December 2014 Meeting Summary

The Prescott Area Celiac & Gluten Free Support organization gathered for a social meeting on the third tuesday in December, with lots of special gluten free goodies on hand!  The group missed those who could not attend this final meeting of 2014.

Linda C. shared great information on a pro-biotic that is from the Garden of Life company. It is called Colon Care and she has found great success in consistent use of this capsule. Check it out on the Garden of Life website.

The PACGFS group currently does not have any dues or fees. However, there are nominal costs that the leaders incur to keep the group running efficiently. THANK YOU to Pam M., who suggested to those attending the meeting in December, to consider participating in a "free will donation" to the Prescott Area Celiac & Gluten Free Support Group. Any monies collected will be kept in a fund to pay for photo copying, name tags, paper plates, (if not donated) etc.

Again, any person who is on the groups' email list...that does not want to receive further emails, please just e-mail the leaders and you will promptly be removed from the groups' email list.

Reminder: The Phoenix Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo is in Glendale, Az. The next meeting for the Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support group will be held tuesday, January 20th from 12-2PM, in the Prescott Public Library's Founders Room "A" on the lower level.day, January 20th, from 12-2PM in the escott Public Lib
rary's Founders Room A on the lower lev

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

DJ/RR

Tammy and Jim hosting an event December 13th at Natural Grocers!

Just wanted to let you know that Tammy Kastanas, of That's It! Gluten Free Bakery will be hosting a cooking demonstration at NATURAL GROCERS on the corner of Gail Gardner and Willow Creek Road, Saturday, December 13 from 1:00pm until 2:30pm

Tammy will be preparing and providing tastings of her gluten free "Energy Cookies"...(which are wonderful!) and also her "Chocolate Chip Banana Bars". Yummmmm.

Please try to attend and support her presentation.  If you do, you will also have the opportunity to hear great nutritional/athletic diet information offered by Jim Koster!

DJ

November 2014 Meeting Summary

The Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support group met on Tuesday, November 18th at 12 noon at the Prescott Public Library Founder's Room A on the lower level. The main topic at tuesday's meeting was in regard to arsenic in rice and the information was shared by co-leader, Linda C.

The subject of arsenic in rice in the American diet has been in the news for many years. As early as 2005, Consumer Reports magazine had published articles in regard to the high amounts of arsenic that were being detected in rice. Rice is one of the most consumed foods in the world.

This is of particular interest to the gluten free community because it depends so heavily on rice for many aspects of its diet. It is the best known for those eating gluten free because of the use in rice flour, which is in practically every gluten free pre-packaged food item that those eating gluten free purchase and consume. It is also heavily relied upon as a replacement starch in pastas and on what were traditionally wheat-based side dishes.

All of that may be about to change as test results now show that some of the rice that the American public is consuming is reported to contain 10 to 20 times higher arsenic levels than the FDA allowable limit that is set even for arsenic levels in drinking water.

Of particular concern was the article in Consumer Reports from November 2012 titled, "Arsenic in Your Food". Consumer Reports has written numerous articles on this topic and you can find the articles by searching Consumer Reports Arsenic in Food online.

The newest article published by CS states even more strongly that the amount of rice we eat should be limited. The article also suggests purchasing rice that has tested lower in arsenic levels. The November 2012 article actually lists many rice products that were tested and accompanying arsenic levels. Some of the rice with the lowest arsenic levels came from California basmati rice manufactured by Lundburg farms in California.

The Southern states in the USA have some of the highest levels of arsenic in rice. Rice fields now are planted in former cotton fields that have been heavily sprayed for the cotton boll weevil. The fields had been sprayed with arsenic pesticides for decades.

It would benefit all of us to do our homework and make some decisions about what we are eating and how it impacts our health. Search "dangers of arsenic poisoning" online.

The next meeting of the Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support organization will be tuesday, December 16th at 12 noon at the Prescott Public Library.

posted by DJ

October 2014 Meeting Summary

The Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support group is growing every month and the October meeting had 23 people in attendance. Thank you, Ree See, for bringing an incredible GF bread for everyone to sample! And thank you to Tammy K., for sharing her delicious pumpkin bundt cake.  There was barely a crumb left on either one!

New member Deanna shared the great invention ..."No Stik Toast It" bags.  These are re-usable toaster bags that can be inserted into contaminated toasters without our GF bread getting attacked by gluten.  Perfect for traveling or visiting relatives that are not GF. What a terrific product!  Available at Amazon.com.

