Gluten Free Cary: March 2011

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Tribeca Tavern

I recently tried to be festive with a friend and visited Tribeca Tavern in Cary. They were serving green beer and corned beef for the St. Patrick's Day holiday. The place was packed and had a 45 minute wait as the weather was warm and sunny and they offered outdoor seating. I tried to be a trooper and not subject my friend to the same dining establishments, yet again, that offered a separate gluten-free menu. I thought to myself ahead of time, "I can handle this. I can successfully manage to order a gluten-free meal from the menu, enjoy it, and not get sick." Well, my experience did not match my original thoughts. Our waiter had no idea that gluten-free beers existed and told me that past diners had just ordered hamburgers without a bun. If I had just been recently diagnosed, then I might have made the same mistake. But, I have been on the gluten-free diet for over four years now, so I knew better. I asked the waiter if he would check with the chef about the specific ingredients in the menu items - I thought I would tackle the issue of cross-contamination and the grill separately. He assured me that there was no gluten in the chicken salad served on lettuce. I hesitantly opted for that option and proceeded to get sick. I sincerely hope that the restaurant will reach out to someone in the gluten-free community for advice on how to properly service our needs. We represent a rapidly expanding market that is very profitable for those who address our needs carefully.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Cary Whole Foods Market Gluten Free Festival - March 19th & 20th

Cary Whole Foods Market will host a Gluten Free Festival - March 19 & 20^th

Where: Cary, NC Whole Foods Market

102 B New Waverly Place

Cary, NC 27511

When: Saturday, March 19^th – Tastings, 11:00am - 3:00pm

Grocery Isle Tours, 12pm & 1:30pm

Sunday, March 20th – Tastings, 12:00pm – 4:00pm

Grocery Isle Tours, 1pm & 2:30pm

Details: There will be product sampling from several gluten free vendors including the WFM Gluten Free Bakehouse. Lee Tobin from our GF Bakehouse will lead GF grocery isle tours. We will discuss strategies for adapting to the GF diet as we walk the store isles highlighting a variety of GF options. Please register for these 1 hour tours at the customer service desk, or call 919-816-8830

Please let me know if you have any questions. Sorry for the short notice on the Cary event. We just finalized the schedule this week.

Thanks,

Lee Tobin

Team Leader

Whole Foods Market Gluten Free Bakehouse

2800 Perimeter Park Dr Suite C Morrisville, NC 27560

919-467-1602

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/gluten-free-bakehouse.php

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.
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 US Department of Agriculture projects that the GF industries revenues will reach $1.7 Billion by 2010.
GF foods are, on average, 242% more expensive then their non-GF counterparts.
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.