May is Celiac Awareness Month
Celiac Disease is not an allergy, but is an immune reaction to eating gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For those with celiac disease, eating gluten causes an immune reaction that damages the intestines and prevents the body from absorbing nutrients, resulting in a myriad of other problems. Celiac Disease has only one treatment—a lifelong adherence to a gluten free diet.
For my family, Celiac Awareness Month each May will always be an anniversary of sorts.
In May 2018, a member of our family received a celiac diagnosis and our family’s new enemy became a structural protein in food that we could not see, taste, or smell. Our family spent days cleaning our kitchen—contaminated food tossed or donated, the kitchen scrubbed down, new pots/pans/utensils purchased—no surface or corner left untouched (even soap ingredients were analyzed closely). Our hands were raw from the cleaning, the burden seemed too big, and it felt like food would never be easy again.
Then we started fresh—that little structural protein was banned from our house. No gluten.
Throughout May 2018, we learned about celiac disease and gluten containing products, we read labels, and we shopped diligently. Many processed foods were replaced with whole foods, as it was easier that way. We planned our meals weekly. We cooked and baked our own food.
By the end of May 2018, we began to realize that the celiac diagnosis was something to be celebrated—we were eating healthier, learning about new products, and having fun experimenting with food. We fell in love with certain products like Bob’s Red Mill at People’s Food Co-op . . . OK, maybe even a little obsessively fell in love . . . as when we traveled to Portland, we drove to Bob’s Red Mill to see how the gluten free products were processed free of cross-contamination (and got to listen to Bob himself play the piano).
Since Celiac Awareness Month in 2018, we have learned to make lasagna noodles with chickpea flour, chicken nuggets are breaded with almond flour, chili includes quinoa instead of noodles, veggie burgers are made in limitless iterations, roasted chickpeas are a fantastic late-night snack, and the list goes on and on. This year to celebrate Celiac Awareness Month, we may make our favorite GF/Keto carrot cake cupcakes.
Celiac Awareness Month is a time to celebrate all the gluten free options available to those on a lifelong gluten free diet. We do not need to make everything from scratch! Some of our family’s favorites (all available at People’s Food Co-op): Lulu’s Pão De Queijo, Siete Grain Free Taco Shells, Explore Pasta, Tucson Tamales, and Jolly Llama Cones.
Reflecting on the past four years, I am thankful for the celiac diagnosis in our family and appreciate that the People’s Food Co-op has supported that journey every step of the way.
Andrea B. Niesen
PFC Board Member
A few PFC gluten-free favorites…
