As some people are starting to follow my blog, I wanted to share some links that I find incredibly helpful......
Celiac Support Association- This is the main nationwide celiac support group. From under the "Get Involved" tab you can find out how to become a member as well as find a local chapter. I am personally a member, and you get quite a bit of information from them. They send out quarterly magazines.
Beyond Celiac- This is another nationwide group who trains restaurants on gluten free standards and provides monthly webinars from their site. Usually if your register for the webinar, your name is included for a prize drawing as well. They also do training for all sorts of fields- dietitians, pharmacists, food service, nurses, and many more.
There are other awareness organizations as well, such as the Celiac Disease Foundation and the as well as the Gluten Intolerance Group.
University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center- This center in Chicago has the most up to date research, plus they send care packages to newly diagnosed Celiacs whose cases have been confirmed by biopsy. They do a free testing every year for those who want to be tested and either do not have the funds or their doctors will not do it for them. They send up up to date research from their Facebook page, so make sure to follow them on Facebook as well.
Find Me Gluten Free- The website and phone app is a lifesaver when you are traveling. On their website, you can plug in the zipcode of a city that you are visiting and see s display of gluten free restaurants, bakeries, and stores in the area. When you are on your cell phone, the app uses your GPS location to show locations nearest you, and on an Android phone, connects to Google Maps to give you step by step directions to reach your destination. I have used it to find some of the most amazing GF bakeries.
Lansing Gluten Free Fair- This is an annual event in Lansing that take place in October. I actually helped to organize it in 2012 and it was a huge success. All of the "likes" to our companies who participated are still available, as well as other support groups and other people and groups who provided advertising for us. We will be looking to hold our event October 26th again in 2013, at the Ramada Inn.
Facebook can be a treasure trove of connections and information. Many gluten free companies have Facebook pages that post company information, recipes, and contests for free giveaways. I love Udi's and Glutino's products, and like many other companies, like Chebe, Living Without, Bob's Red Mill, and Rumi's Passion.
Also, there are a plethora of gluten free blogs out there, some that focus on awareness, some on product reviews, and some just on recipes. Some of my favorites are Gluten Free Girl, Celiac and the Beast, and Gluten Free Frenzy.
To make a long story short, you are NOT ALONE on this journey! We are all here to help. To quote the CSA motto, we are "Celiacs Helping Celiacs." If you have been helped in some way by someone, please pass on the awareness.
Labels: Living Gluten Free