I read an interesting blog entry posted some months ago by Verona Raymond for Ezine Articles, entitled “Restaurants and Food Allergies – A Problem?” Verona, who is allergic to dairy products, relates the difficulties she has in determining which restaurant dishes contain milk products. With little or no information on the menu, she almost always has to ask her servers, who then usually have to consult the kitchen.

“They usually come back to the table and explain that the chef doesn’t know what is in some of the sauces or ingredients because they are sent to them pre-packaged or bottled,” Verona writes. “So I sometimes take a chance and order an entree thinking that it is okay.”

Verona’s solution is for restaurant menus to be treated like consumer products.

“I really appreciate the fact that it is now mandatory that the allergen ingredients are listed on most all types of products in the grocery stores! Especially when the label plainly states that the product contains milk, instead of having to read through the long list of ingredients that often list milk as ‘whey’ or ‘casein.’”

A lot of thoughts came to my mind when I read that article. Here are a few. I’d like to hear yours as well (just click on the Comment link at the end of this entry).

• Thankfully, I find fewer and fewer restaurants have servers or chefs who are not knowledgeable about food allergies, even if this means they know that they don’t know!
• Verona writes that when the chefs don’t know what is in some of the sauces or ingredients, “I sometimes take a chance.” Wow. I doubt this needs saying, but I would strongly advocate NEVER taking this chance.
• Similarly, Verona writes that if allergen ingredients were listed next to each item, “How extremely nice it would be to not have to bother the food server.” Again, I would caution that a food allergic diner would still need to inform their server in order to avoid cross-contamination, whether in the kitchen (shared utensils, oils, etc.) or on the tray.

But let’s get to the heart of the article. Verona believes that restaurants should have to list the major allergens included in their menu items just as consumer products now do. As I’ve added specific restaurant information to AllergyEats, I’ve been able to include this information for the few restaurants that list it publicly, but certainly just a small minority. In my opinion (biased due to my own children’s food allergies), I agree with Verona. How difficult would it be? However, I’m sure some restaurateurs would disagree, possibly referencing the fact that their menu items frequently change, they can’t always audit changes their suppliers make, they sometimes have to make subtle substitutions of items on the fly, and they’re afraid that listing these items will make them more liable if a patron does suffer an allergic reaction. I’m not justifying these answers or even sure if they’re the correct ones; I’m trying to guess what the restaurateurs would say based on what I’ve heard in the past.

Any restaurateurs out there reading this? Any servers? I’d love to hear your opinion. It would be very informative and valuable to the food allergy community to understand the issues that you would face. Of course, I’d also like to hear the opinions of those of you with food allergies or intolerances as well. Please click on “Comments” at the end of this post to share your thoughts.

Finally, I hope you all will consider using the main AllergyEats site (www.allergyeats.com) to not only find those restaurants that list allergen ingredients, gluten-free menus, etc., but also to rate restaurants based on your own experiences. If you’ve found yourself in situations such as Verona’s, it would be very valuable for the rest of us to know that. Just as helpful would be hearing about your positive experiences.

The more people that use AllergyEats and rate restaurants, the better this tool will be for our entire food allergy and intolerance community!

Paul Antico

Kendall Conrad has done a lovely job of recreating her gourmet recipes and customizing them to suit the principles which healed her child’s body- More Than 150 Delicious Specific Carbohydrate Diet(TM)-Compliant Recipes.

Author Kendall Conrad was faced with the fact that her youngest child’s gut and immune system had been severely compromised after her first ten months of life after being on many antibiotics to address severe ear infections. Her daughter finally needed surgery to drain her ears at only ten months old, which did resolve the ear troubles, but she was left with digestive troubles, wasn’t thriving, and wasn’t absorbing nutrients. Conrad spent a year visiting many doctors to no avail.

Conrad was introduced to a nutritionist who introduced her to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which eliminated virtually all starch and complex sugars. The result was that her daughter began to grow and feel much better. She is now a thriving healthy child.

This cookbook and its detailed introduction shares many aspects of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet’s effects on many people with Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis,  IBS, diverticulitis, and other digestive conditions—to incredible results.

The recipes in Kendall’s book are gourmet in every sense of the word, and your family and guests will have no clue that each one of them is a strict adherent to the SCD.

This cookbook is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.
Tina Turbin
www.glutenfreehelp.info

Living a life with multiple food allergies did not place Marie-Annick Courtier in an extraordinary position until when, a few years ago, some of these foods became life-threatening, and she feared she’d have to give up not only her expertise and love of being a chef but also many of her favorite foods.

Determination, research, and time have not only resulted in her well-written cookbook, they have also resulted in Marie-Annick Courtier’s freedom from all allergies excluding aspirin.

With a Culinary Arts Degree, a background in science and nutrition, certification as a fitness nutritionist, and having her own chef school in Irvine, California, Marie offers much more to her readers than her nearly 150 recipes in her latest cookbook, Cooking Well: Wheat Allergies.

