Financial kneads: Assessing gluten sensitivity

Wheat-sheaf tattoo turned symbol of resilience

– Story by Isabella West

Coming from a farming background, wheat was a pillar in Carol S-B’s life. So much so, that she got a wheat sheaf tattoo. 

“Now, I need to put a circle around it with a line through it,” said S-B jokingly, as she discussed her new diagnosis of celiac disease.

Born and raised in Calgary, S-B’s family members all live and work on farms around the city. This engraved in her a strong sense of pride in the Albertan farm life, which is often associated with wheat. Now, the symbol that was a major part of her identity, has become a source of discomfort. 

S-B’s journey began more than 10 years ago when she recalled experiencing acute abdominal pain. The pain kept her up at night, pacing trying to ease the discomfort. Eventually, S-B decided to go to urgent care to be assessed and to determine if something was really wrong. 

Because her symptoms were not manifesting into something physical, the physicians who treated her that night brushed off her pain and sent her home. 

“I have abdominal pain,” S-B recalled telling the doctors. “It’s so nebulous. How can a physician say, ‘This is what it is.’” 

But that night wasn’t the last of her pain. S-B said that the acute abdominal pain would come and go. On average, her pain was sitting at a three out of 10 on the pain scale. Sometimes it would spike to an eight or nine to the point where she knew she didn’t need to go to the hospital but was left wondering if something was severely wrong. 

This led to S-B initially “self-diagnosing” into diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is when small, bulging pouches develop in your digestive tract and become infected causing severe intestinal pain. 

After years of living with constant discomfort, an unclear self-diagnosis and the worry of appendicitis, S-B said that she was fortunate enough to have a family doctor who listened to her symptoms and took the next steps in finding a diagnosis. Once her results came back, it was revealed that S-B, without a doubt, had celiac disease. 

“It’s hard to swallow. Pun intended,” said S-B. 

At this point, a complete lifestyle change was in the books for S-B. 

“I am a very good cook. I make bread, pies, cakes and cookies,” said S-B. But when she received her diagnosis, all of that had to change. “I cleaned my kitchen so that there was no trace of gluten. Everything is different. I’m learning to cook [again].”

Although this new diagnosis was enlightening for S-B and her family members who are now also being tested for celiac disease, she still found herself wanting to have one “success” amidst all of these new changes.  

Not only are the lifestyle changes hard to adapt to at home, but they are also socially challenging. 

“I don’t know about you, but I love beer, going out for a beer.”

Thankfully for S-B, she had some background knowledge that has helped her embrace this new lifestyle. 

“I’m extremely knowledgeable about nutritional matters. I’m in a fortunate position that way. And I’m quite aware of gluten sensitivities,” she said. 

Now, just a few months after receiving her diagnosis, S-B is focused on advocating for her health, trying new things and finding her favourite gluten-free eats. A few notable spots for S-B include Selia Bar, Boogies Burgers and Spot On. S-B has also become connected with the Calgary Celiac Association (CCA) for continued resources and connections.  

“I feel so grateful that we live in a city where there is a fairly dynamic community of celiac sufferers that are willing to share what works for them ,” said S-B.  

Trust your gut…literally

Christy-Lynn Jenkins had been living the gluten-free lifestyle for nearly 10 years in rural New Brunswick before finding a community of supporters when she moved to Calgary. 

“I came from a city where no one really talked about it or even knew what celiac was,” said Jenkins. 

Once in Calgary, Jenkins started looking into the resources available to support people with celiac disease and people living gluten-free. That’s when she came across the Calgary Celiac Association (CCA) and immediately got involved as a volunteer. 

But it hasn’t always been an easy walk. Jenkins spent years advocating for her health with doctors, never truly getting to the root of her diagnosis. Initially, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes which, according to Jenkins, can be brought on with untreated celiac disease. Knowing that something else wasn’t right, she pushed for further testing. However, since she wasn’t eating gluten at the time, her tests kept coming back negative until finally she said, enough was enough. 

