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

To All:

Thanks for all your responses.  It's a great support group.  In regards to
my question regarding the Vitamin Shoppe multi-vitamin I was taking, the
label claimed gluten-free but in the ingredient breakdown it listed wheat
and barley grass juices and oat bran.  It also listed Echinacea which I had
questions about.
Here are some of the responses:
***
 About the Echinacea, if you have an autoimmune disease, it is
not recommended that you take it because it overstimulates the immune
system and we are overstimulated enough with celiac disease.
***
about the grass juices, they are okay because they do not contain
grains, however I don't know about the oat bran.  Seems like it would have
gluten.
About the echinacea, I know some people say not to use it, but I have used
it with my celiac children from birth (in a tincture, alcohol free) and feel
like it helped them a great deal.
***
Hi, this is my thinking about echinacea after years of taking it and
giving it to my children (and noticing that it  doesnt really help
much!).  Nothing scientific here but I think that those of us with super
charged immune systems and disorders that stem from them perhaps do not
need to stimulate our immune systems anymore, if they are stimulated
they tend to react and overreact even more so I don't taki it anymore.
***
As I am sure others will tell you, celiacs should
never take echinacea. Your immune system is
already in overdrive, you don't want to boost
it further.
***
We have an overactive immune system.  ech is only taken in an
active infectious situation.  It is not taken on a regular basis.
***
If you can get a copy of this book I think it will be very helpful in
answering all your questions and then some.
The name of the book is:  Prescription for Nutritional Healing, second
edition.
A practical A-Z reference to drug-free temedies using vitamins, minerals,
herbs, and food supplements.
By:  James F. Balch, m.d. and Phyllis A. Balch, c.n.c
Very good section on CD and it even tells the nutrients that CD patients
need.
My son 13 has CD.  He is doing great and this book has been very helpful
to us!
***
I don't know about the product that you are inquiring about, but I do
know a bit about wheat grass and barley grass juice.  I drink wheat
grass juice nearly every day. It contains nearly all the nutrients
necessary for optimum health, and is easily absorbed and assimilated.
Many people with cancer use wheat grass and barley grass juice because
it doesn't take alot to digest it.  I think people with celiac disease
can use all the nutrition they can get!
The gluten we must avoid comes from the berry itself.  Not the plant.
So long as the grass blade does not have the seed attached to it when
it's juice is extracted, chances are that you'll be free of a gluten
reaction.  The only problem is, how do we know if the manufacturer is
being careful so as to not include any of the seeds?
***
epilogue:
I called The Vitamin Shoppe on Wednesday.  I spoke to a customer service
rep.  She said "yes" it contained gluten.  The oat bran was the clincher.  I
asked if they would be changing the label and she said she would pass it on
to her supervisor.  She also said she would call me with a list of
gluten-free vitamins.  She never did.
On Thursday, I called again.  I spoke to someone else.  She reconfirmed that
my vitamins had gluten and that they have already changed the label.  I
bought mine in late summer.  She did say that the One-Daily and the 3-Daily
were gluten free.

Jeanean