G-Free & Digestive Update

Chocolate Banana Bread...nom nom!
Chocolate Banana Bread

It’s been a while since I’ve put together studies and news from the last few months on Celiac disease & other digestive disorders. And, of course, Valentine’s day wouldn’t be complete without chocolate, so I’m linking to Chocolate banana bread here for inspiration.

Like reading studies on Celiac disease? Here’s a collection of research on gluten-contamination. Always a hot topic!

A new guide on a gluten challenge for pediatrics

Look what’s opening in Manassas—a new gluten-free bakery

New IBD guidelines, with emphasis on fiber, Mediterranean diet, etc.

Do I need a B12 supplement? A Q I hear all the time

Gut microbiome is changed in people with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) & Long COVID.

Artificial sweeteners and there potential impact on the small intestine. Interesting stuff!

Speaking of supplements, this is a good resource from the DOD:

Why do women have more autoimmune disease? Gift link here:

A Mediterranean helps with so many things, but does it help with IBS? And anxiety and depression? Yes, yes, and yes.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach working with clients in VA, DC & MD.  She helps people with a range of digestive problems, including Celiac, IBS, Crohn’s, UC, gastroparesis, EDS, POTS & more. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

G-Free Thanksgiving ’23

Unstuffed Turkey? Naturally gluten-free
Stuffing? Bring your own.
Gravy? buy it, or make cornstarch gravy
Veggies? these have promise
Cranberry sauce? Good to go
Dessert--Gf pie crust or crustless pie. Bonus points for whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (naturally gluten-free)
Talk to the host to make sure everything avoids cross contactHow…did November fly by so fast?

Thanksgiving is almost here, so this is just a mini-newsletter.

Here are some of the latest roundups of recipes & tips:

Looking for something FODMAP friendly?

Thanksgiving recipes

Sweets & treats here (gluten-free too, of course)

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach working with clients in VA, DC & MD.  She helps people with a range of digestive problems, including Celiac, IBS, Crohn’s, UC, gastroparesis, EDS, POTS & more. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

Oct Digestion Update

Oh, what a world we’re in these days. I know there are unprecedented levels of global unrest, which has been hard on so many people in different ways. So first, an encouragement to take extra time take care of yourself and your family, to offer kindness to others where you can, knowing many people are going through a lot of fear and uncertainty for the safety of loved ones.

Back to our normal discussion around digestive dysfunction:

  • Looking for gluten-free Halloween candy? GF Jules has a list. For those that are newer to a gluten-free diet, a quick reminder is there are some candies that are normally gluten-free that *aren’t* gluten-free in, say, their pumpkin or ghost shape, so do double check, even if it’s a candy you typically consume.
  • Of course, you can always opt for non-food options…this is our 2nd year of Ninja rubber duckies. Caveat, of course, that Play doh has wheat in it.
  • New guidelines on Belching, Distension, and Bloating—frequent, but frequently not talked enough about.
  • Celiac & Thyroid disease—webinar will be posted here very soon from National Celiac Association. They regularly have wonderful webinars.
  • Paper on Inflammatory bowel disease and all the other factors that can cause symptoms—from IBS to mast cell to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency to SIBO, mast cell dysfunction, Ehlers danlos, POTS & more.
  • Hot off the presses—new paper on EDS and pregnancy complications
  • Thinking ahead about a gluten-free Thanksgiving or winter holidays? Look on my website for prior years for recipes or other ideas.

I’m in the midst of presenting a training for over 100 of professionals through the Ehlers Danlos society on the nutritional complications of EDS. I’m teaching on digestive complications. ? Education will always be a passion for me, and I’m aware of how much I’ve learned from wonderful mentors and, of course, my clients.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach working with clients in VA, DC & MD.  She helps people with a range of digestive problems, including Celiac, IBS, Crohn’s, UC, gastroparesis, EDS, POTS & more. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

New Gluten-free Legislation, Travel

Happy Summertime!

We’ll start with the biggest news. As some of you are aware, there’s *proposed* legislation to require labeling for gluten in medications. This is not our 1st rodeo…I remember speaking to the FDA about this is 2011…but the ADINA bill now has bipartisan support in the House, which is new. Please reach out to your member of Congress with the script provided by Gluten free Watchdog, or write your own. The amount of support and interest we express *does* matter!

For all the info you need on the bill and how to contact your reps

And yes! there is also a bill to require labeling of gluten in food. This also has bipartisan support, but that doesn’t mean it will be passed.  Last year it did not get enough support.

Shifting from work to play, summer is often a time for travel.

