The luck o’ the Celiac Irish

"Shamrock Stiletto", watercolor & ink, 5x7, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

Almost 2 years into living totally gluten-free I consider myself very lucky...

Lucky to have found the source of all that ailed me.

Lucky to have rid myself of all the gluten long enough to see real healing.

Lucky to have a husband who supported me through the good, the bad, the ugly, and most especially the really ugly - withdrawal.

Lucky to have a kitchen that is virtually gluten-free.

Lucky to have a daughter, not yet 4, who looks out for me and has a grasp of cross-contamination.

Lucky for an amazing GF community on twitter.

Lucky for all the understanding and respect from family and friends.

Lucky to be able to return to my art.

Lucky that the daily pain and headaches are gone.

Lucky that I now am comfortable baking - and appreciative of all who share gf recipes.

Lucky that the gluten-free product choices continue to grow.

Lucky that there are chefs and restaurants that are rising to the challenge of serving tasty and safe gluten-free meals so I can dine out occasionally.

Lucky that I can sit down to a gluten-free St. Patrick’s Day meal tonight! Complete with hard cider.

Lucky that the power of healing is in my hands and with every meal I eat I get healthier.

 

May the GF products rise to meet you. 
May the gluten consumption forever be behind you.
May the sun – and all its glorious Vitamin D – be warm upon your face.
And, may the GF grains fall softly on your baking.

Happy St Patrick’s Day to all!

Deceptive food labeling - finding the gluten

"Rapunzel", watercolor & ink, 8x10, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

I tried a snack today that boldly proclaims its gluten-free status on the front and back of the package. It also listed 100% vegan, wheat free, dairy free and peanut free. Great! Something new to try that should be safe.

On further inspection, below the ingredients was the following statement: "may contain trace amounts of allergens not listed in the ingredients." Ah, the infamous 'should.'

Now what does that really mean? Which allergens? It may be safe, but it may not be safe, but they are absolved from any mis-labeling?

So they get to go with the labeling 'trends' but make no guarantee. A trace of peanuts or dairy won't bother me but could put someone else in the hospital. On the other hand a trace of gluten will cause me a great deal of problems. Tremendous problems.

To me this is food labeling at its worst. Just to sell their damn snacks they don't care who they make ill? Who's their market anyway? Certainly not anyone who can not eat those allergens. And why can't they say which allergens it may contain? Don't they know? Or do they know any given batch may contain traces of any or all and they just don't care?

Don't play games with me. I have worked damn hard to get all the gluten out of my world - and to get healthy again. Food labeling should be straight forward. People's health and lives are at stake. Whether or not I get a gluten reaction today I won't be buying this product line again on principal.

Participating in GF Research

Forest Hills Archway, watercolor 8x10, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

A Kent State professor whose son was recently diagnosed with Celiac is studying how the gluten-free community interacts. He contacted me with the questions below. I offered to share the list of questions here and pass the word, so he can gather a maximum amount of information - and to highlight the power of the online celiac community.

Would you help participate by answering the questions below?

Please send your repsonses to mmckenne@kent.edu

1. Group name:

2. Web site:


3. Year started:


4. How it started:

5. Where do you usually find out medical news about Celiac?

6. Where do you usually find out about g-free foods or restaurants?


7. What role traditional media outlets (newspapers, radio, TV, including their online homes) play for Celiacs?


8. How would you describe the role of social and online networks to the Celiac community – be it in person, e-mail groups or other online connecting points?

9. Can you give an example of how finding useful information on this topic has changed over the years?

Send your repsonses to mmckenne@kent.edu

Thanks for your participation!!

Snow White

"Snow White chooses an Orange!", watercolor & ink, 8x10, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

In my story Snow White says, “No thanks. I’d rather have an orange!”  She remains strong, healthy, and in charge of her own destiny!

What if we all stayed away from food that robbed our health? That poisoned us?  That slowed us down?  That was filled empty or useless calories? And allowed ourselves to heal and grow strong, healthy and in charge! 

Two things I hope my pre-school daughter learns from me…

See the beauty that you are so that you don’t fall prey to others dictating beauty. And beware the lure of harmful food.

Food and Fairy Tales

Sneak peek of "Snow White" 8x10. watercolor & ink, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

My daughter, a few months shy of four, loves fairy tales. Fairy tales, fables, myths – you name it.  Books, stories, videos, movies, toys. The fantasies and characters seem to swirl and dance through our home, ever present.  They peek and lurk around books, by the princesses found at every turn, and near the dragons, knights, castles, unicorns,  and - more princesses, that dictate our decor.

I was inspired to illustrate her as the princesses and heroines of her favorite stories so that the big "D" wouldn't be her sole source of how a princess can look.

Inspired and driven.

And as I started to create them, some with my own twist of knowing, and a pinch of my daughter’s wit and imagination, it occurred to me how many of the stories have food as an integral factor… Food that is the distraction, the downfall, the carrier of poison, or the evil lure.

Ah, and so my circle back to celiac and gluten.

To be continued…

Lunchtime

"Italian Garden', watercolor & ink on paper, 5x7, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

Lunchtime does not normally move me to tears. Just a meal in the middle of the day, right?  Not usually an emotional experience.  

But recently I met my husband for lunch at a pizza place that I learned about on twitter.  I had seen tweets about gluten-free pizza by the slice (!), over 60 varieties of cookies and dozens of fresh baked GF cakes. On 23rd street!  Just blocks from my office.  Sounded too good to be true.

It wasn't. The pizza was outstanding, the owner and staff were all very friendly - and all those GF cookies and cakes were there... An entire wall of them!

I sat and ate my slice of spinach, mushroom and fresh garlic pizza with tears in my eyes. Moved by the fact that there are chefs and business owners who want to get GF right - driven to perfect their recipes and not just settle for good enough.

I am very sensitive to any gluten, and cross contamination is a real fear of mine. I ate at Mozzarelli's safely, happily and with tears in my eyes. My fellow celiacs know what I mean.

Gluten Free Holiday

"Welcome to Gluten-Free Pineapple" watercolor and ink, copyright Erin Rogers Pickering

Gluten-Free Living Magazine put together a Gluten-Free Holiday Gift Guide on their blog from foods, to cooking and baking tools, to clothes & aprons, even a special section for the GF man in your life... and I was thrilled and honored that my GF Illustrator aprons made the list!

So if you are looking for gifts for your gluten-free family and friends to show you care, and support them in their quest for optimal health, it is worth checking out.  

Happy Gluten-free Holidays!