“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

National Autism Awareness Month began in the 1970s as a way to promote understanding and, well, awareness of autism and how it affects families all over the world. The statistics on autism have gotten dramatically higher in the last few years, now predicting that one in 110 children will be born with autism.

From the Autism Speaks website: Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). The other pervasive developmental disorders are PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified), Asperger’s Syndrome, Rett Syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. Many parents and professionals refer to this group as Autism Spectrum Disorders.

While we do not know what causes autism, it is important to be aware and supportive of those with autism and the families of those with autism. Having an autistic child can take a lot of energy and place undue stress on a family. There are many great resources available for families, but your support is important too.

To celebrate Autism Awareness Month, we have guest blog posts lined up for every day of the month of April featuring kid-friendly gluten free, casein free recipes.

Why gluten free and casein free? While it doesn’t work for every autistic child, some parents have found great success in switching their child to a gluten free, casein free diet. The theory behind this therapy is that many autistic children were born with a leaky gut. A leaky gut could be caused by several factors, one prevailing theory is a bad reaction when a child is immunized. A leaky gut allows the passage of certain nutrients through the intestinal lining into the blood stream where they travel to the brain and cause disruptions and behave similar to opiates. When you think about autism in the context of opiates, it’s not much of a stretch to see how difficult it would be to communicate your needs under heavy sedation. Now, we’re not saying that autistic kids are sedated, we’re just drawing a comparison for what it would be like to live in a world where you were constantly battling against an opiate to communicate. The two nutrients thought to cause these disruptions are gluten (a protein in wheat, rye and barley) and casein (a protein in cow’s milk). Hence, a gluten free/casein free diet! When these two proteins are removed from the diet, many parents see a significant difference in their children.

Here are some great resources for autism information and support.

Autism Speaks: http://www.autismspeaks.org/
Autism Society of America: http://www.autism-society.org/
Autism Spot: http://www.autismspot.com/

Also: Check out this preview for Wretchers and Jabberers, a new movie about two men and their journey with autism. It’s definitely on my must-see movie list for 2011.

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that people are talking about vitamin D more often these days. It’s like it was a little known nutrient that suddenly won American Idol and now it’s all anyone can talk about.

Turns out, most of us are deficient in this previously ignored vitamin and it’s far more important than anyone realized. The short story on vitamin D is that it’s essential for the absorption of calcium into our blood stream. We simply cannot metabolize calcium without it. A deficiency in vitamin D will cause thin, brittle bones and can cause Rickets in children. Vitamin D protects from Osteoporosis and bolsters the immune system. It plays a role in the reduction of inflammation and the modulation of cell growth. Vitamin D keeps our muscles healthy and our brains sharp. Do you need more reasons to make sure you get enough vitamin D?

So how much Vitamin D do we really need to keep our bodies strong?

table from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind

As you can see, most of us fall into the 15 mcg a day. What in the heck is mcg? That’s micrograms folks and that amount of vitamin D can be obtained by eating one- 3oz serving of salmon or 3 cups of fortified milk!

Vitamin D is available through good, old-fashioned sunshine, but most of us don’t get (or want) enough time in the sun to absorb the amount of vitamin D we need to be healthy. Many varieties of milk (including soy) and orange juice are fortified with vitamin D and any calcium supplement worth its beans comes with vitamin D. You can also increase your yogurt consumption, but it takes almost 5 servings to get what you need!

I normally don’t make a case for supplements, but unless you’re making a concerted effort to get your milk (or oj), fish and eggs every day, get a supplement. You can get vitamin D on its own or paired with calcium, but for your good health make sure you’re getting your 15 mcg a day of vitamin D.

To read more about Vitamin D, I recommend these sites:

Office of Dietary Supplements: National Institutes of Health: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind

World’s Healthiest Foods: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=110

Yesterday afternoon, I came across this photo of Bob. I immediately thought this would make a great photo for a caption contest. Bob was so excited that he insisted on picking the winner himself and felt it imperative that we also do a caption contest for a second photo—this one of his assistant, Nancy Garner. To say Nancy is Bob’s assistant does not nearly do her job justice. She works tirelessly with Bob on all of his projects and accompanies him to speaking engagements, trade shows and events of every variety. They can often be found playing piano together at our World Headquarters or enjoying lunch at our Whole Grain Store.

