Resources Page

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Resources and a network of local providers, meetups, conferences and food sources. General Information on Celiac Disease and related links are found at the bottom of the article (very long page, and yes it needs some reorganization). Information may be out of date.

Need some advice now that you're diagnosed with Celiac Disease or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity?  It can be hard to find my older articles that are of special help to those starting out, but I've collected them on This Page for your convenience. Click here for the updated images of Certified Gluten Free symbols (March 2020).

 

GIG WakeMed Celiac Support Group 

--   at WakeMed Cary Hospital, 1900 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary 27518  Many recent meetings have been online via Webex. Please get in touch with them for the next dates. Next meeting: Thursday, June 1, 2023,  7:00 PM, 1 hr long.

 

Safer Restaurants 

Photo by Matthew Henry
It is possible to certify Gluten Free food service. If you work in food service you might want to see this  this, and this. Proper food handling is possible, but I and many people with Celiac prefer a dedicated 100% gluten free restaurant.

I recommend that, for your health, you do not eat at restaurants that you don't know.  At least 30% of labeled gluten free restaurant items are contaminated with gluten.  More than half if you include pizza and pasta!  It's not worth the risk.
If you're stuck somewhere without a safe choice for a meal, head to the local supermarket, and buy some Boar's Head lunchmeat (all Boar's Head is gluten free), some gluten free bread, plus some gf condiments and make yourself a sandwich.  And Cedars and Hope brands of hummus are certified gluten free (look for the symbol).

Every restaurant should allow you to eat your own food if you have Celiac, or otherwise require allergen free food. It should be a relief for them to have you walk in with chips and dip instead of having to worry about serving you properly. 

 Safe for Celiac (as opposed to just having "GF Options"):

  • Bull City Ciderworks  (local friendly bar with games and big tables, cider is GF, the food truck nearby is not GF though)
  There have been an alarming number of closures of 100% gluten free restaurants.
  • Fresh Levant (100% GF, nice atmosphere, reservations for dinner) CLOSED! Hopefully, temporarily due to Covid-19.(September 2020)

Consider having some items shipped to you:

 Ener-G (100% GF) https://www.ener-g.com/

Third Coast Bakery (100% GF)  https://thirdcoastbakery.com/frequently-asked-questions/ Careful if you can't tolerate oats at all.

Odd Bagel (100% GF and Vegan) https://www.oddbagel.com/faq   Read their faq if corn bothers you.

*local* Simple Kneads 100% GF breads  https://www.simplekneads.com/shop/   Careful if psyllium bothers you.

*local* KALO Bakery (GF, but it's hard to verify it without emailing them with your concerns) https://kalofoods.com/shop/ols/products  Watch out for milk and egg in most of their products. 


Look for local brands at stores:

JP's Bakery (100% GF facility) https://www.jpspastry.com/  Ordering online seems complicated, but you can find them at local stores.

Imagine That (100% GF facility) https://durham.coop/vendors/imagine-that-gluten-free/  They don't seem to have a website, so look in stores for them.

Simple Kneads can be found at many local stores. 

 


Restaurants that are not 100% Gluten Free but they have some gluten free options:

 I just want to say that although many restaurants work hard at offering GF options and I appreciate it, you should be extra careful the first year after diagnosis, and perhaps skip these options until later.
  • Akashi (sushi bar, has ServSafe certification for hypoallergenic food service, specify GF when you order) I eat here occasionally, I stick with the classic rolls, and have never felt bad after.
  • Bella Monica has a great system for preventing Cross Contamination and is highly recommended by people I've met with Celiac.  
  • PF Changs is an American Chinese restaurant chain that has methods in place to prevent cross contamination. 
  • Zenfish  (Pokebar - a Hawaiian tradition based restaurant) I haven't eaten there yet.  I emailed with the owner and she had this to say:  
 "Thank you for reaching out. We have tons of gluten-free options at ZenFish. We use different utensils for every item on the line. All our sauces are gluten-free and made in house besides the eel sauce. We use tamari gluten-free soy sauce in our sauces and gluten-free miso. Our aioli's are made with mayonnaise. We do not use any wheat soy in production at Zenfish and our cutting boards are all segregated for purpose. The only protein that is not gluten-free is our krab meat (what's in California rolls). All our toppings are also gluten-free besides the crunchy toppings such as our fried shallots, wonton chips etc. Hope this helps!"
  •  Some food trucks claim gluten free, though some use a commissary (a rented community kitchen which is not a gluten free space), so be cautious and ask questions. 
    Other Restaurant lists or apps
    I may or may not have tried these locations.
    •  Traveling?  You might want to use a professional service such as Bob and Ruth's.
    • Consider the not-free Gluten Dude App https://glutendude.app/  which has 100% GF restaurants curated and double checked before being added.  