In order to check for celiac disease, a blood test must be conducted on a patient. But to get an accurate diagnosis, the patient must have gluten in their system – this is why Jenkins tests kept coming back as negative. Some physicians may recommend doing the “gluten-challenge” which would consist of eating gluten every day for a certain amount of time before testing. 

Jenkins did the gluten challenge for three weeks and once her blood tests came back, her physician was sure that she had celiac disease, so much so that she didn’t need further testing.

“I shouldn’t have had to have diabetes in order to just get the test,” said Jenkins. 

Now, as of December 2023, Jenkins has joined the board of directors at the CCA, advocating and teaching others about the disease. She says that she’s grateful for the association because of the inclusivity and community it offers. 

Jenkins says that although getting a diagnosis may be intimidating, because of the lifestyle changes it could bring on, it could give you answers to so many questions you didn’t even think to ask.

“Even if you’re not exhibiting obvious symptoms, it’s still damaging you,” said Jenkins. 

“I was hurting my body for so many years in so many little tiny ways… I won’t get that time back.”

If you suspect that you may suffer from gluten sensitivities but don’t know where to start, getting a diagnosis, or getting connected with the CCA may be the first step. 

“There’s so much information on the internet that you don’t know if it’s valid or if it’s research-based or not, and [the CCA] had some concrete stuff,” said Jenkins. “Even I was learning stuff.”

Gluten: Friend or foe? Exploring its effects on your body

– Story by Ryan McMillan

The food we eat is often the last thing we would expect to harm our bodies. However, for many living with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, each meal has an element of stress. 

The way in which food is processed in North America allows for wheat, or different grains used as fillers, to be found in almost everything. Where there is wheat, there is gluten.

If gluten is in a lot of what we eat that can produce problems for people who can’t tolerate it, limiting their dietary choices. However, some celiacs report that travelling abroad is easier than they expected.

Shedding some new light on this situation, Jenny Suneby Jagers is able to highlight why our grains are so troublesome.  Suneby Jagers has a PhD in medical science from the University of Calgary and has studied respiratory and general physiology.

“There’s a combination of reasons why celiacs will do better in certain places around the world and why they’ll do better, even with certain kinds of wheat-based foods,” says Suneby Jagers. The grains are a different strand of wheat and the reality is that, “a lot of it can be because the gluten content is lower,” explains Suneby Jagers.

Furthermore, Suneby Jagers says, “Many celiacs are diagnosed in one country and when they travel or are exposed to gluten elsewhere, they might be in another country, and their intestine is already healed.”

The reality is a complex set of problems and circumstances with unique symptoms. Understanding how the body reacts to gluten is important as well.

“Be free of the clinical symptoms and live your life no different than that of normal individuals.”

Dr. Patricia Ting

Ian Kruger, a pharmacist at Two Heart Pharmacy in Cochrane, explains that “the body just doesn’t break [gluten] down and ends up initiating an inflammatory response.”  The complicating factor in all of this is that no two people are the same, and that means there are many different reactions and symptoms that can be present at varying intensities.

Kruger explains that, “Everyone reacts differently, right? Sometimes people have GI issues, diarrhea, flatulence, things like that. Other people may break out in a rash… Some people, they can just have a small amount and they’re affected by it with headaches, problems with weight loss, weight gain, just so many different challenges that can arise when you are sensitive to gluten.”

Natalia Haffner is a natural health consultant and herbalist at Two Heart Pharmacy, and she also has a lot of experience helping people sort out their dietary needs. One thing that stands out for Haffner is the frequency in which gluten issues are arising these days.  

“I work in the aisles and probably daily I interact with people that come in that are gluten sensitive,” says Haffner.

When the issue comes up and Haffner is asked for assistance, her suggestion is to start with diet. 

“Really looking at their diet and seeing if they can eliminate gluten, but also looking at other inflammatory foods as well in their diet.  Maybe looking at reducing those, I would definitely recommend that they speak to their doctor or like a healthcare professional,” says Haffner. 

This is a point of incredible importance and one that requires people to pause and reflect on what their goals are, how bad their symptoms are and what they want to know. For people who are gluten sensitive, removing gluten may bring a lot of relief and ease the symptoms they are experiencing. However, removing gluten right away may not be the best initial course of action.

