Defeat Autism Now is an approach to treating autism backed by the Autism Research Institute that suggests autism cannot be cured but that symptoms can be managed based on the latest scientific research.  The West Coast Conference begins October 7.  If you’d like to learn more about this approach,  you can check out the website at:  http://www.autism.com/

If you are exploring the possibility of having Celiac Disease (CD), there are certain steps that your doctor will take with you.  At this point in time, most patients progress from a blood and/or genetic test with positive results to a bowel biopsy.  The bowel biopsy has long been considered the gold standard for a definitive diagnosis of CD.

 However, a new study from Argentina, as reported in Science Daily, suggests that 92% of Celiacs could be diagnosed from blood tests alone.  Check out the link to the study:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708094603.htm

 Prior to both the blood test for antibodies and the bowel biopsy, the patient must be eating gluten.  Otherwise, the test and biopsy may show as “normal” since the bowel will heal once gluten is removed completely from the diet and the body will no longer be producing antibodies to fight against the gluten.  Staying on a diet with gluten is really easy for those who are asymptomatic but quite a challenge for those who are badly hit by fatigue, diarrhoea and more.  For symptoms of Celiac Disease see:  http://www.celiac.com/articles/1106/1/Celiac-Disease-Symptoms/Page1.html

 The genetic test does not require a specific diet as it only tests for the presence of specific genes but it is not suitable on its own to diagnose either Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance.  It is used more often to screen direct family members of a patient diagnosed with CD to see if they also have the potential genes for the disease.

 The study from Argentina does not indicate whether the blood serology tests they recommend require the patient to be eating gluten at the time of the test.  If they require gluten in the diet at the time of testing, it still doesn’t solve the problem that many of those face who are looking for a diagnosis.  Namely, if you are already on a gluten free diet and feeling fantastic, why would you want to go back to eating gluten for a diagnosis you already believe in anyway?

 And finally, even if this Argentinean study is correct, there are still reasons to have a biopsy anyway.  Since there are many other health issues that may affect a Celiac from cancer to infection, a baseline view of your bowel could diagnose other health issues that must be addressed.  But this certainly may open up a good discussion for you and your health professional.

There’s no doubt that many people have a medical need for a gluten free diet whether due to Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. However, there has been another side to the recent explosion in interest in the gluten free diet and that side can only be a fad.

Some from the fad side believe that gluten free diets are a means to lose weight and have a potentially healthier diet. Not necessarily so say the experts, including well known Gluten Free Expert and dietician, Shelley Case, in this post from The Natural Merchandiser

Health Canada has said since 2007 that pure oats (no wheat, barley or rye contamination) are not only suitable for gluten free diets but recommended due to the B vitamins, fiber and iron they add to a gluten free diet.  Yet at the same time, Canadian labeling laws, last updated in the 1990’s don’t allow oats to be labeled or advertised as gluten free.  This is why you only see “gluten free” on our US site even though it’s the same product as Canada.

As part of the upcoming allergen labeling law changes, Health Canada has recognized that their recommendations and the labeling laws don’t match.  Two weeks ago they published a 20 page document about their intent to change the law regarding oats and are asking for feedback from Canadian consumers and the food industry.  For more information, check out the link at:  http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_75-eng.php

Shows like The Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last month can be a little overwhelming.  Open only to those in the natural products industry (stores, distributors, manufacturers, media, etc.), not the general public, it’s hard to share with you the vast size and amazing diversity of items available at these shows.  There is everything from allergy friendly foods to organic skin care to vitamins and pet food.

But while there were some wonderful new products to discover, I found an underlying bandwagon at the show:  gluten free.  New market research shows that 1 out of every 10 new products introduced this year will have a gluten free claim.  Some of this is good, some not so.  Read more »

There are a lot of people in the “free from” foods market that begin their businesses for different reasons.  Many, like myself, begin a company due to intensely personal reasons such as an affected family member.  Others  start because they choose to eat a certain way to feel healthier and want to share that with the world.  And others don’t have any of the medical issues involved but perhaps have a product that they would like to market to a particular segment of the free from marketplace such as Nestle’s chocolate bars in Canada being advertised as peanut free.

What I find frustrating are the people who want to market a product as free from a certain ingredient but have no idea what that actually means.  Read more »

The diagnosis of Celiac disease is on the rise and as such, there have been many studies lately about the causes  and possible prevention.  While Celiac disease is an immune response to the proteins in wheat, barley and rye (known collectively as gluten), it is a non-IgE response, meaning the reaction is not anaphylaxis but a myriad of symptoms from headaches to gastrointestinal upset and nutritional deficiencies.  Damage of the intestine and other body systems (such as osteoporosis of the bones) can be undiagnosed for years.

Up until this point, once properly diagnosed with Celiac disease, the only way to avoid the symptoms and subsequent damage is complete avoidance of gluten; not always a very easy prospect in our food supply.  So bring on the parasitic hookworms! Read more »

It’s been a wild last 10 days as I traveled first across Canada to Ontario for the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) Conference and then to Seattle this past weekend for the Gluten Intolerance Group’s (GIG) Annual Conference. 

As much as travelling alone can be exhausting and not quite so glamorous as one might imagine (think eating meals alone – yuck!), both conferences had a lot to offer both the conference attendees and the businesses that attended.  I always love having people come up to the booth who we’ve been shipping to for years as it’s  wonderful to put a face to a name.  I also love it when you come up to the booth and proclaim loudly how wonderful Nonuttin’ products are.  You can travel with me any day!

