Interesting Experiment!

Ever since my diagnosis, I have been amazed at the science and cause behind Celiac disease. I am currently enrolled in an independent class at my high school called “Advanced Topics in Biology.” At the beginning of the semester I had a choice from a wide range of topics – basically anything relating to biology. My fascination with Celiac disease led me to choose to design an experiment investigating the genetic factors involved in the inheritance and activation of the disorder.

Although I have not yet started the experiment, I have conducted a considerable amount of research and already learned a great deal of information. I think some of this information, although fairly straightforward, is not known by many Celiac patients. Scientists have not yet discovered the definite cause of Celiac Disease, but they have determined several genetic factors that increase the risk of acquiring the disease. These genetic “markers” or alleles are different forms of a series of genes present on chromosome six, and are involved in the reaction of the immune system to different antigens. The genes are called Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLAs) and one of two types (HLA-DQ2 and HLA- DQ8) is carried by virtually every person with Celiac disease. Conversely, however, the fact that one has the allele(s) does not mean they will have the disorder. These forms of the gene are present in about 30% of the white population, many of whom don’t have any form of gluten intolerance. While these alleles are considerable factors in the genetics of the disease, there are many other genes that also have a major effect.

In my experiment, I will take DNA samples from several groups of people and test for some of the most popular HLA alleles, in an attempt to find some sort of correlation between the alleles and the presence of Celiac Disease.

Cool GF Bakery in NH!

On a family vacation I recently traveled to Bristol, New Hampshire, a quaint town bordering Newfound Lake. As usual on any long trip, my family and I prepared a cooler full of gluten-free foods, alleviating us of the worry of not finding things I could eat in the area. Because Bristol was unfamiliar to all of us, my mom decided to search for gluten-free stores in the area. Surprisingly, she found a gluten-free bakery called “Cornucopia Bakery” right in town, a mere five-minute drive from our cottage. Although the shop was closed for the majority of the trip, we were able to visit them on the last day of our stay. I couldn’t believe the extent of their selection of gluten-free baked goods. There was an abundance of breads, scones, cookies, pastries, and even a carrot cake whoopie pie (which was incredibly tasty). The sourdough bread was so delicious that I thought I had purchased the non-gluten-free product by accident!
Anyway, the point is that you should always search online for gluten-free shops before traveling somewhere. You never know what you may come across. Had we not searched for this bakery, we would’ve never known it existed. I had a similar experience last year on a trip to Sedona, Arizona. A gluten-free pizza place was right at the end of my street, but I only knew of it because of a Google search. Gluten-free living is becoming more and more popular as an awareness of gluten intolerance has increased and many people are choosing it as a healthy lifestyle. Shops with these kinds of foods are springing up all over the place, even in unlikely areas.

Gluten-Free Breakfast and Lunch: What to do?

As a junior in high school, I know how difficult it can be to make (and eat) a gluten-free breakfast and lunch every day, let alone meals that are nutritious and hearty. While most of my classmates can simply grab $2.50 to buy lunch, I have to labor over what I’m going to eat each day at school. Some schools are beginning to offer gluten-free options, but many, including mine, do not. I also need to make sure I eat breakfast before school to make it through the day. Trying to coordinate my gluten-free eating habits all in a 45-minute time period before school, while also making sure I’m prepared for school, can be a very challenging task. Here are a few of the things I do to keep my mornings from becoming too hectic.

If at all possible, I try to get my lunch together the night before. This saves time in the morning and keeps me from having to worry about it too early. I often make deli meat sandwiches for lunch. I use a bread maker to make gluten-free bread then slice it and freeze it, so all I have to do is pop a frozen piece in the toaster. This keeps it quick and easy. I also make sure there are plenty of healthy snack foods around, like pretzels, carrots, fruits, nuts, granola bars, and chips. It’s convenient to purchase packaged foods like granola bars, pretzels, and crackers in bulk because it’s cheaper, and there is a long-lasting supply at home. If not in the mood for a sandwich, another option is to put leftovers in a Tupperware container or Thermos and microwave them at school. I realize this may not be convenient for everyone but if a microwave is available it‘s certainly a good option.

