1 in 133!

I'm posting this link in as many places possible to spread the word about this event taking place to raise the government's awareness of the necessity for gluten free labeling on food products.

The FDA has been dragging their feet since 2007 in finalizing the standards for gluten free labeling. In order to draw attention to the FDA's inaction, the gluten free community is holding the Gluten Free Food Labeling Summit in Washington D.C. on May 4, 2011 (for the start of the newly recognized National Celiac Awareness Month) and creating the largest gluten free cake-- symbolizing the importance of the event (and I LOVE cake).

What does the title "1 in 133" mean, you may ask... 1 in 133 people have celiac disease.  

To put it in perspective...  

•It would take 936 cruise ships to hold every American with celiac disease.

• Type 1 Diabetes affects 3 million people; 6% of those diagnosed also have celiac disease.

• 610,000 women in the US experience unexplained infertility; 6% (36,600) of these women might never learn that celiac disease is the cause. 

Some of you may not understand the importance of those with Celiac Disease to follow a gluten free diet and I could sit here and type out all of the health reasons and why I strictly follow the diet, but just believe me when I ask you to please support this event.  I am so appreciative of grocery stores devoting almost an entire aisle to gluten free foods. It would be really awesome (and cut back on mine and my mother's grocery shopping time) if the labeling standards were finalized. 

Thank you!