Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Want Your Votes: Sanibel, Destin, Or Key West

Sweetfudge

Recommended Posts

Sweetfudge Community Regular
Sweetfudge
Posted

Planning a trip to Florida in the spring, and we've got a few days open on our agenda. We've narrowed the list down to these three, but I'm looking for the place with the best accomodations for my dietary restrictions. And any pros/cons to what to do/where to go would be wonderful! Thanks!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

Key West has a lot of restaurants with "real chefs" who can accomodate you, so that would be my vote. :)

abigail Apprentice
abigail
Posted

I live in fort myers (40 min from sanibel) and here you have Outback, Chick fila, cheeseburguer in paradise, pf chang, and blue fish that offers foods gluten-free.

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
MaryJones2
Posted

We rent a house on Sanibel for a few weeks every winter. I love Sanibel! We don't eat out but both grocery stores on the island have a surprising amount of gluten-free foods (cererals, pastas, bars, etc.)

dksart Apprentice
dksart
Posted

We lived outside of Destin for a year after hurricane Katrina, so if you go there, I know quite a few places. My favorite restaurant is 331 which is on hwy 331 just north of Destin in Freeport. Their entire menu is written on a blackboard daily, plus they have a great sushi bar. It's right on the bay, so super fresh seafood is never a question. Spectacular place, eclectic atmosphere, and a nice bar/club downstairs that is jumpin' on the weekends.

There's a Bonefish Grill that has a Gluten-free menu, lots and lots of crab places (there was one we really liked, but I can't remember the name. They had all-you-can-eat dungeoness for less than $20.) Thai Orchid is also really good, and accommodating. I also can't remember the name of the Vietnamese restaurant which is in a strip mall just a bit west of the Destin Commons on 98.That place had the best pho I have ever eaten. Oh, and for breakfast or some good 'ol Southern home-style eating, you'll never find nicer more "happy to please you" kind of people at The Donut Hole also on 98. If you can resist the smell of all of their fresh baked goods (which the rest of my family misses immensely) they will make or modify anything on their great diner menu. Plus, they have the best milkshakes in the world!

The Publix supermarkets there also had a pretty good selection of Gluten-free items, and really great produce.

codetalker Contributor
codetalker
Posted
We rent a house on Sanibel for a few weeks every winter.

Apologies for the off-topic response.

Since you are a Sanibel regular, can you tell me if it is good for bird photography?

I've never been there but bumped into someone who said it was a great birding destination.

dksart Apprentice
dksart
Posted
Apologies for the off-topic response.

Since you are a Sanibel regular, can you tell me if it is good for bird photography?

I've never been there but bumped into someone who said it was a great birding destination.

Either Destin or the neighboring San Destin had a fabulous Birding Festival in the spring. Right outside of San Destin is the most beautiful little place called Grayton Beach(Also Seaside, Watercolor, etc.) Awesome birding there. Lots and lots of trails and other birding sites around the area. The visitor's center on 98 at 331 has loads of info.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


rock on Apprentice
rock on
Posted
Apologies for the off-topic response.

Since you are a Sanibel regular, can you tell me if it is good for bird photography?

I've never been there but bumped into someone who said it was a great birding destination.

Just wanted to chime in that we have gone to Sanibel many times. My husband's family has for 25+ years...my husband's brother is a nature photographer & loves to take shots of birds. There are great sanctuaries - Ding Darling comes to mind. You have egrets, ospreys & I even saw an eagle once there. Lots of birds & wildlife in general.

sorry to jump the thread, just wanted to let you know what i know codetalker!! :)

Sweetfudge Community Regular
Sweetfudge
Posted
  • Author

Awesome guys! Thanks!

MaryJones2 Enthusiast
MaryJones2
Posted
Apologies for the off-topic response.

Since you are a Sanibel regular, can you tell me if it is good for bird photography?

I've never been there but bumped into someone who said it was a great birding destination.

Well I am not a birder and don't know that I can answer that question adequately but Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge is there and I've heard people talk about the birds there. I do see a lot of birds but birds are birds to me :) . I usually spend my days shell hunting and riding on the bike paths.

Open Original Shared Link

  • 1 month later...
mslee Apprentice
mslee
Posted
Key West has a lot of restaurants with "real chefs" who can accomodate you, so that would be my vote. :)

:D Yes!

My Husband and I got Married in Key West May 08, it was so wonderful!

Although I had not yet been dx with Celiac (that was a week after the honeymoon, fun!)

...So that was also my last most wonderful memory of travel without having to worry about gluten.

(mmm handmade pasta with grilled seafood and hollandaise sauce, deep fried calamari, & cuban subs! ok I will stop now sorry. gluten-free options seemed very doable)

Planning for group dinners I did find most restaurants have great chefs who will listen to special requests, and used pure good quality REAL ingredients. Lots of seafood, steak, tropical fruits, Cuban food...pork, rice, beans, plantains, more fruit. Lots of Salads

We drove home for our honeymoon, spent a day on Sanibel on the way. Did not eat there but saw mostly sandwich shops and delis, there was a nice restaurant area we did not make it there the ads showed Harbor House type dining.

