Healthy Eating

By Patti

March 8, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this

I for one was diagnosed with Celiac disease (gluten intolerant). Wish they would just develop a pill I could take to combat it. Gets tiring reading those tiny ingredients on labels of everything I buy.

By BG

March 8, 2007 10:29 AM | Link to this

I was actually diagnosed with a gluten intolerance when I was very little. Now, 30 years later, I still watch how much gluten I eat because I will suffer from severe stomach cramps. I’ve never been told if there’s a measured amount of gluten that will trigger the symptoms, but a fresh bakery bagel usually does the trick! I don’t blame any of my physical or medical conditions on the gluten intolerance, but I can probably point to the ingestion of products with gluten like breads and pastas when I stare at my scale in dismay!

By lovelyliz

March 8, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

While there are a number of people with real problems such as Celiac disease, for too many of the rest of us, it’s easier to self diagnose and blame our digestive problems on something other than years of bad nutrition.

By Joy

March 8, 2007 10:46 AM | Link to this

Ms. O’Neil- to educate yourself more about gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease, I would suggest perusing Celiac.com and their forums, where over 13,000 members try to help each other cope with this life-altering disease. I also would contact Dr. Cynthia Rudert, a Gastroenterologist and leading Celiac Disease expert who is based here in Atlanta. I also have a Celiac Disease feature with an Atlanta focus on my website: http://atlanta.about.com/od/holisticandvegetarians/a/glutenfreeatl.htm.

I find your post a bit blasé and flippant about what in reality is an auto-immune condition that is quite serious.

There are also some factual errors in your post. Gluten can also be found in oats, especially those produced in the U.S. And gluten-intolerance really isn’t that similar to lactose intolerance. Gluten actually damages the intestinal lining of those with Celiac Disease that ingest the protein. This can lead to severe malnutrition (as was in my case), and can increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Also, some Celiacs don’t have GI symptoms at all, but break out in a rash, in a condition known as dermatitis herpetiformis. Most medical experts don’t believe that long-term and potentially deadly damage is done with those diagnosed with lactose intolerance.

Yes, more gluten-free foods were sold last year than low-carb. Just because gluten-free eating is becoming “trendy” does not mean that there is not a real and serious condition attached to the diet. While Celiacs like myself are thrilled with the new variety of products we can now eat, we also realize that people may take our condition less seriously if they think this is another Atkins Diet trend.

I don’t think most Celiacs self-diagnose. I chose to not use my HMO doctor because I had gone that route before and they were not interested in getting to the bottom of my GI issues (which I had suffered with for a decade), they just tried to feed me medications to mask the symptoms. I actually work for an HMO so I know that’s how modern medicine works, unfortunately.

I have had both stool and blood tests performed by independent laboratories that confirmed I have the genes linked to Celiac Disease. I went on a gluten-free diet in May 2005 and my severe GI symptoms almost completely abated. My weight in this time period has went from an emaciated 105 pounds (I’m 5’8”) to a healthy 145. Coincidence you say? Perhaps, but the freedom from chronic cycles of diarrhea and constipation and nausea is more than enough evidence for me.

OK, I realize this isn’t the AJC Vent. :)

Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are still very misunderstood, by both the medical community and the general public and I am just trying to provide a personal perspective to this discussion.

By JoR

March 8, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

If there are people who feel better and have a better quality of life by cutting out a food I for one support it. Not all people are the same and not all people can eat the same foods. I don’t give my dad a hard time because he can’t drink milk, or my husband a bad time because onions make him sick. Why should I have to justify my dietary needs?

If Carolyn O’neil had bothered to do an ounce of research she would realize how bad this is for people who are gluten intolerent. She would also know that people are developing all kinds of dietary problems, because the food we eat today is not the food nature intended, nor what our great grandparents ate.

By Jeanna

March 8, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this

I’m appalled that you would treat such a potentially devastating condition so lightly. Instead of quoting text-book descriptions of gluten intolerance, perhaps you should spend some time talking to people that have gluten intolerance to get a true concept of the impact this disease can have on a person’s life.

By Erik

March 8, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this

I found out about 10 years ago about my gluten intollerance. I had suffered for nearly 20 years with various GI symptoms. Several allergists, skin tests… and I wasn’t allergic to any of them. So they said it was Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Gave me lots of different pills, some of which made it worse because of wheat in the pill,to no avail. “Eat Better”, “Excerise more”… None of it helped. When I learned how to avoid Gluten my symptoms cleared up in a couple of weeks and I started gaining weight.

It is a very serious disease and there is no magic pill yet. Only education and avoidance.

