Celiac Disease & The Economy: How You Can Help!

If you have Celiac Disease, you can probably relate to me when I say a good majority of my life was spent routinely in doctor's offices for stomach aches, sinus infections, reoccurring strep throat, migraines, and constant pain. My parents must have spent thousands and thousands of dollars each year in my medical bills (wouldn't that be something to get a hold of that figure?) before I was diagnosed and became healthy again.

I often wonder what life would have been like if I had been diagnosed earlier. So many things would have been different, yet I never hang on to that thought simply because I am thankful of where I am today. However, this leads to a much more serious conclusion that is currently affecting many Americans today (whether they know it or not!). According to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center, it is apparent that there would be an economic benefit to the diagnosis of Celiac Disease in a national managed-care population of the United States. 

Peter HR Green, M.D., Professor of Clinical Medicine & Director, Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center, had this to say about the study (Journal of Insurance Medicine, 2008; 40:218-228) and the economic benefits of increased diagnosis of Celiac Disease: "We now have evidence that the increased awareness and diagnosis of Celiac Disease would benefit not only the patients but would result in health care costs savings."

According to the study, those in whom it is diagnosed have a long duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis (they're preaching to the choir here!). Celiac Disease has been associated with Osteoporosis, Anemia, and a multitude of associated autoimmune conditions. The recent study that examined a large managed-care database revealed reduced health care costs after the diagnosis of Celiac Disease, such as the reduction of office visits, lab tests, diagnostic imaging, and endoscopy procedures.

"There needs to be greater physician education in the carious modes of presentation and manifestations of Celiac Disease and more use of the widely available screening blood tests that detect the disease," Dr. Green said.

Hopefully, this will spark an interest with organizations such as the Celiac Sprue Assocation. Goodwill organizations like theirs can help with awareness at places like doctors offices and schools in order to inform people that they could have Celiac Disease. 

To find out more about legislation and government links on Celiac Disease, visit CSA's health links.

GET GLUTEN FREE & FABULOUS AT A STORE NEAR YOU!!

If you haven't checked the website, please do so! We're working so hard to get our cookies and pizzas all over the country! You won't be disappointed, in fact, you'll be overjoyed! 

If Gluten Free & Fabulous is NOT in your store, don't worry! Just use THIS SHEET to send a request to your grocery manager. They are happy to order whatever you request!

Gluten-free is taking over! : )

Please take a moment to read about the amazing strides in the gluten-free industry!! Thankfully, there are companies like GLUTEN FREE & FABULOUS who make products in a DEDICATED GLUTEN FREE FACILITY. You can feel safe and sound eating the delicious cookies, pasta, and pizza that they have so carefully created with you in mind!

CONSUMERS FIND RELIEF IN GLUTEN FREE MARKET

Gluten Free & FABULOUS Cooking Segment: Marinara Bolognese!

This just in: The beautiful Shari Cole, along with her handsome son Matthew, are at it again! Check out their new cooking segment for the delicious marinara bolognese, made from our Gluten Free & FABULOUS Quinoa with Marinara!

I had this pasta tonight with sauteed zuchini, it was amazing!

To see the new video, simply scroll down and click on the top video on the right side of my blog. 

Enjoy!!

Natural Products Expo West 2009

Natural Products Expo 2009 was a great success for Gluten Free & Fabulous!

Not only did we do well as a company, but it was my ONE YEAR anniversary with Gluten Free & Fabulous!

We had some excellent visitors at our booth. Our brokers who were in the area made sure to stop by- it's always wonderful to see them! Crowds of visitors, vendors, and brokers crowded our booth around lunch time each day to get their share of our gluten-free pizza. Our pepperoni pizza is now ORGANIC, which was a huge hit! 

Also, the beautiful ladies from Delight Gluten Free Magazine stopped by for some pizza and to catch up. It was great to see them and to hear about the fantastic direction that Delight is going in! Be sure to check it out!

Gluten-Free & FABULOUS compliments!

Ever have a co-worker, friend, or perfect stranger pay you a compliment? It's like an instant energy boost to your day.

Recently, a classmate of mine did exactly that for me. She approached me before class started and asked me what my secret was: did I work out, eat very well, or both? Apparently, she had noticed that I seemed all around like a happy, healthy person, and she admired how I carried myself. She wanted to know what my secret was; she event went as far to say that in previous semesters, her friends noticed me as well.

Not only did this make me smile, but made me feel proud as well. After all of my dedication towards my Celiac Disease and my gluten-free, practically vegan diet, someone had noticed!

I take every opportunity that I can to educate people on Celiac Disease and gluten-free, so naturally I was humbled, yet overjoyed, to let her in on the scoop: I just eat VERY well. She laughed, because as she and I were speaking, she was munching on a cheese danish, and then something came to me- hardly anyone eats well these days. I started to look around the classroom, only to discover that my classmates were fufilling their late afternoon hunger with candy, bags of chips, cookies, and to-go bowls of chowder from the on-campus convenient store. Little do they all know that quite possibly the reason they're so hungry at 4:00 in the afternoon is that they're filling their stomachs, and brains, with food that is not far off from the chemical properties of plastic! That might be stretching it, but then again, it's not far from the truth, considering the nutritonal content packaged foods these days.

She then asked me what I eat on a daily basis. I explained to her that my daily meals are pretty much the same, with the exception of dinner. My daily feast is as follows:

Breakfast: Quinoa flakes, banana, blueberries, honey
Snack: Envirokidz peanut-butter crisp bar
Lunch: Whole Soy & Co yogurt, banana
Snack: Apple with hummus
Snack: Enjoy Life bar

Dinner usually consists of chicken or fish with quinoa or rice, and vegetables, or gluten-free sausage with gluten-free pasta and vegetables, or a gluten-free tortilla with black beans, grilled zuchini or squash, and vege-cheese.
For dessert, I have nothing but the best: Gluten Free & FABULOUS cookies!

My thoughts? Why not try a gluten-free diet for one meal per day. Recently, I came across an article in the New York Times, "Vegan Before Dinnertime" , where one man eats vegan all day, and dinner is free game. It seems doable, and gives you incentive to eat well all day so that you can indulge at dinner. However, when choosing to diet gluten-free, you must remember to get plenty of protein and fiber in other ways, and of course remember to take your vitamins!

Organic AND gluten-free!

After taking a break from the blog, I'm back- and with exciting news!

Gluten-Free & FABULOUS pepperoni pizzas are now topped with ORGANIC gluten-free pepperoni! Just another reason to indulge in a delicious gluten-free, and GUILT-FREE, pizza!

To see a full list of ingredients, and check out what Gluten-Free & FABULOUS is up to, please visit glutenfreefabulous.com

Bon Apetit!