      Chef Services, Meal Prep Services, Catering

       In no particular order:

      Need a gluten free wedding cake?  Gluten Free Galley offers them.

      The Good Kitchen, cooked Meal delivery service
      https://www.thegoodkitchen.com/
      order online, they make the food and FedEx it to you
      100% gluten free and peanut free, organic and local sourcing of ingredients
      Not sure where they are located, but possibly Zebulon

      Fresh N Lean - cooked meal delivery service
      https://www.freshnlean.com/gluten-free-meal-delivery/
      Their facility isn't GF, you may need to ask more questions about allergies too.  They have many options other than GF, so if you have a mixed household this may be a good choice.

      Green Chef Cooked Meal Delivery service (GFCO gluten free food service certified)
      Green Chef - Gluten Free Choices 

      Priscilla Cooks, personal chef service
      http://www.priscillacooks.com/work-with-me/sample-meals/

      Cozinha, Personal Chef Service
      http://www.mycozinha.net/index.html       
      She does Celiac Coaching and helps you get started if you're recently diagnosed too.

      Triangle Gluten Free LLC,  Catering

      *dedicated gluten free kitchen*    Chef has pivoted to journalism during pandemic.
      P.O. Box to 504,  Butner NC 27509(919) 225-9582
      Bakery
        
      Specialty Markets
      Note:  You might like to look at my advice on how to shop for someone who is gluten free, particularly if you're shopping for someone else (caregivers, etc).  There is a video from Beyond Celiac on this subject here.  And a food list here.
         Supermarkets  and Specialty Supermarkets
        • Food Lion - has a GF section, selection and knowledgeable staff
        • Aldi - an alternative supermarket that has its own line of GF products 
        • Lowes  -  has GF section, with an online GF product list
        • Kroger - seems very focused on the subject, I hope they will post a GF products list
        • Trader Joe's  - food list available, possibly the best place to find micro brew GF cider or beer
        • Whole Foods  -  be very careful to check labels for "made in a facility that also processes wheat", surprisingly I've been fooled more often by products at WF than elsewhere
        • Ingles - Western NC, but there are some in central and western NC if you're traveling.  Ingles has an excellent track record of trust with gluten free North Carolinians due to excellent customer service. 
        • A Walmart GF Food Guide can be found here.  

        Drug stores that care

         These are my experiences with local drug stores.  Your experience may vary.
        • Target, their store brand for pharmaceuticals is Up and Up.  It often has clearly labeled Gluten Free OTC drugs. 
        • More gluten free labeled OTC drugs can be found at CVS.  
        • Note that Walgreens has refused to check prescription drugs for gluten free status for me.  I don't know what their current policy is, but I've stopped going there. 
        • Compounding pharmacies offer many more options than chain stores.  
        • If you find a remnant of Rite Aid someplace, they also used to check carefully for gluten free. 
        • The rule of thumb is, usually a liquid filled gelcap is gluten free, EXCEPT for name brand Advil, in which case the liquid filled gelcap has gluten and the coated tablets don't have gluten. Liquid gelcaps are often 6-10x the price of ordinary tablets.  So use the pharmacies that care, and find cheaper alternatives which are labeled GF.
         Local supermarkets (general)
        These don't seem to have have any online gluten free resources, but they may have GF products.
        • Harris Teeter - since they have been associated with Kroger, you can find the Store Brand, Simple Truth, from Kroger in some HT stores as well.
        • Charlie C's IGA
        • Earthfare - although they have many products, they are tricky because many have a "facility that processes wheat" disclaimer or are from countries that do not have GF laws (be careful of Ramen noodles). Closed!
        Not local, Online Specialty Stores for Nutritious Eating