Long time member Bailey Rose Warstler, LAC, of "Turning Point Acupuncture", had the last hour of the meeting to discuss a recent symposium she attended on how gluten sensitivity promotes an immune reaction/response in human bodies. This can be systemic inflammation of joints, muscles, thyroid, tissue and organ systems. She discussed how similar gluten proteins can trick the body. She also discussed the term "leaky gut", which most traditional doctors either don't know about or don't discuss with their patients.

The next meeting of the PACGF support will be held on Tuesday, November 18th at 12 noon, at the Prescott Public Libary lower level Founder's room "A". See you then!

RR/DJ

September 2014 Meeting Summary

The September 16th meeting of the Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support organization was full of terrific information regarding travel, both local and beyond.

It was mentioned that there are several apps available on smartphones now such as Yelp, Urbanspoon, and Find Me Gluten Free.  Many sites can be found online just by typing into the search engine "Travel Gluten Free". At least 7 sites were found by just doing that.  The group members also shared information about the dining cards available from Triumph Dining.com. The dining cards are available in 10 languages. 

 

Kris Vaughan, co-founder of HealthHubNetwork.com was a guest at Tuesday's meeting. She is the membership director of this new organization based in Prescott. The organization provides a different kind of health and wellness directory for the Prescott area.  Both Kris is gluten free and her children have food allergies.  Please check out her web site noted above. Also search Youtube for Kris and Melanie TV Health &Wellness Show. 

 

Renee shared info on the gluten free travel club she belongs to, which is  www.bobandruths.com.  However, if folks plan to take a cruise, most cruise lines are very helpful for the gluten free traveler.

 

Living Without magazine generously donated their current September/October magazine Gluten Free Living. Everyone in attendance tuesday received a complimentary copy.

 

Because the Prescott gluten free support group is not affiliated with any national Celiac  group such as CSA, (Celiac Support Assoc.) or CDF, (Celiac Disease Foundation) it was suggested that local members check out the organization referred to as GIG or Gluten Intolerance Group.  They provide an enormous amount of information for a nominal membership fee.  Senior Members 55 and up pay $28 per year or regular membership is $35 per year.

The Prescott area gluten free support group is steadily growing and welcomes all current as well as new members to "Tuesdays Without Gluten" each month!

Don't forget that Tammy K's "That's It! Gluten Free Home Bakery" is at the Prescott Farmer's Market every Saturday morning with her delicious gluten free delicacies. Also, check out The Raven restaurant currently, for an assortment of her gluten free desserts that are being offered.

 

The next meeting of the Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support group will be held on Tuesday, October 21st at 12PM on the lower level of the Prescott Public Library in Founder's Room A.

DJ

August 2014 Meeting Summary

The Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support Group experienced excellent attendance for the August meeting on Tuesday the 19th at the Prescott Public Library.  Several new members joined in as a result of the article that ran in the Prescott Courier on June 1st about celiac disease and gluten sensitivities.

 

Discussion at this month's meeting included information about the new FDA law in regard to gluten free labeling that was passed in August 2013. Compliance officially started in August 2014.  

 

Members attending the August meeting were made aware of the three main national Celiac organizations: CDF/CSA/GIG. The cost to belong to these national organizations is the primary reason the Prescott Area Group will remain local and not affiliated with a national group.  Renee R. did encourage those in attendance to check out the Phoenix support group: phoenixceliac.org.

 

There was much discussion about new products available at Costco (i.e., Wild Rice Crackers and Luke's GF crackers) and  also at other local grocery stores. Note: Diane J has added that VitaCost.com carries several GF products that are not available at any of the stores/retail outlets in our community. Examples are: Van's Crackers, Orgran GF toasted buckwheat crisp breads (perfect with lox and cream cheese), plus Majan's "Bhuja" snacks cracker mix, and another item now at Natural Grocers: Jovial's Tagliatelle, or traditional flat noodle egg pasta...pricey, but a real time saver vs. making your own... and great for Fall and Winter chicken soups and stews.

 

As usual, during the meeting each individual was given an opportunity to share their gluten free journey. 

 

Linda C. and Renee R. mentioned eating at Wildflower Bread Company and meeting the manager, Karrigan George.  Although it is not a gluten free restaurant, they ate safely after reading their gluten free menu online.  This info was also shared at the meeting. They indicated that their lunch was delicious.

Everyone in attendance received a copy of Living Without's current issue of Gluten Free & More, compliments of the publisher.

