Celiac Disease Awareness Month Archives

The 7 Best Ways You Can Empower A Celiac Or Food Allergic Child

May 14, 2018 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 44 Comments

No matter the age, being diagnosed with Celiac Disease or food allergies can be a confidence crushing event, especially when these life-altering diagnoses are given to a child. Here are the 7 best ways you can empower a celiac or food allergic child and the self-confidence they are trying to develop.

From Celiac Disease to food allergies, receiving that diagnosis can place big blow on the self-confidence factor. It’s one thing to be an adult when you get these life altering diagnoses, but imagine being a kid. Kids don’t have much control over their lives in the first place; add on the diagnosis of a lifelong autoimmune disease or life threatening food allergies that they may never grow out of.Read More

The #1 Thing You Need To Know About Celiac Disease

May 3, 2016 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 49 Comments

The number 1 thing you need to know about celiac disease is something most people neglect to realize. They just don’t know and in today’s society not much is being done to end this lack of essential knowledge.

If there’s one thing, the most important thing, you should know about Celiac Disease is that it is NOT a choice.

As with May being Celiac Disease Awareness Month, it’s important to bring up this one simple fact. Those of us with celiac did not choose this. We are not gluten-free because we think it’s healthier, are paleo, want to follow some awful trend, think was have some “intolerance” (instead of taking the time to look at FODMAPs), or think a wheat-allergy is the same thing as celiac disease, etc.Read More

How To Help Ease A “Glutened” Stomach

May 26, 2015 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 52 Comments

It’s the day after Memorial Day, back to work after a long weekend of fun, sun, and food. It might also be a day of major stomach and intestinal distress for a Celiac. If you didn’t follow the gluten-free grilling safety principles I posted last year and shared on Facebook over the weekend, that may be the problem. My heart goes out to you and send you tummy healing love, but I know that does little to help the physical and emotional pain of being glutened. There is no “cure”, only time, but there are some things you can do or try that may help ease the pain and fatigue while everything is moving through the system. Thankfully, I can count on one hand the amount of times since my Celiac diagnosis that I’ve been “glutened” for sure. They were all results of my own stupidity. Like eating brown rice cereal that said “wheat-free”, but contained barley malt. Or experimenting with some Wheat Thins “just to see” and not having a happy tummy afterwards.

Along with my other tummy troubles and allergies, I’ve developed some methods that seem to help ease the tummy when it’s in distress. Hopefully you can find some relief by trying these, but when you’ve been glutened, the #1 thing to do is be kind to yourself and rest up!

1. Drink, Drink, Drink Water – Besides rest, this is essential! Flush out the toxins your body is reacting to. You need to stay hydrated and amp up the water intake stat!

2. Hot Pure Peppermint Tea – Besides water, drink some good hot mugs of peppermint tea. Peppermint soothes the tummy and it a nice way to stay hydrated with some more flavor. I drink peppermint tea every day no matter and it always makes my tummy feel better.

3. Take Probiotics – Make sure you’re taking some gluten-free probiotics. Refeed your body with the good bacteria it needs to keep things in balance.

4. Try Fermented/Cultured Food – Some sauerkraut, kimchi, dairy-free kefir, or yogurts, that type of thing. The provide good bacteria (probiotics) and help with food absorption which can give those “injured” intestines some help!

5. Eat Easy To Digest Foods – I’m talking white rices, potatoes, dry cereals, light crackers (all gluten-free of course!). Give the body fuel, but make it fuel that can easily be digested without much work. This is not a time to amp up the fiber intake 😉

6. Use Turmeric And Ginger – These are both wonderful anti-inflammatory and will help ease the stomach, digestive tract, and intestines. You can take them in capsule form, as a spice on food, or even in tea form!

7. Try Activated Charcoal – I’ve never personally tried this, but some Celiacs swear by activated charcoal capsules. Apparently it’s supposed to grab on to and absorb the “toxins” in the digestive tract and help move them out of the body.

8. Replenish Electrolytes – If you’re running to the bathroom every 5 minutes, you need to keep the fluids in as well as electrolytes your body is eliminating. Instead of processed Gatorade or Pedialyte, make your own electrolyte drink like this or this!

9. When In Doubt, Take Some Pepto-Bismol – I always have Pepto on me, no matter where I am. It doesn’t always work, and it might be more psychological than anything else, but it does give me a bit of ease when I’m having stomach trouble. It may be the nice minty taste you suck on (I get the chewable tablets), so try sucking on mints to help ease the tummy if you don’t have Pepto.