        •  Looking for safer spices?  Spicely has the highest quality organic and certified GF spices I've found so far.  Badia brand is good too, often certified GF, but I can't seem to get clear communication from them when I ask questions, so I'm not sure what to think.
        •  24 Mantra - Organic and often Gluten Free items directly from India, specialty shop on Amazon.  Look for the green Gluten Free label and double check that the item says "Produced in a gluten free facility" before buying.  They have both a gluten and gluten free facility for processing.  Especially if you love Indian food or if you are vegetarian, I recommend them.
        • Natural Import Company - Traditional Japanese foods, and macrobiotic supplies(seaweed, shiitake mushrooms that were really grown on wood, not sawdust with possible grains in it)
        •  EnerG Foods - one of the oldest and most respected suppliers of gluten and allergen free baked goods, Tapioca Loaf, Croutons, Certified GF products. Has Xanthan free Tapioca Loaf.
        • Starwest Botanicals - wildcrafted and organic bulk herbs and spices, herbal teas, turmeric, ginger, chamomile... 
        • Cultures for Health is the best place to find yogurt, kefir and cheese making cultures online.  Some of their products can be found on Amazon, but you might want to research their "how to" documents before you try them.
        • Food bars can really help when you're out somewhere and at a loss for a safe place to eat.  GF food bars B-corp is an option.  Their food bars are roughly $2 per bar, I'd even call them affordable. Not all are B-corps, but other ones I like are Shanti Bar, WildZora, GoMacro and ThinkThin (contains milk).  
        • Mushroom Tea can be very helpful for a rundown system, however, ensure that the source is not using barley leftovers from beer making to grow their mushrooms, or other gluten grains. Since reishi grows so well on wood it's not quite as risky, but still, double check. 

        Kitchen Tools and Clever Gadgets
        • Toaster Bags - these are usually made of fiberglass and can be used to protect your bread from gluteny or suspicious toasters, great for traveling, and for restaurants. 
        •   Purity Protocol Oats are truly gluten free.  Most people with Celiac aren't made ill by oats, just the contaminated oats, but be warned, some people with Celiac do react to oats regardless of contamination. 
        • Self testing for gluten in urine or stool:  Gluten Detect  Can detect if you've been exposed to wheat only.  
        • Food testing electronics:  https://www.ezgluten.com/     and  https://nimasensor.com/    these two are well known but there may be others. Warning: Don't use Nima as your only source of information, use multiple sources to decide whether a restaurant (or food) safe for you.  
        • Vitamix - high power professional blenders that can be used also as a wet grinder for traditional Indian cooking, can make hummus, smoothies and more.