By USPHS RD

March 8, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Hi! I’m an RD who is from Atlanta, but now practicing in the DC area. If you’re looking for gluten-free products, check out Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. They have quite a few gluten-free products to select from.

Also, if you’re interested in working with an RD who specializes in Celiac disease, go to www.eatright.org and go to FIND A NUTRITION PROFESSIONAL. Under AREA OF EXPERTISE, select DIGESTIVE DISORDERS and there are approximately 11 RDs that are listed.

For more information about Celiac Disease, I highly recommend the NIDDK website (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases out of NIH, which can be found at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/index.htm and has links to other valuable resources online. Food for thought!

By PJ

March 8, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this

Celiac’s is not very well known (I cerainly had never heard of it before my husband was diagnosed) and is often mis-diagnosed as Crohn’s. It is an auto-immune condition and the body attacks itself, causing intestinal damage. Once a person goes gluten-free, it takes years for the damage to heal. It is not just wheat, (but wheat pops up even in ice cream!);it is also barley, oats, rye (yuck, anyway) and the ever present MSG. That’s what the “G” stands for! Try finding any processed food that doesn’t have MSG. It lets out most alcohol, even wine, because sometimes wine is fortified with other alcohol, which goes right back to grain. It also masquerades in “natural ingredients” lurking there in that potential unhealthy phrase. And it doesn’t matter if you eat an entire wedding cake, or if there was a sprinkling of hidden MSG somewhere, the resulting pain is the same. This ain’t some dietary fad in my home. And we’d love to know where the restaurants are with the gluten free menus. Eating out is a thing of the past for us.

By methinks

March 8, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this

For someone with a masters degree in nutrition and communications, ms oneil certainly seems to have botched this column.
Gluten intolerance is a serious condition..mine was diagnosed after two years of suffering with a related skin disorder called dermatitis herpetiformis. The blisters and itching are excruciating.
When I saw something being written about GI I was excited. Imagine my dismay to come across such a belittling column. I hope you’re never diagnosed with GI. I wouldn’t wish this lifestyle change on my enemies.

By Meg

March 8, 2007 2:30 PM | Link to this

I have a friend who put her autistic daughter on a gluten-free diet, and the change was miraculous. She is just like any other kid now, and before she didn’t even talk. If she goes off her diet she reverts back to the autistic behaviour and stops talking. I think her Mom is a genius, and she is a very fortunate little girl, and I wish someone would do a serious study of the link between certain foods (she also took her off dairy) and autism. The person who wrote this column, on the other hand, might want to see if a gluten free diet helps her writing abilities.

By Amy

March 8, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this

Well said Joy!! I was a semi self-diagnoser. I had a medical student friend with Celiac and after going through some pretty intimate symptoms, he suggested I stop eating gluten and see what happened. Well, I stopped eating gluten and immediately stopped getting sick. For the first time in over 20 years!! And thinking back it made total sense. Oh how many days of school I missed for “stomach viruses”. They probably were not viruses at all. I am now working with my general doctor and my gastereoenterologist to get to a final answer. Previous doctors had misdiagnosed me with lactose intolerance and IBS with no relief.

I’d be upset at anyone who thought eating gluten-free was a “trendy” diet. They wouldn’t feel the same about it if they had gone through what some of us have gone through. They should try drinking a bottle of “turbo lax” 50 miles from the nearest bathroom and see how they like it.

I’m just glad there is AWARENESS now about it. Which accounts for all of the “new” cases. I had never even heard about it until I went to college. I am really glad I knew someone with it or else I’d still be suffering to this day.

By Amy

March 8, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

Well said Joy!! I was a semi self-diagnoser. I had a medical student friend with Celiac and after going through some pretty intimate symptoms, he suggested I stop eating gluten and see what happened. Well, I stopped eating gluten and immediately stopped getting sick. For the first time in over 20 years!! And thinking back it made total sense. Oh how many days of school I missed for “stomach viruses”. They probably were not viruses at all. I am now working with my general doctor and my gastereoenterologist to get to a final answer. Previous doctors had misdiagnosed me with lactose intolerance and IBS with no relief.

I’d be upset at anyone who thought eating gluten-free was a “trendy” diet. They wouldn’t feel the same about it if they had gone through what some of us have gone through. They should try drinking a bottle of “turbo lax” 50 miles from the nearest bathroom and see how they like it.

I’m just glad there is AWARENESS now about it. Which accounts for all of the “new” cases. I had never even heard about it until I went to college. I am really glad I knew someone with it or else I’d still be suffering to this day.

