Gluten Free at Church

Sometimes, it takes little and sometimes it takes a lot, but as they say, faith as small as a mustard seed can move some mighty big mountains. Okay, so I'm not 100% quoting that verse from the Bible, but you get my point, right?  


Well, I'd mentioned the possibility of it last year, but after I had an asthma attack the last time I ate a McDonald's cheeseburger, made with of course a wheat bun, I noticed that some mountains moved at my church in Birmingham, Alabama area.  


Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church now joins the ranks of a cluster of churches who are making the move to provide a gluten free alternative to the traditional communion cracker they usually use so people who have celiac disease, gluten intolerance and wheat allergy can still participate in its monthly communion service.  


Although there may not be a percentage yet as to how many people are benefitting from this option, it is a sign of the changing times and the growing acceptance of people who have issues with gluten and wheat.  


It also shows that they have compassion for a growing population of people who cannot tolerate gluten and wheat.  


Now, I wonder what it would take for them to become a peanut free zone for those who have asthma attacks just from smelling peanuts?

Food Allergy Initiative - Wheat Allergy

Here's another great explanation of the difference between celiac disease and wheat allergy. This one is a little more comprehensive in that it includes red flags of what ingredients could indicate the presence of wheat in food!

http://www.faiusa.org/?page=wheat#

Wheat - FAAN

Wheat - FAAN

This is the best explanation I have actually seen to explain the difference between celiac disease and wheat allergy. I have wheat allergy. But for the most part, adherence to a gluten free diet is essential.

People with celiac disease cannot even tolerate barley or rye. Sometimes they cannot tolerate any gluten whatsoever. But with a wheat allergy, barley and rye is acceptable provided there is no wheat included in the ingredients.

However, because of the widespread use of wheat in a number of foods, sometimes it is hard to find foods that are wheat free without going gluten free. Wheat can be found, of course, in bread. Wheat can also be found in candy, sauces, dressings, pastas, flours, soups and a number of other sources I probably do not even know about.