Gluten Free Winston-Salem: New GFWS Blogger

Monday, June 1, 2009

New GFWS Blogger

Thank you, Zach, for allowing me to stand in as the Gluten Free Winston-Salem blogger.

I am native to the Winston-Salem area; I lived there from 1983 until 2001, when I graduated from high school. Although I've been living in the Raleigh area for the last 8 years (give or take), I frequent Winston-Salem often to visit with my family, which means - of course - dining out (or in as the case sometimes is), and that can be downright terrifying for someone like you and me with food allergies.

Even though I have not been officially diagnosed with Celiac, I have been gluten free for about 2 years and it has completely changed my life. On average it can take 8 years to get diagnosed for Celiac, and I just didn't want to see any more doctors, I didn't want to have any more tests, I didn't want to be told that I might have this disease or that syndrome; I just wanted to live a healthy life without debilitating ailments.

My goal for the GF Winston Salem blog is to raise awareness about Celiac and gluten intolerance, to share my experience on how being GF has changed my life and how it can change others, and to review what GF resources are available in Winston Salem for those who live there or who visit there. I might even share a few recipes and healthy lifestyle tips.

I am a food and fitness enthusiast, an ACSM certified Personal Trainer, a Certified Public Accountant, and a gluten free girl.

Tell me, followers, who are you? With all the blogs out there, I'd love to hear feedback on what information is valuable to you. If you live in the Winston-Salem area and are interested in blogging, please contact the owner of the Gluten Free NC blogs.

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Celiac Disease by the Numbers

1 out of every 133 Americans (about 3 million people) has CD.
97% of Americans estimated to have CD are not diagnosed.
CD has over 300 known symptoms although some people experience none.
Age of diagnosis is key: If you are diagnosed between age 2-4, your chance of getting an additional autoimmune disorder is 10.5%. Over the age of 20, that rockets up to 34%.
30% of the US population is estimated to have the genes necessary for CD.
2.5 babies are born every minute in the USA with the genetic makeup to have CD.
There are 15 states in the US with populations less than the total number of Celiacs in the US.
CD affects more people in the US than Crohn’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease combined.
500,000 new Celiac diagnoses are expected to occur in the US by 2012 -- thanks to efforts to raise public awareness of the disease.
People with CD dine out 80% less than they used to before diagnosis and believe less than 10% of eating establishments have a 'very good' or 'good' understanding of GF diets.
It takes an average of 11 years for patients to be properly diagnosed with CD even though a simple blood test exists.
The average cost of misdiagnosis is $5,000 - $12,000 per person per year. Improving the time to diagnosis could save the health care system millions of dollars annually in unnecessary medical care.
A recent study by Packaged Facts projects that the sales of GF food will reach $2.63 Billion by 2012.
GF foods are, on average, 242% more expensive then their non-GF counterparts.
The smallest amount of gluten which has been shown by a biopsy to cause damage to a Celiac is 0.1 gram per day - or 1/48th of a slice of bread.
The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act became law in 2006 allowing for easier reading of food labels for those with CD. What took so long?
12% of people in the US who have Down Syndrome also have CD.
6% of people in the US who have Type 1 Diabetes also have CD.
Among people who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with celiac, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.
There are currently 0 drugs available to treat CD.