10. Get Plenty Of Rest & Sleep – This truly is the most important. The is no cure for Celiac Disease, meaning when your body gets invaded, these isn’t much you can do but ride out the storm. That’s why it’s so important to know what to avoid and how to prevent cross-contamination. But if it happens, take it easy, give your body rest, allow it to recover, and get some sleep. Let the body heal itself after attacking itself.

Getting glutened doesn’t just cause a sour stomach. The symptoms can occur right away or a day or two later. You can be moody, fatigued, get horrible headaches, diarrhea, muscle aches and pains, vomiting, foggy head, disoriented, cramping, etc. So turn the lights out, get some sleep, stay hydrated, and let your loved ones know they need to show compassion and kindness as well. Your body is under attack from itself so there is nothing you can do about but let the course ride out.

So tell me:

+ What are your go-to tummy healing remedies?

+ Celiacs, when was the last time you were accidentally glutened?

+ Have you ever made your own electrolyte drink or tried activated charcoal? No and no.

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My Favorite Gluten-Free Products

May 25, 2015 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 54 Comments

This was such a bad idea! Do you have any idea how hard it was to put my “top” favorites into one post and make one graphic! Haha! Then I started thinking that I would break this post up into a mini series…which I will! Then I can highlight all my “favorites” (not just the top ones). I would go through breakfast essentials, snacks, breads, nut butters, condiments, that sort of thing. It would work my better with my indecisive mind in choosing my #1 favorites. So much internal struggle! So as I cried, trying so hard to put this post together, bare in mind that I can’t narrow things down. Plus I wasn’t sure if I should include certain items since, DUH, some “foods” like coconut butter are gluten-free regardless and shouldn’t be considered a specialty “gluten-free” product. But maybe I’m just thinking into this thing too much? I’ll stop rambling and get to the good stuff 😉

Some of these you know I adore and fully love, others are newer additions that I’ve recently been introduced to. Regardless, they are all safe for my Celiac/allergy-full soul and they are all delicious. I fully recommend you try every one of these (if you haven’t already) and I hope you can find some new gluten-free food favorites to love and adore!

1. One Degree Organic Foods – Veganic Sprouted Brown Rice Cacao Crisps – “One of the best “fun” cereals I’ve ever tasted!”

2. Arrowhead Mills – Organic Buckwheat Flour – “My go to flour for just about everything. Robust earthy flavor and wonderful soft texture!”

3. Soom Foods – Tahini – “I could drink this stuff! I put it on everything, from oatmeal to chicken!”

4. INBalance Health – INBars – “I have never tasted a better protein bar in my life! 100% allergy-free and if I was forced to pick a favorite flavor, I’d say the Cinnamon Swirland the Chocolate Mint!”

5. MyOatmeal – Custom Oatmeal Blends – “Breakfast has never been the same since! Safe gluten-free oatmeal how ever you want it!”

6. G. Hughes Smokehouse – Sugar Free BBQ Sauces – “Sugar-free and gluten-free sauce without weird chemicals? I could drink this along with the tahini!”

7. Lesser Evil – Buddha Bowl Popcorns – “Along with #10, I have a new popcorn obsession and Lesser Evil is one of the best!”

8. Earthly Choice – Chia Crisp Bars – “Not only does Earthly Choice make awesome grains, but these sweet new bars are so good!”

9. Trader Joe’s – Whole Grain Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread – “I had to pick-up the new bread before I left DC. I cherished this loaf for as long as I could. Best GF bread I’ve found!”

10. Sneaky’s Popcorn – Savory Spirulina Popcorn – “My dad thought I was eating moldy popcorn when he saw this! But no! It’s the wonderful spirulina and there’s nooch!”

11. Mission Foods – Extra Thin Yellow Corn Tortillas – “I know my tortillas, and these super thin corn ones are so perfect! I first had them down at school and now they are my new staple!”

12. Peanut Butter & Co. – Smooth Operator Peanut Butter – “There are so many good nut butters and peanut butters, but without fail, PB Co.’s smooth PB always makes my heard sing! Scooped cold into hot oatmeal and it melts perfectly or with a luscious apple and cinnamon…swoon!”

13. Bob’s Red Mill – Large Flake Nutritional Yeast – “I’m not sure what you categorize nooch as, but it’s one of the greatest condiments? on this Earth!”

14. Windy City Organics – Dastony Organic Raw Stoneground Coconut Butter – “No other coconut butter beats Dastony. This on a sweet potato with cinnamon and I just about die. It IS my favorite comfort food!”

15. Ancient Harvest – Quinoa Flakes – “When you think of me, I want you to think about quinoa flakes. I’ve always been the QF Queen and with the number of boxes I go through…well.”

16. Plant Fusion – Protein Powders – “Really, there is no better tasting, mixing, baking protein powder. Cookies N’ Creme is my favorite, but I’m loving our new all organic chocolate and vanilla chai too!”