          Medical Practitioners and Resources

           "If practitioners believe that a disease is rare they are less likely to test for it"  -  from a 2003 newspaper article about Celiac.  Right on.
          • What if you can't afford the gluten free diet?  What if it doesn't work?  Did you know that 1/4 of Celiac patients aren't adequately protected from the effects of Celiac by the GFD alone? Research into better treatment for Celiac is ongoing, here are some of the future therapies being considered. 
          • Want to be Tested? Requestatest is local and has Celiac testing.  They are a direct to consumer testing company and can open the door to conversations with your doctor even if you don't have insurance, or if you prefer not to wait until a doctor orders the test.  
          • Any Test Now - In Durham, mainly allergy, but very comprehensive, plus they offer B12 shots! 
          • Enterolab stool tests for gluten antibodies.This is not a new idea, I have found ads for it in newspapers as long as 15 years ago.
          • Health Check - MN based, offers very complete Celiac panel, but Allergy tests are comparatively expensive. Affordable monitoring of Thyroid, vitamin D and other Gluten-associated conditions. 
          • Need to "do your research" on an obscure subject?  Besides PubMed, there is Google Scholar, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, TOXNET and more. Many universities have lists of these databases, you can find one here:  https://researchguides.uic.edu/publichealth  You'll have to search for them separately on google, because UIC requires that you log in.  But the list is helpful for knowing where to look. Each is tricky to use, but you'll get the hang of it. 
          • The only symptoms for people with 'silent Celiac' may be  fatigue and vitamin deficiency.  Which means that if they're glutened, the disease will continue with no warning. Men have a higher rate of silent Celiac than women.
          • Also in Charlotte, ME/CFS and Fibro health center (functional medicicine), Hunter-Hopkins Center.  Functional medicine doctors are normal MD's but they do not accept insurance because that would limit their options for using medical tools in complex health cases.  
          • Prime IV Center in Brier Creek (near intersection of Rt. 70 and Rt. 540). Offers OTC vitamins via IV treatment. This place has a real RN, and has hired other phlebotomists to meet demand in the area. If you prefer to discuss your health with an MD, ask for PrimeMD's "Dr. Joe".
          • Do you seem to react to every food?  Do you also react to pollen?  Pollen on food may cross react with harmless food proteins producing multiple food allergies.  The fix seems to be to cook all your food.   If this is a problem for you, you might want to look into Macrobiotic cooking which doesn't serve any food raw and focuses on nutrition.
          • It seems that Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is linked to Neuropathy.  Idiopathic neuropathy is a common diagnosis for the elderly, and occasionally in other age groups.  If you have unexplained neuropathy, you might want to find the study this article is based on and discuss it with your doctor.
          • Do you have Type 1 Diabetes also?  Type 1 and Celiac Disease are linked.  People respond in different ways to that diagnosis, so if your mainstream treatment isn't working, you might want to read this moving story of a young woman who switched to a keto diet because conventional advice wasn't helping her.
          • Organic is important for recovery in deficiency diseases because well grown food has been shown to have higher antioxidants and nutrients.  The mineral content of our food has dangerously plummeted. 
            • Want to grow a garden with open pollinated (not hybrid) heirloom seeds but wondering if it's possible?  Rocky Mountain Seeds has a seed saving school and will work with hobbyists, and farmers who want to get out of restrictive seed contracts. You can also learn more from Seed Savers Exchange.
          • Want to meet a functional medicine doctor?  A Functional MD is one who has a medical degree just like any other doctor, but they do not take Insurance, which frees them from the restrictions imposed by the Insurance industry.  Here's an interview that really gets to the heart of the matter.  Not all Functional MD's have this particular viewpoint, but here's one example of where medicine could be, if we freed the doctors to be doctors again.   
          • Don't let anyone gaslight you saying there's no such thing as "detox" or "toxins."  Chemical companies routinely downplay risks and even when they outright hide risks from regulators they don't face any punishment. Of all the false messages about health, the "you have your liver for detox" statement is the most insidious. Everyone wants to believe it, so they do. 
            • This particular chemical PFAS/PFOA, is still found on:" Some examples of end-use applications include pet-food bags and boxes, fast food packaging, pizza boxes, candy wrappers, carbonless paper, packaging for fatty foods in general, molded board for paper plates, etc., carpet, upholstery and other textiles applications and leather goods."  And that's only one chemical. Avoiding chemicals and being nice to your liver is not a scam.

