Your Personalized Global Gluten-Free Social Network Has Finally Arrived...

After months of hard work, sweat and tears, your personalized global gluten-free social network has finally been customized enough to go live!

If you didn't already know, there's been a ton of buzz going around the internet about this cool, new online community that is exclusively for individuals living gluten-free, just like you.

You are one of the first to know the exact URL of this gluten-free social network, as it has been kept secret until the site was officially ready to launch, so here it is...

www.GlutenFreeFaces.com CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT!

I'm extremely excited about this online community and hope that you take full advantage of all that is has to offer you.

So, what exactly is GlutenFreeFaces.com?

Think of it as your gluten-free facebook, that is customized to fit your gluten-free needs. You can share recipes, stories, information, post blogs, upload videos, join discussion groups and even chat live with other gluten-free individuals from around the globe!

GlutenFreeFaces.com truly is your one-stop-shop for updated information and news regarding Celiac Sprue and living gluten-free.

The more you are involved with this online community, the better it will be for everyone! So don't delay! All you have to do is take 1 minute and 37 seconds (I timed it) to register and set up your profile and you will instantly gain access to this great gluten-free community.

And do you want to know the best part?

It's absolutely FREE!

Don't worry, if you aren't too familiar with social networks like facebook or MySpace, once you become a member, you can watch a short "Fast Start Video" that will help you understand all the great things that you can do on GlutenFreeFaces.com.

If you would like to skip straight to the sign-in form, CLICK HERE and start taking advantage of all the great resources available to you on GlutenFreeFaces.com.

Celebrate Celiac Awareness Month with Some Brand New Flavors of Rice Chex...

If you don't already know, May is officially Celiac Awareness month. The May observance in the United States was chosen to coincide with our international colleagues. It was also done in recognition of the many other medical conditions related to celiac disease that are observed in May. Celiac disease is still relatively unknown to the world and being able to draw connections between these medical conditions and celiac disease helps to elevate its importance and enhance awareness. Some of the other May health observances include: Digestive Disease Awareness Month, Food Allergy Awareness Month and National Osteoperosis and Awareness Month.

In 'celebration' of Celiac awareness month, General Mills, the company that makes Rice Chex, has officially announced that they will be releasing several new flavors of Rice Chex, including:

- Honey-Nut Chex
- Chocolate Chex
- Cinnamon Chex
- Strawberry Chex

Although General Mills already makes these flavors of Rice Chex, they are not currently gluten-free. However, the gluten-free flavors should be available in most grocery stores as of June 1st.

This is great news, especially considering how difficult it can be to find gluten-free cereals that actually taste good! Plain ol' Rice Chex has always been one of the few gluten-free cereals that is actually tasty, so the fact that they are adding on some great new flavors is good news for all of us!

But beware, Chex still has a few flavors out there that are not gluten-free. However, the flavors that are safe will always be clearly marked as 'gluten-free' on the cereal box, so be sure to check.

Also, check out the official General Mills website for some cool (and fun) gluten-free recipes that include Rice Chex!

Chad Hines
www.GlutenFreeHero.com

P.S. Your Global Gluten-Free Social Network is almost ready to launch! Think of it as your personalized gluten-free facebook, where you will be able to interact with other gluten-free individuals from around the world to share recipes, information, videos, blogs, stories and give support to one another. Stay tuned for the official launch that will be taking place some time next week, so be on the look out for the announcement!

P.P.S. Don't forget to visit www.GlutenFreeHero.com/GlutenFreeSearch and check out your personalized gluten-free search engine, where search results are customized to fit your gluten-free needs! The search engine is constantly being optimized and updated to ensure that you are getting the best gluten-free search results on the web.

A Gluten-Free Sporting Event Surprise...

As some of you might already know, I am a HUGE Los Angeles Lakers fan. If you are a sports fan and have a favorite home-town team, you know exactly what I am talking about. Occasionally, I am fortunate enough to get invited to games with a few buddies of mine...but last week was a bit different.

Not only was I invited to Game 2 of the Lakers vs. Rockets series, but my seats were the VERY first row behind the Lakers bench! Check out this picture I took on my camera phone...

I took this picture of Pau Gasol, the Lakers starting center, during their warm-ups before the game (I tried to get a few clear pictures of Kobe, but he constantly has body guards around him, so it was a bit difficult!).

