I really enjoyed this book, and found it really helpful. It discusses everything from eating out, to the disease itself, to recipes. I think it's one I'll go back to time and again when I have questions.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Kemps Greens Ice Cream
I received the following email after inquiring about Greens Ice Cream:
Thank you for your interest in our products.Our ice cream products are gluten free with the exception of flavors that have inclusions such as cookie pieces, cookie dough, malt, etc. We use "corn" as the modified food starch.We value you as a customer and hope you will continue to enjoy our ice cream products.
Sincerely, Julie King
ADMINIS ASST I
Nice. I love ice cream, and it's been nice to not have to eliminate something I love! I think most are actually gluten-free, but checking doesn't hurt.
Thank you for your interest in our products.Our ice cream products are gluten free with the exception of flavors that have inclusions such as cookie pieces, cookie dough, malt, etc. We use "corn" as the modified food starch.We value you as a customer and hope you will continue to enjoy our ice cream products.
Sincerely, Julie King
ADMINIS ASST I
Nice. I love ice cream, and it's been nice to not have to eliminate something I love! I think most are actually gluten-free, but checking doesn't hurt.
Gluten-Free Drugs
If you're anything like me (and for your sake, let's hope you're not...I'm pretty crazy, after all :)), Celiac isn't your only health concern. I'm on a few different medications for everything from thyroid problems (pretty confident Celiac caused that) to adrenal gland problems (hoping Celiac is causing that and it will be under control after being on the diet awhile...but who knows!). Throw birth control into the mix, and my kitchen counter pretty much already looked like a 98 year old woman's before I even got diagnosed with Celiac. Upon diagnosis, my GI said it was really important that I take a daily multi-vitamin, calcium supplement, and Vitamin D to help my body get the nutrition the condition is stripping me of... so, you can just imagine the size of my a.m./p.m. pill box, and the hilarious jokes my husband comes up with. :)
Problem is, drugs have to be gluten-free now too, and reading those labels isn't as easy as reading food labels. Not only are the ingredients really funky (Croscarmellose Sodium what?), but in addition, drugs aren't covered under the nifty 2006 law that states "wheat" has to be listed on the label. So, as to whether ingredients like "starch" and "modified food starch" and "fillers" have wheat... your guess is as good as mine.
Needless to say, getting me transitioned over to gluten-free meds and vitamins was an adventure. Thank goodness my hubbie is so supportive. He was on the phone with pharmacies and manufacturers for days straight. Before even finding out if my meds were gluten-free, we had to find out who the manufacturer was because most of my meds were generic brands. Fun fun stuff. Pain in the royal behind is more like it! ANYWAY, after all the research and pain we went through, I thought I'd post a few of the things we learned, hoping it makes someone else's life a little easier:
#1: http://homepage.mac.com/sholland/celiac/GFmedlist.pdf and http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/ both have lists of gluten-free meds.
#2: Kirkland Signature (Costco) brand Daily Multi Vitamins are the one brand of cheaper, non name brand vitamins we found that say "Gluten-Free" right on the package!! THANK YOU COSTCO! We called on CVS brand, and were told they couldn't guarantee they were gluten-free.
#3-Medco By Mail is AWESOME! Our insurance just happens to do our medications through Medco, and when we called to see if Medco By Mail could tell us if my generic meds were gluten-free, we were immediately transferred to a pharmacist, who discussed my health issues, and then guaranteed that "Celiac Disease" would be added to my profile. What that means, is that every time we refill a prescription, Medco will research the medication to insure that it's gluten free before it's shipped right to my door! Talk about cool! I'll take it!
#4-The "Spring Valley" brand of vitamins carried at Walmart (light green and yellow bottles) seems to list right on the back if the product is gluten-free. (This is the brand of Calcium I'm currently using.)
#5-When we checked in March 2009, here was the status of some of the meds/manufacturers:
-Mylan: Said in an email that all their drugs are gluten-free. (This is the manufacturer of my local Walmart's generic levothyroxine at the moment).
"Thank you for contacting Mylan! Per your request to follow is information regarding the gluten content of Mylan's levothyroxine tablets, 100ug; Mylan does not add gluten (i.e., wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt) to any of the products manufactured by Mylan. Mylan uses only synthetic alcohols in the manufacture of its products. The starches used in the products are corn-, rice-, and/or potato based. I hope this helps. If you have any other further questions please feel free to contact me at (800)848-0461 ext 4349. I am available Monday through Friday 8am-5pm eastern standard time. Thank you once again for contacting Mylan. Sincerely, Jennifer Gerdes, RN -- Jennifer Gerdes, RN Product Safety Specialist Global Product Safety and Risk Management Mylan White Birch Tower II, 4th Floor 1311 Pineview Drive Morgantown, WV 26505 "
-Sandoz: Claims that their generic levothyroxine is gluten-free.
