Turning gluten-free to 'Glee'; Local mother's new book offers real-world guide for life with celiac disease

It's hard enough getting a college student to eat well-balanced meals when they are away from home. But what happens when the student has celiac disease or another form of gluten intolerance and has to follow a strict diet?

That's exactly the question West Newbury mother and author Elizabeth Atkinson set out to answer in her newly published book titled "Glee! An Easy Guide to Gluten-Free Independence."

Atkinson's daughter, Madeleine Eames, was a junior in high school in 2006 when she found herself grappling with a diagnosis of celiac disease. The lifelong digestive disorder affects children and adults, restricting them from eating foods containing gluten, which is found in all forms of wheat and related grains.

"She had symptoms her whole life, and we finally figured out it was a gluten intolerance," Atkinson said. "At the same time, we were looking at colleges and figuring out how to deal with this after being diagnosed and going to college on her own."

Atkinson began reading just about every book on celiac and researching the disease online, compiling the information she gathered into a booklet for her daughter to take with her to college.

"All the books out there on gluten-free diets are very lengthy and more information than the newly diagnosed need or want," she said. "I needed something simplified for a young adult."

Friends and family also trying to follow a gluten-free lifestyle were soon asking for photocopies of the book. Atkinson decided to formally publish her book. She joined forces with Clan Thompson LLC of Maine, nationally regarded experts in the field of celiac disease and creators of gluten-free SmartLists that continually offer updates on new products to the market that are safe to eat.

Atkinson said her book is designed to be a practical guide to help young people with celiac disease cope.

"I wanted to write a very upbeat book that says, 'Listen, once you get a hold of this disease, you will be very healthy,'" Atkinson said. "Most young adults and the newly diagnosed are not interested in the hundreds of cookbooks for gluten-free foods. For years, a lot of them resent food and are not quick to get into the kitchen and make meals."

Approximately one in 133 Americans cannot digest gluten, a storage protein found most commonly in wheat, barley and rye, according to the Clan Thompson Web site.

Currently, the only way to treat celiac disease is to eliminate gluten from one's diet. That means none of the traditional breads, pizza, breakfast cereals, crackers, pastries or pasta (although gluten-free versions of those foods now exist).

But Atkinson said most people don't realize that gluten is also found in other common foods, such as soy sauce, beer, malts and licorice. In addition, cross contamination, the passing of gluten from one source where it's found to another that doesn't contain gluten, can occur in places where gluten-free food or dishes are manufactured or prepared alongside foods containing gluten.

The increasing numbers of people diagnosed with celiac disease has resulted in an explosion of new gluten-free foods to the market, making it the fastest-growing health food segment nationwide.

Atkinson said it has also helped that awareness of the gluten-free diet and lifestyle have caught on nationally, with more businesses catering to the needs of people who are affected. Her daughter, now a sophomore at American University in Washington, D.C., has found a number of places she can go out to eat without worry.

"The amount of products has changed dramatically over the past five years. My daughter was diagnosed three years ago, and since then there has been a shift," said Atkinson, who added that in addition to the people diagnosed with celiac disease, there are others who choose not to eat gluten because of digestive system issues.

"Glee" aims to help the gluten-free community navigate through life, Atkinson said. Her daughter and her friends, for example, use the book when they're in Burger King, Bertucci's or other popular chain restaurants, or even in the college dining hall when looking for a gluten-free option on the menu.

"I wanted to give them a way of functioning in the real world," Atkinson said. "I tell them what fast food they can have, what candy, or over-the-counter medication they can take — what college kids need."

Atkinson, who is also the author of "From Alice to Zen and Everyone In Between" and the upcoming "Freke Family Reunion," hopes those who pick up "Glee" are able to learn how to live a happy and healthy gluten-free life.

"It isn't something that's going to get better overnight," she said. "Just be patient with it."

HOLD THE GLUTEN

Elizabeth Atkinson says some of her daughter's favorite area spots to enjoy a gluten-free meal are:

Not Your Average Joe's: There's one chicken dish on the menu that's her daughter's favorite.

Greta's Great Grains, Newburyport: One of the first local places where Atkinson found gluten-free products.

Fowle's Market, Newburyport: Large selection of meats, breads and pastas.

The Natural Grocer, Newburyport: Large selection of ingredients and products.

Anello's Cafe, Portsmouth, N.H.: A new arrival to the gluten-free scene.

IF YOU GO

Who: Elizabeth Atkinson of West Newbury and her new nonfiction book, "GLEE! An Easy Guide to Gluten-Free Independence"

What: Book-signing and reception featuring wine, soft drinks and gluten-free appetizers

When: Saturday at 7 p.m.

Where: The Book Rack, 52 State St. Newburyport

How: Free admission. Call 978-462-8615 or visit www.bookrackbookstore.com.

GLEE! ($14.95) is available for purchase at The Book Rack and other select independent book stores, Amazon.com as well as Barnes & Noble as of June 1, and Clan Thompson LLC Publishing (www.clanthompson.com). Visit www.elizabethatkinson.com for more.

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West Newbury mom's book offers real-world guide for life with celiac disease

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