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Native Sun Employee
Publishes Gluten-Free Cookbook in Response to Son's
Celiac Disease
(Jacksonville, FL 3/24/04) At 8 years
old Ginny Nehring's son Brad had spent the better part
of his young life suffering from debilitating cramps,
bloating, pain and fatigue. For six years Ginny took
him to specialist after specialist, worried he might
have cancer or some other insidious terminal disease.
She was relieved when Brad was finally diagnosed with
Celiac disease (CD), a genetic autoimmune disorder set
off by gluten, which causes damage to the lining of
the small intestines.
Gluten, a protein found in grains such
as wheat, barley, oats and rye, is seemingly in everything
we eat. To people with CD even the smallest amount of
gluten can wreak havoc on the digestive system, causing
intestinal damage, pain, cramping, weakness, embarrassment,
fatigue, and malnutrition. Unfortunately, there is no
cure or medical treatment for the disease. A lifelong
adherence to a strict gluten-free diet is the only remedy.
Ginny soon discovered that maintaining
a gluten-free diet can prove just as frustrating as
the disease itself since it is difficult to identify
products containing gluten by simply reading their labels.
Even foods that would seem harmless such as seasonings,
marinades, natural and artificial flavorings and soy
sauce may contain gluten-derived ingredients that exacerbate
CD.
One of Ginny's first stops was to Native Sun Natural Foods Market. "Aaron and his wife Erica were a
tremendous resource in helping me read labels and identify
potential hidden sources of gluten," Ginny admitted.
Since Brad's diagnosis, Ginny has made thousands of
calls to manufacturers and compiled a comprehensive
list of products that she is confident are gluten-free.
"I would call on every item I bought and ask for letters
of assurance from the manufacturer. I still do," she
added.
Ginny began to find that gluten-free foods
often lacked the consistency and flavor Brad and the
rest of her family were used to. Family favorites like
breads, cakes, cookies and pasta were often flat, dry,
grainy and unappetizing. She was determined not to let
Brad miss out on his favorite foods so she began experimenting
with her own gluten-free recipes. She spent months cooking,
baking, testing and tweaking recipes. "My friends and
family know that they can't come into my house without
being a guinea pig for some new recipe I'm testing,"
said Ginny.
Ginny recently compiled her recipes into
a 48-page cookbook filled with delicious recipes for
gluten-free meals. "Brad's Basics: A Gluten Free Cookbook"
contains more than 50 recipes including pizza, sandwich
rolls, buttermilk waffles, peanut butter pie and chicken
tetrazzini. She also offers tips on ingredients, measurements,
appliances and cooking techniques to ensure her recipes
are easy to follow. "Brad's Basics: A Gluten Free Cookbook"
can be purchased for $10.95 at Native Sun Natural Foods Market
at 10,000 San Jose Boulevard, and on the store's website
www.nativesunjax.com.
Ginny now works at Native Sun Natural Foods Market, which has a large selection of clearly labeled
gluten-free foods. She spends much of her workday helping
gluten-intolerant customers, and even those just wanting
to begin a gluten-free diet, understand the many alternatives
now available.
"There are so many more options available
now than when Brad was first diagnosed, and labeling
is much better," said Ginny. "I have seen so many customers
come in feeling awful and extremely overwhelmed about
their diagnosis. It's nice to be able to share my own
personal experiences and let them know that they can
still enjoy food, live a normal life and feel so much
better. I hope this cookbook is one more way I can help
people adjust to their new diet."
According to "The Celiac Disease and
Gluten-free Diet Support Page," as many as one in 133
people in America have CD, but few are properly diagnosed
because the symptoms can manifest themselves in many
different ways and can often be mistaken for food allergies
or other more common digestive problems or illnesses.
Celiac Disease Foundation says CD may
appear at any time of life for a person with hereditary
pre-disposition to the disease. Many patients are asymptomatic
for years with the disease triggered for the first time
after surgery, viral infection, severe emotional stress,
or pregnancy and childbirth. In Brad's case, he showed
no symptoms until the age of two when he came down with
chicken pox.
Native Sun Natural Foods Market is a supermarket
specializing in all-natural and organic food, produce
and household products. Store hours are Monday through
Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information
call 260-6950.
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