-Name brand Levothroid is gluten-free. (This is what I'm using right now.)
-Par: This is the manufacturer of the generic dexamethasone Medco shipped me, so I'm guessing it is safe to assume it's gluten-free.
-Roxane: I got a little peeved with this manufacturer. A phone call and email both pretty much told me the same thing:
"Roxane Laboratories Incorporated (RLI) does not provide information about the composition of the ingredients used to manufacture our products. Additionally, RLI does not provide details of the quantity or content of each ingredient used to make our products. RLI products are approved by the FDAand the approved ingredient information is available within the package insert supplied with all products distributed and sold. Package inserts are also available at http://www.roxane.com/. We apologize for any inconvenience caused,and we suggest that you consult with your prescribing physician to determine a recommended course of action based upon this information. Kind Regards,Technical Product Information, Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane, Inc.Tel: (800) 962-8364Fax: (614) 308-3540"
At the risk of sounding rude, sooooooooo not helpful.
Anyway, we've switched over now...finally, and it feels like a pretty big accomplishment!
Problem is, drugs have to be gluten-free now too, and reading those labels isn't as easy as reading food labels. Not only are the ingredients really funky (Croscarmellose Sodium what?), but in addition, drugs aren't covered under the nifty 2006 law that states "wheat" has to be listed on the label. So, as to whether ingredients like "starch" and "modified food starch" and "fillers" have wheat... your guess is as good as mine.
Needless to say, getting me transitioned over to gluten-free meds and vitamins was an adventure. Thank goodness my hubbie is so supportive. He was on the phone with pharmacies and manufacturers for days straight. Before even finding out if my meds were gluten-free, we had to find out who the manufacturer was because most of my meds were generic brands. Fun fun stuff. Pain in the royal behind is more like it! ANYWAY, after all the research and pain we went through, I thought I'd post a few of the things we learned, hoping it makes someone else's life a little easier:
#1: http://homepage.mac.com/sholland/celiac/GFmedlist.pdf and http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/ both have lists of gluten-free meds.
#2: Kirkland Signature (Costco) brand Daily Multi Vitamins are the one brand of cheaper, non name brand vitamins we found that say "Gluten-Free" right on the package!! THANK YOU COSTCO! We called on CVS brand, and were told they couldn't guarantee they were gluten-free.
#3-Medco By Mail is AWESOME! Our insurance just happens to do our medications through Medco, and when we called to see if Medco By Mail could tell us if my generic meds were gluten-free, we were immediately transferred to a pharmacist, who discussed my health issues, and then guaranteed that "Celiac Disease" would be added to my profile. What that means, is that every time we refill a prescription, Medco will research the medication to insure that it's gluten free before it's shipped right to my door! Talk about cool! I'll take it!
#4-The "Spring Valley" brand of vitamins carried at Walmart (light green and yellow bottles) seems to list right on the back if the product is gluten-free. (This is the brand of Calcium I'm currently using.)
#5-When we checked in March 2009, here was the status of some of the meds/manufacturers:
-Mylan: Said in an email that all their drugs are gluten-free. (This is the manufacturer of my local Walmart's generic levothyroxine at the moment).
"Thank you for contacting Mylan! Per your request to follow is information regarding the gluten content of Mylan's levothyroxine tablets, 100ug; Mylan does not add gluten (i.e., wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt) to any of the products manufactured by Mylan. Mylan uses only synthetic alcohols in the manufacture of its products. The starches used in the products are corn-, rice-, and/or potato based. I hope this helps. If you have any other further questions please feel free to contact me at (800)848-0461 ext 4349. I am available Monday through Friday 8am-5pm eastern standard time. Thank you once again for contacting Mylan. Sincerely, Jennifer Gerdes, RN -- Jennifer Gerdes, RN Product Safety Specialist Global Product Safety and Risk Management Mylan White Birch Tower II, 4th Floor 1311 Pineview Drive Morgantown, WV 26505 "
-Sandoz: Claims that their generic levothyroxine is gluten-free.
-Name brand Levothroid is gluten-free. (This is what I'm using right now.)