Now that lunch is covered, what about breakfast? There are endless options for breakfast, time allowing. If pressed for time, a simple bowl of cereal (Panda Puffs, Koala Crisp, and organic corn flakes are all good) will do, or even a bowl of yogurt. Many flavors of Yoplait and Stonyfield Farms yogurts are gluten free. If you have more time, however, there are other tasty options. Bob’s Red Mill now offers gluten-free certified oats, so oatmeal is a good choice. Also, eggs, in any form, are nutritious and good tasting. One of my favorite meals is to toast a Gillian’s or Trader Joe’s French roll, melt cheese on it, and make a breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs and salsa. The options are endless. So, the next time you get stressed out about what you’re going to eat for breakfast or lunch, calm down and think about it. You never know what you might come up with.

Gluten Free Colleges

AAAHHH!!! Searching for a college with a good gluten-free meal plan can be extremely frustrating. With some thorough research, however, it's not as tough as it seems. I recently traveled around the east coast to look at colleges I might be interested in attending. Most of the school chefs said that if I ended up attending the school, they would sit down with me at the beginning of each week to plan out my meals. Most seemed very accommodating. Some even had gluten-free or allergen-free sections of the cafeteria designated for kids with food allergies. Here are my suggestions for finding a good gluten-free college:

1. Check it out: You won't truly know about the school's meal plan until you visit for yourself. Go to the cafeteria and see how many choices you have for gluten-free food, and how difficult it is to find something to eat.
2. Make contact: Ask for the contact information of the dietitian at the school. They will be able to tell you anything you need to know about the school's food.
3. Talk to the students: Roughly one in a hundred people have Celiac disease, so there will likely be several students already attending the school who have gluten-free diets. See if you can talk to one of these students in person or ask for his or her email address. They will have had firsthand experience with the meals there.
   
4. Where is it?: If the university is in a college-friendly town or a big city it will probably be relatively easy to find things to eat off-campus. If not, it might be more of a challenge .
   
5. Be Patient: It will take a lot of work to find a college with a good gluten-free meal plan. Remember, you'll be there for four full years of your life, so you want it to be a place where you can conveniently get safe and nutritious food.
   

Warning: Snickers Minis!!!

BE CAREFUL!! I recently ate several of the Snickers Minis on Easter and became terribly ill. I was vomiting for nearly three hours. Strangely, I often eat the Fun Size and regular Snickers bars and feel fine. Also, I have even eaten the minis before with no reaction. Interestingly enough, I have read articles and online forums in which people complain about reactions they've had to the minis. Although the manufacturer lists no gluten-containing ingredient on the package, it is highly likely that there is a high level of concentration. As a matter of fact, I probably consumed a highly contaminated batch of the candy. If you are even somewhat sensitive to gluten I would strongly recommend you not to eat this form of Snickers. There have been numerous discussions on Celiac.com, a gluten free forum, in which people talk about whether or not they contain gluten. I did eat some from a mixed bag of Snickers, however, which contained dark chocolate and normal Snickers, so that might have had some effect.

Gluten Free Tech

Have and iPhone? There are tons of GF apps on the Apple App store, and many are extremely useful. Here are a couple I have found to be helpful:

1. Is That Gluten Free? Although this app is $5.99, it has gluten free information on over 20,000 products and can be very helpful on the go. It also allows you to add your own products that you know are gluten free. Another cool feature is the ingredient search, which tells what ingredients have gluten. Although this app may not be helpful to an experienced gluten free shopper, it can be very informative to a recently diagnosed Celiac.
2. iEatOut Gluten and Allergen Free: Provides a series of helpful tips for several different types of international cuisine, and tells you what to ask for. A little expensive, though, at $8.99
3. Gluten Free LifeStyle: Similar to Is That Gluten Free? but provides information on different grocery stores, which is useful. A little bit cheaper, but not as comprehensive.

You have to keep in mind before you buy any of these apps that they are geared toward the common Celiac who needs help shopping and eating out, not the more independent GF eater.

Going Broke?

Going broke buying GF food? Try buying packaged food in bulk to save money. My family buys nearly all packaged food from sites like Amazon to save a few bucks. Certain foods include Glutino pretzels, Glutino granola bars, Bob's Red Mill Bread Mix, Pamela's Baking Mix, Betty Crocker Cake Mix, corn pasta, EnviroKidz cereals, and many other products. This is a great way to cut back on spending and have a surplus of gluten free food.

Gluten Free Colleges

Like many kids my age, I have started to look at colleges. A huge aspect of college life to consider is the food. If you go to college for four years you want to be able to have some good food options. I have recently visited some colleges in Boston and am trying to find colleges with good GF options. In itself, Boston is a good city for college Celiac students because there are so many restaurants in the area. Fortunately, many colleges have increased the food options for students with gluten intolerance.