VCU to host annual gluten education conference

By Malorie Burkett and Kimberly Selden

The Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and the West End Gluten Intolerance Group will host the 2007 Gluten Intolerance Group annual education conference.

The program will begin Friday, June 8, and continue through Sunday, June 10, at the Downtown Richmond Marriott, 500 E. Broad St.

The sessions and exhibits begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Gluten intolerance or celiac disease is the result of an immune-mediated response to the ingestion of gluten – usually from wheat, rye and barley, which damages the small intestine.

The conference will provide individuals and families with resources; updates on the diagnosis and treatment of celiac disease, gluten intolerances and associated disorders; tips on healthy living and gluten free cooking; and the opportunity to network with others in the gluten intolerance community.

According to the Gluten Intolerance Group, celiac disease is considered to be the most under-diagnosed common disease today, potentially affecting one in every 133 people in the United States.

For more information, visit http://www.gluten.net/events.htm.