Monthly Archives: February 2010

Would You Pop a Pill to Eat Gluten Again?

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A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed for an article in Allergic Living magazine. The story will be published in the summer — and when it’s out, I’ll let you know — but some of the questions got me thinking. The reporter was well-educated about research into celiac disease and about the work that some pharmaceutical firms are doing to develop a pill that would allow a celiac to eat gluten again.

“How do you feel about that?” she asked me. I told her the truth: I find the research intriguing, but I’m not interested in taking a pill that would let me eat gluten.

She was surprised. She rephrased the question. I asked her if she was gluten-intolerant and she said that she wasn’t. I explained that many people have said to me, in the six years since I was diagnosed with celiac disease, how terrible it must be to be on a gluten-free diet. But none of those people were actually on a gluten-free diet themselves.

I actually love the gluten-free diet. I don’t cheat on it. I don’t go to dinner with gluten-eating friends and wish that I could eat what they’re eating. And I don’t miss wheat or the other things I can’t have (seriously, has anyone in the world ever missed eating rye?). It’s true that the gluten-free diet solved many of my health problems, but it did more for me than that. It forced me to reconsider everything I’d been putting in my mouth. Before my diagnosis, I never read a food label. Suddenly I had to, and I discovered that there were a lot of things in processed foods that I didn’t want to put in my body. That’s not to say that I don’t have my indulgences. My favorite food groups are cheese, chocolate, and wine. But most of my meals are made from healthful, unprocessed ingredients.

It’s great news that pharmaceutical firms are taking notice of celiac disease, and there are some clinical trials — like the possible celiac vaccine — that I’m watching with great interest. While I’m certainly in favor of pharmaceutical firms doing research into a pill that would let celiacs eat gluten, I’m not interested in taking it myself. Part of that is simple suspicion: I like to know what the long-term effects of taking any medication are. But part is an unwillingness to go back to the days when I had medications for migraines, mouth ulcers, and other health problems. I love that the gluten-free diet cleared up these problems, and I’m not interested in relying on a prescription medication if I don’t have to.

I’m curious how other gluten-intolerant people feel about this. Are you eagerly awaiting results from the clinical trials? Or would you stick with a gluten-free diet, even if there were a prescription that would let you eat wheat?

New Websites for the Gluten-Free

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If you’re a regular reader of this site, you’ve already heard about some of the websites I love. When I was a newly diagnosed celiac in 2004, I spent a lot of time searching for information online… and when I started traveling again (also in 2004, but much later that year), the Internet was my starting point. Some of my longtime favorites include Celiac Handbook, which has an amazing collection of resources from around the world, Celiac Travel, which provides, for free, celiac translation cards in 47 languages, and Clan Thompson’s Celiac Site, which offers a free online newsletter. More recently, I’ve become a fan of Gluten Free Maps, which pinpoints locations of restaurants that cater to gluten-intolerant diners.

There are a couple of very new sites that I’ve already bookmarked, and I want to share them with you. The first is Social Simmer, which started up late last year. It’s an intriguing mix of resources for people with gluten intolerance and/or food allergies and a social networking hub. Social Simmer links to related articles and blogs, and it also offers original reviews of restaurants. I’m just learning about the social networking side of the site, but I’m already hooked. Since the site lets you search for restaurants by different criteria, it’s a very useful addition to the scene, particularly for people who have a food allergy in addition to gluten intolerance.

The other site that’s caught my interest is Nanette’s Dish. This new site is devoted to vegetarian cooking and dining, and already contains recipes (like this Red Quinoa Tabouli Salad) and restaurant notes. Nanette’s Dish takes a special interest in gluten-free living — the author’s husband has celiac disease — but not everything on the site is for the gluten-intolerant. Speaking as a celiac who’s married to a vegetarian, I’m already sure I’ll be visiting this site often.

Are there other new online resources you would recommend? Please let me know.

On the Road With Daphne Oz

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Last October, I was excited to find an excellent article on Oprah’s website about gluten intolerance. The author was Daphne Oz, daughter of Oprah’s favorite health expert, Dr. Mehmet Oz. Daphne, who graduated from Princeton in  2008, is an author in her own right: in 2006, she published The Dorm Room Diet, which is being re-released in an expanded and revised edition this September; in 2007, she wrote The Dorm Room Diet Planner. She is also co-author of the bestselling books You: The Owner’s Manual, You: The Smart Patient, You: On a Diet, You: Staying Young, and You: Being Beautiful. Last year, after experiencing health issues that ranged from sleep problems to weight fluctuations, Daphne followed the advice of a naturopathic, Ayurvedic doctor who recommended that she cut gluten from her diet. While tests have shown that she doesn’t have celiac disease, Daphne noticed her health improve on the gluten-free diet. She’s currently at work on a self-improvement book about conscious living.

