Gluten Free News

Click here to see our parent organization's update on this disease as it relates to those who have celiac disease.  

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Supporting Medically Necessary GF Community During San Diego's Covid-19 Crisis and "Stay at Home" Directives

From our parent office (National Celiac Association) in Boston: We have seen a spike in the need for gluten-free food assistance and our Gluten-Free Food Bank is doing everything it can to connect the food with the need amid the current "stay at home" order here in MA. We are also making connections with other organizations around the country to verbally assist others through this time. Nicola Harrington, the GFFB Director is putting together a guidance document, but here are a couple of takeaways for how you can help in your area: 

•  ​Many local communities are establishing digital neighborhood groups where people can place either requests for help or offers of assistance. If you either need or can offer help see if one of these exists in your area. 
• Check in with other people who you know need to eat gluten-free, particularly those who are in high risk groups healthwise or financially. See if they need to be connected to a community resource, for example someone with knowledge of eating gluten-free to do a grocery run for them.
• Consider donating GF staples to your local food pantry. You may wish to contact them first to see if they have any specific needs. Some of them are requesting individualized GF bags made up that can be easily distributed to families.

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Gluten-Free Label Reading Tips for Kids and Their Families (30 min. video)

NEW as of Aug. 2019:  Pediatric Celiac Dietitian Rosio Hernandez (Rady Children's Hospital) goes over gluten-free label reading with our San Diego Raising Our Celiac Kids group (part of our non-profit National Celiac Association San Diego)

Creating a 504 Plan for Your Child with Celiac Disease

• How to Create a 504 Plan for Your Child with Celiac - Handout Created by Dietitian EA Stewart from Raising Our Celiac Kids get together on 5/19/19​

Gluten in Medications Bill

The National Celiac Association helped develop the language of a Bill proposed to the Congressional floor on April 3, 2019.  H.R. 2074, The Gluten in Medicine Disclosure Act of 2019 was introduced by Representatives Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Tom Cole (R-OK).  If passed, this Bill will mandate that gluten be labeled on medications, helping all those in the gluten-free community.
Please support this Bill by calling or writing to your local representatives. For more information, visit congress.gov.  ​​

