Celiac.com 06/00/2023 – I have been accused of many things in my lifetime—namely talking too much, being overly protective, being the ultimate caretaker—but the accusation I am glad to own is “you never miss an opportunity to talk about celiac disease”. How fortunate I am to be so passionate about something and to be able to do something with that passion. Everyone who has traveled the road to diagnosis on their own or with a family member can understand its frustrations. Everyday I talk with people about celiac disease and the delays that most people face when getting diagnosed, about the intricacies of the gluten-free lifestyle, and about how wonderful life is again thanks to their discovery. I feel so privileged to be in a position to educate and enlighten people with celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.
One of the primary goals of the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) is heightening the awareness of celiac disease in the medical community, with an emphasis in Southern California where the projected population of people with celiac disease is so great. CDF has an outstanding medical advisory board that shares our goal and generously gives their time and expertise to our programs. A past goal of the CDF was to present a clear and positive directive about the gluten-free diet. We accomplished this by partnering with our colleagues, Gluten Intolerance Group™ and publishing the “Quick Start Diet Guide,” which is now in its third revision. Each of our organizations is so pleased with the positive response from the entire celiac community regarding this partnership that we are currently developing additional information together.
The variety of gluten-free vendors has grown tremendously over the past five years – products are available in health food and specialty stores as well as supermarkets throughout the United States. There are even two walk-in stores in this country devoted exclusively to gluten-free foods. The ability to get products delivered directly to our homes really makes things easier. We now have an Italian restaurant In Glendale, California that prepares and serves gluten-free pizza and pasta. What a treat to sit in a restaurant and be served your very own loaf of gluten-free bread. So, little by little, with each of us talking about celiac disease to our physicians, friends, families, grocers and restaurateurs, we are making our lives easier and helping the lives of people yet to discover that they have celiac disease.
Journal of Gluten Sensitivity™ newsletter is yet another opportunity to do what I love and do best. We should each take any opportunity we can to enlighten just one more person about celiac disease!
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