Features

Harold N. Rosen, M.D., of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, gave the keynote talk at the January 29 meeting of the Healthy Villi. 

Dr. Rosen spoke about the risks of osteoporosis for people with celiac disease. The presentation that he made is available for download by clicking here.

The next general meeting of the Healthy Villi will be Sunday, April 29, at the MassBay Community College campus on Route 9 in Wellesley. Mark your calendar now. Registration will open about one month prior to the meeting.

Meanwhile, consider attending one of the monthly small-group meetings that the Healthy Villi organizes at five locations: in Concord, Hingham, Needham, Reading and Wellesley. Details of the small-group meetings may be found here.

The Boston small-group meeting has been discontinued temporarily, until a venue is located.

The second New England Celiac Conference organized by the Healthy Villi was a big success. More than 700 people attended the Oct. 23 event, coming from throughout the Northeast.

Read what one blogger had to say about the conference by clicking here. And for her comments about the wonderful food, click here.

The Healthy Villi would like to thank the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which co-sponsored the event, all of the speakers and, in particular, all of the volunteers who made the day a great success.

Below are the speaker presentations currently available for downloading; all are in PDF files. Download them by clicking on the speaker's name. (Some of the files are very large, so please be patient while they download.)

Dr. Alessio Fasano: "Celiac Disease in Pediatrics"

Dr. Peter H.T. Green: "Celiac Disease: The Adult Story"

Melinda Dennis & Christine Doherty: "Nutritional Supplements for Celiac Disease"

Carol Fenster: "Cooking & Baking With Gluten-Free Grains"

Janet Y. Rinehart: "Traveling the World Gluten-Free"

On her "Crispy Cook" site, blogger Rachel highlights what she considers to be the most useful and interesting blog sites related to celiac disease and the gluten-free lifestyle. Here's what she says:

"There are so many great gluten-free blogs nowadays When I first started this list several years ago, I had fifty or so bloggers listed and then the list ballooned on over 150. I've trimmed it back since then so I can update it more easily and now the list reflects the blogs that I think most effectively cover a certain point-of-view or lifestyle."

After her diagnosis with celiac disease, a youngster named Amy is confused about how to live with her new food restrictions. Over time, she learns the ins and outs of the gluten-free diet. 

Amy's story is recounted in a comic book for children produced by the Center for Celiac Disease at Children's Hospital Boston. Read more about Amy, as well as an interview with the the center's director, Dr. Alan M. Leichtner.

Dr. Leichtner talks about how the comic book came about, how it has been received, and some important trends in the diagnosis of celiac disease in children. (Click here for full story.) 

Sticking to the gluten-free diet is only the first step toward eating properly for people with celiac disease, says dietitian and nutritionist Melinda Dennis. In an interview, Melinda advises that whole grains and high-fiber foods are crucial to eating well, and that vitamin and mineral supplements also are likely to be part of a well-rounded regime. Melinda knows of what she speaks: besides her professional training, she herself has celiac disease.(Click for full story.)

The next time you renew your Healthy Villi membership, sign up for a membership meeting, or make a donation, you will be able to do so online. That's because The Healthy Villi web site is on a new software platform that includes an electronic payment option. Use of the new capability is strictly optional. The new capability is intended for people who prefer to conduct business online, without inconveniencing anyone who prefers a more-traditional way of doing business, said Lee Graham, president of The Healthy Villi. (Click for full story.)

What's new?

Two Celiac Socials in February: Join us on Feb. 2 at Easy Pie Pizza in Braintree, and on Feb. 19 at Uncle Cheung's Sichuan Gourmet in Framingham. For details, see Event List or Event Calendar.

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston are collaborating in a study evaluating celiac disease awareness and diagnosis within families. Conducted by Claudia Dolphin, a graduate student of Health Communications at Emerson College, this study is open to individuals who have a first- or second-degree relative diagnosed with celiac disease but who are not diagnosed with the disease themselves. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in a local focus group or would like additional information, contact Claudia at claudia.dolphin@emerson.edu.

Beginning January 18th, our newest small support group will meet on the 3rd Wednesday morning of each month in Wellesley, MA.  To read more about it or our other local support groups, click here.

Recently a group of Healthy Villi volunteers got together for an old fashioned cookie swap.  And they decided to share the recipes with the GF world!  Click here to see their creations.

Do you ever wonder if the food you're eating is truly gluten free?  Gluten Free Watchdog was established to bring GF testing data direct to the consumer.

Melinda Dennis & Dan Leffler's  book "Real Life With Celiac Disease" is available for purchase on the Healthy Villi site. Read about the book, then order it here. You also can hear Melinda and Dan discuss the book and celiac disease in an interview on FOX25 Morning News.

All Can Eat  is an all gluten free bakery and cafe in Randolph, MA!

From the Boston Globe -  more area restaurants add gluten free options.

Join us at any one of our monthly small-group meetings across the Greater Boston area. See the Healthy Villi calendar for meeting dates.

Visit the New York Times Ask The Expert Consults column to learn more about Celiac Disease.