-Par: This is the manufacturer of the generic dexamethasone Medco shipped me, so I'm guessing it is safe to assume it's gluten-free.
-Roxane: I got a little peeved with this manufacturer. A phone call and email both pretty much told me the same thing:
"Roxane Laboratories Incorporated (RLI) does not provide information about the composition of the ingredients used to manufacture our products. Additionally, RLI does not provide details of the quantity or content of each ingredient used to make our products. RLI products are approved by the FDAand the approved ingredient information is available within the package insert supplied with all products distributed and sold. Package inserts are also available at http://www.roxane.com/. We apologize for any inconvenience caused,and we suggest that you consult with your prescribing physician to determine a recommended course of action based upon this information. Kind Regards,Technical Product Information, Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane, Inc.Tel: (800) 962-8364Fax: (614) 308-3540"
At the risk of sounding rude, sooooooooo not helpful.
Anyway, we've switched over now...finally, and it feels like a pretty big accomplishment!
Brands that I could marry
I just have to give a shout out to a couple of brands that I am absolutely in love with. Any company that is going to make my little gluten-free life easier with great labeling, deserves my recognition!
KRAFT
Kraft says, "We understand how important it is for people who have been medically diagnosed with gluten sensitivity to have accurate information about foods to help plan their meals and diets. Our policy for all Kraft products, including Oscar Mayer and Nabisco brands, is to list gluten-containing ingredients in the ingredient statement on the package label."
AWESOME. If there is any wheat, barley, rye or oats in any Kraft food, it will be clearly labeled. How's THAT for helpful. Finding a for-sure gluten-free salad dressing just got a lot easier. They own a ton of brands, though: Cool Whip, Oscar Mayer, Nabisco...etc.etc.
I am in love with Kraft.
GREAT VALUE
I have to say, GO WALMART! I have noticed that they do an exceptional job of labeling their products as Gluten-Free if they are. There's nothing better than that kind of simplicity. They also do a good job at making little disclaimers on the label about possible cross-contamination, which manufacturers aren't required to do.
KRAFT
Kraft says, "We understand how important it is for people who have been medically diagnosed with gluten sensitivity to have accurate information about foods to help plan their meals and diets. Our policy for all Kraft products, including Oscar Mayer and Nabisco brands, is to list gluten-containing ingredients in the ingredient statement on the package label."
AWESOME. If there is any wheat, barley, rye or oats in any Kraft food, it will be clearly labeled. How's THAT for helpful. Finding a for-sure gluten-free salad dressing just got a lot easier. They own a ton of brands, though: Cool Whip, Oscar Mayer, Nabisco...etc.etc.
I am in love with Kraft.
GREAT VALUE
I have to say, GO WALMART! I have noticed that they do an exceptional job of labeling their products as Gluten-Free if they are. There's nothing better than that kind of simplicity. They also do a good job at making little disclaimers on the label about possible cross-contamination, which manufacturers aren't required to do.
Current Gluten-Free Favorites
BREAKFAST:
Can you tell I'm a cereal girl? :) I'll never forget the conversation that went on at my dietitian's office that made my day:
Me: "So I heard that Safeway carries a cereal called Fruity Nuggets that is gluten-free?" Me on the inside: "Please tell me I get to eat something in the mornings besides Chex...I love Chex...but every morning for the rest of my life could get a little dicey."
Dietitian: "Well...real Fruity Pebbles are actually gluten-free too, but they have zero nutritional value."
Me, acting disinterested: "Oh, really. Huh." Me on the Inside: "Sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!! Like I care! They are one of my favorites!"
LUNCH:
String Cheese and Cheese Sticks with Yogurt or Salad
DINNER IN:
Mexican (tacos or enchiladas) with Trader Joes or Mission Corn Tortillas, and homeade sauce
DINNER OUT:
SNACKS:
Can you tell I'm a cereal girl? :) I'll never forget the conversation that went on at my dietitian's office that made my day:
Me: "So I heard that Safeway carries a cereal called Fruity Nuggets that is gluten-free?" Me on the inside: "Please tell me I get to eat something in the mornings besides Chex...I love Chex...but every morning for the rest of my life could get a little dicey."
Dietitian: "Well...real Fruity Pebbles are actually gluten-free too, but they have zero nutritional value."
Me, acting disinterested: "Oh, really. Huh." Me on the Inside: "Sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!! Like I care! They are one of my favorites!"
