded and had a headache that was only getting worse as time went by. I ate an orange and felt better.

Instead, I’ve decided to go gradual. So far I’ve cut my sugar back to 1/2tsp in my first cup of tea, and that’s it. Any other sweetness I add using Stevia. I also let myself have low fructose fruit like citrus and berries.

The small changes I have noticed are that, yes, I am slowly getting used to using less sugar. Things that have any amount of natural sweetness tastes sweeter. I’m also picking up more flavor in things than I used to. So far, so good, right?

What has helped me a lot this past week:

• Breaking habits. I used to wake up and immediately have a cup of hot tea with sugar. Now I do something else and keep myself busy long enough to beat any cravings.
• I still drink plenty of tea – just different kinds. Instead of tea that I know I won’t enjoy without sugar (like most black tea) I’ve switched to herbal or fruity teas. Four in particular that taste great on their own are:
• Good Earth Sweet n’ Spicy
• Dragon Eye Oolong
• Yogi Peach Detox
• Bigelow’s Red Raspberry

The main downside I’ve found so far is that I seem to have an increased appetite. I’m not sure why, but I am hopeful that it will eventually go back to normal. I’ve also discovered that my beloved Kind bars now taste way too sweet. Tragic!

One week down, another to go.

Have you tried giving up sugar?

Thanks for reading Beating Sugar, Week 1 by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

Hey there! I hope you all are enjoying a fantastic weekend. Are you celebrating Cinco de Mayo? I swear, us Americans will find any excuse to par-tay. I went to a bonfire last night (and I still smell like it, too, even after a shower!) and had a pretty good time. I ate a filling meal beforehand so I wouldn’t feel too sorry for myself when they busted out the s’mores and beer. Though I did snack on some gluten free potato chips and lemon sparkling water from Trader Joe’s (I’m not much of a drinker). Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to see the Super Moon where I live. What about you? Did you have a good view?

And now for the Pinterest Pick of the Week…

This is a picture of Fresh Coconut Strawberry Margaritas, doesn’t it look refreshing? I checked Grand Marnier’s website and they said their orange liquor is gluten free. All Jose Cuervo tequilas are safe as well. Bottom’s up!

Have you heard anything interesting this week?

Thanks for reading Weekly Roundup, April 29th – May 6th by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

TGIF! Tomorow is Cinco de Mayo, the season is Spring, and this weekend is looking sunny. I thought I’d share with you some tunes I’ve been enjoying recently. Have a great weekend!

Thanks for reading Music is Always Gluten Free! Spring Edition by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

If you’re active at all on twitter or Facebook you’re probably aware that May is Celiac Awareness Month. Bloggers all over the interwebs are coming together to write inspirational and supportive content this month as a way to strengthen the Celiac community. This is awesome.

There’s so much going on that I’m finding it hard to keep track! I wish there was a centralized calendar of events, though I have yet to find one. However, Gluten Free City is keeping an updated list of what’s going on this month.

Ok self, remember the live chat on May 3rd at 2pm est!

When I first heard about Celiac Awareness Month a week or so ago (late to the game, I know), I started dreaming up ideas for what to write about. With so many people already doing guest interviews, recipes-a-day, posts-a-day, pictures-a-day, I kinda feel like it’s all covered. What I would really like to see is true awareness spread outside of our gluten-free community. It’s what I plan to do, at least.

This month I will try a little harder to reach people outside of the community who have Celiac, may potentially have Celiac, or may be otherwise gluten intolerant. To educate and inspire them to take care of themselves.

This is no easy feat.

One of the hardest things to do is approach people about their diet and lifestyle, particularly when they have health problems. People hate change, almost as much as they love their junk food.

I think a gentle, conservative approach will be best. Maybe a non-confrontational Facebook post here or there, or an email checking up on someone’s health. Maybe I’ll print out educational flyers to post in grocery stores and community bulletin boards. Maybe I can talk to my doctor and gastroenterologist about handing out more information when they give the Celiac diagnosis.

A friend of mine works as a Content Producer at a news station in Louisiana — I’ve contacted him and proposed he idea of featuring Celiac Awareness Month. It’s a long shot, but it can’t hurt to try. Maybe I’ll hassle my local news stations and papers, too.

What was that statistic again? 

We need to reach that 95%. We cannot rely on physicians to catch the disease early, at least not yet. We need more people to be aware of their own health, and seek out knowledge and guidance.

Thanks for reading May is Celiac Awareness Month by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

Hey there! Hope you don’t mind, this roundup’s a day late this week. I attended the Celiac Awareness Tour yesterday and it was fun sampling all those gluten-free treats and listening to Jennifer Fugo speak. Check out their website to see if they’re coming to a town near you!

And now for the Pinterest Pick of the Week…

Source: kingarthurflour.com via wtfCeliac on Pinterest

Doesn’t that look lovely? Like little sunshine cakes. Get the recipe for Gluten-Free Lemon Pancakes here.

Have you heard anything interesting this week?

Thanks for reading Weekly News Roundup, April 21st-April 28th by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac

I already touched on this topic a bit in my Guide to Gluten Free but this has been on my mind quite a bit recently.

When you were first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, didn’t you feel alone? I know I did.

I’m not sure how to say this without appearing to minimize other illnesses, but I will try anyway.

Celiac Disease isn’t like Cancer or Diabetes (both of which affect my family) or any other well-known ailment. Everyone knows how devastating Cancer is, and I’m pretty sure everyone knows of at least one person in their circle of friends or family that has been through it. Everyone has some sort of rudimentary understanding of Diabetes and how it has to do with blood sugar. No one questions a Diabetic when they say they can’t eat something, or when they say they have to eat something because their blood sugar is low.

Celiac Disease is not well known. It is subtle, you can’t really see it and there aren’t any pills for it. The “cure” isn’t a treatment, it’s a way of life where the afflicted must be ever vigilant. This necessary, constant vigilance adds to our feeling of isolation. Not only is something “wrong” with us, but it comes to the surface at any social gathering that involves food. By the way, are there any social gatherings that don’t involve food?

The point I am trying to make is not “Woe is us”. What I’m trying to really drive home is the importance of community — the importance of having a support system and people who understand what you are going through. People who, over time, pick away at the feeling of being alone. People who we actually feel normal around.

How long did it take for you to find a community to reach out to after being diagnosed? Where did you go to look? How did you find one?

How many people are out there, suffering right now and feeling alone when then don’t need to be?

How do we reach out to them? How do we connect with the people who are not technically savvy, who don’t use twitter, facebook, blogs, or forums? I think this is something that we as a community should think about.

The people we have on our twitter lists and blogroll are the choir we preach to. To make the most impact and to help the most people, we need to do more.

I think we also need to analyze our behavior in these social networks. So much of my twitter feed seems to be full of self promotion, of brand promotion. Facebook, too. How does this help our cause? How does this support our gluten free brothers and sisters?

We need to do more.

When I was diagnosed the gastroenterologist handed me a faded printout that looked about 20 years old with a short list of what foods have gluten in them, and a description of Celiac Disease. That was it. Fortunately I am young, curious, and investigative by nature.

What does the 65 year old do who has been misdiagnosed for 30 years and has no clue what forums are, or what twitter is? What about the people who are less assertive about their health and won’t go looking for more information? What can we do?

Thanks for reading The Importance of Community by Jessica, originally posted on wtfCeliac