My Handbooks by Marian Z Geringer

As many of you know, I started writing a “How To” Gluten-free book 2 years ago. One year into the process the book had grown to over 200 pages. I decided I didn’t want another lengthy book that would take days to read and even longer to process. I made up my mind to break the book up into handbooks that are manageable and easy to understand. I am now the proud author of 2 handbooks with a third one on the way. (Gluten-Free Living 101 will be on Amazon soon.) Handbook descriptions below:

Is Gluten Hiding inYour Shampoo? It was Hiding in Mine!

          ISBN-10: 1494407825

          ISBN-13: 978-1494407827

Is Gluten Hiding inYour Kid’s Things?

          ISBN-10: 1494335018

          ISBN-13: 978-1494335014

Is Gluten Hiding in Your Shampoo? It was Hiding in Mine! is a detailed gluten-free shopping guide with over 2,400 personal care products. Why take the risk of being exposed to gluten, when using this easy- to- use handbook can protect you? This handbook will help you avoid products containing gluten and recommend products that are gluten-free.

Gluten can and often does affect people’s digestive system but did you know it can cause skin issues also. Dermatitis Herpetiformis is a disease similar to Celiac but instead of affecting the digestive system it causes clusters of watery, itchy blisters. Doctors are also linking skin issues such as; eczema, psoriasis, and undetermined rashes to topical gluten exposure.

This handbook includes:

• Basic Gluten Facts
• List of over 200 gluten containing ingredient names used in personal care products.
• Personal Care Products Categorized by Type, Brand, and Item (detailing if the product is gluten-free or if it contains gluten and/or whether it is undetermined)
• Categories include but are not limited to: medication, dental products, body lotion, soap, hair products, skin care, nail products, deodorant, sunscreen and cosmetics
• Men’s Personal Care Products (including lotions, soaps, condoms, deodorant, facial products, and shaving products)

       

Is Gluten Hiding in Your Kid’s Things? Raising children on a gluten-free diet can be challenging and frustrating.  This handbook guides parents and/or guardians through the world of gluten-free living. Looking for answers to questions such as: what is gluten, where can gluten be found, what foods can I feed my child, and is gluten in non-food products?  Tired of playing gluten detective? Are you struggling with your child’s emotional reaction to having to live a gluten-free life? Then this easy-to-follow, gluten-free handbook is for you.

Included in this handbook:

• Gluten Facts
• Shopping List (over 750 child and infant products such as:  foods, body care products, art supplies, diapers, formula and more)
• Creative Ideas (fun ways to adjust to a gluten-free lifestyle)
• Menu Ideas (including a list of gluten-free snacks and treats)
• Fast Food Facts
• Gluten-Free Candy and More…

Thank you all for your love, support, friendship and patience.

Marian Z Geringer

Wheat Research Continued

I  was doing additional research on wheat and came across this article about the "dark side of wheat".

It intrigued me and I believe it is worth sharing:

Dark Side Of Wheat can be found at                

Facts About Wheat

  Wheat Facts:

 Wheat Facts:

• Wheat can now be stored indefinitely before consumption provided  “water content is below about 15% dry weight and pests are controlled.” (Oxford)
• 20% of the calories consumed by people are wheat products. 
• History shows that the 1^st wheat (Einkorn) was harvested over 10,000 years ago.
•   Einkorn and Emmer wheat is the oldest form of wheat
•  Wheat seeds were taken on long voyages and left in numerous places  throughout the world
•   Over 60 years ago, scientists began to hybridize wheat by combining emmer with unrelated wild grass.
•   The goal was to increase the yield and create more adaptable wheat.
•   And increase the gluten yield.
•  This new wheat would be resistant to weather, pests and disease.
•  Wheat has been altered and genetically modified numerous times since then.
•  Today’s wheat is virtually unrecognizable to the original form.
•   There are now over 25,000 different types of wheat.
•  Over 600 million tons of wheat are harvested every year.

Oats Can Equal Gluten

             Wheat Fields             Oats Fields

   Oats can be cross contaminated in numerous ways from the seed to the manufacturing process. (seeds, planting in rotated fields, use of same equipment as wheat and barley, harvested  and manufactured in the same plants, trucked in same trucks, etc)

    When non gluten-free oats are tested for gluten,  8 times out of 10, they test higher then the allowed “ less than 20ppm”  

The Road Trip

As we left Ashland, Or, I wondered if we would find another town that was so gluten-free friendly. It was such a pleasure to know that almost any eatery there would accommodate our needs.

We drove down the 5 freeway south towards Sacramento. Since we had just done this trip going north, we were well aware that we would need to bring food with us, as there is no place safe to eat on this stretch of the road. We had a hearty breakfast in Ashland, so this was not a problem. 

We then took the 505 fwy south to the 80 freeway through Berkeley and down to San Bruno. Our dear friends live in San Bruno and they need to go GF for health reasons. The next two days would I would wear the GF consultant cap as well as the friend cap. 

After I helped them clean out their pantry, refrigerator and freezer, we went shopping for replacement foods.My plan was for us to cook, so they could get comfortable with GF replacements. I brought some of my own pots and pans with me so I could teach them to cook GF and I would be assured that I would not get glutened. I, also, made them both chicken and beef bone broth.

