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Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month

by Cascade Ice on November 14, 2011

November has been named Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Although there is quite a list of celebrities who practice a gluten-free diet (Zooey Deschanel, Ryan Phillippe and Emmy Rossum just to name a few), there are still some who don’t exactly know what going gluten-free is all about.

Gluten refers to the proteins that are found in wheat, grains, barley and rye. When a person who is gluten intolerant consumes gluten products, their small intestine becomes inflamed leading to a myriad of health problems.

Celiac disease, or gluten intolerance, affects 1 in every 133 Americans. However, it can take a long time for a doctor to diagnose celiac disease because its symptoms are so broad and often times are similar to irritable bowel syndrome.

Maintaining a gluten-free diet for those with celiac disease is essential. If a person with celiac disease continues to consume gluten the chance of gastrointestinal cancer increases by a factor of 40 to 100 times that of the normal population.

Finding somewhere to eat can be difficult if you suffer from gluten intolerance, but the NFCA has provided a list of restaurants who have participated in their GREAT Kitchen program that can safely prepare gluten-free meal options. Of course you can always grab a Cascade Ice, because all our flavors are gluten-free!

 


Is Gluten-Free Right for You?

by Cascade Ice on June 4, 2011

“Gluten-free” is a really popular phrase lately. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow claim to have cut gluten from their diets. So what’s the deal with gluten-free?

According to a recent article on CNN Health, nearly everyone falls somewhere on a spectrum of gluten intolerance. On one end of the spectrum is celiac disease, which is complete intolerance to gluten. The other end are those who have very small gluten sensitivities, but most people fall somewhere in between.

Has anyone cut gluten from their diet? Please share below!