Celiac disease affects 3 million Americans, yet 95% of sufferers don't know they have it.

Do you know someone with celiac disease? Chances are, you will.

This Celiac Awareness Month, instead of putting a single face to the name, we're highlighting the whole celiac and gluten-free community. And, we're doing it every day. It's our way to show the public why celiac disease should be on their minds just as much as it's on ours. 

Celiac Basics | Get Social | Blogger A Day | New & Noteworthy | Events & Promotions | Press

*Help NFCA win a $250K donation! Vote for NFCA in the Vivint Gives Back Project.

What's celiac disease and the gluten-free lifestyle all about? Take a gander:

• Celiac Disease Symptoms
• Celiac Disease Diagnosis & Treatment
• Gluten-Free Diet Handout
• Personal Stories
• Where NFCA is Headed

The best way to spread awareness is through word of mouth, and we've got the activities to get you talking. If you haven't stopped by NFCA's Facebook and Twitter pages yet, check them out now so you don't miss out!

Facebook

• Celiac & Gluten-Free Mosaic
  If you submitted your picture to photos@celiaccentral.org, now's the time to tag yourself in NFCA's Celiac & Gluten-Free Mosaic. To tag yourself, click on the mosaic at the top of NFCA's Facebook page, then select "Tag photo" from the righthand tool bar. Even if you're not in the mosaic, you can still tag yourself to show your support!
• I Did It!
  Watch for NFCA's weekly Facebook post asking "What's one thing you can do now that you couldn't do before going gluten-free?" This is your chance to tell the world about your personal feat, whether it's climbing a mountain, having a child, or taking that trip you never thought would be possible.

Twitter
 

• #youmighthaveceliac Tweets
  Think you know the signs of celiac disease? Watch @CeliacAwareness on Twitter for a new spin on celiac disease symptoms, inspired by Jeff Foxworthy's "You Might Be a Redneck" routine. Retweet your favorites!
• #GFchats with Ask the Dietitian Experts and @CeliacAwareness
  Rachel Begun, MS, RD (@RachelBegunRD), and EA Stewart, MBA, RD (@TheSpicyRD), will lead discussions on Twitter about gluten-free nutrition. These hour-long sessions will be held on four consecutive Tuesday nights (May 10, 17, 24, 31) at 8 p.m. ET. Watch NFCA's Facebook page for opportunities to submit your questions ahead of the chat.
• Twibbon campaign
  Show your support by adding a Celiac Awareness twibbon to your profile picture. Join the cause by visiting: www.twibbon.com/join/Celiac-Awareness

With article contributions, media interviews and cookbooks under their belts, celiac and gluten-free bloggers are positioned to be some of the strongest advocates for awareness.

To honor the blogging community, NFCA is hosting "A Blogger a Day, the Gluten-Free Way" on the organization's staff blog, Celiac Central: Bits & Bites (celiaccentral.wordpress.com). Each day, we'll profile a blogger (or two) and tell you why we like them so much. The profiles will also include the blogger's top 3 posts from the past year, so you can get a tasty sample of what they're serving up.

Meet today's blogger »

New

Hot off the presses! NFCA is thrilled to deliver new content designed to make gluten-free living easier:

• New Section: Kids Central (Shape the future of our kids' corner!)
  It's hard enough to go gluten-free, but when your kid needs to follow the diet, it can seem downright terrifying. So, NFCA is launching Kids Central to help you and your children stay on the right track. Get a sneak peak of the new section and take a survey to tell us what you'd like to see.
• New Report: Celiac Aware Cities (Exclusive Content!)
  NFCA selected the top 5 regions that requested the most "Do I Have Celiac?" brochures in 2010. Learn about the healthcare, food and support scenes in each region, plus find out how you can put your city on the map for 2011.
  *This report is exclusive to NFCA's Facebook fans. To access the report, visit NFCA's Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/nfceliacawareness), click to "Like" the page, then select Celiac Aware Cities from the left sidebar to download the report.
• New Videos: Alternative Appetites - Grilling with Thai Kitchen
  It's a bun-free BBQ! Dan Kohler shows how to turn up the heat with recipes for Grilled & Glazed Chicken and a zesty Grilled Potato Salad.
• New CE Program: GREAT Pharmacists
  Gluten can hide in medications, but many pharmacists are not aware of this risk to celiac and gluten-free consumers. Now, NFCA's online continuing education course can teach pharamists what to look out for when filling prescriptions.

Noteworthy

The items above are just the latest additions to NFCA's growing line of celiac and gluten-free resources. Other spotlights include:

• Celiac 60+
  A brochure for those over age 60 and their caregivers.
• Celiac Disease & Women's Health: A Guide to Understanding
  Learn what you should know before heading to your next OB/GYN appointment.
• Gluten-Free Guide to College
  Get the tools and tips you need to stay gluten-free while dining on campus.
• Tell Your Doctor to Get Informed
  Help your doctor help you. Print an information sheet about NFCA's Celiac CME and bring it to your next appointment. Educated doctors is the key to faster diagnosis!

Events

• May 4: Gluten-Free Food Labeling Summit
• May 10, 17, 24, 31: #GFchat on Twitter (featuring Ask the Dietitian experts)
• May 11: LIVE with Jill's List: Should You Be Gluten-Free?
• May 18: Celiac 60+: Meeting the Needs of the Mature Celiac
• May 19: Catwalk for Celiac
• May 27: Celiac Awareness Night at the Mets

Promotions

• Rudi's Unbelievably Good Gluten-Free Recipe Contest
  Submit your original gluten-free recipe using Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery products (including their new buns and pizza crust) for the chance to win a trip to Colorado and star in an Alternative Appetites video with Dan Kohler!
• Thai Kitchen Watch & Win
  Watch our new cooking videos for Grilled & Glazed Chicken and Grilled Potato Salad. Leave a comment explaining why you love to grill and you'll be in the running to win one of three Thai Kitchen Sauce Samplers (6 bottles)!
• "These Buns are Gluten-Free" Apparel
  Strut your stuff and make a statement with this offer from GlutenFreeTravelSite.com. Shirts, shorts and sweatpants bear the declaration "These Buns are Gluten-Free." This month, 5% of apparel sales will be donated to NFCA.
• MeebleMail Email Stationery
  Beautify your emails and spread the word by purchasing NFCA-inspired email stationery from MeebleMail. 50% of proceeds from the sale of this stationery will be donated to NFCA.

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has experienced speakers on staff ready to share their expertise in celiac disease and the gluten-free lifestyle.

Contact Director of Communications Whitney Ehret at 215-325-1306 x103 or whitney@celiaccentral.org to arrange an interview with one of our experts.

Topic areas include, but are not limited to:

• Celiac disease and gluten-free diet overview
• Barriers to diagnosis
• Personal experiences with celiac disease
• Gluten-free dining and food safety
• Growth of gluten-free market

Recent headlines featuring NFCA:

• A Q&A with NFCA Founder Alice Bast (Philadelphia Magazine's Be Well Blog)
• Alice Bast Wants to Teach You All About Celiac Disease (Philadelphia Daily News)
• NFCA Founder & President Wins Philadelphia Award (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• NFCA to Launch Gluten-Free Food Certification Program (About.com)
• NFCA GREAT Program Makes Asheville, NC a Gluten-Free Destination (Asheville Independent Restaurants: What's Cooking)
• Teen Hosts "Catwalk for Celiac" Fundraiser for NFCA (LoveTwenty.com)

Visit NFCA's Press Room »