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

I received about 16 private responses to my post,  "Just because you're
paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you," in which I tried to explain
experiences that lead many of us to be concerned about even minute
amounts of gluten,  as well as some of the psychology we experience.  The
bulk of  these were brief supportive responses from people who share
similar feelings.  Some offered discussion and additional info. Some
requested info on GF toothpaste.  For additional detail and some quotes,
including some choice ones from Jax Lowell, see below.

I do hope that my intent was universally understood as offering aid to
understanding what may seem from the outside as extreme views, not to
advocate a combative approach to getting our needs met.  We do need to
stand strongly for our own truth, and try to be clear about our needs,
but along the way we also  need to have as much charity for others as we
can muster, at the same time, including those who aren't ready to
understand.

Among the responses:

1   Appeal for brevity.   (Oh, well! Please forgive.)

4    Requests for info on GF toothpaste -- Brand I use is Tom's of Maine
Spearmint (green cap and band on tube).  Suggest searching archives and
web sites for additional info. I believe Tom's has a web site and is
accessible by email.

7   Appreciated post, agree, identify with experiences described.

1   What is Rice Dream?  New on diet. Discussion scary.   (I sent a brief
response, but also asked another respondent,  who has  successfully
managed her young son's CD in spite of initial difficulties, to offer a
personal response to this writer.)

In addition,  Jax Lowell honored me with two responses,which I'd like to
share parts of,  as she makes (as always) some very good points.  She is
concerned that we present ourselves as effectively as possible.  From one:

>If  banning all gluten from one's life and larder as is humanly possible is
>considered fanatical, so be it.  We wouldn't ask a diabetic to tolerate "just
>a little sugar" would we?  But that doesn't mean we have to behave like
>suicide pilots bombing the bread aisle, shout "contamination!" at dinner
>parties, and wear garlic to Firehouse suppers.  Some of us do and I think
>that's what gives our disease its "kooky, weirdo," spin.  Also I would like to
>say it frightens me that so many people attribute so many potentially
>important symptoms of other problems to C.D.  It would be nice if the Universe
>allowed one disease per person, but that's simply not so.  It scares me that
>so many people think C.D. is responsible for their every ill.  C.D. is protean
>in its manifestations, but it's dangerous not to consider other ailments as
>well.  Anyway, I think it's possible to be a fanatic about your food without
>boring yourself and everybody else to death about it.  That's slower and more
>painful than gluten ingestion.

In a second, she encouraged me to be sure I had a safe place to vent.
>...people pick up on the powerlessness of unchecked
>anger, especially those in a position to help you.  Ah, but when it is dealt
>with and selectively targeted as a consumer with money to spend, now that's
>power.  What I am saying about anger is "lose it in private, use it in
>public."  When I blame indiscriminately, no one helps.  When I say, "I really
>need your help here," people bend over backwards.   When I say, "if you don't
>get this right, it could cost you..." people know I'm not kidding.

William G. Vellios, [log in to unmask],  sent a summary of the
presentation by Dr. Joseph Murray, of the University of Iowa, a
gastroenterologist that  specializes in treating Celiac disease from a
talk entitled "Celiacs in the  90s" given at a conference hosted by the
American Celiac Society on June10-11, 1994.    Murray covers reasons why
he advises celiacs stay as gluten free as possible.  This summary has
lots of good info in a fairly short message length. I believe this
material is also available in the archives, but I'll forward a copy of
this to anyone who asks.

Rose Mary, [log in to unmask],  shared comments on some of her own research,
which are obviously worth thinking about.  How would we react if we
didn't know what was going on or be able to make informed food choices?

>...computer spit out info on research being done in Ireland
>on IRISH SETTERS.  It seems these poor, beautiful animals are beset with
>hereditary CD.  At the time I did my search, they were still in the process
>of trying to determine the genetic factor-ipso, no bottom line conclusions.

>My mind retrieved (sorry for the pun) this info when I got to thinking more
>deeply about the "paranoia-fanaticism" discussion.  Obviously the animals
>are (assume she meant _aren't_) paranoid-they cannot choose their food.  I
>also remember a post from a DVM a few months ago about GF dog food.  I
>wouldn't be surprised to find CD  in other species.  I would be surprised to
>find paranoia.