Guest Kirsten Berman of Gluten Free Gal gives us tips on how to be safe while eating out. Ever wonder when dining out if you will eat safely and not get “glutened”? She explains what we all need to know BEFORE we go out of our safe kitchens to eat a special meal with our family and friends.
A litle about Kirsten:
After being diagnosed w/Celiac Disease at the end of 2010, I realized the need to bring an understanding and education about gluten, Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity. I feel I needed to warn others like me about the ‘hidden wheat’ lurking in our favorite foods and unexpected places. There is a difference between being Celiac-Safe & GlutenFree, GlutenFree does not necessarily mean Celiac-Safe. My goal as an advocate is to shine the light on the cracks in the floor that Celiacs fall through daily.
Today I’m healthy, happy and here to pass on all the information I can about living Gluten free & being Celiac-Safe. There is ‘hidden wheat’ in more products than we realize and since being diagnosed, the battle is still an uphill one. I still get ‘glutened’ once in awhile by something that was suppose to be safe, as well as, going to restaurants and parties, which can always be a challenge. People ask me, how do you stay so thin? Well that’s because while everyone is eating whatever they like, I’m the one eating off the veggie tray in the corner No matter what people say, being gluten free for those who need to be is not just a fad or a fake thing, trust me, it’s real.
Many Companies and Restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon of GF, but with companies, the FDA can hold them responsible; not so much with restaurants, there is no one monitoring for safety. There is no regulation set up for kitchens (for front of the house or back) for education about cross contamination, how the effects of being ‘glutened’ can cause serious illness, knowledge of what gluten is, how GF food needs to be prepared separately or the ingredients that may contain it. Celiac and Gluten Sensitive still cannot eat in what is becoming a glutenfree world without the fear of getting sick… how is that for irony?! I am making it my goal to change that. If you are going to offer a GF product, then you need to be responsible if that product makes people sick.
Watch last week’s episode with Kevita co-founder: gfreeandhappy.com/kevita-co-founder-talks-probiotics-gfreehappy-ep-29/
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About the LIVE GFree and Happy Show:
GFree and Happy is all about connecting the gluten free community all over the world bringing you guests, news, products and lifestyle fun to a weekly Monday night live stream show and blogs.