GIRL’S Ge t Outside!

Girl’s Who Hike Alabama is a women-only hiking group active all over the state. “We empower women in the woods and with other things to help them be comfortable on the trails or even camping,” says hiker and GWH ambassador Melissa Orr, who got into the group after becoming an emptynester. “As a mother of two grown sons, I felt lost and wanted to find something bigger than myself. The trails have helped me connect with other women and do things we never thought we could do.”

Who Qualifies for WIC?

• Pregnant women

• Women who have had a baby in the past 6 months

• Women who are currently breastfeeding (up to baby’s first birthday)

Children up to age 5

Pregnant women and children 1-5 years old may get milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, juice, cereal, whole grain bread, pasta or brown rice, beans or peanut butter, and fruits and vegetables. Breastfeeding women may get all these foods plus tuna or salmon and extra milk, cheese, and eggs. Infants may get infant formula if not fully breastfed, and infant cereal, fruits, and vegetables.

WIC Income Guidelines

Income guidelines have increased for 2023, which means more families may be eligible!

• Current participation in Medicaid, SNAP or Family Assistance will qualify the applicant for WIC benefits.

• Check the income guidelines to see if your family is eligible, and contact your local county health department or WIC agency to apply.

GIVING UP GLUTEN?

For some, going gluten-free is a diet fad; for others, it’s the only treatment for a disease that’s recently been on the rise.

CELIAC, SAY WHAT?

IS GLUTEN THE PROBLEM?

GF. WE SEE THESE TWO LETTERS A LOT NOW.

There are sections in grocery stores devoted to them; notations on menus designating certain dishes as GF; entire cookbooks and recipe blogs cover the concept. Gluten free is a common phrase today, but even 20 years ago, the concept of avoiding gluten was known only to a few. Now, with an increase in celiac disease cases showing up nationwide, it’s in almost everyone’s vocabulary. Still, for those not dealing with the disease, many questions remain.

There’s currently no cure for celiac disease, and the only treatment is no longer eating gluten. By following a strict gluten-free diet, most people with celiac experience fewer or no more troublesome symptoms.

WHAT IS CELIAC?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes an unnatural immune reaction to the ingestion of gluten—a protein found in wheat, barley and rye—in the small intestine. When someone with celiac eats foods containing gluten, this immune response attacks villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, eventually damaging them so they can no longer absorb nutrients from food. This is called malabsorption and can lead to malnutrition, inclucing iron-deficiency anemia, vitamin-deficiency anemia, vitamin D deficiency and low levels of electrolytes such as calcium.

Malnutrition leads to a host of other health problems caused from lack of proper nutrition, including diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and anemia, as well as other diseases and conditions. In children, the malnutrition celiac brings on can stunt growth and delay development.

A TRUTH SANDWICH:

There’s currently no cure for celiac disease, and the only treatment is no longer eating gluten. By following a strict gluten-free diet, most people with celiac experience fewer or no more troublesome symptoms, and their intestinal damage will heal over time. This can be difficult, but thanks to more information and more readily available gluten-free products and gluten-free options at restaurants, it can be done.