          Local Conferences past and present:

          Historically these have happened and may return:
          • Kaleidoscope Fest celebrates women entrepreneurs in the Triangle and is a fully gluten free event. September 14th Noon to 7 PM,  Tickets.
          • Living Free Expo (formerly GFAF Wellness) August 10, 2019 in Raleigh, other dates also in the local area.
          • Taste 2019  (Full Gluten Free Dinner event) June 30, 2019 At Primal, a 100% GF restaurant.NOTE:  This is not likely to happen this year because Primal has closed.
          • GFFA Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest (Enjoy Life)  --  Richmond, VA August 18/19 2018 now defunct
          • GFAF Gluten and Allergen Free Wellness Event  -- Raleigh, NC August 11, 2018
          • Taste - Dinner event, GF dinner is hosted by Primal  April 18, 2018- the event no longer has food appropriate for people with Celiac
          Miscellaneous
          • I hope you never need a lawyer, but you should know that food safety lawyers do exist and if you're knowingly injured by a restaurant or vendor I think you're within your rights to explore legal options.
          • Simple Kneads bakery bakes gluten free bread without gums or standard dough conditioners, that many people react to.  They are a local business.  Available at many local supermarkets including Lowe's Supermarket and Whole Foods.  
          • Millefiori Bakery  homemade sourdough bread, made when you order it, for pick up in Durham.
          •  I've known for a few years that part of my problem is a condition known as ME/CFS.  An article here explains more about it. It's a serious impediment to getting well.
          • Need a dairy free cheese, but they're all either full of gluten or not organic?  Buy some organic almonds and try this recipe.  
          • Two varieties of quinoa have caused gluten like reactions.  I'm hopeful that they are not in cultivation. But I don't truly know and that's concerning.
            • Some people want to downplay the importance of GF cosmetics, but think about it, if my hand cream contains "hydrolyzed wheat protein" and I bite my nails, or eat a sandwich...  or if I use a powder with unrefined wheat starch, or lipstick with gluten to make it stick, there's a good chance I'll get sick.
          •  Looking for pasta but don't want a lot of carbs?  Here is a clever Kelp based noodle that fits my low carb and high iodine diet.This would be best described as "ramen" pasta, but it works in a lot of places where I miss pasta, like soups.  
            • Speaking of kelp...  looking for a replacement for wheat grass powder?  I used to put that or barley grass powder into health shakes...  but now I use kelp.  Note that kelp has a high iodine content and if thyroid issues are going on, the effect can't be predicted.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XIS14M
               
          • Do African Americans get Celiac Disease?  If so, is the presentation different?  Information on minority groups is very much lacking, but I did manage to find a US centered study about it here. 
            •  Cleveland.com  has a blog on GF matters, and a recent news roundup (2018) here.
            •  Clinical Trials  -  use the Map tab, it makes it easy to locate local ones. 
            • Suspect mold in your home, worried your brain fog is not from Celaic but from mold allergy?   This company has a good local reputation:  https://ietbuildinghealth.com/blog/
            • Consider learning to make simple homemade tofu from store bought soy milk and nigari, or applying the same principle to hemp-fu or other sources of vegetable protein, especially if you need to avoid meat because of that temporary tick-borne illness.  You have more control and it saves money. 
            • Speaking of saving money, how about a side job for making a bit? Ideas For Earning About $200/mo If you have limited mobility it can be hard to get a regular job.  Even when you're recovering in bed from a medical procedure, you can still take surveys.  Here are some decent and not too scary ideas to try.  Everyone can use a bit of cash. (This article is dated June 2017, some of the ideas may no longer work. Such opportunities are inherently a bit risky. Bu so is financial fragility. Be careful while being courageous.)
            • Please be careful if you're new to gut illness, advice that's good for average healthy people is dangerous for people with gut illness.  Listen to your body if you are having bad reactions to probiotics or high fiber foods.  
              • Here are some reasons why you may be having bad reactions:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/probiotics-side-effects   
              • The histamine reason is the most likely one for me. 
              • See "Flora Gardening" if you want to work on recovering your flora methodically.   
              • While you're recovering, consider cooking your greens instead of having salad, and avoiding sushi, even if you love it... more tips on the FDA site: https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/peopleatrisk/ucm352830.htm  You can return to less vigilance later, but it's best to be cautious at first. This is no time to take a risk. 
              • There's a movement to use a pure carnivore diet in cases where elimination of foods is necessary due to complex food sensitivity. Especially if you can't tolerate rice (the usual elimination food), take a look at some recipes, and if it appeals to you, seek out the doctors that are involved in it, such as this one. 
            • Consider getting on the mailing list of Farm Aid if you are concerned about GMOs and the viability of family farming in general.  Buy local whenever you can.  For one thing, you'll have amazing tomatoes in the summer again!
            • Wondering if Organic farming can be done on a large scale?  The entire state of Sikkim in India has been converting to Organic farming since 2015!  This is their products page.  Sign me up for some of that ginger. 
            • The "Einkorn" debate and misinformation:  There's a (2010) theory that modern forms of wheat have caused a spike in Celiac Disease prevalence.  That may be true.  It's still a theory.  But once Celiac is active, that's it.  It's active.  Any gluten "epitope" will trigger it.  So those people who are saying "I can eat all the wheat I want in Europe" are not talking about being Celiac.  They're talking about their body and how they feel as a generally healthy person without Celiac.  If they were Celiac, they'd react to wheat or Einkorn.  You can't turn off the genes once they're active.  Not yet.