I often learn a lot at these conferences.  Sometimes I have an opportunity to listen to speakers but my most important listening comes from speaking to the people coming up to my booth, tasting products or even telling me why they can’t try Nonuttin’ products.  It helps me learn about what ingredients people are avoiding that we might be able to consider changing or for those who do like our products, what would help them with new flavors, new stores to approach, and other products or ideas to try.

It’s always interesting to find out the regional differences for flavor preferences too.  Apple cinnamon granola bars and Energy Explosion trail mix went over best in Ontario while chocolate chip and chunk granola bars and vanilla cinnamon clusters went over best in Seattle.  Calgary loves their chocolate too and Victoria loves the apple cinnamon and caramel.   I haven’t been able to guess right yet which is always fun when deciding what items to pack for display and/or sale. 

Pure oats were getting more acceptance at the CCA Conference than last year but many were still cautious whereas gluten free oats in Seattle were very popular and pure oats or products made from them were represented in at least 6 different booths compared to only 2 in Ontario.   It’s also great to see all of the other new products that are out there.  Like our company, many companies are starting because the founders themselves or people they love have dietary issues that aren’t being offered solutions by large food companies.

So…

Feet?  Sore

Eyes?  Tired

Meeting great people?  Priceless

A recent study in Spain showed that the gut health of individuals on gluten free diets was worse than those not on gluten free diets.  The theory behind this study’s results is that when we remove gluten containing grains from our diet, we reduce the amount of food that probiotics (healthy bacteria in the gut) have to feed upon and stay healthy. 

This information doesn’t help those who have no choice in eating a gluten free diet such as those with Celiac disease and food allergies but should give those pause who go on a gluten free by choice without a direct medical need.  What can help the gut health of those who must be on the gluten free diet medically is to eat gluten free foods that are prebiotic (the “food” for those healthy probiotic bacteria).  Prebiotics are a type of fiber rich carbohydrate that are not as easy to digest as some kinds of foods.  Examples of prebiotics are:  oats (pure, gluten free oats, most – 95% of Celiacs - can tolerate these), inulin, resistant starches, gums, asparagus, bananas, artichokes, spinach, cranberries, garlic, onions and legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and navy beans.

If you are attending the Canadian Celiac Association Conference this weekend in Waterloo, please come by and visit me in Booth 37.  I’m then home for 3 days and then off to the Gluten Intolerance Group Conference in Seattle for June 4 and 5th.  Come see me there too!

Like the economy and the swine flu, allergy and Celiac news seems to have a certain pattern.  Doom, gloom, and then a light at the end of the tunnel.  Recent news from the specialty diet world is no exception.  But, like life, sometimes it takes the doom and gloom to truly appreciate that light so here are a few highlights from various places around the globe:

Allergy Mom’s Newsletter:  Gina Clowes is the mom of a multiple food allergic child and a tireless advocate for special diet families.  Her most recent newsletter was disturbing because it features an interview with a parent who lost a child last year to a peanut allergy.  What was very enlightening was that this parent mentions that his family had come to expect a certain kind of reaction from their teen and were completely caught off guard when this life-ending reaction occurred.  It’s also a wake-up call to remind all food allergic parents that a “mild” allergy is not always predictable.  Our family had quite a discussion around this terrible tragedy.  You can read Gina’s interview with the father on the Allergy Mom’s April 25 Newsletter.

Recently Anaphylaxis Canada has asked for those living in British Columbia to respond to proposed changes to the BC medical act that would allow naturopaths to treat allergic patients as part of their scope of practice.  Anaphylaxis Canada’s concerns are that  food allergic individuals (as opposed to intolerances) should be treated in a medical setting where intervention would be possible in the case of an anaphylactic reaction to treatment.  That position bears thought when hearing about a recent Dublin inquest where a man died from peanut allergy while being treated with alternative methods.

Did you know that this week is National Food Allergy Awareness Week in the United States and last week was National Food Allergy Awareness Week in Canada?  To learn more about increasing awareness any week of the year, please visit the FAAN website (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) in the US and Anaphylaxis Canada’s website in Canada.

Nonuttin’ Foods began providing GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) free products 2 years ago because there have been questions raised as to whether genetically engineered food could be having an effect on the rising rates of food allergies.  Since there have been no specific studies to date really delving into that question, we prefer to avoid genetically manipulated foods and advocate labeling (not currently required in North America) to allow the customer a choice.  Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that they have provided a research grant to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine to investigate that question.  It may take many years to have the question answered but at least it is a start.

Did you know that there is a correlation between rising food allergy rates and the rising rates of childhood obesity?  A new study looks at the possibility that one is affecting the other.

Peanut allergy gets a lot of media attention often because of its severity and in recent years, the amount of well known food processors that have begun labeling their products as peanut free (Mars, Nestle, Christie to name a few in Canada).   However, as reported in the UK recently, fruit and vegetable allergies, particularly Oral Allergy Syndrome, is gaining ground on the peanut and may be considered the epidemic of the food allergy world for the new century.

And finally, (are you getting tired of all of this news yet?) it looks like pure oats will finally be allowed gluten free certification in Canada.   For any of you who have tried to decipher exactly why you don’t see “gluten free” on our Canadian labels and website while we can on our US information, the confusion may finally be coming to an end.  Essentially, Health Canada’s position is that pure oats are a suitable addition to most gluten free diets and may help add some needed fiber and nutrition to the Celiac diet within reason (i.e. 10 bowls of pure oats a day is too much of a good thing – for anybody!).  But that doesn’t mean we’re allowed to put “gluten free” on our granola labels in Canada because oats aren’t allowed to be called gluten free, also according to Health Canada.  However, the Canadian Celiac Association is expected to roll out a new pure oats certification program at their annual conference in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario on May 31 which may change all of that.  I’ll be there with bells on!