By Amy

March 8, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

Well said Joy!! I was a semi self-diagnoser. I had a medical student friend with Celiac and after going through some pretty intimate symptoms, he suggested I stop eating gluten and see what happened. Well, I stopped eating gluten and immediately stopped getting sick. For the first time in over 20 years!! And thinking back it made total sense. Oh how many days of school I missed for “stomach viruses”. They probably were not viruses at all. I am now working with my general doctor and my gastereoenterologist to get to a final answer. Previous doctors had misdiagnosed me with lactose intolerance and IBS with no relief.

I’d be upset at anyone who thought eating gluten-free was a “trendy” diet. They wouldn’t feel the same about it if they had gone through what some of us have gone through. They should try drinking a bottle of “turbo lax” 50 miles from the nearest bathroom and see how they like it.

I’m just glad there is AWARENESS now about it. Which accounts for all of the “new” cases. I had never even heard about it until I went to college. I am really glad I knew someone with it or else I’d still be suffering to this day.

By Steve J

March 8, 2007 4:56 PM | Link to this

I’m pretty shocked that someone with a supposed education thinks gluten sensitive enteropathy or “celiacs disease” is like lactose intolerance. Is lactose inolerance an autoimmune disease? does lactose intolerance cause actual lasting damage to the lining of the intestines? does lactose intolerance cause damage to the villi in the intestines and therfore compromise nutritional intake? can lactose intolerance cause stunted growth, bone and dental issues (due to insufficient nutrition), severe rashes, and debilitating pain? wow…. i never knew those lactose intolerant people had it so bad! and no im not making light of lactose intolerance… just wondering how someone with supposed “creds” could get it so wrong. I also have an issue with the line “Statistically, about 1 in 140 people have a true gluten intolerance.” this would be because people have been misdiagnosed with everything from IBS to “its in your head” for many many years. The real reason why gluten intolerance is so “popular”?.. because there are more Celiacs than you even know about, and Celiacs (like me) are tired of people like you dismissing us and our very real problems like its was some disease du jour. Next time you want to belittle a serious medical issue…. maybe do a little research? that is your job here isn’t it? Did you do that much research for your book? How many other things have i read on here where i assumed you were speaking about something you actually knew about… and you were just consulting some spurious source (if any)

“oh magic 8 ball is gluten intolerance serious?”

“all signs point to you being ill informed”

By methinks

March 8, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this

wow. to anyone who didn’t click on the link in joy’s post (about 3-4 from the top) here it is again. joy has a terrific list of atlanta area restaurants on the site. i knew about a lot of them, but not all of them. i’ve figured out that you can eat just about anywhere if you’re willing to eat simply & cleanly. thanks for the great tips, joy.

http://atlanta.about.com/od/holisticandvegetarians/a/glutenfreeatl.htm

By TJ

March 8, 2007 5:25 PM | Link to this

I’d just like to say ditto to everything Joy said above. Thanks for taking the time to set the record straight!

Carolyn - you need to contact Shelley Case, author of The Gluten-Free Diet and learn what you can from the foremost gluten free dietician in North America. Next month she’s attending a dietician conference in Athens, GA and she’s speaking to the Atlanta Metro Celiac support group on April 21st. Please feel free to join us at the meeting.

By Rob Smith

March 9, 2007 8:13 AM | Link to this

Boycott Red Restaurant Ventures and their Real Chow Baby Restaurant at 1016 Howell Mill Road, the food is bad ,unhealthy and the Mananagement Dishonest!

Click the Link Here for more Info: http://redrockglobal.blogspot.com/

By Debi Bussell

March 9, 2007 9:09 AM | Link to this

Boy for a dietitian you sure don’t know your stuff.

My 17 year old daughter was just recently diagnosed with Celiac disease. Before this, we always thought she just had a lactose intolerance problem. But her condition got worse over time instead of better although we removed dairy from her diet. She had constant diarrhea, stomach pain, her hair was coming out by the handfuls, her joints hurt, she was always tired no matter how much vitamins or iron we gave her. Finally, we when discovered she had Celiac, I took her off gluten and the results were almost immediate. She kept that meal in and all the others since. Her hair has stopped falling out, her joint pains are gone, she is still tired as most celiacs suffer with low iron because of the lack of nutrition absorbed from their food, but she is so much better now than ever before. She now has enough energy to get up at 5AM to get ready for school and is even in a school musical. When she accidentally ingests gluten, she is miserable.

So do your research before you do your clients a great disservice. Gluten intolerance is NOT like lactose intolerance. Left untreated, and the only treatment is a gluten-free diet, this CAN and most likely WILL cause cancer because of the abuse it causes the intestines. Ms. O’Niel, please find a doctor that knows what this is, and do your homework. Celiac.org has great information about this disease. You could help so many people but if you don’t take it as seriously as it needs to taken, you will hurt lots of your clients.

