Dispelling gluten-free myths and patient education headline the 2018 Washington DC Gluten-Free Education Day and Expo
On June 10, 2018, some of the brightest minds in the field gathered at the 2018 Washington DC Gluten-Free Education Day and Expo to discuss opportunities and challenges associated with living a gluten-free life.
The one-day expo focused on how the food we eat affects our brains, how to dispel gluten-free myths and how to think outside the box with new recipes and cooking demonstrations from local restaurants, bakeries and chefs.
Keynote speakers for this year’s symposium included Benny Kerzner, M.D., medical director, Celiac Disease Program at Children’s National, Jocelyn Silvester, M.D., director of Research, Celiac Disease Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and Ian Liebowitz, M.D. from Pediatric Specialists of Virginia.
Additionally, Edwin Liu, M.D., from Colorado Children’s Hospital and Ilana Kahn, M.D., from Children’s National gave a joint keynote on the autoimmune connection, focusing on conditions related to celiac disease and the gut-brain connection.
Teen mentors gave a panel discussion for the 13+ age group attending the conference in a session called “For Teens from Teens!” during which they discussed the challenges of navigating a gluten-free lifestyle as a teen.
In addition to the useful educational sessions, attendees visited many of the 57 vendor tables with gluten-free product samples voting for the best sweet and savory winners.
The Celiac Disease Program at Children’s National Health System started in 2009 to improve the way pediatric celiac disease is diagnosed and treated. Working in partnership with concerned members of our community, our Celiac Disease Program brings together a team of expert physicians, nurses, nutritional consultants and professional counselors dedicated to developing a national model for detecting and treating celiac disease in children.
