<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I find this list to be a tremendous resource for information. Having worked
for many years in health care and research I know that it important to
consider clinical research studies and anecdotal information. But they are
not the same.

Celiac Disease is an illness which has many components due to it's
auto-immune basis and resulting malabsorption. Sometimes it seems like
almost any syndrome, illness or dietary intolerance is the result of CD.

This is one of the reasons that careful research into issues that affect our
health are so important.

I truly value the posts by Roy Jamron who updates us on the latest in
scientific research and discovies, Shelley Case who steps in with posts on
nutritional issues, Michelle Melin-Rogovin with her data on pediatric and
adult CD and many others.

There is a tendency for people and some of the major organizations to want
to function on the basis of anecdotal or outdated information .  (Just look
at cookbooks that say that amaranth and quinoa are off limits.)

This situation leads to someone posting that an item is not gf because they
have a reaction to it when it may indeed be that they are individually
reacting to any of a number of other ingredients. It is the person's own
health issue, not one due to CD. This leads to urban myths about food
ingredients (from quinoa to oats etc.) to products like Teflon, hysteria
about coffee filters and  concerns about pregnancy.

These concerns are important but not if they are just passed from person to
person and list to list without anyone taking  the initiative to check the
facts. When they are just urban myth (like frozen vegetables being dusted
with flour and so many others...) they are damaging. Our lives are complex
enough without unfounded fears and misinformation.

It is my opinion that people need to take very seriously their
responsibility to provide accurate information. If you are going to post
that Teflon *may* harbor gluten from previous uses take the time to contact
the company to ask before spreading it on lists that raise an alarm that
literally goes around the world.

When people post unsubstantiated information they should be taken to task
about the content of their message. They do a disservice to the entire
Celiac community.

When experts or others post information based on research finding we should
take notice because this may truly impact up and change out lives. Is all
research accurate and perfect. No. But it is a great step up from
word-of-mouth and unfounded assertions. Flaming experts because you don't
agree is counter-productive and may cause them to hesitate and not share
their knowledge with us.

That is a loss for everyone. It is the difference between living based on
superstition or tested knowledge.

It is the  information from serious, juried research and those who take the
time to share it that makes this list worthwhile.

-Michael Thorn

* All posts for product information must include the applicable country *