Here’s the contest:

Write a caption for one or both photos here or on Facebook. I will post both photos on Facebook and you must enter the caption as a comment under the photo or it will not be counted. Let’s keep it clean; any inappropriate comments will be deleted. Bob and Nancy will choose the captions they like best and the winners will receive a $50 Bob’s Red Mill Gift Card that can be used on our website. On your comment, be sure to indicate Caption A for Bob’s photo and Caption B for Nancy’s photo.  This photo was taken for an ad, here is the actual caption that will be used: “I want you… to eat whole grains.” Get creative, get funny, but don’t use that caption. Bob and Nancy will pick the two winners on 03/31/11 and I will announce them here, on April 1st.

Caption A: Bob's Photo

Caption B: Nancy's Photo

Almost in season, Asparagus is another wonderful "green" to add to your diet.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Instead of posting traditional Irish recipes here, I thought I’d mix it up and focus on green foods today. Green abounds in the natural world and it’s no wonder that green foods are some of the very best for your body too. The color green symbolizes health, prosperity and vitality and it’s really not surprising that environmentalists choose green to represent their causes.

Here is a list of our favorite green foods and what makes them so good for you!

• Spinach: Popeye ate spinach to make him strong and it’s no wonder! These little leafy greens are packed full of vitamin C, iron, folate and are a great source of fiber. Spinach is great raw in a salad or on a sandwich in place of lettuce, but it also makes a wonderful addition to pastas, soups and stir-fry.
• Kale: My personal favorite, kale is a great source of iron, calcium, dietary fiber, vitamin K and vitamin C.  I often pair kale with quinoa, black beans, tofu and salsa for my take on a Mexican bowl.
• Broccoli: The quintessential food rejected by picky eaters is a great source of vitamin A (beta carotene) and vitamin K, both of which help our bodies metabolize vitamin D. Most of us need to take supplements of vitamin D for healthy bones and broccoli helps our body replenish its stores of this essential nutrient.
• Green Tea: A powerful antioxidant and natural source of energy, Green tea can help reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease, as well as protect against cancer.
• Nori: Nori is the seaweed that wraps sushi and can now be found as snacks here in the United States. Nori is a great source of protein, iodine,  fiber and vitamin C.
• Peas: Whether you choose snap peas, snow peas or split peas, green peas pack a nutritional punch. Peas are good sources of dietary fiber, thiamine, vitamin K and manganese.

That is just a short list of all of the great green foods you can enjoy today. Others include green apples, pistachios, basil (might we suggest pesto?), mint, oregano, collard greens, bell peppers, chard, lettuce, celery, cucumbers, zucchini… and the list goes on!

Find some way to eat your green today, instead of just wearing it!

Thank you to each and every one of you who shared your food allergy story with us. Each was inspiring and, best of all, positive. For all of us with food allergies, a negative experience is far easier to remember than a positive one. We were so moved by what people have done for you and what you have learned through these experiences.

As with all of our giveaways, I wish I had a copy of this book to give to each of you. Alas, I only have two. Without further ado, our winners, selected at random, are:

1. Erika Kar
2. Kristi Gushee Pilgrim

I’ll be contacting you each to find out where we can send your prizes. As a reminder each person will get a copy of Sloane Miller’s Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies and a $25 Bob’s Red Mill Gift Card. If you didn’t win and you would like a copy of this fabulous book, you can find it here.

This recipe has been on the back of our Irish Soda Bread Mix package for years and years, but I have never tried it. I’ve made the bread and the biscuits many times since discovering this great, often overlooked,  product. To make a long story short, we were doing some filming on Sunday for some instructional videos that will appear on our website later this year and one of the segments featured Irish Soda Bread Mix and all of the amazing things you can do with it. We had a basket of these crackers for the shoot and as soon as the director yelled “cut,” everyone converged upon them. They disappeared quickly accompanied by happy oohhs and awws and mmms.

