Q. Are there health benefits to reducing or eliminating gluten from a diet – even if you don’t have celiac disease? Gluten-free foods are popping up everywhere and the gluten-free diet is being promoted for everything that ails you. In order to separate the “wheat from the chaff” let’s look at the facts. Celiac Disease [...]

Q: How do I get enough fiber in a gluten-free diet? A: Eating enough fiber is very important for people with celiac disease. Dietary fiber is the part of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils) that cannot be broken down by the digestive tract. Fiber helps maintain regular [...]

Q: I have celiac disease, and am trying to follow a strict gluten-free diet. However, breakfast is a real challenge. Can you give me some ideas? A: It has been said many times: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It not only helps improve mental and physical performance but provides many key [...]

Q: Can you give me tips on how I can eat safely at barbecues? A: Summer is a great time for eating and socializing outdoors, and there are plenty of menu options for those with celiac disease. Here are some tips for a stress- and gluten-free barbecue season: Planning – Call ahead to find out [...]

Q. I’m confused about the use of oats in the gluten-free diet. I thought oats were not safe but now I hear they are allowed. What’s the truth? Shelley Case, RD: In a sense, you’re right on both counts. Historically, oats were not allowed on the gluten-free diet (GF diet) used to treat those with [...]

Q: I love to bake, but since my celiac diagnosis, I’m still learning about substitutes for wheat flour. What are the best alternatives for different types of baking? A: Learning how to bake with alternatives to wheat flour is both an art and a science. A variety of gluten-free flours and starches can be substituted, [...]

Q: Despite my efforts to avoid gluten, I occasionally still have symptoms. What are some of the less obvious sources of gluten, and what should I be looking for when checking labels? A: Gluten is the general name for specific proteins in the grains wheat, rye and barley. Although their presence is evident in baked [...]

Q: After years of battling anemia, I’ve finally been diagnosed with celiac disease. How are the two related, and what can I do to reverse the anemia? A: Anemia is one of the most common symptoms of undiagnosed celiac disease. In the Canadian Celiac Association Health Survey*, published in 2007, 66 per cent of adults [...]

If I’d written this a year ago, my perspective might have been a little different than it is today. Our son Kevin is 11-years-old and severely allergic to dairy, eggs and peanuts. We used epinephrine on him only once in those 11 years, and were very proud of our track record, especially with his list [...]

By Kimberly Burger Capozzi My mother always used to say that the best thing about going on vacation was coming home, but I never understood that until my family took our first trip since learning of our son’s severe allergy to peanut. Never have I been so happy to see my own kitchen floor. It’s [...]