I pulled together several of my favorite resources.

Grab and go snacks (updated 2023)

For travel domestically:

Places to eat in Europe

And speaking of travel…two rescues have officially become employees of Harris Whole Health, and sometimes they make an appearance for sessions. They’re originally from Ukraine–their names are Myshko and Zhanna. They lost their homes in the conflict, so they’ve come to live with us. When they’re awake, they’ve taken over our house, and are completely running the show. They have strong feelings about omega 3s and occasionally you’ll see a tail flying by.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach working with clients in VA, DC & MD.  She helps people with a range of digestive, including Celiac, IBS, Crohn’s, UC, gastroparesis, EDS, POTS & more. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

 

G-Free Oats & more news

Happy Springtime!

First, do you have Celiac, or a condition that requires you to be strictly gluten-free? Are oats in your diet? It may be time to rethink that. Some of you can remember a time before oats were allowed on a gluten-free diet…because of cross-contamination and supply chain issues, it looks like we may (temporary) be heading back there. And yes, this problem extends to ones marked purity protocol and certified gluten free. More info here from Gluten-free Watchdog, because those are problematic, too. 30% of oat products. THIRTY PERCENT were above 5ppm–meaning, quantifiable levels of gluten, and some of them had significant levels. Since this is just a sample, this should be seen as a red flag.

The full reports with names are available on the Gluten-free Watchdog site for subscribers. As usual, I recommend supporting GFW’s wonderful work—because none of us are independently wealthy, and if the community doesn’t fund her work, no one will, and without her work, we wouldn’t have this information.

A Celiac & gluten-free review https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/6/1475

An interview with Dr. Fasano on Celiac news, neurological Celiac, future directions & more:

Inflammatory bowel disease, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidelines

A call to action for POTS research—reach out to your member of Congress! POTS is very under-funded.

I wrote an article with a colleague, Suzi Baxter to help expand nutrition programs to include people with disabilities. Disability includes everything from mobility limitations, but also conditions like Celiac, food allergies IBD, POTS, EDS and more. Bit by bit, change sometimes happens…

Time to get out and feed your little friends! Hummingbirds have landed in Virginia, and they’re hungry.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach working with clients in VA, DC & MD.  She helps people with a range of digestive, including Celiac, IBS, Crohn’s, UC, gastroparesis, EDS, POTS & more. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

February G-free news & recipe roundup

So much news in the digestive & gluten-free world! Here’s a quick round up:

tuxedo strawberries
Tuxedo Strawberries

It’s just about Valentine’s day, so if you’re looking for something delicious to make, I have a list of naturally gluten-free desserts right here.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax, VA.  She helps people with a range of dietary issues, including Celiac Disease, digestive issues, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

G-Free Thanksgiving 2022

I have to tell you a secret. My in-laws came last weekend–they’re from Rochester, and wanted to miss the snow. Man, are they smart–especially given the weather forecast! So we did a mini-Thanksgiving last weekend and now I feel like all the pressure is off and I just have yummy leftovers now, and we’ll do something small next week.

But I’m assuming most people are still in planning mode.rolls

Here are some great Thanksgiving feasts, with a ton of recipes:

and my usual tips are here.

Remember, when in doubt, keep it simple.

The main issue is often cross-contact, and/or people who make mistakes and really mean well. Ideally, you try to serve yourself first, with clean utensils. If there’s something you know you’ll want leftovers of, make sure to put it aside in a covered dish.

And because people with GI disorders are often at higher risk of food borne illness, *ahem!* a gentle nudge–here are the food safety guidelines from FSIS.

Have a wonderful holiday season.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax, VA.  She helps people with a range of dietary issues, including Celiac Disease, digestive issues, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

 

 

 

Sept G-Free News: Contaminated, POTS, recipe

The summer really flew by…and I meant to post, but life sometimes slips away.

yummy cake
Mousse cake…with strawberries from my garden!

First, cake! Yes, of course it’s gluten-free. Recipe here.

I finally was prompted to post because of an issue with GF Harvest Oats, which Gluten-Free Watchdog has kindly alerted the gluten-free population to. So if you don’t support Tricia, please consider it. In a nutshell, GF Harvest is under new management, and now has batches testing as contaminated with gluten. If you’re using these oats, it’s time to reconsider and choose a new source of oats.

Comorbidies of POTSEver heard of POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome?) Too few people have. It’s fairly common, and before COVID, it affected around 1% of the population. I got POTS when I was in grad school, and it’s always been on my radar because 4% of people with POTS have Celiac, instead of the usual 1%, and ~95% of people have digestive issues. Since COVID, rates of POTS have increased significantly because it’s often post viral. I have a paper on the nutritional management of POTS in the Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics this month.