LUNCH:
String Cheese and Cheese Sticks with Yogurt or Salad
DINNER IN:
Mexican (tacos or enchiladas) with Trader Joes or Mission Corn Tortillas, and homeade sauce
DINNER OUT:
Austin Grill (I'd actually never eaten there til I started the diet. Then I discovered they had a gluten-free menu, and gave it a try and YUM. Just YUM. The Taco Salad...scrumptious.)
SNACKS:
String Cheese
Trader Joe's Buccaneer Joes White Cheddar Corn Puffs
Cheetos
Corn Chips and Salsa (Sam's Choice(Walmart) Southwestern Black Bean and White Corn Salsa....YUM)
Greens or Bryers Ice Cream (any flavor without harmful mix ins)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
CSA Gluten-Free Product Listing
I am LOVING my CSA Gluten-Free Product Listing binder! It lists gluten-free products found in normal grocery stores, such as Safeway, Albertsons, Winn Dixie, etc. It also lists national brands that have gluten-free products, and has a great section on label reading. I love the glossary of commonly found label "ingredients", that tells you what each ingredient is and if it's safe. CSA has done a lot of research for me, and I'm all about making my life and shopping easier! It's just filled with lots of good stuff and was worth the $30 to me! I pull it out before many a grocery store run! You might want to check it out:
http://www.csaceliacs.org/ProductListing.php
And if you have any questions about it before you order, let me know! :)
http://www.csaceliacs.org/ProductListing.php
And if you have any questions about it before you order, let me know! :)
Ingredients that are a little picked on...
Shortly after I was diagnosed, I went to see a dietitian. I desperately wanted to know how to read labels in the supermarket, and had no idea where to start! I didn't want to have to buy all specialty, organic food. I wanted to be able to shop at the store down the street and eat as many normal foods as possible. So, I went in for a little "label reading" session, and learned some things that have been VERY helpful. The list below talks about ingredients that have been viewed as bad in the past, but are actually OK. Woo hoo for advances!
#1-Obviously, if the label says "wheat" "barley" "rye" or "oats" anywhere on it, not safe! However, what I DIDN'T know, is that due to a law passed in 2006, if any of the sub-ingredients or flavorings or anything contain wheat, the manufacturer HAS to put the word "wheat" right there on the label. This is AMAZING because it means that "Modified Food Starch" and "Starch" are now a-ok if bought after 2006, and if the label doesn't say "wheat" anywhere! Modified food starch is in EVERYTHING, so this is great great news. Now, keep in mind, this rule ONLY applies to food manufactured in the U.S, and it only applies to food (not drugs, or beauty products).
#2-Distilled vinegar has been known as a naughty little ingredient for quite some time, but my dietitian informed me that it is now considered safe for Celiacs! (If manufactured in the U.S, after 2006, and the label doesn't say "wheat". This is going to be a common disclaimer, so remember it! :) ) Apparently they've proven that the distillation process makes it impossible for particles as big as gluten to get through. This means pretty much all vinegar should be safe, except for malt vinegar. (If you read "Malt" anywhere on a label, i.e. "malt flavoring", "malt", "malt vinegar" etc, think "barley". Malt is made from barley. Not safe. With the exception of "maltodextrin"--see #4 below.)
#3-Along the same lines, she said that within the U.S. vanilla, almond and other extracts are safe if manufactured after 2006, and if the label doesn't say "wheat" (although she said to watch out for maple...I'm not sure why yet...still investigating...).
#4-Maltodextrin is safe if manufactured in the U.S. after 2006, and if the label doesn't say "wheat".
#5-Caramel Coloring is apparently safe if manufactured in the U.S. after 2006 if the label doesn't say "wheat".
So, we have to read the labels carefully, but there are actually quite a few gluten-free foods in a normal supermarket! Enjoy!!
#1-Obviously, if the label says "wheat" "barley" "rye" or "oats" anywhere on it, not safe! However, what I DIDN'T know, is that due to a law passed in 2006, if any of the sub-ingredients or flavorings or anything contain wheat, the manufacturer HAS to put the word "wheat" right there on the label. This is AMAZING because it means that "Modified Food Starch" and "Starch" are now a-ok if bought after 2006, and if the label doesn't say "wheat" anywhere! Modified food starch is in EVERYTHING, so this is great great news. Now, keep in mind, this rule ONLY applies to food manufactured in the U.S, and it only applies to food (not drugs, or beauty products).