And if the seats weren't good enough, I had Leonardo DiCaprio and Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, sitting right next to me!

Sorry, got a little off track there...

So how does this all circle back to living gluten-free?

Well, I went up to the food stand to get a snack, and to my surprise, I saw the following sign...

I know it's a bit hard to see, but if you look close at the bottom two items, you will notice that it says "Gluten-Free Snacks!" I couldn't believe my eyes! The Staples Center, in Los Angeles, now offers gluten-free snacks at most of their convenience stands!

As soon as I got home from the game, I did a little more research and discovered that a number of sporting arenas throughout the U.S. and Canada are gradually introducing gluten-free products into their facilities. This is due to the increasing demand for gluten-free foods within the marketplace.

So keep your eye out at your local sporting arena...you just might stumble across some gluten-free foods!

Chad Hines
www.GlutenFreeHero.com

Is Starbucks Going Gluten-Free?

You might have heard some rumors lately that Starbucks, one of the world's largest corporations, is going to be offering gluten-free items in their stores.

But are the rumors true?

Absolutely...

A few days ago, Starbucks announced that it will begin selling its first gluten-free pastry in its U.S. stores next month in response to requests from its customers!

The pastry, called Valencia Orange Cake, will be made with seven ingredients which are all 100 percent gluten-free, the company said. The cake will be sold in individually wrapped packages for $2.25 each and will be available beginning May 5th, 2009.

Starbucks said it wanted to offer its gluten-free customers more choices.

"I think one of the things we learned right from the get-go from our gluten-free customers is they can't eat away from home very easily," said Adrienne Knapp, a product manager in the food category at Starbucks. "A cake is actually really hard to find for someone that's a gluten-free consumer."

Starbucks said it has received numerous requests from its customers for gluten-free foods on its mystarbucksidea.com website. The site allows customers to submit ideas for how to improve the company, its drinks and its food.

They will be testing the product in their U.S. stores, and if the product sells successfully, they will gradually introduce the gluten-free pastry into their Canadian stores, and eventually the pastry will be available world-wide.

So starting May 5th, be sure to stroll on down to your local Starbucks and order yourself a gluten-free pastry!

Chad Hines
www.GlutenFreeHero.com

P.S. Your Global Gluten-Free Social Network is almost ready to launch! Think of it as your personalized gluten-free facebook, where you will be able to interact with other gluten-free individuals from around the world to share recipes, information, videos, blogs, stories and give support to one another. Stay tuned for the official launch that will be taking place in May!

P.P.S. Don't forget to visit www.GlutenFreeHero.com/GlutenFreeSearch and check out your personalized gluten-free search engine, where search results are customized to fit your gluten-free needs! The search engine is constantly being optimized and updated to ensure that you are getting the best gluten-free search results on the web. Or, click here to watch a quick video demo on how the search engine works to make your life a little easier.

What Do You and Donald Trump Have in Common?

Ok, you're probably thinking that this is a crazy question. And if you don't own billions of dollars in real estate assets, golf courses and casinos, produce an incredibly successful reality show on NBC, or have a ridiculous comb over, then you probably don't think you have much in common with "The Don!"

So, do you have any guesses as to what you and Donald Trump might have in common?

Anything?

Well, if you watched last Sunday's episode of The Celebrity Apprentice, you would have seen that you have at least one thing that you have in common...

On the last episode of The Celebrity Apprentice, the celebrities were assigned the task of creating a frozen dinner that was delicious and healthy at the same time. Annie Duke, a contestant on the show, is a world-renowned poker player, who also happens to have a daughter that is allergic to wheat.

(I was able to chat with her via the magic of Twitter to find out this exclusive info. Yes, celebrities will actually respond to you on Twitter! Pretty cool...)

Anyway, Annie Duke came up with the idea to create a meal that consisted of turkey meatballs and gluten-free pasta. When Joe Kernen, from CNBC Squawk Box, asked Annie, "Who would eat gluten-free pasta?", Annie quickly responded with "the people who need gluten-free are people who have wheat allergies or celiac disease." But Joe still seemed skeptical and thought it would taste bad. To make the dish entirely gluten-free, Annie prepared the turkey meatballs with vegetables, instead of bread crumbs. Although her team was reluctant, Annie advocated for the gluten-free meal and the team ended up choosing it after tasting the three dishes Annie cooked.

