Gluten Free Asheville: September 2009

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Gluten Free Cooking Class - Asheville Earth Fare

GLUTEN FREE MEALS COOKING CLASS @ EARTH FARE- Live Well, Eat Well

10/05/09 ~ 6:30 PM

Have you ever thought about following a gluten free diet, but are not sure where to start? Join Certified Health Counselors, Wendy Tran and Penina Bareket to learn how to make an easy but delicious gluten free meal. On the menu: pumpkin sweet-potato soup, meatless meatloaf, and cider roasted vegetables. Classes are approximately 90 minutes and include hearty samplings. Your first class is always FREE! Must register in advance as seating is limited.

Call Janice Husk, 210-0100. Earth Fare, 1856 Hendersonville Road.

Asheville Earth Fare Information
Web site
Hours and Contact Info: Monday- Saturday 8am-10pm Sunday 8am-9pm
Phone: (828) 210-0100
Email

Store Address:
1856 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Restaurant Review: Posana Cafe

We recently enjoyed the great pleasure that was an evening out at Asheville's brand new gluten-free restaurant Posana Cafe.

The summer evening atmosphere on the outdoor patio was ideal--even our gluten-free dog Waylon enjoyed it! The wait staff was utterly accommodating. And the food was simply amazing!

I dove into a bowl of the Penne Pasta, my boyfriend utterly enjoyed his Lump Crab Cakes and his father loved the Smoky Chipotle Spare Ribs so much he swore it was the best meal he's had in ages! Everything was wonderful, and the relief I felt not having to pick from narrowed choices based on what could be altered to accommodate my intolerance was pretty awesome.

Gluten-free or not, I highly recommend this new downtown eatery!

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.