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"Well, I made the pizza from Mix #5 and it was great. I served it to our family and everyone gasped when I ate it too. They thought is was wheat! Now I don't have to make double stuff. Love the system of mixes that go together to make anything I want. And the fact that they have nutrition added is a real plus for me. Pretty reasonable too for what is in it." Joy B. North Carolina

"Just wanted to write to you and say I love that your flours taste so good in my baking. They work right and let me bake from scratch again." Pamela W. New York City

Hi, Just letting you know that I finally tried the pasta flour (Fine Flour Mix #3) and it worked far better than my expectations. It was fast, easy and delicious. I was in a hurry, so I just rolled it out and sliced it into Fettuccini. I made half a batch and it still made enough pasta for four servings, so Janet and I will be eating it again tomorrow. Thanks again. You sure have brightened up my life." Brian G. (Mix #3 also makes great cake and is used as a dusting mix)

Bread, artisan bread and buns, that's what I like! Your sprouted brown bread (Mix #6) is delicious. I use your mix as a base now that I have mastered the easy starter recipes. I add caraway seeds, I play with adding your whole grain Mix #4, that is really good, and as I can have gluten free oats, I add some of those to it sometimes. Thank you, please tell me you are going to keep going... I know what it is like when you start up a small business out of love like you did, but now you have me hooked, so please, please keep up the good work. Trina, you told me you have more ideas coming, let me know, my tummy is ready!" Carol C. Toronto

Gluten Free Diet

Bagels made with Astoria Mills Pizza & Bagel Mix #5

Astoria Mills Gluten Free ....sharing good foods, hope and joy.
Once you know that you need to follow a gluten free diet,
you can start feeling good again
as the road gets better and better from here.

Pancakes made with Astoria Mills All Purpose Flour - Mix #1

Who should follow a Gluten-Free Diet

The following is one of the most comprehensive and up to date articles, also from the Health NowMedical Center.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, rye and barley. For individuals suffering from an intolerance to gluten, including both celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, the gluten protein is attacked by the immune system as a toxin.

This “attack” can result in extensive damage to the body, creating symptoms that affect digestion, mood, heart, liver, thyroid, reproduction, brain function, muscles and joints.

All told there are hundreds of symptoms and diseases associated with gluten.

Is Gluten Creating Your Health Problems?

Are you one of those suffering? If so, you’re in very good company. Gluten intolerance is extremely common, affecting conservatively 20% of our population. Yet only 5% of the millions suffering know that their health problems are caused by gluten.

At this writing approximately 95% of the individuals suffering from the gluten caused problems, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, remain undiagnosed and therefore continue to suffer with the cause of their problems remaining unknown…

Over 300 Diseases & Symptoms are Caused by Gluten

Some diseases and symptoms caused by gluten intolerance are:

Fatigue	Infertility
Obesity	Diabetes
Depression	Thyroid disease
Gas/bloating	Liver disease
Diarrhea/constipation	Cancer
Headaches/migraines	ADD/ADHD
Acid reflux	Autism
Brain fog/Poor memory	Stunted growth
Hormonal imbalance	Osteoporasi

Unfortunately the list goes on and on, but above is a small sampling.

What’s the Difference Between Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease?

Celiac is an autoimmune disease affecting about 1% of the population (although that figure rises to 4% with increased age). There is a genetic component to celiac disease and while most people with the disease have a specific gene, research is finding more and more genes associated with celiac.

Celiac destroys the lining of the small intestine causing digestive problems in many. However there are many more celiacs with no digestive complaints who suffer symptoms from other parts of their body, chief amongst them the nervous system.

Gluten sensitivity is a condition that is estimated to affect anywhere from 10% to 40% of the population. Figures vary widely but increasing research should give us more precise numbers in the coming years. Until recently gluten sensitivity was questioned as a condition. But it is now clear that it is a very valid condition affecting a great number of individuals.

Similar to celiac disease, the immune system of the gluten sensitive individual reacts to the ingestion of gluten. The biggest difference between the two conditions is that the gluten sensitive individual doesn’t suffer the destruction of the small intestine as the celiac patient does. However, the damage that does occur to the body is no less severe to the health of the person suffering.

How Do You Know if Gluten is Your Problem?

While lab tests exist to test for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, there is a lack of sensitivity that results in many false negatives, meaning that patients are told they are fine when they are not.

Newer lab tests have been released and time will tell if they are better than their predecessors. The first step is to get a blood and/or saliva test that evaluates for both celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Simply receiving a negative test result for celiac disease does not rule out the presence of gluten sensitivity, so it is recommended to test for both. If the tests are negative but your symptoms suggest that gluten could be a problem (Take the Self Test on the “Am I Gluten Sensitive” page), do a 30-day trial of a gluten-free diet and see how you feel. Noticing an improvement of symptoms on a gluten-free diet is a valid test in and of itself, irrespective of any others.

What Should You Do if You’re Sensitive?

If you discover that gluten is a problem for you, the first step in treatment is to completely eliminate all gluten from your diet.

Due to gluten’s affect on the immune system, several problems can occur.

One can develop infections in the intestine that, while “silent” symptom–wise, are preventing the intestine from completely healing.

In addition, gluten creates a “leakiness” of the intestine that compromises absorption of nutrients, inflames the immune system, and allows problems to develop in many other systems of the body. It is this “leaky gut” that is thought to be a major contributor to the long list of problems that can occur secondary to gluten.

Due to the stress put on the immune system, your body can react to other foods as if they were gluten – these are called cross-reactive foods and a specialized lab test can determine if such reactions are occurring.

At Astoria Mills, we always refer you to seek professional medical help. If you do need to follow a gluten-free diet, our complete line of baking mixes help you to still enjoy a traditional diet with all of your favorite foods in yummy and nutritious gluten free form. An Astoria Mills gluten free diet with our 100's of proven recipes and delicious breads buns and pizza mean you can always find something delicious and healthful to eat and make your tummy feel good again!