Check out this great video from the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch about the new classification system for gluten-related disorders! The expert being interviewed suggests that getting tested for celiac disease is incredibly important before starting a gluten-free diet to ensure your doctor is able to provide you with the correct diagnosis.

The video addresses the various forms of gluten sensitivity and the reporters talk about how the different conditions affect patients differently.

Watch the video here: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/a-new-classification-for-gluten-disorders-2012-02-06/5A4969B0-BB90-409D-BA63-8586BF80C329#!5A4969B0-BB90-409D-BA63-8586BF80C329

The gluten-free diet is taking off across Vancouver!   Many Vancouver restaurants and hotels are now proudly sporting gluten-free options…and really delicious ones at that!

Last month Vancouver hosted its first gluten-free food expo and though the fair had many celiac attendees, there were also a large amount of people without celiac disease who were just interested in how to follow a gluten-free lifestyle.  Could this be the new gluten-free hot spot?

Read more: http://www.straight.com/article-607336/vancouver/glutenfree-lifestyle-takes-across-region

Despite the economic recession, the gluten-free marketplace continues to boom! In fact, recent data from Rockville, MD-based Packaged Facts  shows a 30% compound annual growth rate for the gluten-free category from 2006 to 2010. The firm expects the gluten-free specialty market to top $5 billion by 2015.

With the continued growth of the marketplace, major retailers are beefing up their gluten-free selections and finding new ways to showcase them to consumers. Safeway, for example, recently launched the SimpleNutrition program where they point out products that are gluten-free, organic or low-sodium. Wegmans stores offer consumers dedicated gluten-free aisles in the Nature’s Market department as well as wellness key that clearly indicates with a colored dot if the product is gluten-free. And, Whole Foods continues to be a leader in the industry by providing customers with a gluten-free shopping list and only offering gluten-free products from manufacturers that are independently certified at 20ppm of gluten or less.

Learn more about the growth in the marketplace, how stores are adding more and more products and how large companies like General Mills, Kelloggs and Frito-Lay are joining the gluten-free arena now at: http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2012/gluten-free-friend-or-fad.html

It’s just about tax time and in Canada, consumers are split on the benefits of a gluten-free tax break.  In low and moderate income households, every penny counts and people diligently keep track of the cost of how much more they spend on gluten-free products. After all, it can get pretty pricy to purchase gluten-free specialty products!

Other people think that having to keep track of every item you buy and compare it is time consuming and not worth the tax benefit.

Check out this great article on the top from the CBC and let us know what you think is a good solution?

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/02/13/calgary-celiac-tax-break.html

Check out this great feature from NBC’s Today Show on the gluten-free diet! On the show, NBC’s chief medical editor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman addressed viewer questions about following a gluten-free diet as well as cautioned people about self diagnosing themselves. As always, the best method is to speak to your doctor. Or, if you prefer to test yourself, check out the CeliacSure Test, which allows individuals to test for celiac disease from the comfort of their own home. But, even if that test is positive, you’ll still want to consult a medical practitioner.

Watch the video now at http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46341246#46341246

Valentines Day is just around the corner, which means it is just about time to start showering the ones you love with delicious treats! Many of us think chocolate is the way to go, so in the spirit of Valentines Days, we had to share this article from WebMD on the history of chocolate! In the article the authors answer burning questions about chocolate such as if it’s really an aphrodisiac and how much is ok for your daily diet!

Check out the article and then pick your sweetie up a box of gluten-free chocolates!

http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/ss/slideshow-chocolate-history?ecd=wnl_wmh_021012