By Jenny

March 9, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this

As the mother of two daughters with Celiac Sprue, I for one am happy that others find GF foods to be trendy. It only makes my family’s very frustrating and expensive diet/eat-out choices a little more numerous and a little bit less costly.

By Sara L.

March 9, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this

As I WATCH my family chow down on pizza, or WATCH my friends enjoy their restaurant pasta while I sip my lemonade, I don’t see how anyone would voluntarily chose this diet to participate in a trend! People probably self-diagnose because their doctors simply miss the diagnosis while their bodies break down for years or even decades. Kudos for them for taking charge of their own health! MANY THANKS to those companies and restaurants who are catering to us! You are appreciated!

By Tammy

March 9, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this

Wow for someone supposedly so intelligent you have certainly shown your ignorance on this subject.

Do you think for one minute that those of us with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance enjoy having to hunt down items that we can eat? Do you think it is fun going to restaurants with friends and family and feeling like a freak because we have to question every detail of our meal including any chance of cross contamination?

Well let me tell you it isn’t! Those of us that are required to stay away from gluten truly appreciate those restaurants, stores and manufacturers that are trying to help us by clearly labeling items that are gluten free.

As for why all of a sudden is this such a hot topic - perhaps because the medical profession has ignored or put blinders on regarding the prevelance of Celiac Disease and millions of us with the disease have suffered for years before finally getting the proper diagnoses. I say shout it from the roof tops so that the 97% of people with Celiacs that are suffering and not knowing why they are suffering might just question their doctors’ misdiagnoses and get the answers that they deserve.

Shame on you for taking such a serious problem so lightly.

By Lori

March 9, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this

Amen to everything that has been said! I am a confirmed celiac through biopsy diagnosis and have spent the last 6 months relearning how to eat. Very little fast food is availble and cross contamination issues at restaurants can get me sick at any time even when choosing gluten free options. Eating home is easier, but grocery shooping is a longer chore due to the need to always look at labels. Kudos to Ingalls supermarkets for bringing more gluten free foods to the masses.
There is a delphi forum at http://forums.delphiforums.com/celiac/start that has helped me learn to live with a condition that can never be cured. They post food lists, recipes, kitchen help and offer general support to people all over the world - best of all, it’s free. And, I’ve found that the regular members on the forum know way more than most of the so called experts since they live with this as a part of their lives.
I choose to live gluten free because the alternative is horrible GI issues, osteoporsis, severe weight loss, anemia, low blood calcium… I could go on and on. Gluten free isn’t a fad for me - it’s a medical necessity. Celiac disease goes way beyond gluten intolerance and the only cure for it is a life long avoidance of all gluten.

By Andrea

March 9, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

Perhaps gluten intolerance is “one of the buzz conditions of the day” because more and more doctors are becoming better-educated about celiac disease.

As someone who’s half-Italian, I’d certainly enjoy the opportunity to eat real pasta again, but this isn’t a diet to be taken lightly.

And as a poor college student, I’d prefer not spending $6 on a loaf of bread, but I prefer not having GI problems from constipation/diarrhea/vomiting or whatever combination my body can come up with that day, stomach pain and reason for my rheumatoid arthritis to flare up.

(Did I mention the longer you go without being diagnosed with one autoimmune disorder, the more likely you are to get another? I’m a 20-year-old with celiac and RA.)

Frankly, I’m glad more people are becoming aware of this issue. It means I can go to a real grocery store, instead of a health foods store, and buy my food, just like everyone else.

As a journalism major, I suggest that you do a little more research on the issue next time instead of treating it so lightly.

By Very Offended

March 9, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

Blaming gluten for wieght gain & irritability??? Oh my gosh, I am TOTALLY appalled by this article, especially from a RD!!

I am a Registered Nurse with a Nursing Masters and also a MBA. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease just 10 days ago. I have had horrific symptoms for 8 of my 27 years, and was constantly told it was just irritable bowel syndrome. I was relieved to finally be properly diagnosed, after numerous blood tests and scopes. But, also realize the severity of this diagnosis, after doing EXCESSIVE research on the disease once diagnosed, before jumping to conclusions, or searching for support.

Does Ms. O’Neal have any idea WHY Celiacs blame gluten on irritability and weight issues??? Maybe because gluten is life-threatening to us, and acutally is “toxin” to our small intestines! Would that make Ms. O’Neal irritable? I think so! Would vomitting for 9 hours straight (as I often did) make her irritable? I think so! She should NEVER jump to conclusions about an illness she does not have… A fad diet- come on! Being in Health Care, she should be ashamed of herself, and should perform more in-depth research, or hey- maybe even speak to true Celiacs and find how much thier lives have been altered!!

