BlessedMommy

The Mauna Loa company replied and said that none of their products are classified as gluten free. That's probably a liability prevention measure or something. Since they are apparently not made on shared equipment with wheat, I'm fine with using them.

I think that we need a resource sheet for all the safe nut sources. Sometimes finding out information on nuts can be tricky. I'm still trying to find out if Sincerely Nuts company makes celiac safe products...

Good to know, thanks! I figured that since it bothered to post a cross contamination warning for peanuts and other tree nuts, that if it was processed in a common facility with wheat, it would say so. 

I posted on their Facebook page, so hopefully I'll get an answer. 

Does anybody know the gluten free status of these? I'm thinking that they should be okay. The cross contact warning for them states that they were manufactured on shared equipment with peanuts and tree nuts, no mention of possible cross contact with anything else. The only ingredients are macadamia nuts and salt.

I think that they are technically a Hershey's product, though, and I don't see any mention of them on Hershey's gluten free list? Does anybody have any more information on them? 

It seems that equipment used to make oil would be entirely different from equipment used to process wheat, so I doubt that it is made on the same equipment.

It's really your decision. The only way to get a DX is to go through a gluten challenge. Many people can find these doable, depending on their symptoms and how long they've been gluten free.

I tried to and had to stop a few days into it, due to extremely severe symptoms. It would be interesting to know if I truly have celiac, but unfortunately for me the biggest risk of doing that is a stroke, so it's not an option for me at this time. I'm thankful, though, that nobody needs a doctor's permission to stay gluten free. I went gluten free 5 years ago. I'm 32 now and my health is good--probably the best it's been since I was in high school! I know that gluten free keeps me healthy and a functioning member of society, so that's all that really matters to me.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.

I'm sorry that happened to you. I have often wished that BRM would take all items which are naturally gluten free and process them in their gluten free facility. 

Do you have a Vitamix blender and flour sifter by any chance? It's possible to grind your own cornmeal from popcorn kernels. 

There are a lot of people who are gluten free who don't need to be.

 I'm pretty sure that most people who are gluten free out of medical necessity won't change based on Dr. Oz. 

If you buy gluten free granola bars, which is your favorite brand and why?

If you don't buy them and make them at home, could you share your recipe?

Thanks!

The thing is, nobody really knows enough about NCGI or other forms of gluten issues other than celiac to make any firm scientifically validated declarations that you can go and eat gluten right now or eventually and not harm yourself.

So any comments on those type of things are not really based on any confirmed facts.

Bummer!

This is the closest thing that I found, but I couldn't find any info about their gluten free status.

Open Original Shared Link

That's pretty annoying that they even said it at all. That could mean that a lot of people with obvious gluten problems, but without a firm diagnosis get people bothering them about trying gluten again. 

Any recommendations? I did a little looking around and still haven't found anything.

What were your lab results?

There are no blood tests for wheat intolerance, so if she was mildly positive, it is likely celiac.

Congratulations on finding out what was wrong early! I'm a young person as well. I'm 32 and have been gluten free since I was 27--so 5 years now. What is awesome is because I discovered early on that gluten was a problem for me, I'm enjoying good health with a strict gluten free diet.

Many people who have a delayed diagnosis develop some permanent health conditions or even additional auto immune disorders.

I know that it's hard to process at first--just work one step at a time easing into things and getting support. This forum is great place for support and has been a big help to me!

I'm sorry that you have to jump through extra hoops. I hope that you get a confirmed diagnosis and are on your way to feeling better soon!

Woohoo! Great job!

I'm the gluten free one in my house, none of my kids are gluten free, and I still provide gluten free play dough for my kids. So my vote is for gluten free playdough for her. Too many chances for exposure.

I just want to clarify - I think people should get tested before going gluten-free.  However, it sounds like this person cannot & will not be tested, I I don't see any point in "Mommy" bugging her about it.  Waste of time and might make her less likely to take any advice/help.

Yep, absolutely right. 

Great advice, thank you!

I'll make sure to be here and be supportive, but not overwhelm her with information. 

I have a friend who has a lot of health problems. She has fibromyalgia, multiple severe food intolerances (she gets neuro symptoms from eating citrus), severe anxiety and panic attacks, etc. She was also noticing a lot of stomach issues. At someone's suggestion, she tried cutting gluten out and for the first time in a long time, she could sleep at night and didn't have the GI symptoms anymore.

I will be the first one to tell people to get a DX (though a DX is not possible for me anymore) and I've talked to her about the importance of getting tested and I know that she will never go for a DX. She has no money and no insurance and avoids doctors like the plague. But on the other hand, I don't think that she entirely understands about the importance of removing all gluten if you don't get tested and are trying the gluten free diet.

I tried to explain about certified gluten free oats and she said, "I guess that's important for you with your neuro symptoms, but I'm not that sensitive. Regular oats don't seem to bother me." I think that she is understandably afraid of giving up more foods. (she has a pretty limited diet, with all her food tolerances)

Is it better to leave the subject be and just smile and drop off an occasional loaf of my homemade gluten-free bread at her house? Or is there a way to appropriately share information?

We love the thermos! It's made my life so much easier to just pack hot food in it whenever I need to pack food to go somewhere. Well worth the extra expense to get a good one! The thermos keeps food hot for up to 9 hours.

My cat's coat is really sleek and shiny too!

It is my understand that nothing packaged on site at Whole Foods is guaranteed to be free from gluten CC. Whole Foods has a sign on their salad bar stating that they are regrettably unable to offer any completely gluten free options.