Celiac.com 03/04/2016 - For anyone who hasn't seen it, the website Glutendude.com has an article titled "Open Original Shared Link"

The article highlights the story of a smart, capable, American who was motivated to serve in the military, but who was medically disqualified by military policy, and all had failed in all attempts to secure an admission waiver. The man was further frustrated by the fact that he had very minimal symptoms, and felt that he had the ability to serve effectively.

The article also highlights the military's uneven treatment of personnel with celiac disease.

Medical fitness for the military is governed mainly by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB), which schedules, evaluates, and certifies all applicants as "medically qualified," or as "medically does not meet the medical accession standards" for the US Service Academies, ROTC Scholarship Programs, Direct Commission Programs, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

Basically, current military policy is to reject potential recruits with known celiac disease, provide some accommodation for some troops already in the service, and to provide medical discharges other troops, as needed.

The military doesn't reject you if they don't know you have celiac disease, and wouldn't likely test you for celiac disease unless you pressed the issue.

But if there's no official diagnosis, or no debilitating symptoms, and the recruit says nothing, then celiac disease is not a barrier to military service. And, once in the military, if the disease is kept under wraps, then it's likely it will never come up, and thus pose no problem.

Going back to GlutenDude's article, here's part of a quote from the soldier who was rejected due to celiac disease:

"Two years ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease, and the military does not accept people with this disease. I was medically disqualified by DODMERB, and all waiver attempts have been denied. Years of hard work, a 3.9 GPA, a 32 MCAT, and a desire to spend my entire career in the service have been for naught. The most frustrating aspect of this situation is that I have almost no physical symptoms, am not on medications, and the few symptoms I have are completely controlled by diet. Yet even though my disease would not affect my ability to serve, my dreams have come to a screeching halt."

The man also points out that: "Militaries in other countries accept celiac patients like Israel. Even in our military there are celiac patients that are accommodated for, albeit ones that have already been accepted and are diagnosed after being in for some time. The fact that one percent of the population, nearly 3 million people, have no chance to give their service to their country is a disgrace."

What do you think? Is the current military policy of rejecting people with celiac disease only if it becomes known a bit like Don't Ask Don't Tell? Are potentially good recruits being turned away unnecessarily? Are existing soldiers being asked to cover up a treatable medical condition for fear of being discharged?

Should people with celiac disease or gluten-intolerance be able to serve in the military?

Celiac.com 02/26/2016 - Consumer complaints to the FDA fueled a class action lawsuit claiming that cereal maker General Mills mislabeled gluten contaminated Cheerios as "gluten-free."

The recent suit was brought by a Kentucky woman, who alleges that she purchased two boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios labeled as gluten-free, but which actually contained gluten levels more than two times higher than allowed under FDA standards.

The consumer complaints led to FDA testing on gluten-free Cheerios. The FDA tested 36 samples of gluten-free Cheerios taken from different manufacturing facilities and lots. The tests found that some "Gluten Free" Cheerios samples contained as much as 43 ppm gluten. Current FDA rules forbid the use of the statement "gluten-free" on any food product with gluten levels above 20 parts per million.

General Mills issued a recall on Oct. 5., and the suit was filed in late 2015 in a California federal court, and charges violations of California and Kentucky consumer protection laws.

The suit alleges that supposedly gluten-free oats were cross contaminated with ordinary wheat at one of General Mills' processing facilities.

Stay tuned for more news on this and other developments on gluten-free labeling and celiac disability claims.

Read more at Open Original Shared Link

A Channel 4 exposé of stores in the United Kingdom shows that shoppers are paying huge mark-ups for store brand gluten-free products, while similar unlabeled foods are much cheaper in other parts of the store. The Channel 4 probe found huge price differences between certified gluten-free sauces, soups and crackers and regular equivalents that do not naturally have any wheat or gluten ingredients.

The greatest price discrepancy seem to be for products bearing the supermarkets' private "Free From" labels. For example, Channel 4 found that Tesco charges 64% more for its Free From gluten-free plain wholegrain rice cakes than it charges for lightly salted ones, also without gluten. Tesco's 460g Free From ketchup costs nearly double its regular ketchup, which also contains no gluten ingredients.

Meanwhile at rival Sainsbury's, a 300g Free From juicy tomato and basil soup sells for 3 times the price of a 400g regular tomato and basil soup with no gluten ingredients. Lastly, Sainsbury's 300g Free From massala sauce was priced at nearly 65% more than a 500g jar of regular massala sauce, which also has no gluten.

Of course, the trick here is that we are comparing certified gluten-free store brands with similar products with no gluten ingredients. For many people, certified gluten-free products provide a degree of safety that they are willing to pay a premium price for.

However, in many cases, a journey away from the gluten-free aisle and some quick ingredient checking might get you a product that is as gluten-free as the certified products, and works every bit as well.