 

And lastly, don't forget Tammy Kastanas and her "That's It! Gluten Free Home Bakery". Tammy is at the Farmer's Market @ Yavapai College Saturday mornings from 7:30AM til noon. She has wonderful GF bakery items and also provides catering.

 

The next meeting will be held once again at the Prescott Public Library Founder's Room "A" downstairs, on Tuesday, September 16th at 12:00PM.

 

DJ

May 2014 Meeting Summary

The May meeting of the Prescott Area Celiac & Gluten Free Support group was held on Tuesday, May 20th at 12:30 PM at Prescott Public Libary.

May's get together was more social in nature and with lots of discussion about Prescott restaurants that can and will do gluten free offerings. The new Augies Restaurant, as well as Sweet Anne's coffee shop are offering GF options, but as always, dine at your own risk. Suggestions were also made for gluten free menu planning.  

No meeting will be held at the library during the summer months; June and July. This is due to summer activities in the library meeting rooms for school children. The support group will try to organize a restaurant outing/carpool for those months on the same day that the group usually meets for its' "Tuesdays Without Gluten".

Better late than never. The Prescott Daily Courier did an excellent article on Sunday, June 1st in its' Vitality section on celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. The article features an interview with Linda C. and mentions the Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free support group.

See link:

Prescott Courier Article

DJ

April 2014 Meeting Summary

The April meeting of the Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support organization was held on the 15th at 12:30PM at the Prescott Public Library Founder's Room "A" on the lower lever of the library. Gayle Baingo, RDN, is a GAPS practioner and was the main speaker.

GAPS refers to the Gut and Psychology Syndrome and the Gut and Physiology Syndrome.  This way of eating was developed by Natasha Campbell McBride.  Detailed info can be found on YouTube with Dr. Campbell McBride's name typed in the search engine. Very basically it suggests that fermented foods can help heal the gut. Gayle offered a very detailed and informative talk on the benefits of probiotics.

 

Linda C. has found that when baking egg free it would be best to use a baking powder that is formulated with SAP (Sodium Acid Pyprohosphate).  Bob's Red Mill would be recommended.

 

May is National Celiac Awareness Month, so watch for events throughout the state and our area.

 

For some fun upcoming events in the Phoenix area, email: azeastvalleysupportgroup@gmail.com.

 

 

 

March 2014 Meeting Summary

Linda Cook spoke to the Prescott Celiac Support Group about food allergy testing on Tuesday, March 18th. The meeting time was 12:00 noon in Prescott Public Library Founder's room "A". Following Linda's presentation, Brenda Andrews shared information about how to find a good nutritionist. 

Linda also mentioned kudos for Renee Richey, who has been spending alot of her time and efforts spear heading (along with Linda) the gluten free support group, locating speakers, reserving rooms, and keeping all the communications current in regard to updates in the gluten free arena, new products in the marketplace, etc. This is quite an accomplishment and task, especially considering the relatively short amount of time that Renee has been gluten free.

Linda talked about her own food allergy journey, which began about 10 years ago, with her diagnosis of celiac disease. Linda noticed that after initially feeling better off of gluten, she later began to notice that she was not feeling as well as she had at first. She determined, with an elimination diet ("Whole Life Nutrition Diet" book), that she had now developed additional food sensitivities. And armed with new knowlege, and after what initially seemed to be a daunting task, Linda made "lemonade out of lemons" and learned how to prepare meals and cook differently. But she now had to factor in other food allergies as a challenge, besides her initial issue with gluten intolerance.

Linda reviewed several allergy testing techniques: skin testing /RAST, ALCAT blood test, muscle testing (kinesiology), and the ELISA test. On most of these tests, 95% of food allergies do not show up, and even with the ELISA test, many labs do not know how to interpret the results of the inflammation shown from the anti bodies. Linda mentioned several products that she uses, including some that help to combat the histamine response that she experiences when she has an allergic reaction to a food. 

Linda also mentioned four "cross reactive" foods, which include corn, dairy, legumes, peanuts, soy, and coffee, as well as lectins.

Brenda discussed that when seeking out a good nutritionist, be sure that the person is well-informed about celiac and gluten sensitivities. She also discussed how important it is to de-contaminate your environment and not allow any wheat or gluten crumbs, or particles near where you are eating or cooking. Brenda also mentioned that it is important to have a good digestive enzyme on hand.

Thank you, Linda and Brenda for taking your time to share with the group today!