During the presentation to the executives at Schwan's, Jesse James said, "the gluten-free market is one of the fastest growing segments in the food industry, as more people are developing wheat allergies or things like celiac disease." The Schwan's executive then said, "I like the innovation in it" and "gluten is hot, there is no doubt about it." Obviously, he meant gluten free, not gluten. But we'll forgive him for that little slip-up. As Annie left the board room, she said, "I told you the gluten free would work."

To make a log story short, the gluten-free dish ended up winning the competition. The executives at Schwan's absolutely loved the dish and are even selling it online and in their stores! But more importantly, it put the concept of living gluten-free into the living rooms and kitchens of almost 10 million viewers world-wide! How's that for some gluten-free advocacy!

I've been amazed by all the publicity that gluten-free foods have been getting lately. This is good news for you, as more and more food companies are beginning to see the demand in the marketplace, so that gluten-free foods are becoming more and more prevalent in your local supermarkets.

So, back to the original question, what do you and Donald Trump have in common?

Well, if nothing else, you and "The Don" both know that gluten-free foods are not only healthier, but can taste good too. And as far as Mr. Trump is concerned, that's a winning combination!

If you would like to watch the last episode of The Celebrity Apprentice, the entire episode can be viewed online. The first mention of Celiac starts around the 57:00 minute mark and lasts until roughly the 70:00 minute mark. Enjoy!

Chad Hines
www.GlutenFreeHero.com

P.S. Don't forget to visit www.GlutenFreeHero.com/GlutenFreeSearch and check out your personalized gluten-free search engine, where search results are customized to fit your gluten-free needs! The search engine is constantly being optimized and updated to ensure that you are getting the best gluten-free search results on the web. Or, click here to watch a quick video demo on how the search engine works to make your life a little easier.

Your Personalized Gluten-Free Search Engine...

What's goin' on gluten-free people?! This week, I want to make you aware of a GREAT resource for you to take advantage of...

Check out your personalized gluten-free search engine right now at www.GlutenFreeHero.com/GlutenFreeSearch

So, what can this personalized gluten-free search engine do for you?

Simple, it can save you time and stop your frustration when seeking gluten-free information on the Internet.

For example, if you are searching for gluten-free restaurants in your area, you no longer have to type in "gluten-free restaurants your area." With your personalized gluten-free search engine, you can simply type "restaurants your area." The search engine is custom-fit to your gluten-free needs!

Don't worry, I have partnered with Google to create your personalized search engine, so you can be sure that you are getting the best, and most up-to-date information on the web!

So don't delay!

Go to www.GlutenFreeHero.com/GlutenFreeSearch and check out your personalized gluten-free search engine!

Or, press play below to watch a quick 1:16 minute video on how the search engine can work to your benefit.

Best,

Chad Hines
www.GlutenFreeHero.com

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones with An Affordable and Convenient Gluten Test Kit

Have you ever been unsure if a food product is gluten-free?

Since gluten can be found in so many places that you wouldn't expect, it can often be difficult to determine whether or not a food item is completely safe. A relatively new product gives you the ability to test for even the smallest traces of gluten in your food.

The EZ Gluten® Test Kit was designed to help individuals with Celiac Sprue and gluten intolerance avoid accidental exposure to gluten in food. The kit is simple, portable, and comes with a test tube, testing solutions, and an easy-to-read testing strip.

So, just how accurate is this product?

According to testing data, the EZ Gluten® Test Kit is 100% accurate in detecting small traces of gluten in foods tested. In research terms, the test is highly specific and sensitive. It does not cause false positive or false negative readings.And do you want to know the best part?

It only takes about 10 minutes to get the results of the test back!

This product can be purchased for as low as $12.99 and is also sold in packs of two, five or ten for your convenience. I personally have not yet tested out this product, but I plan on trying it out soon. As soon as I test it out, you will be the first to hear about the experience.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Chad Hines
www.GlutenFreeHero.com

P.S. Don't forget to check out your personalized gluten-free search engine at www.GlutenFreeHero.com/GlutenFreeSearch, where the search results are customized to fit your gluten-free needs!