You’ll be additionally enlightened in the areas of Understanding Wheat Allergies, Living With Wheat Allergies, Nutrition’s Role, Eating Out, Organic Choice and Why, Foods to Avoid and Choose, and much more, including her Chef’s Secrets.

The chapters preceding her nutritionally labeled recipes are not only informative, but the information is all very well-written, and I had a sense of sitting with her as she selectively chose the key points she felt were important to impart.

I am armed with delicious breakfasts, soups, salads, main dishes, side dishes, desserts and more. All her recipes are easy to prepare and offer options and nutritional content. I can’t wait for the second book in this series!

This resource book is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info.

One of my favorite foods on planet Earth is carrot cake. Since being diagnosed celiac, I have not really enjoyed a GF carrot cake, until today.

The Grainless Baker has by far the best carrot cake, true to taste, frosting, and all that I’ve known of this dessert since my years of eating wheat prior to my celiac diagnosis. Lightly sweet, moist throughout, and with unbeatable texture, it simply just danced in my mouth until I just had to give in and swallow. Lucky for me there was another bite to follow.

The Grainless Baker carries a number of other products which I tested with my test teams in Florida and L.A. I also loved Twistix, which were very garlicky, salty, and having just the perfect texture warm or cold.

Jane Trygar was diagnosed with celiac sprue in 2001. After four treacherous years of symptoms, Jane in just two weeks dropped 20 pounds and felt miserable. Finally a doctor tested her. The diagnosis shed light on all her troubles, which started during her third pregnancy. I should also mention that her family had a bakery full of wheat!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Her husband, a chef, with his love of cooking and baking, was at a loss watching Jane research company after company for a good supply of GF foods. She couldn’t eat well. She missed her “family”-baked goods. So he set out to create great-tasting gluten-free breads, rolls, and pastries for Jane.

Soon his creations grew. They became aware that Jane wasn’t the only one with these needs, and so this company was started. Jane shares, “It’s become the passion of our lives.” They truly have a desire to help anyone with celiac sprue enjoy the flavors of items baked in a gluten-free environment. Their baked goods are incredible. They’ve now developed 10 categories of food, offering well over 40 delicious products.

Their website offers nutritional information freely on all of their products and is easy to navigate. Select items are unfortunately only available in stores at this time.

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

(I am not paid or given any incentive to write one way or the other. What you are about to read is from me to you, my honest opinion.)

Robb Dorf, founder and CEO had a vision and he’s now fulfilled it.  His 5 bars are all gluten-free and tested to the standards any celiac can appreciate.

PureFit’s 2 oz bars have 18 grams of protein, are low glycemic as well as vegan.

He has his products all made in a dedicated facility, tested through avenues of CSA, yet he’s quick to mention GIG and CDF all helped him to get to where he is today – and others.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Robb supports many celiac groups, attends many expos, donates to numerous meetings, conferences and is well thought of not only in the sports arena but nutritional and celiac arena as well.

These nutritious packed gluten-free bars are loaded with their own unique flavors and I loved them all.

I was also pleased to find out that the only bar with oats, the PureFit Granola Crunch comes with certification of dedicated gluten-free oats.

Robb Dorf is on top of it!  Not a celiac himself, he cares and understands a celiac’s needs and why and will not lower his standards.

Thank you Robb for an exceptional product and your offers:  for every friend you recommend who orders Pure Fit, you’ll receive a box sent to your door.  For every store you get to carry PureFit, Robb’s company will send you 4 boxes of PureFit bars!

This food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

This decision was no doubt reversed after hearing from many unsatisfied gluten free passengers, family members and groups.

United Airlines has been offering gluten free meals on international flights and it does not appear that Continental/United merger will be affected.

For more information from Continental about the gluten free meal you may check it all out at.

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/special/default

Tina Turbin www.glutenfreehelp.info

Connie has taken special care to not only include only easy-to-prepare recipes, but each one is adaptable to the casein-free diet, opening the door for many more people to avail themselves of these recipes.

With 200 delicious recipes and many fun food projects such as scented gift ornaments, scented play dough, tree ornaments, bubbles, and more, one will be entertained in the kitchen with hours of delight.

This second edition, Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults really should be in every home of any family with a GF and/or CF child or even in the home of grandparents with a GF or CF grandchild.

This “full-of-fun” cookbook will allow any celiac, gluten-intolerant, or autistic child feel like being on his “restricted diet” is fun!

