This may seem like a recurring theme here at Celiac Disease, but I believe creating awareness of Celiac Disease and the gluten-free diet is the responsibility of all of us.
Here we do our best to feature some of the best work you guys are doing, write some original content of our own, and of course to provide a bunch of resources and other information for the Celiac community. For others who don’t have the ability to create websites, forums, or directories, there are other things you can do to help promote the cause and increase awareness (which is especially needed here in the United States).
If you read the Chicago Sun-Times, you might have noticed the story of Sunshine Best, a young woman with Celiac Disease who has made it her mission to educate as many people as possible about the disease and the importance of strictly following the gluten-free diet:
At her online bakery, www.rise andshinedesserts.com, the fruits of her labor are evident: vegan sunflower cookies, cassava coconut loaf, key lime pound cake and whole grain cornbread all attest to her creativity and the quality of her cooking. Her philosophy is simple: “Teach young people about basic nutrition needs, what foods meet those needs and flavorful, inexpensive ways on how to prepare them. People have to know there is a better option that is accessible to them.”
Her drive to educate and share her passions led her to establish Your Safe Kitchen, a special diet and culinary instruction consulting service. Through referrals from dieticians and naturopaths, Best helps people create recipes, clear pantries and cupboards of potentially harmful foods, and show them the basics of shopping and cooking in a gluten-free, allergy-free lifestyle. Those interested in booking private cooking classes or other services may reach Best at www.yoursafekitchen.com.
What are you doing to increase Celiac awareness in your area?
