March NCA News

NCA NEWS

Monthly e-newsletter serving the celiac and gluten-free community

Greetings! Medical Myths and Milestones will take place on Saturday April 1st from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration is open and there are only a few more days to take advantage of Early Bird pricing! Hope to see you there!

Yours in health,
Lee Graham, Executive Director

Medical Myths & Milestones

This full day event will be held on Saturday April 1st at Four Points by Sheraton in Norwood, MA. It will include gluten-free breakfast and lunch. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from these leading experts:

Alessio Fasano, MD: The Spectrum of Gluten-Related Disorders
Kate Scarlata, RDN: GF Alphabet Soup: IBS, FODMAPs, SIBO
Dan Leffler, MD: Focus on Future Research and Treatment
Sara Ahmed, DMD: Celiac Disease and Dentistry
Debbie Mitchell, MD: Endocrinology Matters in Celiac Disease
Keynote by patient advocate Tami Goldsmith
Wendie Trubow, MD: Food and Mood: Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes
Dascha Weir, MD: The Kids Speak
Chef Oonagh: Cooking Demo
Panel discussions with Ciaran Kelly, MD, Rupa Mukherjee, MD & Melinda Dennis, MS, RDN and Jocelyn Silvester, MD, PhD & Alan Leichtner, MD

Click here to see the agenda.

Sponsors & Vendors

Visit with these vendors at Medical Myths & Milestones on April 1:
Thanks to our Sponsor!

Monthly Group Meetings

membership-neco Group meetings provide the opportunity to talk about managing celiac disease and living gluten-free. There are no set agendas, pre-registration is not required and there is no charge to attend. Just drop in!

Visit our Monthly Group Meeting event page for the full schedule and location of each meeting. Contact the group leader if you have questions about any of the group meetings. Here is the schedule for the upcoming meetings:

Attleboro, MA: March 14, 7pm
Braintree, MA: March 28, 7pm
East Greenwich, RI: March 21, 7pm
Fall River, MA: March 8, 7pm
Glastonbury, CT: April 5, 7pm
Natick, MA: March 15, 10am
*Special dinner! Westborough, MA: March 9, 6:30pm
NEW! West Springfield, MA: March 7, 6pm

* The Westborough Monthly Group is meeting at the Westborough Ted’s Montana Grille on March 9, 2017. The address for Ted’s Montana Grill is: 400 Union Street, Westborough, MA. The meeting will start at 6:30PM. Interested in joining? Please RSVP to Mary at 215-859-8637 or by email.

The Boston area meeting is on hold. Should you have any questions or wish to meet with a group leader, please contact Lauren or Charlotte.

Other Upcoming Events

Don’t miss Celiac Disease: Medical Myths & Milestones on April 1!

The NCA Advisory Board will meet on April 24, May 22 and June 19 at 7:30pm. Contact Lee if you would like to attend or would like more information about what happens during these insightful and spirited evening meetings.

Chef Shilpi, of EZ Compliments, is running many gluten-free Indian cooking classes. Mention that you are a NCA member to get a $10 discount on registration.

The next Gluten-Free North End Market Tour will take place on Saturday March 11.

The Celiac Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia has a one-day, state of the art multidisciplinary education program on Sunday March 26 from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. Registration is required and limited.

Register through Newton Community Ed for Gluten-Free Baking Easy as Pie, taught by Sharon Wanunu. Easy as Pie will meet on Wednesday March 8 from 10 am to 1 pm.

Chef Oonagh is teaching a 6 hour class, demystifying gluten-free baking at Southern Maine Community College in Portland, ME on Monday March 27 from 9 am to 3 pm. Overnight accommodations are available on campus at the Sea Point Inn. The day will start with gluten-free pastries and participants will make gluten- free pizza to go with soup and salad for lunch. The event will include lectures, demonstrations and hands on activities.

Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free in the News

This CNN story questions, Gluten-free diets: where do we stand? and provides a history of celiac disease.
Fierce Biotech reports that ImmusanT’s celiac disease immunotherapy passes first clinical test.
Learn about Ciarán Kelly, MD, here. Dr. Kelly is leading one of the panel discussions at the Symposium on April 1st.
Gluten-Free Watchdog explains the troubling gluten testing data released by Nima.
MassGeneral Hospital for Children’s CDGEMM study continues to enroll infants.
Here is the story about how Cornell University secretly launched a gluten-free and nut-free dining hall.
This article states that advanced automation means more trust in gluten-free products.
This study confirms that gluten-removed beer may be unsafe for people with celiac disease.
This article reports on a study conducted by the University of Illinois that questioned is Toxic metal at higher concentrations in gluten-free food?
This Science Daily article reports new research shows gluten contributes to the development of a very rare, but deadly, blood cancer in a small group of celiac patients.
Read about actress Jennifer Esposito on Living and Thriving with Celiac Disease

Globe GRANT

Are you a Boston Globe subscriber? If so, watch your email or your mailbox for information from the Globe about GRANT (Globe Readers and Non-Profits Together), a program offering Globe subscribers the opportunity to show their support for a non-profit organization at no cost. Please consider designating National Celiac Association as your preferred 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Click here to redeem your voucher. Thank you for supporting National Celiac Association!

Webinars and Podcasts

Listen to Dr. Alessio Fasano on the Theresa Nicassio radio show from February 27th.

The Celiac Project has some new podcasts covering a variety of relevant topics including positive blood screens and adult beverage reviews.

Product Warnings

Haribo gummy bears now state that the glucose syrup and dextrose may be derived from wheat. Haribo states “our allergen testing on Gold-Bears has indicated that levels of wheat are below the minimum threshold that the lab test method can reliably identify. However, out of an abundance of caution, we cannot guarantee that our Gold-Bears candies are either gluten-free or wheat-free.”

Chef Myron soy sauces are labeled gluten-free but contain wheat-based soy sauce. The product label and the Chef Myron website state that the wheat protein is broken down into amino acids during fermentation. Read the FDA statement about this and Gluten-Free Watchdog’s take on it here. Many of these products are produced and labeled under other names as well. We advise that you always read labels and make informed decisions about your health.

Dining Out Notes

A member recommends the Cabin Restaurant in Middleboro, MA. John, the owner, has celiac disease, and there is an extensive GF menu including a dedicated fryer.

Check this article from Gluten-Free Living for some tips on dining out.

Have you had a positive dining out experience that you’d like to share with others? If so, let us know.

Product Finds

A member recommends quinoa meals by Cucina & Amore. They are available in several flavors including artichoke and roasted peppers, basil pesto and mango jalapeno. Cucina & Amore quinoa meals will be available at the Symposium; come and try them yourself!

A member enjoys Katz GF English Muffins and stated that they are the first GF English Muffin she’s had with real “nooks and crannies.” They are available in plain or cinnamon raisin flavor.

Schar has some new products, including Butter Cookies and Ricotta and Chard Ravioli which can be found in the freezer section of stores that carry Schar products.

Several members recommend Yehuda gluten-free matzo. With Passover comes many great GF products; check your store shelves and let us know what you find!