By Kate

March 9, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

Ms. O’Neil, have you heard enough yet to print both an apology and a retraction of your article? You should only pray that no one files a malpractice complaint with your state professional certification board. Or perhaps your article was intentioned to stir up comments from those of us experienced with this life-altering condition to save yourself the time and effort of doing RESEARCH. You have tainted the reputation of your newspaper and the entire community of registered dietitians, most of whom work very hard to provide their patients with advice they can trust. Shame on you.

By what's all the fuss about??

March 9, 2007 2:07 PM | Link to this

Yikes, so much anger out there! Is that something that goes along with Celiac disease? Carolyn didn’t say anything so terrible here. And most don’t even specify what exactly was so objectionable. Can we say “overreaction”? That said, I must say I have experienced this on a low level. At times in the past when I’ve eaten bread or crackers I’ve had a gassy stomach ache similar to lactose intolerance. I try to notice whether it’s the same with whole-grain but it’s all very sublte and hard to tell. Very frustrating. Sometimes it seems like there’s nothing we CAN eat, with all the restrictions out there. How come people in countries with a white flour-based diet don’t get these disorders?

By Ignorance is bliss

March 9, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this

What’s all the fuss about? Very simply…this article was written by a dietician. A dietician should understand that gluten intolerance is not simply a fad and any decent dietician also would know that some people are being FORCED to self diagnose because of the ignorance of this disease and the number of medical doctors that would prefer to push a pill down a patients throat attempting to treat the symptoms instead of actually listening to what the patients are telling them and accurately diagnose the patients with CD. Most CD patients go years, and I mean years suffering needlessly while their doctor continues to treat symptoms and not listen. In the meantime the patient ends up with any number of additional autoimmune dieases or worse.

So what’s all the fuss about? Gluten intolerance is SERIOUS and deserves to be treated as such.

By Carolyn O'Neil

March 9, 2007 2:51 PM | Link to this

Hold on folks. I know that gluten intolerance is a very real thing and as an RD certainly know how serious celiac disease can be and how important it is to follow a special diet that limits or eliminates gluten. The purpose of my questioning today was to find out if anyone has noticed an increase in the visibility of gluten free diets? I am working on a future column on gluten free options in restaurants and invite any and all opinions and feedback. As a registered dietitian I believe that nutrition information is power in helping us all make more healthful food choices eating at home or away from home.

By Carolyn O'Neil

March 9, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this

Just to clarify. My blog question was not an article; it was a question. If my questions elicited a strong response from those of you who have experienced the pain and frustration of gluten intolerance…then that’s a good thing. I want to let more people know how serious this dietary condition can be. The original reason for my blog question was to raise awareness of the seriousness of REAL gluten intolerance. I remember doing a story while I was at CNN on the author of a book called “Against the Grain”. I went all the way to Oregon to learn more and report on her struggles for a family member to avoid the syptoms of gluten intolerance. Thank you to our bloggers today who shared sources of where to buy gluten free products and to those who shared research and education links. All of this has helped cement my intent to write an upcoming column on the challenges and solutions for people with gluten intolerance and/or Celiac disease. Do you know that there is also a small percentage of people who have a wheat allergy? That is something different all together. You input is very helpful.

By K

March 9, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this

One in 140? Are you serious. One in 133 have celiac disease, another 2 percent of the population has an actual wheat allergy. Estimates for “only a gluten intolerance” run anywhere from 5 to 30 percent, depending on which study you use. And none of these are remotely similar to lactose intolerance, which involves ONLY the inability to digest a milk sugar (resulting in gas as bacteria further down the intestinal tract do the job for you). All of these conditions involve the immune system, with either IgA, IgG or IgE antibodies to the proteins in gluten or wheat. All involve the body attacking the invader and all but IgE allergy include the body itself being attacked when the protein is trying to be digested. Celiac adds in an auto-immune response where the body itself is attacked even without the presence of gluten. Complications from these conditions range from sudden death (rare, but does occur with IgE allergies), asthma (also possibly fatal), internal damage to various body parts (intestines, liver, spleen and nervous system for celiac, amongst others) and general inflammation (which studies show contribute or may be a primary cause of heart disease, cancer, diabetes (type I) and alzheimer’s disease.

The question isn’t why so many places are now offering a gluten free menu - but why it took so long, why so many still don’t and why those that do end up doing such a poor job of supplying it.