Celiac Support Network

Archive for October, 2009

This has been valid since 2007 in Michigan, but many other states have also followed suit.  I thought it might be a good reminder to everyone to spread the word.  Sharing the month with Breast Cancer Awareness, Celiac kind of gets left in the background, but you can help spread the word!

Here is the original legislation, as written on the official Michigan Government website:

Whereas, Celiac Disease, also known as Celiac Sprue, is an inherited auto-immune disorder that affects as many as one in every 130 Americans, or approximately 67,000 Michiganians, of which only 13,000 are currently diagnosed; and,

Whereas, Celiac Disease, a reaction to the ingestion of protein fractions found in wheat, barley, rye, oats and their derivatives, damages the lining of the small intestine preventing the proper absorption of nutrients into the body; and,

Whereas, Some of the symptoms of Celiac Disease include chronic ill health, infertility, fatigue, anemia, gastrointestinal distress, other auto-immune diseases, increased risk of malignancy, and osteoporosis; and,

Whereas, The disease was first described in the second century as wasting disease, and the factors of it were not described in medical records until the 20^th century; and,

Whereas, In the past, Celiac Disease was a diagnostic puzzle as it covers a wide spectrum of physical, neurological, and immunological conditions that mimic many other diseases, but it can now be easily diagnosed with a blood test; and,

Whereas, The Celiac Sprue Association/USA and its more than 100 affiliate support groups have made tremendous strides in reducing health care costs and patient suffering by raising public awareness and striving for early diagnosis; and now therefore be it

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim October 2007 as Celiac Disease Awareness Month.

I’ve been involved with the online business networking group, Mom Masterminds for some time.  One of the things that they do is teach others successful business practices in using blogging as a tool to increase website traffic.  In some cases, this is done using interns on already established websites.  How does this relate to Celiac and eating gluten free?  I’m glad you asked!

One of the websites that is involved in this process is Family Foodies and the intern on this project, Brenda Wilkey, will be blogging about gluten-free living for the next several weeks!  She’s already posted some great items that you should check out!  Here are a few recent links:

• The Gluten Free Spice of Life
• Gluten Free Shopping: Get to know your Grocer
• Fantastically Delicious Food Link Love
• Autism and Food: Lack of Food Variety, Risks for Poor Nutrition
• Shopping Gluten Free for the First Time
• Gluten Free Apple Recipe Link Love
• Getting Started with a Gluten Free Kitchen
• Autistic Kids and Food: No Link Between Autism and Food, Come on!
• Autistic Kids and Food: A Link to Food Intolerance
• Autistic Kids and Food: Does Food Affect Kids, Really?

Great job, Brenda!  Keep up the fantastic work!