For those of you who left comments about alleriges on this website, and didn't see them show up, you'll be glad to know that I've sorted through them (most of them anyhow) and you should see yours now.

I was out of town for a while and so I slipped behind with comment maintenance!

I'll write up an article about my experience at the hotel when I get some time, it was interesting to see how they managed my gluten-free needs.

When you first discover you have an allergy, it can be devastating.  Suddenly, you can’t eat all the food you are used to eating.  Suddenly, going out for food with friends becomes complicated, as does being invited as a guest at someone’s home for a meal.

Depending on what you’re allergic to, this could also affect going out for a drink (how many bars serve gluten free beer?), going into buildings (house full of mold?  I’m out of there!) and travelling (they mostly eat wheat?  My gluten allergy says I’ll starve there!)

I just pulled a package of Fisherman’s Friends out of my desk drawer, and suddenly had a moment of doubt.  What if they contain wheat in some shape or form?

There is no ingredients on the package, because it comes in a paper and foil package, originally housed in a larger box with many other packs.  No doubt, the ingredients are one the larger box, but that box is in the store, and I am at my desk, far far away.

Talking about a bread allergy is not really accurate. Bread is made of a variety of ingredients. If you are "allergic to bread" then you are surely allergic to other foods made up of some of the same ingredients.

Also, consider that bread is made of flour (ignoring the type of flour for now) and realize that by grinding the grain into tiny particles, the food oxidizes, making it rather toxic to your body.

The gluten-free diet is becoming ever more popular, and with good reason.  As more and more people discover they have a gluten allergy or are celiac, the idea of completely eliminating gluten from the diet is gaining ground.

Should everyone go gluten-free?  This is debatable. 

Certainly, anyone with celiac must avoid all gluten, in all forms, at all times.

Gluten free bread in a bread maker – its tasty, convenient, and eventually cheaper than buying gluten free bread. It really helps reduce the cost of your gluten-free diet.

Here is my challenge:

• Make bread within 15 minutes (and let the bread maker do the rest.
• Have consistently great consistency
• Have it rise properly into a beautifully shaped loaf.

I’ve been making gluten free bread for a few weeks now, this is I think the fourth loaf.  It tastes great, and it is really fantastic to have absolutely fresh bread – you can’t beat bread, still hot from the oven (or in this case the bread maker) slathered with butter that melts right into the bread! 

The previous bread making exercises were all successful, and my my gluten-free diet was well satisfied..  I kept forgetting to take a picture of the finished product, so this time I’ve included one and so I may as well write about the experience.

Gluten allergy cases are on the rise, or at least people are more aware of the negative health effects gluten can have.

Is this a good or bad thing?

Its a mixture of both. 

The good news is that those who have been suffering from gluten allergy symptoms for years are finally discovering the cause of the problem, due to an increased awareness of what to look for, and even that something and common as wheat might be a major source of trouble.

A gluten-free barbecue – its easier than many situations.

I am just about to head out to my friend’s place for a BBQ.  He’s supplying the meat and the condiments.  I assume that includes buns as well, which will of course be made with wheat.  This just won’t do.

If I’m lucky, his girlfriend will remember my gluten allergy and remember to bring gluten-free buns, but I’m not counting on it.

Gluten allergy may have a cause.

First, note that a gluten allergy is considered rare.  More common is gluten sensitivity, or celiac disease. 

Some people are allergic to wheat, but not the gluten in wheat.  For such people, following a gluten-free diet, now growing ever more popular, is a convenient way of avoiding wheat, using language (“gluten-free”) that more and more people are familiar with.

The medical establishment is very conservative in attributing cause and effect, especially when there is not clear surgical intervention or prescription medicine to manage a specific set of symptoms.  Keep this in mind as you continue to read this article.