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Most Gluten-Free-Friendly City

kdonov2

By kdonov2
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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kdonov2 Contributor
kdonov2
Posted

Originally posted in travel, but I thought it would get more hits here.

Anyone know what cities (U.S.) are the safest for Celiacs? This includes safe options in restaurants, products offered in stores, labelling laws, public knowledge (of the disease), acceptance of the public/medical community, and promotion of general healthy living. I am sure I am missing something, but you get the idea. I am considering moving from my native Chicago. I am not happy here.

Thanks

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DougE Rookie
DougE
Posted

It's not the U.S. but I think my home city of Halifax in Canada has to rank near the top. But the absolutely best Celiac-friendly city I ever visited was Boulder CO.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

I don't blame you for wanting to get out of Chicago. The traffic alone is good enough reason!

From what I've seen here, San Diego is another celiac friendly city. I used to live there many years ago, long before I was hit with celiac, but I can tell you that San Diego is a beautiful city with the best weather in the country. It's a lot more crowded than it was when I lived there, but it's still beautiful.

mamaupupup Contributor
mamaupupup
Posted

Hawaii! Our vacation there was amazing (Maui). Loved it, found all the foods we needed, the chefs at restaurants were great...so many fresh fruits and veggies!

I think Boulder and San Diego are also good choices (though less tropical!).

YoloGx Rookie
YoloGx
Posted

Portland, Oregon is another great celiac aware city. Very good for the arts, health and all things progressive. Community oriented. Lots of biking and excellent rapid transit. Cosmopolitan population. Beautiful landscape and lots of bridges -- two rivers with the Columbia and the Willamette. Wonderful parks. Lots of celebrations. Its an affordable, down to earth, progressive city. It rains, but considerably less than Seattle. The ocean too is within easy driving distance, as are the desert and mountains. Smaller cities like Eugene are nice too, but its harder to get jobs in Eugene, plus Eugene is more lilly white.

Salax Contributor
Salax
Posted

I live in Vegas and although we have alot of places to eat, the doctors here suck. ;)

I traveled to Seattle last summer and they have alot of gluten free places there as well...I wanna move there myself...maybe one day. :D

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Upstate NY is pretty gluten freindly. Rochester is good midsized city and there are smaller cities that as long as they have a Wegmans you would be able to shop with ease. The owners of Wegmans have celiac in the family and they are very good at labeling their store brand items. The Finger Lakes area is really pretty and has a pretty low cost of living if you want to get away from big city life.

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GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Great thread!

I'm a native San Diegan - San Diego is becoming much more gluten friendly - my daughter lives in Santa Rosa (hour north of San Francisco) - our family finds that the entire Bay Area is much more gluten friendly/knowledgeable in comparison with San Diego.

sa1937 Community Regular
sa1937
Posted

My daughter (also celiac) lives in Denver and it sure sounds like a gluten-free haven to me. She has no idea how fortunate she is.

BTW, Denver is the home of Udi's, Rudi's is located in Boulder and Canyon Bakehouse is in Loveland, CO.

mamaupupup Contributor
mamaupupup
Posted

And I think WOW bakery is also in Colorado...and our pediatric GI said there is a higher incidence of Celiac in the Denver population than other places!

mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

University of Chicago is very celiac friendly... New York City has many dining/bakeries... Denver has many bakeries.....

sa1937 Community Regular
sa1937
Posted

And I think WOW bakery is also in Colorado...and our pediatric GI said there is a higher incidence of Celiac in the Denver population than other places!

Actually WOW Baking Co. is in Kent, WA. I've tasted their Oatmeal Cookies and they're really good.

Huggenkiss27 Rookie
Huggenkiss27
Posted

I'm actually from Loveland but living in Houston right now. I had no idea all those bakeries were from Colorado. It's intersting that Denver has a higher rate of Celiac too; wonder why? Maybe more doctors diagonosing?

kdonov2 Contributor
kdonov2
Posted
  • Author

Thank you all for your input! I have some research to do. I did not even consider Boulder before.

RonSchon Explorer
RonSchon
Posted

I'm actually from Loveland but living in Houston right now. I had no idea all those bakeries were from Colorado. It's intersting that Denver has a higher rate of Celiac too; wonder why? Maybe more doctors diagonosing?

I wish my doctor of 15+ years in Denver had diagnosed me, or even suggested the possibility.

I developed several of the symptoms while living there - bloating, constipation, joint pain, other unexplained pains, inability to absorb nutrients.

I assumed my body simply couldn't handle the altitude, but maybe there is something to the environment if it has a higher diagnosis rate.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

My son goes to CSU in Ft Collins. CO. The dorms do a good job of gluten-free food. The school has a professor who studies gluten-free grains and cooking. They offer gluten-free cooking & baking classes to the community.

mamato4 Rookie
mamato4
Posted

I live in San Diego. I am new to this, but I am not finding it hard at all to find gluten-free products in stores or gluten-free restaurants. I think SoCal is an excellent place to live with any kind of food restrictions. In general, people here are very health conscious and there are LOTS of resources for fresh foods of all kinds.

Cara in Boston Enthusiast
Cara in Boston
Posted

Boston is getting better. Many local places offer gluten-free food (and actually train their staff to keep it safe) and on a recent trip to Fenway Park, my son and I enjoyed a hot dog on a gluten free bun. They had a separate Gluten Free cart that sold hot dogs, cookies, brownies, etc. We also have a few bakeries that are 100% gluten-free in the area. On the Cape, there is a place in Chatham that fries everything using a gluten-free batter. We can finally get fried clams and good french fries when on vacation. We also have the Celiac Center at Beth Israel and one for kids at Children's Hospital Boston.

People from Chicago seem to fit in well in Boston . . .

Cara

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    • marion wheaton
      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      By marion wheaton · Posted

      Thanks for responding. I researched further and Lindt Lindor chocolate balls do contain barely malt powder which contains gluten. I was surprised at all of the conflicting information I found when I checked online.
    • trents
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      By trents · Posted

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      Are Lindt chocolate balls gluten free?

      By BlessedinBoston · Posted

      No,Lindt is not gluten free no matter what they say on their website. I found out the hard way when I was newly diagnosed in 2000. At that time the Lindt truffles were just becoming popular and were only sold in small specialty shops at the mall. You couldn't buy them in any stores like today and I was obsessed with them 😁. Took me a while to get around to checking them and was heartbroken when I saw they were absolutely not gluten free 😔. Felt the same when I realized Twizzlers weren't either. Took me a while to get my diet on order after being diagnosed. I was diagnosed with small bowel non Hodgkins lymphoma at the same time. So it was a very stressful time to say the least. Hope this helps 😁.
    • knitty kitty
      My only proof

      By knitty kitty · Posted

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    • Jmartes71
      My only proof

      By Jmartes71 · Posted

      I have been diagnosed with celiac in 1994, in remission not eating wheat and other foods not to consume  my household eats wheat.I have diagnosed sibo, hernia ibs, high blood pressure, menopause, chronic fatigue just to name a few oh yes and Barrett's esophagus which i forgot, I currently have bumps in back of my throat, one Dr stated we all have bumps in the back of our throat.Im in pain.Standford specialist really dismissed me and now im really in limbo and trying to get properly cared for.I found a new gi and new pcp but its still a mess and medical is making it look like im a disability chaser when Im actively not well I look and feel horrible and its adding anxiety and depression more so.Im angery my condition is affecting me and its being down played 
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