As always, consumers should be aware, read labels, and make choices that work for them.

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• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 02/19/2016 - Did senator Ted Cruz just declare war on gluten-free soldiers? It kind of looks like that.

In an attempt to show he can be tough on American servicemen and women with celiac disease, the Republican presidential hopeful declared that, in the event the American people find him serving as their president and commander-in-chief, there will be no gluten-free MREs for soldiers anywhere under his command.

Campaigning in South Carolina, and courting pro-military voters, the Texas senator seemed to believe he was striking a blow against what he describes as a culture of "political correctness" in the Pentagon.

Speaking in broad strokes, Cruz said that "…the last thing any commander should need to worry about is the grades he is getting from some plush-bottomed Pentagon bureaucrat for political correctness or social experiments -- or providing gluten-free MREs;" the shorthand term for Meal, Ready-to-Eat.

According to Ted Cruz, it's a bad thing to be in favor of soldiers with celiac disease having a gluten-free meal when they're in the field—while they might be putting their lives on the line in service to our country.

Should American servicemen and women with celiac disease or gluten intolerance have their medical treatment made into a political issue? Apparently Cruz thinks so.

However, since celiac disease is a bona fide medical condition, and a gluten-free diet is the only currently recognized treatment, regardless of whether you are Democrat or Republican, Ted Cruz, or anyone else who aspires to be commander-in-chief of the armed forces, should simply not be treating them like second-class citizens.

All soldiers with medical conditions deserve proper treatment, that includes service men and women with celiac disease and medical conditions that require treatment with a gluten-free diet.

Let the senator from Texas know what you think: Ted Cruz on Twitter Open Original Shared Link

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• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 02/15/2016 - Gluten sensitivities have been documented in some dogs, but now researchers have the first solid evidence that gluten is the culprit behind a movement disorder in Border Terriers known as Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome (CECS).

There have been anecdotal reports that these dogs might respond to a gluten-free diet, but no clinical studies. This changed recently, when a team of researchers set out to assess the clinical and serological benefits of a gluten-free diet in Bornder Terriers with CECS.

The research team included M. Lowrie, O. A. Garden, M. Hadjivassiliou, R.J. Harvey, D.S. Sanders, R. Powell, and L. Garosi. They are variously associated with the Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hitchin, UK, the Department of Clinical Sciences and Services of Royal Veterinary College in Hatfield, UK., the Department of Neurology at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, UK., the Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy in London, UK., the Department of Gastroenterology at Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK., and with Powell Torrance Diagnostic Services in Higham Gobion, UK.

The team evaluated a group of six client-owned Bornder Terriers with clinically confirmed CECS. The dogs all had at least a 6-month history of CECS, with their symptoms observed and confirmed using video, and each had exhibited at least 2 separate episodes on different days.

The team tested the dogs for anti-transglutaminase 2 (TG2 IgA) and anti-gliadin (AGA IgG) antibodies at presentation, and 3, 6, and 9 months after the introduction of a gluten-free diet. They performed duodenal biopsy on 1 dog. Their results showed that, upon presentation, 6 of 6 dogs had increased serum TG2 IgA levels (P = .006), and 5 of 6 dogs had increased AGA IgG levels, compared to those of controls (P = .018).

After 9 months on a strict gluten-free diet, 5 of the 6 dogs showed clinical and serological improvement with CECS. The one dog that had persistently high antibody levels apparently scavenged local horse manure, which contained gluten. However, this dog, too improved after the introduction of a strict gluten-free diet. So, all of the affected dogs eventually responded favorably to a gluten-free diet.

To further demonstrate the connection, two dogs suffered relapses after gluten was reintroduced into their diets. In Border Terriers, canine epileptoid cramping syndrome is caused, and perpetuated by, an adverse reaction to gluten, and thus responds well to a gluten-free diet.

The takeaway for owners of Border Terriers is to keep an eye on their dogs, and work with their vets if they suspect canine epileptoid cramping syndrome; which can be effectively treated with a gluten-free diet.

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Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 02/11/2016 - Kansas is wheat country, and like the rest of America, Kansans are generally not gluten-free. That means the food in their charity food pantries are not usually gluten-free.

That means that, however hard it might be to maintain a gluten-free diet in Kansas, or anywhere else in America, it's that much harder to maintain a gluten-free diet if you're poor, or simply can't afford the prices.

However, things have gotten a bit easier in Kansas recently, where the efforts of two dedicated mothers of children with food allergies have led to the first free food pantry in the nation dedicated to food for people with food allergies.

After meeting at a local support group and realizing their common problems, Amy Goode and Emily Brown joined forces to meet their challenges in finding and affording specialty foods required for their kids' diets. Both women faced high food bills for staple foods needed for their kids' food sensitivities.

