With a little help from my friends: Some dietitians in my celiac disease village
In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2018,
A series of bites, barks, tail wags, face licks, and pant tugs from Gluten Free Watchdog
May 17, 2018
Gluten Free Watchdog Face Lick, Post # 17
No one should function in a vacuum. We all need colleagues and friends who share our experiences, who know where we are coming from, and who just plain “get it” and “get us.” I am fortunate to have many fabulous dietitian colleagues. There are three in particular (among so many others) who help me more than they know—Melinda Dennis, Shelley Case, and Amy Keller.
What the celiac disease community may not know is that as celiac disease dietitians we spend a lot of time conversing with each other about any number of problematic and controversial issues. We chat about oats, including issues with contamination and safety. We chat about contamination of other naturally gluten-free grains, seeds, and legumes. We chat about the Nima Sensor. Together we try to decide what the evidence is revealing to us. We make determinations about whether there is enough evidence to express our concerns publicly. We are keenly aware of not wanting to withhold important information but also not wanting to cause undue concern. All of our decisions are evidence-based.
When you are making decisions on resources to trust, please don’t overlook the important work being done by dietitians who specialize in celiac disease. They may not be as visible as the celiac docs but they are just as important. Among so many other activities, Shelley publishes the book Gluten-Free: The Definitive Resource Guide, Melinda is the Senior Consulting Dietitian for the National Celiac Association, and Amy is the chair-elect of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Medical Nutrition Practice Group which includes the DIGID subgroup (Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Diseases).
On a personal note, I would like to thank Melinda for seeing me at my worst and liking me anyway, Shelley for our umpteen conversations about grain contamination, and Amy for her willingness to lend a hand with anything related to Gluten Free Watchdog. Hugs and love.
Comments (4)
All of you are rock stars! Thank you for your tireless efforts. The GF community stands on the shoulders of giants – your shoulders.
Al
Thank you, Al. You are a pretty big giant yourself. I can’t imagine there is another support group leader who works harder than you!
Thanks, Trica, but many do. I am but a small fish in big pond. 🙂
Melinda Dennis is the one who told my husband and I about your site! She’s awesome, and we’re so thankful for all you do Tricia!