2 very different atmospheres:

Key West was very upbeat and a little touristy. But lots of fun stuff to do and see there

(and the nearby keys all have their own personality)

Tropical Bahia Honda was beautiful! Snorkle if you can at Looe Key...downtown Key West was a little smelly come Monday morning ( weekends are basically a big 3 day party :lol: )

Sanibel felt very relaxed and peaceful, natural, we found so many beautiful shells there and nature walks...yes lots of birds, sea turtle nests, long sandy beaches.

.....Would have made it to Destin but we got a little lost :P and had to head straight for the 10 to New Orleans.

May was a great time of year for some reason in between season so nothing was packed/booked. Was not too terribly hot, but if camping prepare for noseeums at dusk.

We used Open Original Shared Link

although you usually get a much better deal if you can stay a week or a month than a few days.

Good Luck!

Have a blast!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. suek54
      - suek54 replied to suek54's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      7

      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      Wow KK, thank you so much for all your attached info. I had a very quick scan but will read more in depth later. The one concerning corticosteroid use is very interesting. That would relate to secondary adrenal insufficiency I think , ie AI caused by steroids such as taken long term for eg asthma. I have primary autoimmune AI, my adrenals are atrophied...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to suek54's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      7

      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      Welcome to the forum, @suek54, I have Dermatitis Herpetiformis, too. I found taking Niacin B3 very helpful in clearing my skin from blisters as well as improving the itchies-without-rash (peripheral neuropathy). Niacin has been used since the 1950's to improve dermatitis herpetiformis. I try to balance my iodine intake (which will cause flairs...
    3. suek54
      - suek54 replied to suek54's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      7

      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      Thank you all for your advice and the dermatitis herpetiformis article. The latter made me realise I had stopped taking my antihistamine, which I will restart today. The Dapsone has cleared the rash entirely but I still get quite a bit itching, absolutely nothing to see though. I know its notoriously hard to clear and its still relatively early days for me...
    4. trents
      - trents replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      So, essentially all of the nutrition in the food we eat is absorbed through the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestinal track that is damaged by celiac disease. This villous lining is composed of billions of finger-like projections that create a huge amount of surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the celiac person, when...
    5. catnapt
      - catnapt replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      3

      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      thank you so much for your detailed and extremely helpful reply!! I can say with absolute certainty that the less gluten containing products I've eaten over the past several years, the better I've felt. I wasn't avoiding gluten, I was avoiding refined grains (and most processed foods) as well as anything that made me feel bad when I ate it. It's the...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,258
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Tdodge
    Newest Member
    Tdodge
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • suek54
      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      By suek54 · Posted

      Wow KK, thank you so much for all your attached info. I had a very quick scan but will read more in depth later.  The one concerning corticosteroid use is very interesting. That would relate to secondary adrenal insufficiency I think , ie AI caused by steroids such as taken long term for eg asthma. I have primary autoimmune AI, my adrenals are atrophied, no chance if recovery there. But I am in touch with some secondaries, so something to bear in mind. .  Niacin B3 Very interesting too. Must have a good read about that.  Im sure lots of questions will arise as I progress with dermatitis herpetiformis. In the mean time, thanks for your help.
    • knitty kitty
      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @suek54, I have Dermatitis Herpetiformis, too.  I found taking Niacin B3 very helpful in clearing my skin from blisters as well as improving the itchies-without-rash (peripheral neuropathy).  Niacin has been used since the 1950's to improve dermatitis herpetiformis.   I try to balance my iodine intake (which will cause flairs) with Selenium which improves thyroid function.   Interesting Reading: Dermatitis herpetiformis effectively treated with heparin, tetracycline and nicotinamide https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10844495/   Experience with selenium used to recover adrenocortical function in patients taking glucocorticosteroids long https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24437222/   Two Cases of Dermatitis Herpetiformis Successfully Treated with Tetracycline and Niacinamide https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30390734/   Steroid-Resistant Rash With Neuropsychiatric Deterioration and Weight Loss: A Modern-Day Case of Pellagra https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12532421/#:~:text=Figure 2.,(right panel) upper limbs.&text=The distribution of the rash,patient's substantial response to treatment.   Nicotinic acid therapy of dermatitis herpetiformis (1950) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15412276/
    • suek54
      Awaiting dermatitis herpetiformis confirmation following biopsy

      By suek54 · Posted

      Thank you all for your advice and the dermatitis herpetiformis article. The latter made me realise I had stopped taking my antihistamine, which I will restart today. The Dapsone has cleared the rash entirely but I still get quite a bit itching, absolutely nothing to see though. I know its notoriously hard to clear and its still relatively early days for me.  The iodine issue is very interesting. I do eat quite a bit of salt because I have Addison's disease and sodium retention is an issue. I also have autoimmune hypothyroidism, not sure how a low iodine diet would play into that? Because of my Addison's I am totally steroid dependent, I take steroids 4 x daily and cannot mount any defence against inflammation. I need to increase my meds for that. Now that I know what is wrong I can do just that if Im having a bad day. Life is very sweet, just so damn complicated sometimes! Hey ho, onwards. Thank you again for your advice.  
    • trents
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By trents · Posted

