Don't eat the wheat

Home cooks hosting a Thanksgiving dinner or holiday get-together might feel a little stressed if they hear the words "celiac disease" or "gluten intolerance" from one of their guests. Does it mean making a different menu just for them?

The stress level goes up a notch if you realize that the guest could get sick from eating even a tiny amount of wheat flour. That rules out the usual breads, rolls, stuffing, flour-thickened gravy and pie crust, for starters.

"It adds a lot of stress whether you're cooking like this for a family member or having someone come to dinner," said Diane Bell of Taylorsville, whose 9-year-old daughter, Jenni, was diagnosed with celiac disease two years ago in October. "But it's worth it when you see your loved one getting better."

That first year, Bell didn't have Thanksgiving dinner until January. "It took us awhile to figure out how to do the pies and the stuffing, and we found that a lot of the turkeys are injected with a wheat-thickened broth."

To meet the challenge of finding things that her daughter could eat, Bell opened Against the Grain. The Taylorsville store is devoted exclusively to gluten-free products such as brownie and cake mixes, pizza crusts, soups, crackers, pasta and specialty flours. She contracts with a local bakery so people can order gluten-free bread, pies and cakes.

Bell is a member of the Utah Gluten Intolerance Group, which will host a pre-Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 18, 3-6 p.m., at the Wasatch Presbyterian Church, 1700 South and 1700 East, for people who are gluten intolerant and their families. For details, check www.gfutah.org or call 801-486-4140.

Gluten is a sticky protein in wheat, rye and barley. When someone who can't tolerate gluten eats these foods, his immune system springs into action, damaging his small intestine. Symptoms and problems can include stomachaches, gas, bloating, weight loss or weight gain, migraines, dental enamel defects, skin rash and premature osteoporosis.

Eating just a tidbit of flour made from wheat, rye or barley will cause the body to attack itself, usually in the intestines, and cause problems throughout the entire body, said Barbara Shelley, also a member of the Utah Gluten Intolerance Group who was diagnosed with celiac disease about a year ago. "Within three hours, some people can be horrifically ill for days. Some won't have any symptoms but are still getting damaged."

She said the disease is often misdiagnosed, but now a blood test is available to properly diagnose it.

"A sensitive host who is kind enough to try to find out more about this disease will be absolutely cherished," Shelley said. "It's a very common disease, so they might as well learn about it."