Don’t be intimidated by these- making them is far easier than you think! Adding fresh rosemary and a sprinkling of sea salt on the top makes these crackers really sing. I’m sure these would be wonderful with cheese or spreads, but they didn’t make it that far when we ate them.

Irish Soda Crackers

Ingredients

• 2 cups Irish Soda Bread Mix
• 1/2 tsp. Salt (may omit)
• 1/2 cup Oil
• About 1/4 cup Water (use enough to makes dough easy to handle)

Directions

Stir oil and salt into 2 cups of Irish Soda Bread Mix. Rub in with hands until fine. Stir in water. Form into a ball. Roll out as thin as possible between waxed paper. Cut in desired shapes. Prick with a fork. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 375°F oven until lightly browned ( about 5 minutes). Do not overbake. Cool on rack.

Makes about 48 crackers.

P.S. We are sorry for not having a pictures of these. It wasn’t until they were demolished that it occurred to us to take one.

We get a lot of sponsorship requests from athletes of all varieties at Bob’s Red Mill and we can’t possibly fulfill on all of them. So when Nick Duttle first contacted me about a potential partnership with Bob’s Red Mill to support his mountain climbing, I was already thinking of how to explain that we couldn’t help support his passion. Little did I know what an incredible person Nick would turn out to be and we are proudly supporting him with whole grains to fuel his climbs. Here is his story, I hope you’ll find it as inspiring as we do.

Nick Duttle is a professional climber from Las Cruces, New Mexico who currently travels the country in order to climb the most difficult and technical sport routes and boulders in some of the most beautiful climbing areas accessible.

Nick has guided climbing trips in Colorado, enjoys teaching clinics and attending climbing events whenever possible, and serves as an ambassador/ sponsored athlete for several well-known climbing and outdoor companies.  He excels at a wide variety of climbing styles and continually seeks to complete the most powerful and aesthetic lines, always aiming to reach new goals and inspire others to do so as well.

Nick began climbing during college, using the indoor climbing wall at New Mexico State University, and soon spent most of his free time at the nearby world-class bouldering destination of Hueco Tanks.  Despite having a genetic condition (Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia) that affects the skin and development of sweat glands, Nick has overcome many physical challenges throughout his life to pursue his dream of training and performing as a full-time athlete.

Believing wholeheartedly in the importance of good nutrition for a healthy and active life, Nick relies on whole foods and grains to power and sustain his intense training schedule.

Nick’s regular training includes running, swimming, cycling, hiking, and of course plenty of climbing in whatever location that presents the next challenge.

Nick’s favorite products from Bob’s Red Mill have long been the 10 Grain Cereal and the Steel-Cut Oats (often mixed!) which are an integral, if not imperative, part of his morning routine.

Watch Nick climb Esperanza here.

Watch Nick climb Deep Puddle Dynamics and the Automator in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Matt, Cassidy and Dennis pose with our lucky toucans at the 2010 World Porridge Championships.

Yes, this is a Bob’s Red Mill blog, but I wanted to share something about myself with you because part of being Bob’s Red Mill is helping people deal with food allergies, celiac disease and other diet-related health conditions and providing delicious foods to make eating fun again.

Something that I’ve only mildly hinted at on this blog and covered up well in my daily life is that I am allergic to dairy products. Yes, I said it. Gasp! I know I’m not alone and many of you are thinking “me too!” No, I am not lactose intolerant, but thanks for asking. I have an allergy. My body reacts the same way to cow’s milk as many other food allergies. My reactions are fairly mild compared to those with severe food allergies. I don’t go into anaphylactic shock, in fact I can pretty much move on with a good dose of Benadryl. Fortunately, my reactions are pretty much limited to any direct ingestion of dairy products like milk, ice cream, white sauces, etc. My body doesn’t really notice on the surface when I eat baked goods with milk products and hard cheeses. That doesn’t mean I’m not reacting, it just means that I cannot detect the reaction.

