Surprise Foods Containing Poision!

Be wary... you have to because this is your life... It's common for us to read and then re-read ingredient listings thoroughly and always to check with the source to be sure foods are gluten free. Here is a brief list of foods that you certainly should be checking out to be sure you find an alternate. Some of these may surprise you:

*chicken broth
*vitamins
*bouillon cubes
*soy sauce
*red licorice
*blue cheese
*mustard
*fruit punch
*play dough

Bad Bakery, Bad

Don't you just love that warm, sweet sensation from breathing in freshly baked bread and pastries at the nearby bakery/cafe? It makes you smile doesn't it? Perhaps you even do a little dance? Great.... well not so great for Celiacs. That's actually a poorly thought out concept. Spending extended amounts of time in a bakery surfin' your laptop breathing in the particles of goodness, could for some very sensitive Celiacs get you ill. And if there is enough freshly baked items in there, there could be flour dust contamination to the coffee, tea, fruit, smoothies or cups, etc. Daang.... The grass is always greener on the next block or two so go hang out at a coffee shop that won't kill ya. I'm sure the coffee there will be just as good.

Does Gluten Sensitivity Mean Sensitive Skin?

The Gluten Free Fox has a brief article about the sensitivities to our skin and how they could certainly be affected by our allergies to gluten or other ingredients:

"Here are some of the more common natural ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin:

lavender: Even though it is typically thought of of soothing or calming, many people do experience allergic reactions.
bismuth oxychloride: This mineral makeup additive creates a healthy-looking shimmer effect, but may contain irritating heavy metals.
chamomile: Though less common, this calming flower can also product topical allergies.
carmine: Sometimes thought of as "the only true red found in nature," this bright red pigment is made by grinding up beetle parts and causes skin irritation to many.
tea tree oil: Especially if undiluted, this acne-fighting oil can cause skin irritation."

See the full link here: http://ow.ly/1oPTFY

GF On The Go

On the road again... I have been traveling a bit and it is always a jourrney to grocery shop and eat out in many difference cities. For the regular traveler it is paradise... eating local cuisine and trying new menu items. But for the GF consumer, unfortunately the GF education in most restaurants have only evolved slightly. It is still anything, but a day in the park. You still need to have the same conversation you would have with your local server/chef each time you eat out like, "Hello, I can't have any food that has gluten." They typically say unless it's a prestigious restaurant, "What is gluten" and you tell them, "Wheat flour, rye, barley, malts in the food itself or in contamination with it, can you help me find something?" and the trusting begins. Sometimes you can feel good about putting your health in these people's hands and other times you should not, so be sure you trust the server or chef and if you do not then do not eat the food, go somewhere else. Remember there is no cheating with a gluten free diet and you can always find something to eat elsewhere so call the restaurant ahead and help educate your servers and teach them. All in all I have seen some progress... often establishments have a GF menu, but still can't guarantee it is allergen free. Also, why are waiters not educating themselves or employers not teaching them more about allergens. When your job is to work with food, serve food, handle people who eat food, take the time to learn about some of the more common allergens: gluten, nuts, fish/shell fish, milk, soy, eggs ... and all of our dining experiences will be more social and more pleasurable. Think about it, if the world knew what was in the food we ate, we would all be healthier individuals and smarter servers. That'll earn you a big tip, people.

The Best Kind Of Friends.

Friends look out for you. Friends make you laugh. Friends love you so much, but not all friends know exactly how to cook gluten free. Many of them feel that they do, and I know some of mine definitely do and always look out for me. However, Celiacs, cannot trust everyone. It's key to ask all of the questions you would when you go out to eat. Look over someone's kitchen and find out what they also were cooking and how they keep up with their kitchen. Sometimes baking food in the same oven can cause contamination or not washing the silverware carefully or keep in mind the toaster that your dad used earlier had a regular bagel so it must be scrubbed well. So at the end of the day here is the 2cents... clean utensils, pots and pans and surfaces very well and often and also friends if you want to look out for your gluten free friends take it serious, don't' risk contamination and don't get upset if a Celiac questions your baking etiquette and you'll get a big smile and a huge hug in return. Trust me.

When Just Spotting The GF label Is Not Enough.

Nope. It isn't enough to simply check the ingredients either. It went down when I moved my car as I usually do 2 x week because I live in Park Slope, Brooklyn, notorious for the awful street parking and mom's with luxury strollers. I scored a great spot, but of course that brought me into a new cross section in town sparking a new mood for me as I strolled down 7 Avenue of the Slope. Noticed I was nearby one of my favorite health food groceries, Back To The Land. So I walked in confidently shrugging off that I would spend the usual 2-3 x more than I was planning on considering all I was supposed to do tonight was park my car and go home. After perusing the new gluten free cereals I walked through the middle of the store and saw the refrigerated section and in my peripheral vision I saw the label "gluten free" shouting at me.

 Sometimes I can spot that needle in the haystack. I have a 6th sense radar for the label. I'm talented. Anyway, I was totally stoked for some Sesame Tofu considering I love Sesame seeds and enjoy a nice block of Tofu or two as well and dig the fact it was all mixed up. I read the label thoroughly which was a product from THE V SPOT. The label "GLUTEN FREE" was prominent along with Dairy Free and Vegan stamp approvals. Of course I checked the ingredients because I like to know what's in the food I eat and then noticed the food itself in more detail. Luckily it was a see through clear plastic box and saw all of these lovely quinoa hairs poking and speaking to me. I was soo excited because it's one of my favorite tasting grains that's high in protein. But I realized that the quinoa was not listed on the ingredient list! Wow! This wasn't' good and I thought I should check with the employees to be sure I wasnt' seeing things. Employees confirmed that the label wasn't matching the product and we chatted about this predicament. I was extremely disappointed, upset and actually shocked by the mislabeling here. Celiacs need to trust what the labels! Gluten Free labels are not a joke.

This Is The Beginning...

Just like many other fellow Americans, I have made some conscious efforts to plan 2009 resolutions. Some range from marathon training to growing watermelons in my summer garden.  Yes, man. We all think of them and most probably will attempt some of them, so don't lie that you have/will not.  But why gosh darn can't we stick to them when we all know that these resolutions tend to be character improvements and could be key to our personal future happiness and health? This blog will focus on a man and his gluten free life.... Concentrating on the food, the lifestyle, the mix and sharing the beauty in what is found.

As a diagnosed Celiac since 1997, I have promised to provide honest, open, fair feedback on all gluten-free, natural, non GMO and organic products that cross my path into our universe.

Please subscribe, comment and share. Live well, smart and happy being gluten-free.