How often do you travel? I am a total gypsy. In October and November, I was living in Chicago, but now I’m back in New York. Recently I’ve also traveled to Florida, Philadelphia, Maine, California, and England.

What foods or snacks do you pack when traveling? There are some staples that I always bring with me, like pistachio nuts. My dad has really drilled home the nuts issue! They’re a great snack. I also bring apples and soy crisps. Generally, I prefer to eat food I’ve brought with me, rather than what’s served on a plane.

What other things do you always bring with you? I’ve assembled a travel pack because I’m on the road so much. I bring hand sanitizer, facial moisturizer, lip balm, and a full-size pillow — those tiny pillows they give you on planes just don’t work for me. I bring my iPod and a bunch of magazines, like Oprah and Vogue.

Any favorite restaurants? I absolutely love a New York restaurant called Peasant. They serve fresh fish with just a little olive oil and sage. There’s no gluten-free menu, but the food prep is so simple that many dishes are naturally gluten-free. There’s another place in New York, Fatty Crab, that I really like. They serve Malaysian cuisine and have amazing coconut-milk broths. In Los Angeles, I always go to the Newsroom Café, which does great vegetarian food, and the LA Mill, a coffeeshop that serves food, including gluten-free crackers. In London, I just had brunch at Baker & Spice, where they had wonderful Mediterranean salads, like peppers and feta cheese, and roasted sweet potato.

Any favorite hotels? Staying at the Penninsula in Los Angeles was probably the most luxurious experience of my life.

Favorite city or destination that is not your hometown or current home base? I love Istanbul for many reasons. I have family there, the food is wonderful, and the city has this amazing union of Byzantine architecture and modern skyscrapers. I also love London, even though the weather is terrible.

What’s your dream destination? The place that immediately comes to mind is Thailand, because of the history and culture. I’d also love to see Bora Bora.

Do you have any other advice for gluten-intolerant travelers? When you’re traveling, one of the best things to do is to visit a local market, where you can get fresh fruit. Not only is that good for you, but it teaches you a bit about the culture of a place.

Photograph provided courtesy of Daphne Oz.

Vacation Planning for Celiacs: Resorts

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Back in the fall, I got an e-mail from a reader who wanted to get married at a resort, but was having trouble finding one that could accommodate the gluten-free diet. While it’s certainly true that more and more places are offering options for gluten-intolerant and food-allergic guests, it’s not always easy to find those spots. Here are some resorts that are ready and able to cater to the gluten-free. Keep in mind that it’s always important to confirm in advance, via telephone or e-mail, that a resort will be able to accommodate you; even in a celiac-friendly kitchen, ingredients may need to be specially ordered before your visit (particularly if you’re staying at a resort in a remote location).

Canyon Ranch: With locations in very different climates — Tucson (Arizona), Lenox (Massachusetts), and Miami Beach (Florida) — Canyon Ranch offers something for everyone, and that includes the gluten-intolerant. While the company does point out that none of its kitchens are completely gluten-free, they are ready and able to take care of gluten-intolerant guests.

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts: When I’ve done the “On the Road With…” interviews, one of the things I’ve noticed is that Hyatt seems to be universally respected for its food allergy awareness and its ability to cook for those on a gluten-free diet. Personally, I’ve found this to be true of Hyatt kitchens in cities across North America, as well as in Santiago, Chile. Oddly, this fact doesn’t seem to be mentioned on the company’s own website.

Sandals Resort Hotels: The company, famous for its all-inclusive Caribbean resorts, doesn’t specifically mention celiac disease on its site, though it does discuss food allergies — which we all know gluten intolerance is often lumped in with. According to Sandals’ website: “You can rest assured that we will work very closely with you and our chef can ensure that the appropriate meals are available. Please provide us with your arrival date and booking number as well as your name and the resort at which you will be vacationing so that arrangements can be made for you to speak with the chef on arrival.”

I’d love to hear about your resort experiences. Please e-mail or comment to let me know which resorts have treated you exceptionally well.