Celiac Disease Ranks High in AOL's 2010 Hot Searches

What were the top 10 health topics most searched in 2010? According to the AOL's Year End Hot Searches of 2010, celiac disease was ranked fourth, above diabetes and breast cancer! The top three health searches were bed bugs, salmonella, and BPA.  View the entire health list and explanations here. 

Chelsea Clinton's wedding was ranked ninth in top news searches, and her gluten-free wedding cake is partly responsible for the high celiac disease ranking. The Old Spice Guy, who eats gluten-free, ranked seventh in top trends. While Silly Bandz and Foursquare were included in the top trends, fortunately the gluten-free diet was not!

Video: Gluten-Free Chef of the Year

Watch this great video of a competition that was held recently in the UK to crown the Gluten-Free Chef of the Year. Celebrity chef Phil Vickery was a judge. For more information about the competition, read this article. Here is an excerpt.

"Michael McCamley from Northern Ireland was chosen as the Gluten-free Chef of the Year and, for the second year in a row, student Shanice Parris as the Up and Coming Gluten-free Chef of the Year.  

McCamley, head chef at Venue Catering in Newry, Northern Ireland, wins a one week placement at Gleneagles with twice Michelin star chef, Andrew Fairlie and will also spend the day working with Sodexo executive development chefs to produce a signature dish suitable for people with coeliac disease. 

And Parris, who is in her second year studying catering at Westminster Kingsway College, wins a one week placement at Pennyhill Park working under Michelin star chef Michael Wignall."

Who will be organizing a Gluten-Free Chef of the Year competition in the United States? Who would you like to see compete in it?

5 Celiac Disease Facts to Include in Articles, Videos, and Interviews

The plethora of misinformation about celiac disease and gluten-free life continues to spread daily through news segments, articles, and videos. Here are some facts and tips to facilitate the sharing of accurate information!

1. Provide facts from dietitians, doctors, and organizations, such as NFCA, not celebrities. Do not refer to a gluten-free diet as a fad, trend, or weight loss diet!

2. It is essential to be tested for celiac disease, an autoimmune disease with dangerous complications, before starting a gluten-free diet!  If negative, a patient may be gluten sensitive.

3. There are no typical symptoms of celiac disease. There are 300 symptoms and some people have none!

4. People with celiac disease must eat 100% gluten-free and need to be very cautious about cross-contamination.

5. There are many great and safe gluten-free products. Good gluten-free baked goods taste the same as gluten!