17. Bob’s Red Mill – Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour – “My favorite GF all purpose! It always does the job and never lets me down in taste and texture!”

As you can see, I’m super passionate about the products I like! I don’t eat every many processed snacks, sweets, mixes, or what have you, so I can’t recommend the best gluten-free cookie (you can ask my mom for that one!), but what I blow my money on in the store, are these quality products (and all my veggies and fruits!). Now I just can’t wait to try out some things I’ve had my eye on recently (but haven’t found or they haven’t been released yet!) like gluten-free Cheerios, Canyon Bakehouse bagels, Flatout gluten-free wraps, and these new mini gluten-free (vegan AND soy-free) pretzels! <— I haven’t had a crunchy little pretzel in so long!

So tell me:

+ What’s one product you just could not live without?

+ Are you a popcorn lover? As of a few months ago, yes, yes I am! I always have a bag of organic kernels that need some homemade popping love!

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Top Product Picks From Gluten-Free Bloggers

May 18, 2015 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 56 Comments

I finally had some time to really amp up my Celiac Disease Awareness Month posts for the blog. Since I adore our small Celiac/Gluten-free blogger community, I asked some fellow bloggers to share their number one (or two) favorite gluten-free products on the market right now. There are a lot of products out there, new companies are constantly popping up with new products and even big name companies are making a run for starting gluten-free lines (hello Cheerios!). But still, many products end up falling flat. Everyone has a different taste/texture preference and like I’ve said before, you’ve got to try it all and find your favorites (you may even be surprised by which brands you end up liking) Price doesn’t always me good taste quality!

As a Celiac/Gluten-free eater, I’m always curious about what others’ favorite products are. I don’t eat a lot of processed foods, but I do have my staples and stand by snacks! Some of these products I love and adore myself, other’s I’ve never gotten to try (or can’t!). But if a product gets a thumbs-up from a veteran celiac and gluten-free eater, than there may be something there 😉 Below you’ll find their top product picks of the moment and I’ll be sharing my own in an upcoming post, so stay tuned!

Jeanine Friesen from The Baking Beauties – Gratify Food’s Gluten Free Pretzel Twists

Michelle Palin from My Gluten-Free Kitchen – Gluten Free Mama’s All Purpose Flour and GF Jules Gluten Free Flour “For me it is all-purpose gluten-free flour, but I have two favorites that I use equally and love the owners of both, so I can’t pick a favorite!”

Taylor Miller from GlutenAway – Caveman Food’s Bars and Chicken Jerky <— Taylor sent me some….it’s awesome!

Amy Fothergil from Amy The Family Chef – Feel Good Food’s Asian Chicken Dumplings “I always look for things I don’t want to make myself.”

Amanda Carroll from Eating Out Without – Sweet Note Bakery’s Everything Bagels “They’re perfectly portioned and are NYC-style in their chewiness and deliciousness.”

Chrystal Carver from Gluten-Free Palate – Glutino Pretzels

Celeste Noland from There Is Life After Wheat – Udi’s Plain Tortillas “My whole family loves Udi’s tortillas! If you quickly pan fry them in a tiny bit of oil, they are perfectly pliable and work for absolutely anything.”

Tia Hain from Tia’s Kitchen – Pamela’s Products Chocolate Cake Mix “We love Pamela’s products for when I don’t want to do from scratch. The chocolate cake is the best.”

Sharon Lachendro from What The Fork – Barilla’s Gluten-Free Pastas

Jules Shepard from GF Jules – KIND Granola and Bars

Priyanka Chugh from Anti-Wheat Girl – Canyon Bakehouse Breads

Adrienne Milligan from Gluten Free Preppers – Frans’ Bakery GF Hamburger Buns “I’m all about Franz’ GF Hamburger Buns which ‘taste’ almost, well, not Gluten Free.”

Emily Joseph from My Healthyish Life – Arrowhead Mill’s Instant Quinoa & Oat Cereal

So many good things to try! Being gluten-free doesn’t have to be hard! Products like these help with the transition of adopting your new lifestyle. Nothing beats homemade or whole foods, but really, sometimes that’s just not possible. Baking your own bread every week would get annoying 😛 I actually have a bread maker which I got the first year of my Celiac journey and I’ve never used it :O I’ll have to change that this summer. Almost 6 years of no use…that’s sad! Anyway, I was going to share my favorites in this post, but I think that requires a post itself! My loves and favorites are always changing, so I have to update you on my current favorites!

So tell me:

+ What are your current gluten-free favorites?

+ Anything new you’ve seen and are excited to try? Really, I’m just dying to try these certified GF Cheerios! They come out in the Fall ’15 :/ Ugh!

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