“My understanding is you have to be consuming gluten in order for you to test it. So, if you eliminate the gluten before you go in, you may not get an accurate test result,” notes Haffner.

This means that the best course of action may be to consult your physician and schedule some tests before removing gluten from your diet. Removing gluten from your diet, before testing for gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, can lead to a false negative test result according to Suneby Jagers.

Testing for celiac

The process of testing and confirmation needs to start with your physician. Dr. Patricia Ting is a dermatologist in Calgary helping her patients find accurate diagnoses and treatments. When it comes to suspected gluten sensitivity in clients Ting says, “We will do the lab workup that is necessary, to try to confirm a suspected diagnosis of celiac. Now if those are positive, we would send them off to gastroenterology for a small bowel biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.”

The good news is that once a diagnosis has happened, you will have medical professionals who can help you move forward and live a better life. 

“I think the majority of patients can live very normal lives, in both gluten sensitive patients and those with celiac disease. So, not having any gluten in the diet can give them a very good quality of life,” says Dr. Tings.  

The big thing is going to be cutting out gluten, reducing symptoms and getting rid of the inflammation plaguing your intestinal health.

Ian Kruger is keen on pointing out that, “inflammation is always a problem.” He adds, “I think it’s something that needs to be brought to everyone’s attention. People might be gluten sensitive and not even know it, and there’ll be all these different issues that they just can’t put their thumb on to say this is what’s causing it.”

Removing gluten from the diet is the key factor and then you can, “be free of the clinical symptoms and live your life no different than that of normal individuals,” says Dr. Ting.

If you believe you could be sensitive to gluten, consult with your doctor first and start the process of diagnosis.

How does gluten affect my body?

What are the symptoms of celiac disease?

What if I ignore the symptoms?

How can I treat celiac disease?

Affording wellness: The economics of gluten-free lifestyles

– Story by Jordan Rebagliati

It’s no secret that buying gluten-free products is expensive. According to the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA), gluten-free items cost anywhere from 74 to 518 per cent more than “regular” food products. 

Cost of living is already an issue for so many Canadians, so the added cost of a gluten-free diet could worry some sufferers.

Why do gluten-free items cost so much? What are the costs of eating gluten-free? How are people supposed to afford a gluten-free diet? 

First of all, why do gluten-free products cost so much at grocery stores and restaurants? According to the co-founders of CUT Cooking, going through Celiac Canada’s Gluten-Free Certification Program (GFCP) can cost a lot as you have to make your product in a factory that only handles gluten-free products to eliminate cross contamination. 

There aren’t a lot of companies specializing fully in gluten-free products, due to the cost of the standards, protocols and the regular tests a company has to go through to have that trademark.

“There are probably reliable companies that are a 100 per cent gluten-free and might have to call themselves gluten friendly,” says Meg Kibyuk, co-founder of CUT Cooking.

Another contributing factor to the high prices of gluten-free products is that a lot of the ingredients are not grown in Canada. Companies like CUT have to source ingredients internationally, and blend and mill those ingredients in a facility out of province to make gluten-free all purpose flour.

So, what are some of the ways you can minimize the cost of eating gluten-free? According to Stacey Hilscher, co-founder of CUT Cooking, the most effective way to save money on a gluten-free diet is to bake items like bread yourself rather than buying gluten-free loaves in the store.

“The cost of the pre-made stuff is 10 times as much as probably making it on your own with the raw ingredients.”

Another way to save money on a gluten-free diet is by utilizing the tax rebate for people diagnosed with celiac disease. According to the CCA’s website, there are many steps to the claim, like collecting all of your receipts for gluten-free food and various documents based on your celiac diagnosis.

Bethany Saunders is the co-chair of the Calgary Celiac Association’s education committee, and she has had celiac disease for the past 10 years. Saunders says to keep in mind money savers like PC optimum points, shopping for bulk at places like Walmart or Costco and keeping an eye out for nutritionally dense foods. 

A normal gluten-free diet could lack nutrients like, vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and fibre, which increases the significance of having a nutritionally dense diet.