#2-Distilled vinegar has been known as a naughty little ingredient for quite some time, but my dietitian informed me that it is now considered safe for Celiacs! (If manufactured in the U.S, after 2006, and the label doesn't say "wheat". This is going to be a common disclaimer, so remember it! :) ) Apparently they've proven that the distillation process makes it impossible for particles as big as gluten to get through. This means pretty much all vinegar should be safe, except for malt vinegar. (If you read "Malt" anywhere on a label, i.e. "malt flavoring", "malt", "malt vinegar" etc, think "barley". Malt is made from barley. Not safe. With the exception of "maltodextrin"--see #4 below.)
#3-Along the same lines, she said that within the U.S. vanilla, almond and other extracts are safe if manufactured after 2006, and if the label doesn't say "wheat" (although she said to watch out for maple...I'm not sure why yet...still investigating...).
#4-Maltodextrin is safe if manufactured in the U.S. after 2006, and if the label doesn't say "wheat".
#5-Caramel Coloring is apparently safe if manufactured in the U.S. after 2006 if the label doesn't say "wheat".
So, we have to read the labels carefully, but there are actually quite a few gluten-free foods in a normal supermarket! Enjoy!!
Diseased in D.C
Hmmm...not quite as romantic as Sleepless in Seattle, but it's kinda got a ring to it... :)So, I'm really not the type to broadcast my health problems. Generally, if there's something wrong with me, few people know it. I'm just not the type that likes people worrying, or babying me, or announcing my life story from the pulpit... :) But I think that this blog could be a great way for me to keep track of all the information I find about Celiac, gluten-free products, tips, tricks etc. I also know what a crucial role my internet research played in the initial stages of my diagnosis, and how helpful it was--so I'm hoping this blog will add to the amount of information out there for other people who are on the Celiac journey too.
ANYWAY, for 8 years I've been dealing with bloating, tummy pains, and other crazy symptoms that you really don't want to know anything about...promise. :) (Although, if you're on this site reading, you probably know WAY too much about those miserable bathroom symptoms yourself!) I was diagnosed with IBS, and have just gotten used to discomfort. But after a routine physical in January 2009, and some tests, and a specialist, I was diagnosed with Celiac Sprue Disease. With WHAT? Celiac Sprue. I'm still learning myself, but apparently it's an autoimmune disease where eating even trace amounts of gluten causes your body to attack itself. The main victim is the small intestine...it gets swollen, and the little finger-like villi that transport nutrients get destroyed, and so your body doesn't get the nutrients it needs. Apparently it not only causes all the digestive problems and headaches I've been dealing with for so long, but it can also cause other nasty things if left untreated, like osteoporosis, anemia, arthritis, colon cancer...etc...etc. Fun, right? :) So, I got diagnosed and I thought, "No biggie, we'll treat it." But then... the kicker. The only treatment was to change over to a permanent "gluten-free lifestyle" (don't you love the word "lifestyle"...makes it so much more FUN than a "diet" :)) Gluten is found in wheat, barely, rye and oats (and anything made from, or that has touched any of those things) meaning I could no longer eat... 70% of what you find at a grocery store :) I quizzed the doctor hard, asking how strict I needed to be, and if the diet was just to control symptoms--let's be honest, any way out I would've taken it. But apparently it's important, and even tiny amounts of gluten can cause a damaging flare-up that lasts for months.
The really, really hard part for me was not giving up the junk food...it was the thought of not being able to cook and bake normally. Cooking is something I LOVE and something that I feel like I'm somewhat talented at. I LOVE whipping up tasty new concoctions. But, recipes just aren't quite the same without...flour? :) At least, that's what I initially thought. I spent a good couple of days getting teary eyed whenever I looked at a sugar cookie, or saw my flour canister, or worse...my oven. :) But it didn't take long before I realized it could be a lot worse, and began feeling blessed that I had a doctor sharp enough to find the problem before it caused...problems.
So, with a more positive attitude, and only an occasional sniffle, I started researching, I started narrowing down flour options, I went to a dietitian, I started talking to the friends and acquaintances who reached out to me with tips and love. And 6 weeks into the diet, I can honestly say the adjustment hasn't been too bad. ESPECIALLY in the cooking/baking department. Things continue on pretty normally in that area, much to my relief. (More about that in a future flour post.) While eating out is still a bit challenging and different, the rest of my life is carrying on very nicely. :) There's hope! I promise!
So, here I go...starting off my journey and recording what I learn and experience in the process! Let the adventure begin!
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