A really common question I get from people on a gluten-free diet is, what about kissing people who are eating gluten? It’s something many people worry about–39% overall, and 41% in women. And not surprisingly, dating poses all sorts of challenges

A low FODMAP diet helps with digestive symptoms, but not mucosal healing in patients with IBD (review of current studies)

People with Celiac have ongoing symptoms despite a strict gluten free diet–up to even 20% of patients. Symptoms may be digestive, joint stiffness, fatigue, skin issues, & depression. https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/9/1/e000914

As so many are headed back to school, here are some thoughts on gluten-free breakfasts.

Wishing you a delicious autumn,

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax, VA.  She helps people with a range of dietary issues, including Celiac Disease, digestive issues, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

 

 

 

Celiac Awareness Month–May ’22

Strawberry plantsIt’s still just barely still Celiac awareness month. So…may I recommend (request?) you do something to support the gluten-free community?

The FDA has issued draft guidance indicating that they will only consider labeling for food allergens. This is problematic on oh so many fronts. Obviously, foods foods can cause health problems via means other than allergy, and that’s well-documented. And, as many of you know, the FDA does a pretty poor job enforcing the (voluntary) labeling for gluten as is, so closing the door to changes preemptively is…well…a huge step backward for the gluten-free community at large.

This is where you all come in. Please submit your comments to the FDA. Tricia Thompson has sample comments or you can do what I did and start with her comments and add your own flavor with your own story and concerns. But PLEASE add your voice.  

Quick takes:

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax, VA.  She helps people with a range of dietary issues, including Celiac Disease, digestive issues, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

 

G-Free Passover 2022

Passover isn’t here until April 15th but many of the products are already appearing in grocery stores. Not all Passover foods are gluten-free, but many are, and there’s a much wider selection than usual at the grocery store. This can be a good time to stock up on GF cakes and mixes, cookies, macaroons, some of the “bread” crumbs and supplies like potato starch. As an added bonus for people with multiple restrictions, most Kosher for Passover products contain no corn or soy products, either.

In a nutshell, the basic rule of foods for Passover is no leavened foods, which eliminates normal breads, cakes etc. Matzo is the main exception. Matzo is an unleavened bread usually made from wheat and is eaten regularly, and some products contain products with Matzo and matzo meal, which also potentially listed as cake meal or farfel. However, many products don’t contain gluten. Or, if you find products labeled “non-gebrok or gebroktz or grebrochts” (or another spelling variation) they’re non-grain containing and therefore have no gluten-containing ingredients. Often Kosher for Passover products and cakes are made of potato flour or nut meals rather than wheat or glutinous grains.

As always in the gluten-free world, read labels carefully. “Kosher” and “Kosher for Passover” are two different things entirely. Kosher for Passover foods will be labeled “May be used for Passover” or have a symbol that says OUP. I have often seen “regular” Kosher foods in the Passover section at grocery stores, so please do check the labels very carefully.

Keep in mind that many Passover foods are imported from other countries. Technically, imports must follow the FDA allergen labeling laws, but I can say I’ve seen many that aren’t labeled quite in the same way as the FALCPA U.S. labeling laws dictate So the label on an import may say matzo, but may not say “wheat” explicitly or have the disclaimer stating that it contains wheat.

Most Kosher for Passover products will have to adhere to strict standards for cross contamination from a religious perspective. Voluntary allergen labeling statements (AKA “Made in a factory” claims) are still not regulated.

From a gluten-free perspective, possibly the best part of Passover is AFTER Passover, when all of the great gluten-free goodies are on sale! Passover ends April 22th 2022, so mark your calendars, because the word has gotten out in gluten-free circles and the mad rush is on.

Back when you really couldn’t get GF prepared foods in the regular grocery store, this was a much bigger deal. But it’s still nicer to have an expanded selection, and nicest of all is AFTER Passover, when all of the products are on sale!

For people who DO celebrate the actual holiday of Passover, not just the gluten-free food, here are some great recipes and information:

Other favorite gluten-free recipe sites for Passover? Let me know in the comments section on my website.

Lately, Whole Foods has stocked a gluten-free Matzah, and the brand is Yehuda, so keep your eyes peeled! You can also get it on Amazon. It’s not technically matza because it’s not made of oats, but it’s “Matzo style squares”. There are also many more Kosher markets, such as Kosher Mart in Rockville. Some local grocery stores also have a great selection.

 

 

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