It’s Gluten-Free Day!

I won’t advocate a gluten-free diet if you don’t need one. However, I do have a friend who has celiac disease and must eat gluten-free food or risk becoming very ill. She suffered with it for years, receiving misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis, until finally her adult daughter called and said, “Guess what? I have celiac disease–and I bet you do, too.”

Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, and it affects the lining of the small intestine. It can be hereditary, as is the case with my friend (her grandson has it, too). A strict gluten-free diet is the best treatment. I’m no medical expert, so if you want more information, I suggest doing some online research at reputable sites, like the Mayo Clinic.

Anyway, Madlyn, my friend, sticks to the aforementioned strict gluten-free diet. Every other week I play Scrabble with her and our friend Deb, and Deb and I always bring gluten-free snacks. We’ve developed a deep appreciation for such food. Some of it is downright delicious–I particularly like the Snickerdoodles. Madlyn sometimes bakes something for us, like ginger cookies (yum yum) or pumpkin pie.

Many supermarkets have a gluten-free section, so if you’re ever in the position of having to provide a snack for someone with celiac disease, there should be something available. One of the local grocery stores where I live has a particularly good selection, and I’ve been known to buy cookies there all for myself. For the record, I do not have celiac disease, nor do I adhere to a gluten-free diet. I just like the cookies!

If you don’t have celiac disease, celebrate your good health. If you have it, celebrate the fact that there are so many options out there for good tasting gluten-free food. Whatever you do, just celebrate today!

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