Celiac sufferers plan for a Christmas without sickness on Owatonna

OWATONNA — Living gluten-free is different.

Wheat, barley or rye is in almost everything. And for people with Celiac disease, like Candi Dombrock, just a little gluten will cause a lot of pain.

“If I order a hamburger at a restaurant, and they use the same pan that they’ve used for a pancake earlier, I’ll be sick for several days,” Dombrock said.

Dombrock, a Celiac sufferer and nurse, paired up with Amy Scheuerell of Hy-Vee to host a Holiday Gluten-Free Gala Thursday evening. The night was full of cookie tasting, recipe exchanging and tips. There was also source sharing, product sharing and discussion.

“It’s impossible to know all the products that are gluten-free,” Scheuerell said.

People with Celiac disease can’t process gluten. When they get gluten in their systems, the villi in the small intestine start dying as an autoimmune response. That can manifest itself in gastrointestinal symptoms, excessive weight gain, sickness or other symptoms. Dombrock first discovered her sensitivities when she tried the Atkins Diet, which is largely free of carbohydrates. Louanne Kaupa, MS, RD, LN, CDE of Eat Well Nutrition Therapy, LLC, suggests getting tested if you believe you could be gluten intolerant.

“A confirmative test is a biopsy of the small intestine. You should get the test before you start a gluten-free diet, because you lose a lot of nutrition from a wheat free diet,” Kaupa said. “You should also see a dietitian to keep your diet balanced.”

Demand for gluten-free products are increasing, as the people diagnosed with keeps raising. About 1 in 133 people have Celiac disease. More than that could have gluten sensitivities. Plus, some disorders — like autism — can improve if gluten is taken out of their diet. Gluten intolerance needs just a genetic inheritance and exposure in order for it to show itself.

“Celiac disease is much more common than it was 40 years ago,” Kaupa said. “In 2003, 1 in 133 people had the disease. In 1994, it was 1 in 5,000. Part of this may have to do with increased diagnosis.”

It can be difficult with shopping as well. There are now books and guides listing products that are gluten-free. Without the books, people with Celiac disease would end up having to call the producer to see if the same machine used to produce an item was used to process wheat. Then there is the taste factor. Not all the gluten-free substitutes taste that great. In fact, Dombrock grinds her own flour because she was not happy with the taste of the store-bought products.

“It’s a challenging lifestyle, but you can live it. We’re all out there experiencing and sharing,” Dombrock said.

That challenge is why Dombrock and Scheuerell teamed up to plan the event. Their first gluten-free event was last month and featured a Thanksgiving feast. They plan to have this become a support group with monthly events.

“There is a big need for the community,” Scheuerell said. “There is another Celiac support group, but it only meets during the day.”

Briana Gehring can be reached at 444-2378.

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Member Opinions: By: suepap on 12/19/09 With the help of Candi Dombrock Central Park Coffee Co has a gluten-free menu. This includes sandwiches with bread that Candi has made. We have tomato basil and brown rice bread. We also cook gluten free food in a seperate kitchen. At Central Park Coffee we have taken all the steps to keep you healthy when you eat out. We also have sweet treats like chocolate peppermint torte, macaroons, and oatmeal cake with pecan frosting.
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