October 3 is the last chance to have a say on what “GLUTEN-FREE” should mean on food packaging labels.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be heard!
Here is the link to send in your comments on the proposed rule submit comments to the FDA.
Here are the 3 simple steps to get started: Read More »
Novak Djokovic: #1 Tennis Player in the World & Gluten-free!
On September 12, a gluten-free Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal to win the men’s US Open Final.
Djokovic, the #1 men’s tennis player in the world, credits his adoption of the gluten-free diet at the recommendation of a nutritionist in 2010 for his incredible success in 2011. He has won an astounding 64 out of 66 matches and 3 out of 4 Grand Slams in 2011.
Djokovic said in interviews that removing gluten from his diet has resulted in his increased speed, endurance and improved play. In his own words, he feels better, moves better and thinks better.
While watching the grueling 4 hour and 10 minute US Open Final and listening to the announcers repeatedly describe it as one of the most intense they had ever witnessed, a nagging thought begged the question… Read More »
The impact of nutritional deficiencies on health should be common knowledge among the medical professional community. All doctors, nurses and other medical professionals should be able to quickly and accurately identify and diagnose functional nutritional deficiencies in patients and correct those deficiencies. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Medical teaching institutions do not focus on nutrition, so many medical professionals are not equipped to recognize the signs of nutritional deficiencies until the patient is extremely sick. In most cases, the patient is able to function, just not at his or her potential. He or she may have weight issues, skin, hair or digestive problems, anxiety or difficulty concentrating. This is called a functional nutrient deficiency.
Read More »
The FDA is finally moving on regulating the claim “gluten-free” on packages, which is fantastic news! Lots of people have put in countless hours to make this happen. We’ve got 1 month left to comment—until October 3rd—and YOUR comment is vital to getting the law YOU want.
During the Aug 2nd teleconference, we heard that the comment period was re-opened and we might have a law by late 2012. Several prominent researchers, including Dr. Alesso Fasano and Dr.Stefano Guandalini, spoke in favor of the new proposed legislation. “This is a standard that has been in use in Europe for almost two decades, & the science supports the U.S. adopting it as well,” commented Dr. Fasano. I posted highlights of the teleconference, but upon reading the 90+ page safety assessment, I had a lot of questions! http://1.usa.gov/r4NDLA
The safety assessment suggests that for the most sensitive Celiac, Read More »
I have had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Stephen Wangen, the founder of the IBS Treatment Center in Seattle, WA. Awhile back, at a CSA (Celiac Sprue Association) meeting I had the pleasure of helping Dr. Wangen with his book signing. He had flown in to Denver to speak on his books, Healthier Without Wheat and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution. There was a full audience of folks, just like you and I, who were able to ask personal questions and learn more about living with Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, as well as exploring other areas such as food allergies.
Since that time, Dr. Wangen and I have had the chance to talk about what the IBS Treatment Center does to help people really understand their bodies and how food can be affecting them. He explores the possibilities of Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance and food allergies and helps people to develop a healthier lifestyle tailored to their specific needs. At the same time, Dr. Wangen has observed the emotional affects these conditions can have on people and understands that not feeling well emotionally has an affect on how people take care of their physical well being. What makes his practice so fantastic is the positive nature. Dr. Wangen helps people view the changes by looking at the benfits and the gains and focusing on what people can have, rather than on what they can’t. Here is what Dr. Wangen had to say when I asked him about his own experiences. Read More »
In Part 1 of this article about nutrient deficiencies in the gluten-free population, I posed four critiques and questions that I promised to answer in today’s part 2. Without further ado, here we go…
Critique #1 questioned the small sample size of the research. I can’t do anything about that, and there’s not much to be said about it, so let’s move on.
Next, I think it’s easiest to address critique #3: How did nutrient deficiencies in the gluten-free population compare to Americans as a whole? To answer that question, I pulled data regarding nationwide averages from the USDA’s Community Nutrition Mapping Project. If I amend yesterday’s table that showed the percent of the gluten-free population who are deficient in given nutrients, and add to it a column for the national averages, this is what you find:
| Nutrient | GF Deficiency | Nationwide Deficiency |
| fiber | 74% | 92% |
| calcium | 82% | 69% |
| thiamin | 59% | 19% |
| riboflavin | 25% | 11% |
| B6 | 35% | 26% |
| folate | 85% | 40% |
| B12 | 29% | 20% |
| iron | 41% | 11% |
These numbers change the perspective a bit, I think. It’s not simply that the gluten-free population is nutrient deficient. When you compare us to the national averages, it gets slightly more complex. In some cases, such as folate, riboflavin, thiamin, and iron, we’re two or more times as deficient (as a group) than the nation. However, in other cases, such as B12, B6, and calcium, we still have greater rates Read More »
I was recently reading a press release from Nature’s Path Organic about two of their new cereals. The press release made a familiar argument: the cereals “provide gluten avoiders with whole grains… unlike many gluten-free cereals which forfeit nutritional benefits…” The implication is that many gluten-free cereals (and other gluten-free processed foods, by extension) are more highly processed in order to improve taste and texture. But they do so by sacrificing nutritional quality.
There is some truth to this logic. Foods made from whole grains are inherently healthier than heavily processed foods, and I’ll use our good old enemy – wheat – to demonstrate. I compared whole grain wheat flour (less processed) with white, unenriched wheat flour (more processed) across a range of nutrient measures. Not surprisingly, the wheat underwent a profound loss in Read More »
On August 3, Smart Balance, Inc. announced it purchased Glutino Food Group for $66.3 million cash. With this purchase, Smart Balance picks up arguably the #1 most recognized gluten-free brand in the United States.
PARAMUS, N.J., Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Smart Balance, Inc. (NasdaqGM: SMBL) announced it acquired 100% of the equity interest of Importations DE-RO-MA, which owns Glutino Food Group (“Glutino”), for $66.3 million, from Claridge, aMontreal-based investment firm. Based in Laval, Quebec, Glutino is a leading manufacturer and marketer of innovative, premium-priced, gluten-free foods sold under the Glutino and Gluten Free Pantry brands. Glutino offers a wide range of shelf-stable and frozen gluten-free products, including snack foods, frozen baked goods, frozen entrees and baking mixes throughout North America and on its website www.glutenfree.com. Glutino had annual sales of $53.9 million during its fiscal year ended March 31, 2011.
Commenting on the announcement, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Hughes stated,
Finally it seems that athletes have become savvy to the benefits of a gluten free diet. As the general population has started to become more aware of the prevalence of gluten sensitivities and Celiac Disease, there has been a noted increase in the number of athletes turning to the gluten free lifestyle in an attempt to maximize their training and find greater success in their respective sports.
Among the most notable athletes making the gluten free switch are Raul Ibanez of the Philadelphia Phillies, Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengals, and tennis player Novak Djokovic, the 2011 winner of Wimbledon who went on an unprecedented 43-match win streak. Most significant about their decision to go gluten free is the marked improvement in all three athletes after the switch. Read More »
Mary Klinnert, PhD at National Jewish Health
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Mary Klinnert, PhD at National Jewish Health. Mary is an expert in child psychology and has numerous previous research studies on the effects of asthma on mental health. She started her career mostly focusing on asthma, but in recent years, has turned much of her attention to the psychological aspects of living with life threatening food allergies.
While meeting with Mary, she briefed me on a study she is conducting on the psychological aspects of food allergies and how this study differs from the majority of previous studies that mostly focus on quality of life issues related to living with food allergies. The hope of Mary and the rest of the team is to get to the root of what is happening to families that sometimes contributes to deeper Read More »
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