This cookbook is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

Last year, I met a man at a conference representing ALCAT (antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test), a test that measures levels of food and chemical intolerances, also known as sensitivities, and is available all over the world, in the U.S., UK, Ukraine, India, and Saudi Arabia. My husband’s success with this blood test will follow, but for now, let me explain the simple, basic, yet powerful details of this test.
Once your blood arrives at their Florida laboratory, ALCAT lab technicians determine a general baseline of your blood and immediately expose the blood to various “test agents” based on the package you purchase. For example, you may choose molds and certain foods, or just foods, or chemicals and foods, etc. The blood’s reactions to their agents tell the lab what degree of reaction, if any at all. The data is rapidly compiled. You or your healthcare practitioner will receive the result with easy-to-read information and a simple-to-understand and a chart to follow.
My husband had to deal for years with a very high CRP (C-Reaction Protein) level. CRP measures inflammation in the body, which very long periods is not healthy and can cause all sorts of trouble for the heart, organs, joints, and age-related situations. I was told years ago that it’s a good test to have done in your forties as a preventative action.
So after years of doctors trying to help my husband lower his CRP, and after many other tests to try to pinpoint why it’s so high and where it’s causing damage, my husband decided to have his blood drawn for the ALCAT. His results come back seven days later, and he has a few foods in his “severe” list to avoid for six months. Nothing major, except it does show he had reaction to casein and wheat as well.
My husband would eat wheat, bread, and crackers mostly, so to me this news was a godsend. Finally I could have my dedicated GF kitchen. The dairy was another story. He loves his cheese. It was going to be an interesting six months.
Over this period of six months, he grew fond of gluten-free pasta, crackers, breads (especially my homemade bread) and even started eating my rice cheese.
It’s six months later and he retests his CRP after no wheat and dairy and five other foods. For the first time in many years his CRP came down from a dangerous constant high to very near normal. His only change had been avoiding the seven foods in his extreme list and a few in his mild. There are three columns: extreme, mild, and no reaction.
I’m thinking, “Drats, now he’ll go back on wheat if he retakes the ALCAT and it says he’s clear of wheat.” Well, he retested and had about six foods, plus the gluten, reacting high again (even though he’s off it). The casein is less.
He feels great, lost some weight, less nose troubles, and he’s decided to refrain from wheat and dairy. The only change he made to lower his CRP was this ALCAT test. Pretty amazing.
You can learn more about ALCAT and other results at 1 (800) US-ALCAT or by visiting www.alcat.com. You can also do a Google search on CRP, C-Reactive Protein, to read some basic details on this, if you’re curious.
Ask your doctor about the ALCAT or even suggest it if you’re in your forties or older. I hope this was helpful.
Tina Turbin

GLEE, which stands for “gluten-free,” written by Elizabeth Atkinson, was initially sparkled by the fact that the author’s daughter, Bridgette, was heading off to college where she would have to take care of herself and her gluten-free needs in the dorm, eating on campus, and eating out off-campus. Elizabeth wanted to create a guide or manual which could ease this transition.

In reading this book I knew any young adult presented with this book would carry it around as if they had a friend guiding them day by day. Elizabeth writes this book page by page, in perfect sequence, little by little giving vital information, to the perfect finale, teaching cooking, then well-researched references and many other books.
Had I been diagnosed with celiac disease as a child and I could only take one book as I was off to college, after having reviewed over the twenty books to my name, I would without a doubt choose Elizabeth Atkinson’s book, GLEE! On the other hand, I have three children in their twenties, and I would hand this very book to my child or any child, gluten-free or not, heading off to college or the independence of adulthood.

Elizabeth writes simply, keeps the subject light, yet communicates what needs to be understood and applied. This is a very well-written book, and I’m happy to know this is a resource. This was one of the most enjoyable reads on celiac, due to HER sense of humor.

This resource book is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

Chocolate combined with probiotics in a healthy, delicious, nutritious snack?  This sounds like an oxymoron.

Attune is a company and idea founded by genius and well-seasoned businessman, Rob Hurlbut. Rob loves the outdoors, sports, fresh air, and being active. He feels his morning outdoor run or hike sets the pace for the beauty of the rest of the day.

Free Attune Give-Away Bars

Attune currently manufactures 7 flavors of this gluten-free probiotic and prebiotic-loaded taste of “yum”: Almond Milk Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Dark Chocolate, Coffee Bean Dark Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, and Blueberry Vanilla Chocolate.

Rob and his team have given due diligence to researching the beneficial strains of bacteria which would blend well and sustain integrity with their chocolates. All blends of probiotic strains are kosher, GRAS, and selected for their stability and health purposes.                                                                  

Prebiotic, which was a new term to me, is simply a form of fiber which remains in the small intestine and acts like food for one’s friendly bacteria as well as a fiber and works positively with probiotics.

I tried all the flavors, and I justified eating a bar of each one because not only did they taste absolutely divine, but –heck!—they were healthy for me. The more I ate, the more friendly bacteria, after all. Works for me! So one of each, down they went –divine!

This company has done their homework and has come up with an ethical, nutritious, and delicious line which I’m honored to have been privileged to test.

I eventually gave in and shared the remaining bars with my employees and testers. Not one of them could believe that such delicious bars could have health benefits for one’s immune and digestive systems.

This food company is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me. Get a Free Attune Give- Away now.

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

Note: These bars are to be kept refrigerated.