Posts Categorized: Celiac disease

GFG guest speaker: Kathy Smart

Kathy Smart—holistic nutritionist and chef, bestselling author, TV personality, founder of Live The Smart Way, and did we mention North America’s gluten-free expert?—is speaking at Gluten Free Garage on Sunday May 28 at 11:30 am! She’s going to reveal the top 5 gluten-free foods you haven’t heard about and why you need to eat them. Then she’ll share some tasty ways to prepare and eat them. Below, she reveals a bit more about herself.

30 Questions for Kathy Smart

1. Three words to describe yourself. Happy/joyful, kind, loving.
2. Do you have a nickname? As a child, Squirt (I was little); to my husband, Sweet Pea; in my band, Rockstar; as a fitness trainer, Killer Kathy.
3. When did you find out you have celiac disease? When I was 12. (I’m turning 39.)
4. What food do you miss the most? Fresh bread rolls.
5. You travel a lot. What three things are always in your bag? Lipstick, gum and a little Strawberry Shortcake doll my best friend’s daughter gave me to look at if I get sad or scared.
6. What’s the last place you traveled to? Nicaragua.
7. What book are you reading right now? I am reading 5: The Optimum Nutrition Bible, All In (for the third time), Kindfullness, A Woman’s Spirit and Dr. Jensen’s Guide To Better Bowel Care.
8. Twitter or Instagram? Both.
9. Who should everyone be following right now? ME!
10. What’s your sign? Gemini
11. What’s your favourite food? Pancakes, and peanut butter. [See Kathy’s recipe for Protein Pancakes, below.]
12. Least favourite food? Caviar and pate (it tastes like cat food to me).
13. What’s the best thing about cooking? It feels like yoga in the kitchen—relaxing, fluid movements, peaceful, joyful and a dance of smells and flavours.
14. What do you love on your gluten-free pizza? Pineapple, bacon and hot peppers (salty, spicy and sweet—like me!).
15. When’s the last time you got glutened? Last year.
16. What was it you ate? Gravy sauce on a steak.
17. What happens to you? I become foggy and exhausted, have frequent bowel movements and typically throw up.
18. What do you do to make yourself feel better? Walk in nature.
19. Do you have a tattoo? If so, what and where? Not yet but I plan to! (It will be one word: peace.)
20. What’s your spirit animal? Wolf.
21. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Make coffee.
22. Who do you want to have coffee with? Ghandi, Mother Teresa, Neil Young or Corrie ten Boom.
23. When do you feel most beautiful? When I am smiling and happy.
24. What’s the worst thing about having celiac disease? People not taking into consideration my dietary restrictions when I’m eating out.
25. What’s the best thing about having celiac disease? Discovering new foods and tastes in different countries.
26. What’s one talent you wish you had? To be able to dance really well! I am a total klutz on the dance floor.
27. Who do you look up to most in life? My mom.
28. What food is always in your fridge? Watermelon and avocados.
29. What’s your go-to gluten-free snack? Gluten-free avocado toast.
30. On a scale of 1 to 10 how excited are you about life right now? 15!!

Click below for Protein Pancake recipe

more…

symptoms of celiac disease

 

When our daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with celiac disease at three years old, she had 10 of the symptoms on this chart, plus more. She also wasn’t thriving, her hair wasn’t growing and she was throwing up every day.

When it comes to celiac symptoms, many people think that the digestive system is mostly affected, but this autoimmune disease goes way beyond the gut. The above infographic created by Gluten Dude lists 84 symptoms of celiac disease—”directly from the best source possible: those suffering with this disease.”

Gluten Dude kicked off Celiac Awareness Month with some education about the disease in a recent blog post. “Sadly, our disease is still greatly misunderstood and under-diagnosed. The only way to change that is to continue to educate the masses as much as we can. Not about the food, but about the DISEASE.” And then he goes on to list a bunch of important facts about celiac disease.

As usual, he tells it like it is, with no sugar coating. Which is why I’m a big fan of this dude. He makes me laugh, he makes me mad and he’s even made me cry. He pushes buttons, he challenges the status quo, he questions everything. And, as a true advocate in every sense of the word, he’s got the backs of people with celiac disease.

Gluten Dude’s latest food for thought isn’t about food, it’s about celiac disease. And it’s a must-read.

