Stephen has celiac disease and has the exact same concerns that you might have. From both his personal and professional experience, he understands the challenges of a gluten-free diet, and is very passionate about helping you. Similar to us, his passion was a call that he answered by co-founding The IBS Treatment Center in Seattle, WA, blogging as The Gluten Free Doctor, and serving on the Board of Trustees for the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. We invite you to read more about Stephen and his books in our introduction to our advisors.

Dr. Wangen is going out of his way to provide this wonderful service, and we appreciate your understanding that out of respect for Dr. Wangen and his time we have to limit each session to 5 questions on a first-come, first-served basis. Please join us at Custom Choice Cereal in thanking Stephen for taking the time off his busy schedule to address your concerns.

Asking your question is easy and can be done in just 4 simple steps:

1. Post your question as a comment to this blog entry
2. We send all questions to Dr. Wangen
3. Dr. Wangen’s answers will be published in reply to your comments
4. To check for the answer to your question you can either subscribe to our blog or simply check back in a few days

Wondering what tests you should have taken? What areas do you have difficulties with? What kind of (unusual) symptoms do you have? Any concerns about the constant “are oats gluten-free” debate? He can help so don’t be shy and ask away!

In my humble opinion, it all boils down to how well the manager and staff of the respective restaurant are educated about what celiac disease and gluten intolerance are. While P.F. Chang’s does an outstanding job teaching all its kitchen employees and waiters about their allergy-friendly menu and even goes so far to use separate color codes and plate shapes to distinguish gluten-free from conventional dishes, this is by far not the norm. Our latest poll (see on the right and please take it if you haven’t already) reflects this challenge of going out gluten-free style.

Getting mad at servers and managers or raving on blogs after a bad gluten-free dining experience does not help anyone. Instead, I pledge to educate the waiters and managers when corporate pushes down an allergy-friendly menu on them without telling them what it means or who needs it. And it certainly can get maddening when neither of these show the slightest interest. However, we’re on a mission here… So when I saw Amy Leger aka The Savvy Celiac blog about questions to ask when ordering a gluten-free pizza I thought I extrapolate this to gluten-free dining in general. Hopefully this will help you next time you dine out with friends or family!

• Ask first. You’ll quickly find out if the staff truly understands their gluten-free menu!
• Understand the “behind the scenes”. Are they using separate utensils, pots & pans for their gluten-free menu items?
• Double-check. Sounds paranoid but see if special meals come on differently shaped or colored plates/trays!
• Don’t be afraid to ask for replacements. If there is an obvious mess-up (e.g. breadcrumbs on your salad) ask to have it replaced and do one of two things: (A) take Tiffany’s advice and hold on to your plate until the replacements arrives from the kitchen or (B) be evil, hide a toothpick or piece of your napkin under your salad and double-check when it comes back…
• Be polite. Let’s be honest. You probably cause the waiter quite some extra work. Showing your appreciation makes it easier for everyone!

These and other tips are also available in Custom Choice Cereal’s section on gluten-free advice, tips & tricks.

Remember, a gluten-free dinner is also safe for people who have to eat wheat-free while wheat-free foods are not necessarily safe for people with celiac disease. Since I heard enough “horror stories” I’d be great to learn where you have made exceptionally good gluten-free dining experiences? Do you have any any advice to share? Do you ask the waiters or go straight to the manager?

Stephen suffers from celiac disease himself, understands the challenges of a gluten-free diet, and is very passionate about helping you. Similar to us, his passion was a call that he answered by co-founding The IBS Treatment Center in Seattle, WA, blogging as The Gluten Free Doctor, and serving on the Board of Trustees for the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. We invite you to read more about Stephen and his books in our introduction to our advisors.

Dr. Wangen is going out of his way to provide this wonderful service, and we appreciate your understanding that out of respect for Dr. Wangen and his time we have to limit each session to 5 questions on a first-come, first-served basis. Please join us at Custom Choice Cereal in thanking Stephen for taking the time off his busy schedule to address your concerns.

Asking your question is easy and can be done in just 4 simple steps:

1. Post your question as a comment to this blog entry
2. Subscribe to our blog (or check back in a few days) so you’ll know when then answer is up
3. We send all questions to Dr. Wangen
4. Dr. Wangen’s answers will be published in reply to your comments

We are looking forward to finding out what you would like to know because it’s a great way for us to learn something new as well!

Please also remember that it’s not enough if it the label bares a statement that the vitamin is wheat-free. Gluten is a protein contained in wheat, rye, barley and most oats (cross-contamination), so everything that’s gluten-free is also wheat-free but not vice versa! Fortunately a few well-known brands specifically label their vitamins as gluten-free, and Lisa was so kind to provide a list that I’m sharing here:

1. Hero Nutritionals Gummy Vitamins
2. Country Life Vitamins
3. Barlean’s Greens
4. NOW Vitamins
5. Bluebonnet Vitamins
6. Pioneer Vitamins
7. Natural Factors Vitamins

Note however that you should always read the labels and call the manufacturer if you’re unsure. Lisa also shares a recipe for nutritious Carob Oat Breakfast Bars (it’s critical to use certified gluten-free oats, as Jules points out in the comments). I’m saving the best for last: you can of course always design your perfect gluten-free cereal! Fortunately our nutrition label updates as you add ingredients to your mix so you can create a blend that not only suits your personal taste buds but provides exactly the nutrients that you need!

Stephen suffers from celiac disease himself, understands the challenges of a gluten-free diet, and is very passionate about providing help to people effected by digestive issues. As a result of this passion, he co-founded The IBS Treatment Center in Seattle, WA, blogs as The Gluten Free Doctor, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. We invite you to read more about Stephen and his books in our introduction to our advisors.