      So, essentially all of the nutrition in the food we eat is absorbed through the villous lining of the small bowel. This is the section of the intestinal track that is damaged by celiac disease. This villous lining is composed of billions of finger-like projections that create a huge amount of surface area for absorbing nutrients. For the celiac person, when gluten is consumed, it triggers an autoimmune reaction in this area which, of course, generates inflammation. The antibodies connected with this inflammation is what the celiac blood tests are designed to detect but this inflammation, over time, wears down the finger-like projections of the villous lining. Of course, when this proceeds for an extended period of time, greatly reduces the absorption efficiency of the villous lining and often results in many and various nutrient deficiency-related health issues. Classic examples would be osteoporosis and iron deficiency. But there are many more. Low D3 levels is a well-known celiac-caused nutritional deficiency. So is low B12. All the B vitamins in fact. Magnesium, zinc, etc.  Celiac disease can also cause liver inflammation. You mention elevated ALP levels. Elevated liver enzymes over a period of 13 years was what led to my celiac diagnosis. Within three months of going gluten free my liver enzymes normalized. I had elevated AST and ALT. The development of sensitivities to other food proteins is very common in the celiac population. Most common cross reactive foods are dairy and oats but eggs, soy and corn are also relatively common offenders. Lactose intolerance is also common in the celiac population because of damage to the SB lining.  Eggs when they are scrambled or fried give me a gut ache. But when I poach them, they do not. The steam and heat of poaching causes a hydrolysis process that alters the protein in the egg. They don't bother me in baked goods either so I assume the same process is at work. I bought a plastic poacher on Amazon to make poaching very easy. All this to say that many of the issues you describe could be caused by celiac disease. 
    • catnapt
      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

      By catnapt · Posted

      thank you so much for your detailed and extremely helpful reply!! I can say with absolute certainty that the less gluten containing products I've eaten over the past several years, the better I've felt.   I wasn't avoiding gluten, I was avoiding refined grains (and most processed foods) as well as anything that made me feel bad when I ate it. It's the same reason I gave up dairy and eggs- they make me feel ill.  I do have a bit of a sugar addiction lol so a lot of times I wasn't sure if it was the refined grains that I was eating - or the sugar. So from time to time I might have a cookie or something but I've learned how to make wonderful cookies and golden brownies with BEANS!! and no refined sugar - I use date paste instead. Pizza made me so ill- but I thought it was probably the cheese. I gave up pizza and haven't missed it. the one time I tried a slice I felt so bad I knew I'd never touch it again. I stopped eating wheat pasta at least 3 yrs ago- just didn't feel well after eating it. I tried chick pea pasta and a few others and discovered I like the brown rice pasta. I still don't eat a lot of pasta but it's nice for a change when I want something easy. TBH over the years I've wondered sometimes if I might be gluten intolerant but really believed it was not possible for me to have celiac disease. NOW I need to know for sure- because I'm in the middle of a long process of trying to find out why I have a high parathyroid level (NOT the thyroid- but rather the 4 glands that control the calcium balance in your body) I have had a hard time getting my vit D level up, my serum calcium has run on the low side of normal for many years... and now I am losing calcium from my bones and excreting it in my urine (some sort of renal calcium leak) Also have a high ALP since 2014. And now rapidly worsening bone density.  I still do not have a firm diagnosis. Could be secondary HPT (but secondary to what? we need to know) It could be early primary HPT. I am spilling calcium in my urine but is that caused by the high parathyroid hormone or is it the reason my PTH is high>? there are multiple feedback loops for this condition.    so I will keep eating the bread and some wheat germ that does not seem to bother me too much (it hasn't got enough gluten to use just wheat germ)    but I'm curious- if you don't have a strong reaction to a product- like me and wheat germ- does that mean it's ok to eat or is it still causing harm even if you don't have any obvious symptoms? I guess what you are saying about silent celiac makes it likely that you can have no symptoms and still have the harm... but geez! you'd think they'd come up with a way to test for this that didn't require you to consume something that makes you sick! I worry about the complications I've been reading about- different kinds of cancers etc. also wondering- are there degrees of celiac disease?  is there any correlation between symptoms and the amnt of damage to your intestines? I also need a firm diagnosis because I have an identical twin sister ... so if I have celiac, she has it too- or at least the genetic make up for having it. I did have a VERY major stress to my body in 2014-2016 time frame .. lost 50lbs in a short period of time and had severe symptoms from acute protracted withdrawal off an SSRI drug (that I'd been given an unethically high dose of, by a dr who has since lost his license)  Going off the drug was a good thing and in many ways my health improved dramatically- just losing 50lbs was helpful but I also went  off almost a dozen different medications, totally changed my diet and have been doing pretty well except for the past 3-4 yrs when the symptoms related to the parathyroid issue cropped up. It is likely that I had low vit D for some time and that caused me a lot of symptoms. The endo now tells me that low vit D can be caused by celiac disease so I need to know for sure! thank you for all that great and useful information!!! 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.