Get Paid to Eat Gluten!

Last night, I received a late email from the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. The email was a request for participants in a research study. Here is the body of the email: 

Does Gluten Make You Sick? Adults with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity needed for a research study! 

Why?
To find out more about the bacteria that live in your colon and on your skin. 

What Is Involved? 
Eat 2 slices of bread a day for 2 weeks (“gluten challenge”) Do 3 blood tests, take 5 skin swabs and submit 5 stool samples. 

Will I be paid? You will receive $150 for your time 

Let me preface this post by saying I have a lot of respect for the doctors at the Celiac Disease Center. I have known the doctors and staff at the Celiac Disease Center for years. Many of my NYC Celiac Meetup members have been diagnosed with celiac disease by the doctors at this Center. I hold an annual fundraiser for the Celiac Disease Center. I always suggest the center to people in NYC and the surrounding areas looking for answers about their gastrointestinal health.

But when I read this email last night, I couldn't help but be confused and slightly offended. I understand research needs participants, but how do you monetize someone's health and well being? How do you put a price on pain and suffering people with celiac need to endure in order to further your research? Is $150 enough money for me to be violently ill for 2 week of gluten hell?

I was sure I was not alone with my feelings, so I took this email and posted it on both Twitter and Facebook. WHOA. The overwhelming response from my readers is that they are also offended and many are especially angry. Here are a few examples:

"$150 for your "time"? I'm very curious if the pioneers of this study have celiac themselves, and if they know how it feels to have the disease and eat 2 slices of bread for even just one day. The years leading up to my diagnosis that I unknowingly suffered the disease and ate gluten were some of the hardest years of my life, affecting me both physically and mentally. You can't put a price on your health and extreme discomfort. Celiacs who eat gluten for 2 weeks will continue to feel the affects for longer than just those 14 days, some more severely than others."

"a mere $150? seriously?? I couldn't do it for $150,000 -- it is not worth it!" 

"Could have done it when newly diagnosed but not now. I do understand the need for research subjects, though. I wish there was a lot more research into treating celiac." 

"If they paid me the money I would miss for not working for a month or more, plus pain and suffering, maybe. And a full skud of extra soft TP."

 "NO, NO, NO, NO!"

Again, I understand that doctors need to do research. I just wonder how exactly how much damage two-weeks worth of gluten would do to my body. Do doctors even know the long-term affects of feeding a celiac gluten after they have healed their body? Does this two-week challenge increase the chances of additional intestinal complications such as cancers, infertility, and more?

I went through a gluten challenge (intentionally eating gluten) thirty years ago when I was six years old. The doctor scheduled the gluten challenge for a Friday. My parents had to tell my teachers that I was allowed to eat gluten for the day. I vaguely remember getting violently ill by the end of day one and stopping the challenge that weekend. It was the only time in my life that the doctor gave me the green light to eat gluten and if a doctor ever told me to eat gluten again, I would find a new doctor immediately.

As I have gotten older, my reaction to gluten has become more severe. I would not be able to complete day one of this Celiac Disease Center study. I would be on the floor of the bathroom with the gluten coming out from all ends. I would be dizzy, foggy, and confused. I would be tired and achy. I would be MISERABLE.What is my suffering worth? It's definitely not worth a measly $150.

Join the Facebook conversation. I want to hear from you! Put your comments below. I want to know what you think!

Gluten-Free Fun Silly Saturday: Intolerant

Even though this video was sent to me as a Friday Funny, I didn't watch it until late in the day yesterday. I figured this would be an amusing way to kick off your weekend. Thanks to Lilly, my Facebook follower, for sharing this with me. It's quirky but amusing! Thoughts? 

Tate's Bake Shop Gluten-Free Review and Holiday Giveaway

When Tate's Bake Shop asks if you want a sample of their holiday gift basket full of gluten-free goodies, you say YES! I am a huge fan of the Tate's Bake Shop Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip cookies, so I was super excited when Tate's sent me their gluten-free holiday basket. It took all of my willpower in the world not to tear the packages open and devour everything.

For those of you not familiar with Tate's Bake Shop is Hamptons (NY)-based company with a dedicated gluten-free facility. They use only the freshest premium ingredients, they test their products for gluten at a national lab, and they are certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. Tate's Bake Shop products are also super delicious and would make an excellent gift for anyone this holiday season.

The gluten-free treats from Tate's Bake Shop are the type of dessert you bring with you to a holiday party and do not tell anyone they are gluten-free. Then, once everyone says how delicious the cookies are, you tell them they are gluten-free and they don't believe you. Yes, they are that good! I highly recommend these products but keep the GF chocolate chip cookies for yourself. :-)

I am very excited to offer my readers at 20% discount on any of the gluten-free gift baskets from www.TatesBakeShop.com when you use coupon code gfblog14 valid through December 16, 2014. In addition, one VERY lucky reader will win one Tate's Gluten-Free Holiday Gift Basket which includes:

• One 8oz bag of Tate's Bake Shop GF Chocolate Chip Cookies 
• One 8oz bag of Tate's Bake Shop GF Double Chocolate Chip Cookies 
• One 8oz bag of Tate's Bake Shop GF Ginger Zinger Cookies 
• One of Tate's Bake Shop GF Brownies 
• One of Tate's Bake Shop GF Blondies 
• Tate's Bake Shop GF Chocolate Chip Cookie Peppermint Bark 

You can learn more about Tate's Bake Shop and find drool-worthy pictures on 

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Do you want to win the Tate's Gluten-Free Holiday Basket? Enter to win today. One lucky winner will be chosen by random on November 30, 2014. See below for details.


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Disclosure: Financial compensation was not received for this post. The Tate's Bake Shop Gluten-Free gift basket was sent to me by the company. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

Gluten-Free Brews: The Guide to Gluten-Free Beer

A few weeks ago, I was sent an advanced copy of Gluten-Free Brews: The Guide to Gluten-Free Beer. This e-book is all about gluten-free beer. My first thought was "wow, there are actually enough gluten-free beers for sale that someone can actually write a book!" My next thought was "will they address the gluten-removed beer craze?" in this book and they did.

This book is interesting and unlike anything I have seen before. I do think some of the beginning information needs to be tweaked slightly. When I spoke to the author, he was very responsive to my feedback about the proper celiac diagnosis. I really liked the catchy chapter names and the variety of brew masters the authors interviewed for this book.

To me, the most interesting part of this book is the part about gluten-removed beer. The scientific process to "remove" gluten is explained in thorough detail. As a personal rule, I do not ingest foods that are derived from gluten. This means beers like Omission are off limits for me. The authors take a really close look at the process and even explore the controversy of proper labeling of these gluten-removed beers. This is an extremely hot topic in the gluten-free community so I was happy to see this topic addressed.

For a very limited time, Gluten-Free Brews: The Guide to Gluten-Free Beer is available for free download on Amazon.com. It is worth a read, especially if you want to learn more about gluten-free beer, the history of gluten-free beer, and the process of removing gluten from "crafted to remove gluten" beer.  Click here to download your own copy of this book today. Don't delay, it won't be free for long!

I would love to hear your thoughts about this e-book. It's an easy read and shouldn't take you more than an hour. Leave your comments below.

Gluten-Free Fun Friday Funny: #SNACK

I saw this on Grub Street the other day and had to share. This is dedicated to all of my hangry* girls out there. You know who you are. Happy Friday!




*hungry + angry = hangry