Since Dr. Wangen is going out of his way to provide this wonderful service, we’d like you to join us at Custom Choice Cereal in thanking Stephen. We appreciate your understanding that out of respect for Dr. Wangen and his time we have to limit each session to 5 questions on a first-come, first-served basis.

Asking your question is easy and can be done in just 4 simple steps:

1. Post your question as a comment to this blog entry
2. Subscribe to our blog (or check back in 2 days) so you’ll know when then answer is up
3. We send all questions to Dr. Wangen
4. Dr. Wangen’s answers will be published in reply to your comments

We are looking forward to finding out what you would like to know because it’s a great way for us to learn something new as well!

It was an amazing trip, and above all I wanted to share my personal gluten-free highlight with you. Of course I had already planned a trip to Babycakes Bakery in Manhattan but was reminded by Jennifer on our facebook page that I absolutely have to check them out. And that’s exactly what I did!

Seriously, that place is a heaven for the lover of gluten-free sweet (with agave nectar) treats! But I’m getting ahead of myself. The bakery itself is a fairly small store with the last third being occupied by the baking operations. It was pretty cool that you can actually see the action, which always gives me confidence because it shows that there is nothing to hide. The actual counter with all the goodies takes up roughly two thirds of the remaining left half of the store so that a small table fits right in front of it. On the right hand there is space for another 2-3 people to sit along the wall.

Following the recommendation from a few people in the store I bought a couple of their caramel donuts and brownies. The lady packed them into a nice little cardboard box for me so I could bring them with me to a friend who has a serious sweet tooth. We both agreed: the brownies were absolutely outstanding and packed with chocolate chips! While the donuts had a great texture and were very soft we thought that they were a little bit too sweet. But obviously that has nothing to do with them being outstanding gluten-free treats look and taste delicious!

Conclusion: ff you are in New York City I highly recommend that you pay Babycakes a visit! In the meantime you can (and should) do what I do: get creative and personally design the best gluten-free cereal there is. It’s fun, and you will enjoy the great taste!

A celiac himself, Dr. Stephen Wangen can answer any question you might have. Stephen has devoted his life to educating about any gluten- or wheat-related problems and providing help to people effected with digestive issues. Feel free to read more about The Gluten Free Doctor’s impressive credentials in our introduction to our advisors.

We’d like to point out that this great service could not be provided to you without Dr. Wangen’s goodwill. Please join us at Custom Choice Cereal in thanking Stephen for his continued service. We appreciate your understanding that out of respect for Dr. Wangen and his time we have to limit each session to 5 questions on a first-come, first-served basis.

We are looking forward to finding out what you would like to know because it’s a great way for us to learn something new as well. Asking your question is easy and takes just 4 simple steps:

1. Post your question as a comment to this blog entry
2. Subscribe to our blog so you’ll know when then answer is up
3. We send all questions to Dr. Wangen
4. Dr. Wangen’s answers will be published in reply to your comments

This being said, we at Custom Choice Cereal would like to reiterate that those with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or a wheat allergy don’t have a choice but to cut wheat, rye, and barley from their diet. Plenty of anecdotal evidence suggests that going gluten-free often times also eases digestive issues and results in improved behavior for people with autism. Regardless of the condition, we wanted to find out and asked you

How long after going gluten-free did you feel/see first results?

72 of you participated in this most recent of our 3-second-polls, and a whopping 72.2% saw improvements within the first month! An additional 16.7% felt better within 4 months after switching to a gluten-free diet. The remaining 11.1% don’t feel any different yet. You can easily see the complete survey results in the graph below. Please leave us a comment how your well-being improved! It’d be great if you could also participate in our latest poll (on the left).

A celiac himself, Dr. Stephen Wangen can answer literally anything you always wanted to know. Stephen has devoted his life to educating and providing help to people effected with digestive issues of various kinds. Feel free to read more about The Gluten Free Doctor’s impressive credentials in our introduction to our advisors.

Whether it’s an issue that arose over Halloween or something you’d like to know for Thanksgiving – we are looking forward to your questions because it is a great way for us to learn as well!

Asking your question is easy, and the whole process takes just 4 simple steps:

1. Post your question as a comment to this blog entry
2. Subscribe to our blog so you’ll know when then answer is up
3. We send all questions to Dr. Wangen
4. Dr. Wangen’s answers will be published in reply to your comments

This great service could not be provided to you without Dr. Wangen’s goodwill. Please join us at Custom Choice Cereal in thanking Stephen for his continued service, offering these monthly Q&A sessions on our blog. Out of respect for Dr. Wangen and his time we have to limit each session to 5 questions on a first-come, first-served basis. Thank you for your understanding!

You are invited to ask Dr. Stephen Wangen, a renown expert, anything you always wanted to know. Suffering from celiac disease himself, Stephen has devoted his life to educating and providing help to people effected with digestive issues of various kinds. Feel free to read more about The Gluten Free Doctor’s impressive credentials in our introduction to our advisors.

Asking your question is easy, and the whole process takes just 4 simple steps:

1. Post your question as a comment to this blog entry
2. Subscribe to our blog so you’ll know when then answer is up
3. We send all questions to Dr. Wangen
4. Dr. Wangen’s answers will be published in reply to your comments

This great service could not be provided to you without Dr. Wangen’s goodwill. We at Custom Choice Cereal are very thankful that Stephen continues to offer these monthly Q&A sessions on our blog. Out of respect for Dr. Wangen and his time we have to limit each session to 5 questions. Thank you for your understanding!