Did you know that May is Celiac Awareness Month? It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to learn what gluten and gluten sensitivities really are, and how they impact many Canadians.
Let’s start by defining Celiac Disease:
Celiac disease is a medical condition in which the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by a substance called gluten. This results in an inability of the body to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health. (source: www.celiac.ca)
Celiac disease is a medical condition in which the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by a substance called gluten. This results in an inability of the body to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health.
I once thought I was gluten sensitive but it turns out I was lactose intolerant instead. I’m not kidding, but I know MANY people who are one or the other!
As you know I’m a big fan of flavour and good quality products. Gluten avoidance should not mean compromising taste. Agreed?
A good example of a product that is Certified gluten-free by the Canadian Celiac Association is Crispy Minis Rice Chips. They are the perfect example of a gluten-free snack that comes in a variety of delicious flavours.
As a sales rep who is often in her car and looking for snacks during the day, Crispy Minis did the trick!
I would now like to share a brief interview with a long time childhood friend who suffers from Celiac Disease. Her name is Shirley Plant and she’s a nutritionist, speaker, writer, cookbook author, recipe creator and wellness activist.
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1. When were you diagnosed with Celiac Disease? I was diagnosed when I was 42 with Celiac Disease. This what quite a shock as I had been told to avoid wheat years earlier as allergy testing showed that I had a wheat intolerance. I was eating barley, rye and spelt,( they all contain gluten) it made sense why I was still sick and struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome, tummy issues and anxiety.
2. How did it make you feel when you got the diagnosis? I was really glad to know because I had been struggling with chronic illnes, chronic fatigue, anxiety, tummy problems and adrenal issues for years and depsite changing my diet, eating healthier, I still didn’t feel very well. It was a puzzle for sure and that was when I started to study nutrition and be my own activist
3. Has it effected your lifestyle? It certainly affected my lifestyle as I already was dealing with some food allergies and sensitivities so what I ate was limited. At that time I was not able to eat eggs, dairy, wheat, corn, soy, peppers, pork, chicken and apples. Add gluten to the list and it gets a bit more tricky and limited. Now that I have changed my diet and eaten a more whole foods diet I have been able to add back in organic apples, organic pork, organic chicken and tomatoes.
4. Whats the biggest challenge for those who have Celiac Disease? Making sure they do not get exposed to or ingest gluten. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune condition that creates inflammation throughout the whole body so even ingesting a small amout of gluten can make someone with Celiac Disease very ill.
5. What advice would you give to someone who has been recently diagnosed with this disease? To know what they can and cannot eat. For me it’s about what I can eat. It’s important to know all the foods that may contain gluten like soy sauce, malt, hydrolyxed protein, modified starch.
Bonus Question: How will you be celebrating Celiac Month? By writing a blog post about how to avoid gluten and along with one of my yummy tasty gluten free recipes.
You can check out my blog about Celiac Awareness here https://www.deliciousalternatives.com/celiac-awareness-going-gluten-free-really-means/
For more information about Crispy Minis Rice Chips, please click here. You can also follow them on twitter: @CrispyMinis
For more information about Celiac Awareness Month, please click here.
Here’s to snacking without compromising taste of quality!!
Disclosure: I was compensated for this blog post however all opinions are my own