My resolution this year was to stay clear of all dairy, which has been very difficult, let me tell you! Not only is it hard to avoid dairy when eating out and about, but it’s hard to remember to check the ingredients in things I normally buy- like cold cereal or bread. I resolved to just do my best a few weeks ago. Sometimes, a little bit gets in and goes unregistered in my system. This is what works for me and a few people I know with allergies similar to mine. I absolutely do not recommend it for anyone with severe food allergies or celiac disease.

Fortunately, over the years there have been better and better products made to help those of us with food allergies eat well. There are endless options for dairy-free ice cream and milk made from everything from nuts and seeds to rice and oats! I’ve been lucky to have grown up learning how to eat well with my food allergies. Yes, I miss some things, but there are so many wonderful other things that I haven’t spent more than a fleeting moment thinking on what I miss.

When I received a copy of Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies, I dug right in. I was sure that it would help me navigate my world a little better and did it ever deliver! Sloane has inspired me to take my allergies more seriously and to be a better advocate for myself. She has helped me realize just who is an ally in my life and who just “doesn’t get it.” This book is full of great tips for dating and traveling, as well as, eating out with your boss and eating well at celebrations. It has sample letters for prospective students to share with colleges and tips for navigating a buffet line without a reaction. We’re giving away a copy of her book here. For anyone who has a food allergy or is dealing with celiac disease, this book is endlessly helpful and inspiring. I don’t say it often, but this book comes with my highest recommendation.

I’ve been following Allergic Girl, Sloane Miller, on and off for the last few years. She writes a clever and wonderfully named blog, Please Don’t Pass the Nuts, that helps those with food allergies navigate all aspects of their life safely and with joy. I was really excited when she contacted me about her new book, Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies. She’s written you a lovely guest post and to help promote this amazing resource, we’re giving away a copy of her book and a $25 Bob’s Red Mill Gift Card to two lucky winners. See below for giveaway details and how to enter. Without further ado, here is Sloane…

People ask me two questions, a lot:

First:  Why write Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well With Food Allergies?

My Please Don’t Pass The Nuts blog readers who have food allergies and the friends and family who love and support them are the inspiration for Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well With Food Allergies. There is a real need for information and support in the food allergic community.  I want Allergic Girl to fill those needs.

I became a food allergy advocate because I am committed to helping people with food allergies live safe, effective and joyous lives.  Allergic Girl talks about the intimate feelings, concerns and dreams those of us with food allergies have and shares my experience and expertise.  I write about the practical realities of understanding and living with food allergies and I offer proven strategies for living well with food allergies.

I have always been an allergic girl.  I have had food allergies since birth and I developed environmental allergies in early childhood.  I am also a social worker and writer.  My work as a food allergy advocate—“Allergic Girl”—combines my commitment to helping people with my personal experience as someone with food allergies and my professional expertise as a social worker and writer.

Second:  What’s my one piece of advice to people with food allergies and the people who love and want to support them: Take your food allergies seriously.

Living with food allergies can be challenging—even scary.  It can and should also be joyful.  Reliable, clear information and support make the difference.  Allergic Girl offers my experience and my best therapeutic strategies for living safely, effectively and joyfully with food allergies.  And remember:  Be patient.  Living well with food allergies doesn’t happen overnight.  But, if you take your food allergies seriously and follow some basic rules, it can happen.

Giveaway:

First of all, we’re not discouraging anyone from entering, but I must say this resource is invaluable for those with food allergies. I hope that anyone who wins will enjoy it and share this with someone who has food allergies and could use Sloane’s wonderful guidance. Even though celiac disease is not an allergy to food, Sloane’s book is a great resource for anyone with celiac disease as many of the same principles still apply.

To Enter:

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment here or on our Facebook page and tell us about your most positive food allergy experience, whether it was your own or a loved one. We’ll pick two lucky winners at random from all of your entries. You have until midnight on March 13th to enter. We’ll pick our two winners using random.org on March 14th.