Philadelphia, PA - It was a crisp, snowy December morning when the first of a series of events occurred that would change my life forever. It was a call from my doctor about a persistently low Vitamin D value that had been identified in my bloodwork. I was quickly scheduled for additional labs as well as a consultation with a gastroenterologist. After following a normal diet for a month, I was scheduled for an upper endoscopy, and my diagnosis was in….it was celiac disease.
For Thousands of Philadelphia Area Residents, Finding Out That They Have Celiac Is More Than A Life-Style Change, It’s a Hardship
For those who didn’t know, like me, Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that doesn’t allow the small intestine to break down a protein called gluten, which is most common in wheat, barley, or rye. Currently, the only treatment is a complete diet overhaul. How careful one has to be is case by case; some people with Celiac can have a certain amount of cross-contamination that can be tolerated with the presence of gluten, while other people can tolerate none at all.
Some 300 years ago — not long before Benjamin Franklin left his brother and ended up in Philadelphia — he began reading the vegetarian writings of reformer Thomas Tryon called “Wisdom’s Dictates.” The diet, which produced a clear head, moderate eating, and the bonus of great cost savings.) He slipped into remission from the diet when he ate cod en route to Philadelphia in 1723.
That’s understandable. If you grew up around Philadelphia, one thing is certain. You’ve been brought up around gluten at every turn.
We Philadelphians love our cheesesteaks and hoagies served on the freshest rolls and soft pretzels baked to perfection, and who could miss that tasty cake for dessert? Last week, I visited a Philadelphia-area drive-through restaurant that advertised gluten-free options made in a separate preparation area. Before handing over my payment, the server at the window realized that those chicken nuggets contained breading and almost immediately retracted the bag in favor of making a fresh order.
African Americans are 63% more likely than Hispanic Americans and Caucasian Americans to have problems with gluten. Some estimates suggest that around 3 million people in America are living with Celiac and perhaps over 80% have not yet been diagnosed, meaning that they are consuming gluten that is damaging their small intestines.
In Philadelphia, Alan Domb passed legislation to make May Celiac Month in the City since 2021. One year ago, thanks to a Pennsylvania State Grant for funding, Research was given by Senator Amanda M. Cappelletti to CHOP in Philadelphia. Treating nearly 3,000 children each year, The Center for Celiac Disease (CHOP) is one of the largest and most significant of its kind in the entire United States.
Over the past several decades, Celiac diagnosis has increased by an estimated 7.5% annually in the United States.
For those living in our area, the diagnosis of the growing celiac disease can be a crushing blow. If you are hosting events or vacations this summer, here is what to know and how to prepare for some of the challenges faced by those with celiac.
With cookout and outdoor party season upon us, many diagnosed with celiac disease this year will feel depression and social withdrawal in an attempt to avoid foods that would make them sick. Rolls for hamburgers and hot dogs must be gluten-free and cannot be placed in the same preparation area or grill with other non-gluten products.
Some who are diagnosed with celiac may even feel that providing their own food is not enough to keep vacation plans. Do some research about gluten free food options at your vacation destination for both eating out and also food shopping. Many New Jersey Shore points offer gluten free options for both.
Those on a completely gluten-free diet (which is the only treatment for the disease currently) may feel extreme feelings of hunger and anxiety after being on the diet for a period of time. Ensure that social events are plentiful with amounts of gluten-free food and provide emotional support to those who are coping with the diagnosis.
Benjamin Franklin would not adhere to the vegetarian diet in his later years. In old age — suffering from both gout and kidney stones — both brought on at least partially by a high-fat diet. When he passed in the year 1790, it is estimated that 20,000 people were in attendance in Philadelphia for his funeral. The City’s population at the time was approximately 28,000 people.
Back in 2024 at one of my favorite drive-thru establishments with a gluten free menu — in an attempt to reap the benefits of the best diet for myself much like a young Benjamin Franklin — my server handed my a new bag and assured me it was safe for me to eat.
“I’m really sorry about the inconvenience, she said,” “How about a free Apple pie for dessert?”
I smiled and politely declined. Not if you don’t want me to have a long, unpleasant evening.
Michael Thomas Leibrandt lives and works in Abington Township, PA.
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