Jens Gluten Free Blog

I just read about an astounding study about the effects of gluten. Dr. Mark Hyman writes about it in the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/gluten-what-you-dont-know_b_379089.html). Dr. Hyman reports that according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association people with diagnosed celiac disease, undiagnosed celiac disease, and gluten sensitivities have a higher risk of death than the average person.

We all love cake, but there is only one kind of cake whose heavy creamy texture relentlessly visits me in my dreams night after hungry night until I finally break down screaming “all right I’ll make some! I promise!”: Cheesecake, of course! (I know, I need help.)

Remember that first week after your celiac diagnosis? Perhaps you have actively wiped it out of your memory, but I still have vivid nightmares about it. I remember leaving the doctor’s office thinking that I simply needed to take certain baked goods out of Amy’s diet. And then I got home and Googled it. Then I went to my kitchen and searched through my pantry. When it was all over I just sat down and cried.

So you were sick as a dog, found out you were a celiac, and now you feel great, right? One mistake many celiacs make is the assumption that now that their stomachs are no longer giving them problems, as long as they stick to gluten-free food they no longer need to watch what they eat. This is the attitude that leads to a lifetime of poor eating habits which nobody can afford, especially celiacs.

Anyone out there enjoy crunching on ice? I remember as teenager I liked to do that. I think it was the sound it made that appealed to me in some inexplicable way. I also liked the cool sensation going down my throat. But after a few months of it I gave it up. A friend told me that it was very bad for my teeth. I recently read that there are people who are unable to give up the ice-crunching habit. They are simply addicted to it. It has caused teeth and jaw problems, but they relent. If you know someone like that, take her or him to get blood tests. This is one of the classic symptoms of anemia. And anemia can be caused by celiac disease.

I want to start by thanking all of you who responded to the vegan blogs. I learned a lot about veganism from reading your comments, and I admit that I have had a change of heart regarding certain issues. The most important thing that I have learned, however, is that both the vegan and the non-vegan world harbor misconceptions about each other that can create animosity.

I received so many responses from my last post about veganism and celiac disease that I have decided to dedicate this post to that issue. Veganism is a form of vegetarianism in which a person decides to stay away from all animals and animal products. So meat, poultry, fish, as well as eggs, milk, fur, leather, wool and silk are off limits to a vegan. There are many good reasons to adopt this lifestyle.

I was sitting in the waiting room of my doctor’s office with my three year old in tow, when the woman sitting next to me turned and asked me a strange question:

“What do you make for dinner?”

Pregnancy is a much talked about issue in the gluten-free community. Many are all too well aware that undiagnosed celiac disease can lead to fertility issues. Firstly, women with undiagnosed celiac disease often have delayed onset of menstruation and early onset of menopause reducing their opportunity for pregnancy. Throw in the unpredictable menstrual cycles and you have significantly reduced your chance of getting pregnant. In fact, up to 39% of women with undiagnosed celiac disease do not even get their periods.

It’s holiday season and mom’s all over are clamoring for new holiday recipes. Particularly those overworked and under-appreciated Gluten-Free moms who have to battle with cakes that won’t hold together, cookies that don’t take the proper shape, and muffins that taste like sand. Hungry anyone?

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