Brown's older daughter, for example, suffered multiple food allergies, and could only tolerate hemp milk, which is priced at $15 a gallon, and is not covered by the government's WIC program. Both women, Brown said, were "struggling to pay for our alternative milks, and it was just overwhelming."

Allergy-friendly and gluten-free foods typically cost two to four times more than comparable regular items. In both cases, the women were struggling to keep their kids healthy, as the alternative is often lines and suffering in the kids. Goode said, " I think people miss that aspect of it. It's not just about the food, but it's about the health."

Their efforts to offer an alternative have resulted in the launch of the ReNewed Health Free Food Pantry in Overland Park, located in the New Haven Seventh Day Adventist Church at 8714 Antioch Road.

The church dedicated space for the pantry just across the hall from a regular food pantry stocked with non-gluten-free products.

ReNewed Health offers only options for those with food allergies along with standard nutrient-dense foods, such as beans. Much of the food is donated by manufacturers, stores and a gluten-free bakery, and all that's needed to use the pantry is a doctor's note or lab results showing you or your child has a medical need for the foods.

The pantry is open on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

Kudos to these Kansas moms for turning their challenge into a success for other people facing the same problem. And kudos to starting America's first free food pantry for people with food allergies and celiac disease.

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• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 02/09/2016 - Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and these gluten-free treats will keep you from getting caught flat footed if your Valentine is gluten-free.

Be sure to see our Gluten-free and Gluten-safe Halloween Candy list, as it addresses many of the major candy manufacturers and provides contact information.

Chocolates:

• Open Original Shared Link--See's heart-shaped Open Original Shared Link are sure to make a splash. And, according to See's website, all See's Candies products are gluten-free.

Numerous other chocolatiers feature gluten-free chocolates, including:

• Open Original Shared Link--Offers numerous gluten-free options. Check their website.
• Open Original Shared Link--According to the website, Gnosis Chocolate handcrafts their chocolates and other cacao based product using ethically sourced raw cacao. Their products are also 100% free of gluten, refined sugar, dairy, soy, peanuts, and GMO.
• The Open Original Shared Link also offers wheat and gluten-free selections.

Cookies:

If cookies are your thing, try the Open Original Shared Link.

This allergy-friendly assortment features Tate's famously delicious crisp chocolate chip cookies, along with fudge brownies, and cookie bark studded with pretty little hearts. It also includes a little plush bear that's sure to get you some attention.

For more cookie ideas, try the Gluten-free Love Struck Cookie Boxes from Open Original Shared Link.

The gift boxes include fudge brownies, along with chocolate chip, brownie walnut, Snickerdoodle and buttercream frosted sugar cookies all carefully packaged for perfect delivery.

These gluten-free cookies and brownies are produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility and meet the FDA regulations for gluten-free foods.

Meanwhile, Open Original Shared Link has a pretty comprehensive list of UNSAFE Valentine's candy.

If you're looking to make some special gluten-free something, be sure to check out the recipes at Open Original Shared Link. They include Dark Chocolate Mousse, Flourless Chocolate Cake, and Easy Berry Granita, among others.

After some minor good news that their new gluten-free versions of Cheerios breakfast cereal was driving a small increase in an otherwise falling cereal market, the company has found itself on the receiving end of several lawsuits.

In the latest lawsuit, a Kentucky woman is suing the cereal producer over what she claims are misleading labels on their gluten-free products, including gluten-free Cheerios.

In her class-action lawsuit filed Dec. 18 in the Eastern District of California, Jacklyn Haddix, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated, alleges that General Mills, General Mills Sales, General Mills Operations, and Does 1-50, engaged in "unjust enrichment, breach of express warranty, negligence and violations of Kentucky and California consumer protection laws."

The suit states that after General Mills began to advertise and distribute its gluten-free Cheerios products throughout the U.S., in September, the Food and Drug Administration received consumer reports of adverse reactions from people who had eaten gluten free-labeled Cheerios.

On Oct. 5, after FDA tests of 36 Cheerios samples that certain samples contained gluten levels well above the mandated limit for products labeled gluten-free.

General Mills subsequently recalled 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios. Two days later, the company revealed finished product testing had not been performed on the recalled Cheerios, according to the suit.

Haddix and others in the suit seek "compensatory, exemplary, punitive, and statutory damages, plus return of purchase prices, interests, reimbursement, disgorgement, and attorney fees and costs" exceeding $5 million.

Stay tuned for more developments on this and other gluten-free product lawsuits.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link

The latest beneficiaries of the this movement are the students of the University of Delaware, which just opened the new, state-of-the-art Caesar Rodney Residence Hall Complex and dining hall, in partnership with food-service vendor Aramark. The dining hall will offer a new dining options for students with dietary restrictions, including kosher, gluten-free and vegan.