But, still, the food.

from the mouth of a gf babe

This is Lily.

 

A few things about her:

She likes to read, draw and swim.

She takes dance lessons (hip hop) and plays on a basketball team.

She speaks French.

She has a younger sister who is the bomb.

She loves her tiny dog Chiquita.

Her favourite food is rice (brown and white)—in sushi, fried or just plain steamed.

Her favourite subject in school is math.

She has celiac disease. She was diagnosed when she was three.

On the morning of her 11th birthday, Lily woke up with a stuffy nose. When asked what she thinks it means to have a cold on her birthday, she replied, without missing a beat: “It’s going to be a SICK year!”

That’s Lily, always making lemonade out of lemons. See for yourself.

What is celiac disease?
It’s a disease that affects your gut [specifically your small intestine]. What happens is when you eat gluten, it doesn’t sit well with your gut and your body gets angry and tries to get it out. Some people have symptoms and there are many different kinds of symptoms—I throw up, get bloated and get bad stomach aches. Some people don’t get symptoms, but it’s still doing damage inside of them.

[For a more complete definition of celiac disease, go to www.celiac.ca]

What is gluten?
It’s a protein that’s in found in certain grains, like wheat, rye, spelt, kamut and barley. When I was younger my mom and I made a sign out of stickers with these words and taped it up in the kitchen to help me learn how to read them. It’s really important to read ingredients and not just assume something is safe to eat, unless it’s a fruit or vegetable of course.

 

 

Do you remember when you found out you had celiac?
I was only three, so I didn’t really know what was happening to me. I was getting sick (barfing) every night and I had lots of stomach pain. Then I remember one day we were at the doctor’s office and I was getting my blood taken. That’s how we found out I have celiac disease. After I stopped eating gluten I felt much better. My hair started to grow and I started to grow. more…

6th annual Gluten Free Garage!

Toronto’s highly anticipated go-to gluten-free event is a prominent playground for gluten-free people looking to discover new brands, try different foods and meet fellow foodies. Carefully curated for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, GLUTEN FREE GARAGE places quality and taste at the forefront, allowing it to be experienced by all food lovers as the perfect, most delicious way to celebrate Celiac Awareness Month.

 

HERE’S A TASTE OF WHAT TO EXPECT AT #GFG17!

 

60+ VENDORS

More than 60 handpicked vendors (mostly local and artisanal) will offer attendees a wide variety of gluten-free options appealing to different tastes. Indulge in freshly baked goods—such as bagels, scones and baguettes—that you never thought could taste so good. Enjoy savoury made-to-order foods—like falafel (pictured here from My Little Chickpea), tacos and dumplings—for lunch. Sample and purchase sweet and savoury snacks, sauces, soups, pizza, pasta, gelato and even skincare! Not just for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, GLUTEN FREE GARAGE offers something for everyone on the gluten-free spectrum—meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike. Come hungry for a delicious day of one-stop shopping and taste for yourself how gluten free has come a long way, baby!

 

FOOD TRUCKS

Take advantage of the opportunity to eat al fresco from a food truck on the Wychwood Barns grounds. Participating trucks include 50 Pesos and Bar Ape.

 

LIBATIONS IN THE COURTYARD

Those who are 19+ can partake in Libations in the Courtyard, featuring tastings from various beer, cider and vodka brands. There is still space at the bar for additional beer and cider brands. Send a note to info@glutenfreegarage.ca for information on how your brand can participate.

 

SAMPLING

Not all brands are able to exhibit at GLUTEN FREE GARAGE, so there’s an opportunity to offer festival-goers the chance to discover and try new products through sampling. Ask about how your brand can get involved.

 

SPEAKERS

Take a break from eating and tune into a talk or live demonstration in The Stop. Past speakers include holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy, Bunner’s Bakeshop cofounder Ashley Witting, gluten-free expert Kathy Smart, and celiac advocate Jordan Middlebrook, aka King Gluten Free. This year’s speakers will be announced soon.

 

SHOW SPONSORS

The success of GLUTEN FREE GARAGE is made possible with the continued support of our sponsors. This year we welcome back Italpasta, Neal Brothers and Fiesta Farms and are excited to have Ste. Anne’s Bakery on board! Thanks also to the Gluten-Free Certification Program for their ongoing support!