“So I think it’s really understanding like what is the nutritionally dense foods? Where are the places that I can find these things as the best bang for my buck?”

Since Saunders’ celiac diagnosis in 2014, there have been many changes in the gluten-free market. Not only were there way less options in stores and restaurants, there was also a whole different attitude towards people who were eating gluten-free.

“Ten years ago, when I was first diagnosed, there was nowhere to eat. And also the attitude at the time was that it was like an eating disorder. So, if you’re trying to restrict foods, you’re trying to avoid foods, then you’re trying to lose weight and whatnot.”

Now when you go to most restaurants, they will have designated signs on their menus for items that are vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, etc., which shows the changes people in the restaurant industry have made over time.

“People are far more vigilant to help you also avoid it. Almost kind of more like a peanut allergy.”

But what happens if you’re facing food insecurity? People with celiac disease who look to food banks for help still deserve to find foods that are healthy for them.

According to the CCA: “Too often, when a person with celiac disease visits a food bank or agency, they are given food that they cannot consume.

In addition, when gluten-free food is donated, except for some noted cases below, it is often bundled in with  gluten-filled products and handed out to anyone, not just those who need it.”

The CCA runs an initiative called Save Me For Gluten Free, which helps people with celiac disease who use food banks advise their agencies on how to accommodate people that seek their services.

Sharing cultures, one bite at a time

– Story by Isabella West

In the search for notable gluten-free restaurants in Calgary and the surrounding area, I’ve come to cherish two ‘mom and pop’ restaurants that have never left me disappointed: Heaven Restaurant and Market, and Ferraro Truly Italian. 

Patricia Capuzzi wanted to share authentic gluten-free Venezuelan cuisine with Calgary. Her commitment to quality, despite initial challenges, caught the attention of Guy Fieri, earning the restaurant a spot on the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. 

Meanwhile, at Ferraro Truly Italian in Airdrie, Manny and Nyla Ferraro’s passion for pasta led them to craft homemade gluten-free options, driven by Manny’s desire to ensure no pasta lover felt left out. 

Discovering Heaven

Tucked along the busy streets of 17th Ave, Patricia Capuzzi, the owner of Heaven Restaurant and Market, said that she didn’t know how to not be a ‘hidden gem.’ 

Despite being in the same location for 11 years, operating a successful business, Capuzzi recalled people still asking the restaurant owner if they were new to town. However, that all changed when they received international recognition for their authentic Venezuelan cuisine that is completely gluten-free. 

Arriving in Canada in 2008 amidst Venezuela’s political turmoil, Capuzzi, along with her husband Marco and son, knew that they wanted to share their Venezuelan food and culture with their new community. Capuzzi’s background in hotel and restaurant management, coupled with her husband’s learned culinary skills, laid the foundation for what would become Heaven Restaurant and Market.

The family soon opened their restaurant in 2012 with a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. 

“For me, if I can have people that are celiac or have gluten issues coming in here, and if they go out with a smile, I did my job.”

Despite not having many personal connections with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, Capuzzi explained that traditional Venezuelan food is typically made with corn, rice, plantains and beans, so offering a gluten-free menu wasn’t out of the question. 

“This is our way of eating back home,” said Capuzzi. 

However, while their dishes are much beloved today, their success didn’t come without its challenges. 

11 years ago, when they first opened their restaurant, Capuzzi said that the stigma about gluten-free food was much different than it is today. She said that most people thought that the food would taste like cardboard or nothing at all. 

“After the first year, we were not doing well. We were actually in very bad shape and we were about to give up,” said Capuzzi. 

That’s when a Google photographer came in and offered to sell Capuzzi the 360 photography for Google but she turned him down because of plans to close.

After seeing the potential of the restaurant the photographer said to Capuzzi “I see that you’re good. Your food is great. You need just a little help.”  And that’s exactly what he did. He helped Capuzzi learn how to use social media, rework the menu and how to promote the restaurant. 

“That’s how we got here,” said Capuzzi. “Today, he is one of my best friends and every time I need to consult on something, I call him first.”