The next meeting of the Prescott Area Celiac and Gluten Free Support Group will be April 15th at 12:30PM in the Prescott Public Library's Founders Rooom "A" on the lower level.

DJ

February 2014 Meeting Summary

February's meeting of Prescott Area Celiac & Gluten Free Support met on February 18th at 12:30PM at Prescott Public Library's Founder's Room B on the lower level.

The Phoenix Celiac Organization is holding its' annual Gluten Free Expo this month on the 22nd and 23rd. Tickets can be purchased online and there will be speakers, cooking demos, and many vendors in attendance. For more info on this and future events through the Phoenix organization, see the link at the bottom of this page or go to their website.

Tammy K. mentioned that Campbell's Soup has a gluten free link on its' website now, mentioning all gluten free products. Linda C.shared information about Nuts.com website that offers great prices on gluten free, non-GMO products, including flours. Linda also mentioned Baking Beauty.com for great recipes and prices.

A guest at this month's meeting was Dr. Geri Mills, who is an author of a recipe book, "Gluten Free with Dr. Geri". Dr Geri is also a doctor, veterinarian, and celiac.

Jim Koster, the main speaker for tuesday's meeting, spoke about how he became gravely ill before finally being diagnosed with celiac disease. He made it his business to become very informed about issues with gluten...and more. Jim has traveled the world studying children's and adults diets and has found that with the introduction of the Western diet, that people begin developing more health issues.And nutritional deficiencies affect everyone; not just celiacs and those eating gluten free. Jim also suggested several helpful books to read, including "Wheat Belly" and "Going Against the Grain". Jim's advice is not to blindly believe everything you are told about our foods, but to do the research and educate yourself. Keep your eyes open and read your labels! Thank you, Jim, for the very informational presentation!

Next month's meeting will be held at the same time and same place, and on March 18th, 2014. See you then!

DJ

January 2014 Meeting Summary

Happy Gluten Free New Year!

Bailey Rose Warstler, is a licensed acupuncturist in Prescott and also a regular attendee of the local gluten free support group. She was the group's guest speaker/presenter at the meeting at Prescott Public Library on 1/21/14.

Many members present had tried acupuncture for various issues with various results. Bailey said this typical of all health treatments. Bailey tried and now treats herself with acupuncture for a serious muscle cramp syndrome that is extremely painful and debilitating. She went to many traditional doctors and more than a dozen surgeries without much relief.  

She was studying physical therapy in Chicago when someone suggested she try acupuncture. She did and experienced "great success"!  She decided then to study the therapy and become a licensed practitioner of this ancient Eastern Medical Art.

Schooling is a three to four year, full time Master's program covering Traditional Western and Ancient and Modern Eastern Holistic methods and theory. Acupuncture is thousands of years old, probably originated in China, and is practiced in Korea, Japan and all over the Far East.

Today's method uses extremely fine needles of varying lengths and thicknesses to tap into the Qi (Chi) or the body's own energy force, at any one of four hundred points along the main meridians as plotted by the ancient Chinese.  Acupressure is similar and uses much the same points. The idea is to remove blockages at various points to allow the Qi (life force) to flow freely and achieve balance in the body, making the patient feel better.  The Qi can be unbalanced by stress, diet, environment, injury/illness/ and lifestyle changes. Bleeding is rare, but in some cases, intentional, and only a drop may be all that is needed to relieve pressure.

When diagnosing a patient prior to treatment, Bailey will take the pulses at three different places and levels on both wrists. She will look at the patient's tongue, which to the trained eye, reveals a great deal about the health of the body. All treatments are tailored to the individual, and as symptoms change, so will the treatment, which is progressive. One then can go to maintenance visits less frequently. Bailey has had great success treating Fibromyalgia.  

Initial visits cost $80.00 and involve many questions so Bailey can get to "know" you and what is happening in her client's life, in order to tailor treatment specifically to your health issues.  Follow up visits are $60.00 and are all inclusive. Insurance coverage varies, so check with health coverage policy. Both Linda C. and Renee R are patients of Bailey, and report an overall relaxing sense of well-being after treatment. 

One member offered this advice; "Don't be afraid"... to try acupuncture!

Extra note from meeting: Renee R's recommendation for a good allergy test company is: The Intolerance Testing Group; www.allergytest.com. This company tests for food, nutrients, metals via hair samples.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at next month's meeting on Tuesday, February 18th, 2014 at 12:30 PM, in the Founder's Room "B" on the lower level of Prescott Public Library.

TO CONTACT US: gfreerenee@juno.com