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Article Archives

• Sept 25, 2020: Study on Cross Contamination of Gluten Free French Fries when Cooked in a Non-dedicated Fryer: https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/you-dont-want-fries-with-that/
• Sept. 8, 2020: Study - Unique antibody profile sets gluten sensitivity apart from celiac disease: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-08/cuim-uap083120.php
• August 20, 2020: Celiac.com summary of recent podcast with Dr. Murray addressing rise in celiac disease and covid risk factors: https://www.celiac.com/articles.html/podcast-with-dr-joseph-murray-explores-rise-in-celiac-disease-cases-and-covid-19-risk-factors-r5267/
• August 14, 2020: See Celiac Dietitian Tricia Thompson's summary of the FDA's (new) final rule on gluten-free labeling of fermented or hydrolyzed foods. This adds compliance requirements for fermented, hydrolyzed, or distilled foods and ingredients.. - https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/fda-publishes-final-rule-on-gluten-free-labeling-of-fermented-or-hydrolyzed-foods-the-basics/
• May 20, 2020: FDA Temporary Labeling Policy Change - Due to food shortages, food manufacturers have asked the FDA to allow them to subsititute certain ingredients without the need for a label change during the pandemic. Tricia Thompson, MS, RD of Gluten Free Watchdog addresses her concerns about this here.
• April 17, 2020: An Update on Celiac Disease and Covid-19: Risks, Plus Recommendations on What to Stock Up On: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-and-celiac-disease#outlook​
• April 8, 2020: Research pinpoints rogue cells at root of autoimmune disease
• April 7, 2020: Gliadin Nanoparticles Induce Immune Tolerance to Gliadin in Mouse Models of Celiac Disease
• March 24, 2020: In the event people have not seen Dr. Alessio Fasano's celiac disease risk video as it relates to Covid-19, you can see it here.​
• March 24, 2020: Here is a link to a recent important "Ask the Dietitian" from the National Celiac Association about getting gluten-free food in the hospital.
• March 20, 2020: UK review of data looks at neurological and psychological issues in people with Celiac Disease
• ​March 18, 2020: Covid-19 Update Related to Celiac Disease: Click here to see our parent organization's update on this disease as it relates to those who have celiac disease. ​
• March 2, 2020: Review of research shows that incidence rates of celiac disease are increasing across multiple countries, with an average of 7.5% increase per year over the past several decades - https://celiac.org/about-the-foundation/featured-news/2020/02/incidence-of-celiac-disease-steadily-increasing/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=3f2b28d8-c71d-4e36-a6fa-149a0390ab8e
• Feb. 28, 2020: Early findings in a study with mice with celiac disease support the concept that it may be possible to "reprogram" the immune system in celiac patients, so they can tolerate gluten again. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/uoh-cdm022720.php
• Feb. 28, 2020: Since the FDA appears not to be enforcing the GF Labeling Law violations that have been reported, celiac dietitian Tricia Thompson (aka the GlutenFreeWatchdog) is encouraging those with celiac to join her letter writing campaign to the FDA to hopefully change this. This is understandably extremely alarming to anyone who follows a gluten-free diet for medical reasons. See: https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/enough-is-enough-with-gluten-free-misbranding-contact-fda-today/
• Feb. 28, 2020: Study Confirms Celiac Disease Can Damage the Brain - https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-celiac-disease-brain.html
• Feb. 10, 2020: Gluten Free Watchdog - Concerns about General Mills Proposed “Gluten Friendly” Line - https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/general-mills-proposed-gluten-friendly-line/
• Feb. 9, 2020: Prevalence of Diagnosed Celiac Disease and Associated Conditions in the United States between 2012-2017: Results from a National Electronic Patient Database
• October 9,2019: Analysis of New Study on Cross Contamination Risks in the Home and at Restaurants and Deficiencies of the Study by Beyond Celiac and here are celiac dietitian, Tricia Thompson’s comments on the same research.
• Sept 13, 2019: Analysis of responses from 500 patients with Celiac and NCGS reveal neurocognitive and quality of life problems with accidental gluten exposure including spatial problem solving, detachment, depression, anxiety, irritability, low energy, impaired speech and problems with sleep, memory and orientation to time and place.
• Sept 13, 2019: Very large international study concludes at-risk kids found increasingly likely to get celiac disease the more gluten they ate before age of 5
• Aug. 20, 2019: Study confirms association between celiac disease risk and gluten intake - https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190814/Study-confirms-association-between-celiac-disease-risk-and-gluten-intake.aspx
• Aug. 17, 2019: New testing to detect rye in foods: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-08/acs-ot081419.php
• June 28, 2019: Study finds micronutrient deficiencies common at time of celiac disease diagnosis
• June 5, 2019: A Potential New Biomarker for Diagnosing Celiac Disease in Patients Not Consuming Gluten is Patented
• May 4, 2019: Researchers from the Mayo Clinic "Recruiting" Microbes to Fight Autoimmune Diseases
• April 30, 2019: New insight into the nature of gluten cross contact and it’s prevalence in oats: Article in Annals of Gastroenterology and Digestive Disorders: Oat Consumption by Celiac Disease Patients: Outcomes Range from Harmful to Beneficial, Depending on the Purity of the Oats
• April 24, 2019: New medical book on Extraintestinal Manifestations of Celiac Disease: https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=lang_en&id=jKmRDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP7&dq=Study+defines+optimal+assessment+of++%22coeliac+disease%22&ots=x-V-LdvsWX&sig=tFWlBiY-IdZ7kAUQpCVLNJ8BapA#v=onepage&q=Study%20defines%20optimal%20assessment%20of%20%20%22coeliac%20disease%22&f=false
• March 21, 2019: New Study: Chronic Inflammation Permanently Reshapes Tissue-Resident Immunity in Celiac Disease - read the abstract here and here is an article about it on CDF's website: https://celiac.org/about-the-foundation/featured-news/2019/02/chronic-inflammation-permanently-alters-immune-cells-in-celiac-patients/
• Nov. 29, 2018 - Patients with Celiac Disease Can't Rely on Symptoms to Determine Whether They Have Been Exposed to Gluten - https://www.healio.com/gastroenterology/malabsorption/news/online/%7B80aad70a-f6df-4e87-a348-ec3b523f312b%7D/patients-with-celiac-disease-have-trouble-determining-gluten-exposure-based-on-symptoms
• ​Nov. 5, 2018 - Fantastic Reference Chart from the National Celiac Association - Confusing Ingredients in the Gluten-Free Diet - https://nationalceliac.org/celiac-disease-resources/confusing-gluten-free-diet-ingredients/
• Please see our new Gluten-Free News for San Diegans web page on this website to learn about the latest in news for those in San Diego with celiac disease and other gluten disorders.
• ​March 15, 2018 - Significant Study Published on the Amount of Gluten Eaten by Folks with Celiac Disease on a Gluten-Free Diet with Surprising Results​: Alarmingly, those adhering to a gluten-free diet were still unknowingly ingesting, on average, more than 3-7  times the author's contention what they considered safe for adults with celiac to consume (50 mg/day).
• March 8, 2018 - Infections in Early Life and Development of Celiac Disease​​

Video Letter from Tricia Thompson, MS, RDN of GlutenFreeWatchdog.org to FDA regarding her concern with enforcement of the FDA gluten-free label rule and several products that are currently misbranded as gluten-free right now.

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• Sept. 2017 - Statistics and quotes from the Spring 2016 New England Celiac Organization College Study reveal the difficult time college students with celiac disease are facing.  The survey documented the dietary, social and educational issues faced by college students with celiac disease or significant gluten intolerance.  Following the survey, the nonprofit created this Gluten Free College Survival Guide. 
• Jan. 26, 2017 - Gluten Free Watchdog has a BIG new watch out for gluten-free oats - see what questions you should be asking for any oats you consume, even for purity protocol gluten-free oats  From the article "Choose your oat products based on your comfort level with regard to the level of information provided to you by manufacturers. You may want to consider the following:
  - Does the manufacturer disclose whether they use purity protocol or sorted oats?
  - Do they disclose their testing protocols?
  - Do they disclose the assay they use to test oats for gluten contamination?"
• Jan. 26, 2017 - From Gluten Free Watchdog, a teff brand manufacturer is raising concerns with their high cross contamination levels.​

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