Living the Gluten-Free Good Life in Finland

My first question is why does Finland have such a high proportion of celiac disease? Some of my ancestors came from that area--perhaps that is why I have it? Would they see high rates of celiac disease in areas where Fins settled in the US? That would establish a genetic link rather than environmental.

The gluten-free offerings at supermarkets, restaurants, convenience stores, fast-food and international fast food chains are inadequate in the US. The processed food manufacturers are struggling to develop an egg substitute that "reacts" like an egg does during the baking process. Companies are uninformed regarding the toxins in heat-extracted oils (canola, sunflower, safflower & other seed oils & some brands of olive oils). Many do not have exclusive gluten-free environments for their products. Additionally, there are different degrees of "leaky gut" syndrome in celiacs. What manufactures have not come to realize is that a person who cannot consume: gluten, egg, yeast and dairy cannot be concerned with the higher manufacturing costs. Those of us who have nothing available in the processed food isles are willing to spend what is necessary for "safe" products. More often than not I return from the store and remind myself of an old saying; "If I don´t cook it, I don´t eat it!" I will be doing research regarding the above keliaka disease. No Finlandia in my history, but there is other Celtic background.

Interesting - I remember reading somewhere that celiac rates (like other autoimmune diseases) are associated with low sunlight areas (vitamin D deficiency?)

Doctors do not address celiac disease well here in the United States. I know so many who have self-diagnosed because doctors are not their friends (me included). This article said it as well: "One of the best things about Finland is that awareness of keliaka (celiac disease) is common,"If doctors were on top of this disease here in the United States, our statistics would be just as high as Finland, in my unprofessional opinion.