                Links to more general Celiac, Allergy and GFD information

                Some of this is technical.  I figure the non technical stuff is easy enough to find, so I'll stick to links that are detailed and specific.  

                Other bloggers, podcasts and encouragement:

                • Gluten Dude  -  Blog that interprets gluten free in a strict way and focuses on how to truly heal from Celiac disease through a healthy diet.
                • Casey the College Celiac - A college girl with an amazing Celiac story and she shares so much of what she learned about being socially active while Celiac. 
                • Let's Feel Better - the blog of a frequent speaker on chronic illness, book author and member of several boards associated with rare disease.  Her main subject is dysautomnia, but her book covers any chronic illness and how to survive it socially with your friendships and romance intact. I also like her very logical view of "dangling" that is, being left hanging without any help in medicine. 
                • Crazy About Mushrooms - a local blogger covering wild mushroom hunting, great articles and info.  Mushrooms from a grocery store pose a risk to people who are very sensitive to gluten because some of them were grown on grains. Mushroom hunting isn't for everyone, and the Celiac safe alternative to it is to grow them from a kit at home.  But some people might enjoy the challenge of learning some wildcrafting as well.
                • Appalachian Voices - Broader environmental news, with a local focus.  In their own words, "we build enduring partnerships with local leaders and organizations, and forge strategic relationships with state and federal officials."

                Inspiration for businesses I'd like to see more of locally

                Looking for ideas for your gluten free business?  These 100% GF businesses, that are not local, are rocking the GF world.  Updates will be added as I find more superstars.
                • New Jersey food delivery service Eat Clean Org has a dedicated GF kitchen and pickup locations around the state. 
                • Food pantry in Maryland that contains gluten free and allergy free items. SAFE Food Pantry
                • Gluten sniffing dogs!?  Really?  Sounds too good to be true.  But it's real. There's a self taught course you can do from home.  Note that nobody's ever studied it scientifically, but a well trained dog is not a bad goal anyway. Even if the only thing you get out of it is anxiety reduction.  The anxiety part is studied and it's part of Celiac disease.    
                • Fresh Potato Factory - This one is in Los Angeles, but I wonder... it can't be that hard to make that 100% GF. I'm thinking of all the times as a teenager when I just bought a baked potato in the mall food court.  Still my favorite fast food, miles ahead of burgers.

                (tell me about yours and I'll consider adding it)

                💛💙Volunteering for Ukraine? 💛💙

                The best cook book author I've found also has a Youtube channel she is now working on, to help the diaspora:  Olia Hercules https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUuMr0wA1aFpkVnOXaxt7MA/videos (NOT gluten free... for yourself you'd have to convert to GF)
                 
                Look into the following if you want to donate to Ukraine.  As always, be cautious about who you give to.
                • United24
                • Saint Javelin (has earmarks for LGBT+ and NAFO only)
                • UNICEF

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