Despite this taxing start, Heaven has become a top-rated restaurant not only for people with Celiac disease or those who are gluten-free but for anyone who visits. 

Their commitment to excellence caught the attention of restaurateur and TV personality, Guy Fieri after his network company received numerous emails recommending Heaven for his show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Before she knew it, Capuzzi and her restaurant were being featured on the show.

“At the end of the filming, I told them ‘Okay, that was too easy, I want my own program now,” said Capuzzi with a laugh. 

The food featured on the program that Fieri tried was Pabellón Criollo, which is the national dish of Venezuela and consists of shredded beef, black beans, tajadas, coconut rice, avocado slices, and a side of plain arepa. Fieri also tried the tajadas, which is fried ripe plantain.

  

Capuzzi said that there are three things that set their restaurant apart from others – the gluten-free options, the authentic cuisine and the way the food is made with love. 

“We cook from scratch. My grandmother taught me [and] my mother taught me how to cook. I think we’re doing a good job,” said Capuzzi. 

A taste of Italy

When I first visited Ferraro Truly Italian, before I was strictly gluten-free, I was conflicted about risking a stomach ache for homemade pasta or choosing the gluten-free option. Typically, most gluten-free pasta options at restaurants are store-bought and are rarely good in my experience. When I told the server my dilemma, I was shocked by the response – I could get any pasta shape and any dish I wanted, gluten-free and homemade. 

Ferraro Truly Italian, owned by Manny and Nyla Ferraro, has been greeting guests with homemade, authentic Italian dishes for years. However, what sets this restaurant apart is its commitment to offering homemade, gluten-free options, with a recipe that Manny spent 3.5 years perfecting.  

“The first prototypes were awful,” said Manny.

Being in the restaurant industry his whole life, Manny knew what options were available for people living gluten-free and with celiac disease. But more than that, he knew how little options there were. 

“If you overcook it, it just breaks apart. If you undercook it, you’re chewing till next year,” said Manny referring to the gluten-free pasta options he came across.  

The motivation behind Manny’s venture into creating a gluten-free pasta option stemmed from his love for pasta and a recurring thought: “What if one day I can’t eat this? What’s out there?” 

“I love a good plate of pasta. I love it. You give me a steak or a good plate of pasta, I’ll take the pasta – I’m Italian,” said Manny. 

From that day on, Manny challenged himself and spent years perfecting the recipe. Prototype after prototype, flour after flour, Manny figured out the perfect combination resulting in the recipe as it stands today.

But despite knowing the recipe, Manny said that he will typically spend an average of six hours working on batches of the pasta because of its ‘temperament.’

“Even though I have [the recipe] down, it’s tricky. It has a temper,” said Manny jokingly.  

Despite how tedious the task of making the homemade gluten-free pasta may seem, Nyla said that Manny has a gift for it. 

“He has a gift. He was born with it,” said Nyla. “He’s an artist, his art fell into the [form of] culinary.” 

Although the restaurant hasn’t obtained official gluten-free certification, Manny and Nyla explained how they researched the severity of celiac disease and with Manny’s knowledge from culinary school, they learned how careful one must be about cross-contamination when offering gluten-free options. 

The restaurant has a completely separate room, freezers, and machines for the gluten-free pasta options which are made on average once to twice a week and then frozen. If a customer orders a gluten-free pasta, the chef will wash their hands, take the bag of pasta from the freezer and put it into a separate pot of boiling water without ever touching the pasta itself. 

Both Manny and Nyla recalled having customers who ordered the gluten-free pasta call them over to double-check if it was gluten-free because of how good it tasted and of course, it always was. 

To date, Manny and Nyla haven’t had any bad experiences with serving their gluten-free pasta and in the future, they hope to obtain gluten-free certification. 

“We take it very serious,” said Manny. “We want people to feel comfortable coming here if they have a gluten intolerance.”

Both of these restaurants share a common goal, to share their culture while welcoming those living gluten-free. Their cuisine is crafted with care and quality as a top priority, reflecting their commitment to heartfelt and homemade cooking.

Meet the authors

Isabella West

Jordan Rebagliati

Ryan McMillan

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