That night we went to " Off the Grid" which is a group of food trucks that travel around the area. My friend was excited for us to go because they have a GF truck. Unfortunately, the GF truck did not show that night.In some ways this was a good thing because I got to take them to each truck and discuss what was in the foods and why most of them were not GF. 

The next stop was in Scotts Valley, a small town near Santa Cruz. My friend, Wendy's, mother, brother and mother-in law have Celiac Disease. Needless to say, Wendy gets what it means to live GF. Whenever I am in Scotts Valley I go to a Cambodian Restaurant called Jia Tella's. 
The food is wonderful and the hostess has family that have Celiacs so she was very helpful. 

The ride down the 101 fwy south was easy. We made sandwiches for the car though San Luis Obispo has may GF options, we decided not to stop because we just wanted to get home.

We are now safely home and I can relax about what and where to eat.

Living Without is inviting you to a FEST.

We’re throwing a party and you’re invited! Celebrate gluten-free, allergy friendly living at one of Living Without’s Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fests:

San Diego, CA, May 3-4 Indianapolis, IN, August 23-24 Portland, OR, September 6-7 More locations scheduled for next year

   

Ticket Prices:

• Adult (One Day) – $15.00
• Adult (Both Days) – $25.00
• Child (One Day) – $5.00
• Child (Both Days) – $7.50
• Ages 5 and under – Free

   

You won’t want to miss the fun. Here are 7 reasons for attending:

Celi Study Experience

Hi Marian,

     I am happy to share my experience as I love to contribute to the Celiac community.  For the most part I don’t have any privacy issues etc.  Just ask and I will let you know

  First let me share why I love this study:

1.  The medication is actually an enzyme

2.  The study does not ask that you go off the gluten free diet!

3.  The study helps you track your symptoms!

4.  You get free lab work and an EGD (something I have been intending on having done; however, I have had other medical expenses due to foot surgery and I have had to put off).

The study itself is handled in phases and you qualify phase by phase.

The initial phase is an extensive medical history – typical questions that you would have on a questionnaire for a physical.  Then you are asked about your historical intestinal issues, rashes, medication/alcohol use.  Nothing really earth shattering.  Your height, weight, & blood pressure are taken and you have a brief visit with the physician if any clarification is required.  My original biopsy noted that I had intraepithelial gastritis and I thought it may disqualify me from the study and the study coordinator wondered as well.  I believe that was the only reason I met with the doctor.  Oh, and there were consents to read & sign.  I was there 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. and I imagine I will not be there this long for each visit.

The study coordinators were very nice and I felt quite comfortable.  Sonia Collins is kind and very helpful/involved with the Celiac community (although not Celiac).  Sonia also likes the baked goods she receives from the patients to try!  Sonia is also more than willing to share new product information between patients.  Dr. Ennis was quite pleasant as well.  Dr. Ennis family is completely gluten free as his son has Celiac Disease (I always like to see that kind of support).

The next phase of the study was going over the lab results, the diary, & scheduling the EGD (which may be cancelled if I don’t qualify for the next round).  They performed all the labs I was looking for  When I was diagnosed, my doctor bypassed all the important stuff and went straight to the biopsy and the genetic testing (therefore, this was great).  The tests revealed that I was definitely negative for gluten – with the usual trace noted.  I am proud to say that I am very strict with my diet; however, I have a new deficiency:  Folate.  The doctor noted this as clinically significant and recommended a supplement (dually noted and purchased immediately). 

Next, we went over the daily diary.  For some reason I anticipated that it would be a food diary, but it is actually a symptom diary.  The idea of the study is that even someone like myself who is diligent with their gluten free diet is going to get a little gluten somewhere.  Therefore, cheating on your diet is not necessary, recommended, or required.  This initial diary will document the symptoms you have throughout the day.  The questions are related to symptoms you may have had throughout the day; diarrhea, regular bowel movements,  abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, or fatigue.  You go through a practice run with the study coordinator and then the next night you are on your own for 28 days.  I believe as long as you comply with the diary you qualify for the EGD.  The diary is really easy and it is by phone.  The company even sends you a text or will call you daily to remind you!  I was there for 45 min. and my next visit is actually my EGD (unless I fail at my diary and they cancel me).

If my EGD reveals I do not have any ongoing intestinal damage, I believe that will disqualify me moving forward.  Therefore, I may not have an update until the end of January as my EGD is not scheduled until January 24th.  Please feel free to inquire if you have any additional questions/concerns.

Meat Glue

I am doing research for a talk and came across an article in the Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: Gastrointestinal Hip or Hype?by Brigid Duffy

This is an excellent article - well worth reading. What stood out for me was the section about microbial tTG or "meat glue": 

"In 2002, researchers from Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., reported that gluten contamination is the single biggest culprit in patients who have a poor response to a gluten-free diet (Abdulkarim AS et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2002;97:2016-2021). One of the chief reasons is that an increasing number of food manufacturers and fast-food companies are using microbial tTG, or “meat glue,” as a means to cross-link proteins and give processed meat its desired shape. Even products as seemingly innocuous as turkey bacon might contain this gluten trigger. Moreover, the FDA does not require food companies to list tTG on its labels because the agent is considered a “processing aid.” In these cases, even patients with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity who are the most committed to a gluten-free diet don’t stand a chance."

I will continue to do further research and get back to you with information.