Topic: celiac disease

Good News: People With Food Allergies Can Claim Disability. Bad News: They Can Sue Us All.

People with food allergies can have a tough time eating out–and even eating in, thanks to confusing food labels and a shortage of allergen-free options. But thanks to a landmark settlement reached last month over the cafeteria food at a Massachusetts college, the food allergy-stricken have a lot more leverage in getting gluten-free, peanut-free, dairy-free options on the menu: federal disabilities law. The good news is that it could force restaurants and food companies to take peoples’ dietary restrictions a little more seriously. The bad news is that it could mean that companies–both big and small–start getting sued when they’re unable to accommodate everyone’s food allergy disability. More »

Jennifer Esposito Says Celiac Disease Got Her Fired At CBS; Here’s Why ‘Gluten-Free’ Can Require Medical Leave

Actress Jennifer Esposito, who starred on the CBS drama “Blue Bloods,” has Celiac Disease, and according to her, it cost her a job. The actress, who was diagnosed recently and has since gone on a mission to educate others about gluten-free products and Celiac Disease, says that she requested a reduced schedule to accommodate medical treatments, as recommended by her doctors. But when she proposed cutting back on work hours, she says CBS gave her the boot. More »

Communion Wafers, Rubber Gloves, and Other Surprising Things That Contain Gluten

While a gluten free diet may seem like the latest way for celebs like Peter Sarsgaard and Miley Cyrus to shed some weight, the fact is that for the millions of Americans who have celiac disease or another condition which leads to gluten intolerance, it’s no health trend. Which means that even a hint of gluten can lead to serious health consequences. But it can be hard to know which food, cosmetic, or even household items may contain gluten. Some may surprise you. More »

We’ll Say It Again: Eating Gluten-Free Is Not A Fad Or A Scam

Oh, America. You just can’t seem to stem your incredulity at the increasing popularity of gluten-free eating, can you? A new article out from the Associated Press trods the same tired idea that gluten-free eating is a trendy fad, a scam people are buying into on the premise of healthier eating. But going gluten-free is not a trend, nor a scam: it’s a way of living that has improved the lives and health of lots of American eaters. More »

Frito-Lay Is Jumping On The Gluten-Free Bandwagon…Yay?

Frito-Lay is jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon, making their junk food even easier to eat for people who are trying to avoid wheat and gluten for health reasons. Yay? More »

Domino’s Goes Gluten-Free, Makes Disease-Inducing Junk Food Equal Opportunity

Anyone who struggles with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance will tell you that, despite rumors of weight loss “perks” spurred by stars like Miley Cyrus, it can actually make life really difficult. Which is why it’s great to see so many restaurants and food manufacturers taking their food sensitivities to heart—including Domino’s Pizza, which is rolling out a new gluten-free crust, developed in conjunction with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. But is making disease-inducing junk food equal opportunity really the kind of food revolution we need? I think not. More »

8 Gluten-Free Things That Won’t Help You Lose Weight Like Miley Cyrus

Yesterday, TheGloss posted about Miley Cyrus‘ dubious announcement that she has a gluten allergy—which she says explains her recent weight loss (not an eating disorder or crash diet, like some people-with-too-much-time-on-their-hands have been speculating). Whether she’s jumping on a diet trend for weight loss or health, we can’t be sure—but Miley’s tweets about gluten were less than illuminating for people who are confused about why so many people are suddenly going gluten-free. So here’s a crash course on the topic, and the trendy foods to avoid—whether you want to lose weight or improve your health. More »

Researchers Say Gluten-Free Is A Scam; Here’s Why They’re Wrong

Gluten-free diets have rapidly gained popularity in health conscious circles, so much so that many believe that gluten “sensitivity” or “intolerance” is just the latest diet fad—a weight loss method masquerading as health concern. And a now an essay published in the Annals of Internal Medicine lends credence to skeptics concerns: Coauthors Dr. Antonio Di Sabatino and Dr. Gino Roberto Corazza argue that as long as no one is really sure what gluten sensitivity is, spending money on gluten-free products is probably just a waste of money. But a number of patients who’ve found relief in going gluten-free would argue otherwise, and so would Frank Lipman, MD, whose first line of defense against many chronic health problems is to get his patients off gluten. More »

Gluten Sensitivity Exists On Spectrum With Celiac Disease, Researchers Say

Wheat allergy? Gluten sensitivity? Celiac’s diseases? Hypochondria? As awareness of gluten’s potential ill effects grows, so do the number of people who think they might benefit from a gluten-free diet. To help clear up individual confusion, and help doctors with diagnoses, an international group of experts is proposing a new system for classifying gluten-related disorders, from gluten sensitivity to autoimmune disorders like Celiac’s disease. More »

What We're Reading:

From Gluten-Intolerance To Disordered Eating: Celiac Sufferers At Risk

Does gluten intolerance lead to depression and disordered eating? That’s what researchers from Penn State are saying, after finding that women with celiac disease were at a higher risk for both depression and eating issues—regardless of whether they were on a gluten-free diet. More »

Celiac Awareness Day Reminds Us That Going Gluten-Free Isn’t Trendy For Some

“Low carb” options have gone the way of the dinosaur, and in their place, there’s a new dietary catchphrase: gluten-free. But for those with celiac disease and other ailments that make it difficult or impossible to digest the protein composite, gluten-free isn’t a hip new way to possibly improve your diet—it’s a necessity. More »

More Americans Have Celiac Disease, But “Gluten-Free” Products May Not Be Safe

While “gluten-free” might seem like a trendy new way of marketing foods for a low-carb diet, new research shows that more and more Americans really are suffering Celiac Disease. Some reports say the rate has increased up to five times that of the 1950s; now, it’s estimated that one in 133 Americans suffers the disease. No one knows exactly why the rate has increased so dramatically, and it seems the verdict is also out on what’s really safe to label as “gluten-free.” More »

Stricter Standards for Gluten-Free Foods

When is gluten-free not gluten-free? A lot more often than you might realize. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never formally established guidelines for the term, meaning manufacturers have been able to decide for themselves how much gluten is acceptable in ‘gluten-free’ products. (Gee, what could go wrong with that?) More »

Depression Isn’t A Prozac Deficiency: 6 Natural Reasons You Might Be Depressed

Blisstree’s no enemy of prescripion meds when you need them; in fact, some of us are of the opinion that the demise of talk therapy might be good for depressed patients, who seriously just need a psychiatrist to meet their needs. But proponents of functional medicine, like Dr. Mark Hyman, say that attitude isn’t the best approach. Instead of treating depression like a Prozac deficiency, he says, we need to figure out what’s causing our mood shifts (and other chronic symptoms) in the first place.

“Just knowing you have depression isn’t helpful,” he said at a recent event hosted by New York City’s Urbanzen Foundation. He and other proponents of functional medicine say that diagnosing patients with a disease doesn’t bring them any closer to a cure. Instead of racing to a diagnosis and prescription meds, we should be searching for the source of our symptoms, which he says is often easy to cure without prescriptions or extreme treatment measures. More »

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