Asked about the focus of the project, Ryan Boyer, marketing director for Aramark, says that main idea is "a restaurant-driven, culinary brand," where customers "see the food being prepared in front of them." The dining hall features an open floor plan that can seat nearly 1200 people at a time, but there are no slow, long cafeteria lines. That's because the hall relies on food preparation stations, much like a food court at a local mall. This way, large numbers of students can choose from a wide variety of offerings.

To make it work at scale, each station makes just one main course per meal so the culinary staff can focus on preparing it well. But, with more than a dozen stations, there is no shortage of choices. Among the stations are one that is strictly gluten-free and another that is strictly vegan. There is also a kosher station that uses strict preparation techniques, and the facility even keeps a mashgiach on staff, to monitor food preparation to ensure it meets kosher standards.

Here's hoping more university students nationwide will soon join their peers at the University of Delaware in enjoying the benefits of specialty dining options that meet their individual needs.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link

In a recent study, researchers tried to get an idea of just how frequently celiac disease patients receive a physician-issued recommendation for first-degree relative screening.

The research team included Abhik Roy, Colin Smith, Constantine Daskalakis, Kristin Voorhees, Stephanie Moleski, Anthony J DiMarino, David Kastenberg. They are variously associated with the Division of Biostatistics, the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the Department of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness in Pennsylvania.

For their study, the research team conducted a 12-question survey assessing whether celiac disease patients receive a physician recommendation to screen first-degree relatives for celiac disease, and the impact of such a recommendation, was validated with outpatients in a university gastroenterology practice, called "University"patients. The 12-question survey was then distributed online to members of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA).

The team then collected results over 3 months, and used univariate analysis to compare cohort means, and to assess the association between demographic and diagnostic factors and first-degree relative screening recommendations.

A total of 87 University patients participated in the validation phase. Test-retest reliability of 4 key survey questions was high, with a Kappa coefficient >0.80. The team based its main analyses on data from 677 NFCA and 82 University respondents. Most respondents were female, with an average age of 45 years.

Nearly 80% of University patients received recommendation for celiac disease screening for first-degree relatives, compared with just 44% of the NFCA respondents (p < 0.001).

Of patients who did receive a screening recommendation, from either group, 98% percent discussed the recommendation with family members, leading to celiac disease screening in 71% of University patients, and 79% of NFCA respondents, and to a celiac disease diagnosis in 18% of University patients, and 27% of NFCA respondents.

Physicians commonly fail to mention to their celiac disease patients the importance of screening first-degree family members. Because such screening is so effective, the researchers are suggesting that making such screening recommendations may increase the diagnosis of celiac disease in high risk individuals.

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• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 01/21/2016 - With sales of non-gluten-free cereals enduring a slow, consistent downward slide in just about every category, gluten-free cereals have been one of the few bright spots for cereal manufacturers.

In an effort to combat those falling cereal sales across its existing product line, manufacturer General Mills released five gluten-free Cheerios products.

Initial results suggest that their plan is working, at least somewhat. According to General Mills, sales of non-discounted, full-price gluten-free varieties of Cheerios grew 3% to 4% last quarter, offering the fist improvement after multiple quarters of declining sales.

This is particularly good news for General Mills, as it follows on the heels of an embarrassing recall of 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios in October, shortly after the introduction of their gluten-free varieties. The company chalked that issue up to "human error."

So the fact that the latest numbers are strong so soon after a major product recall suggests that gluten-free Cheerios might just be the ticket for turning around their slumping sales.

What do you think? Have you tried gluten-free Cheerios? Will you? Are you happy that major companies like General Mills are making gluten-free products available?

Read more: Open Original Shared Link

Recently, a team of researchers set out to assess the role of tight junction dysfunction in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease.

Researchers Aaron Lerner and Torsten Matthias are associated with the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit, Carmel Medical Center, B, Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Michal in Haifa, Israel, and the Aesku Kipp Institute in Wendelsheim, Germany.

Numerous common industrial food additives increase tight junction leakage. These include glucose, salt, emulsifiers, organic solvents, gluten, microbial transglutaminase, and nanoparticles, widely and increasingly used in industrial food production.

According to manufacturers, these additives improve food quality. However, all of the aforementioned additives increase intestinal permeability by breaching the integrity of tight junction paracellular transfer.

So why is this a problem?

Well, it turns out that tight junction dysfunction is common in multiple autoimmune diseases, and the central part played by the tight junction in autoimmune diseases development is widely described.

The researchers hypothesize that commonly used industrial food additives undermine human epithelial barrier function, which increases intestinal permeability through the opened tight junction, resulting in entry of foreign immunogenic antigens and activation of the autoimmune cascade, and the development of autoimmune conditions, such as celiac disease.

The team is calling for additional research on the connections between food additives exposure, intestinal permeability, and autoimmunity interplay to expand our knowledge of the common mechanisms associated with autoimmune progression.

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• Open Original Shared Link