2019 Kelowna Celiac Kids Camp a Success!

The First Annual Kelowna Celiac Kids Camp was a smashing success! So much so that the 2020 edition is already set for July 6th to 10th.

• “Thank you Selena De Vries for putting on such an amazing first Celiac camp!! Our daughter had a BLAST all week and has been cooking up a storm at home ever since. So great to have the kids spend a week with friends going through what they are living … eating and cooking the same food together, and having FUN! I would highly recommend sending your kids with Celiac to this camp in future years if you can.” Happy Mom!

Watch the Kids Camp Video Here!

General Information

– Day camp, 10-4pm, Monday to Friday
– Physical activity, healthy eating activities, and age appropriate cooking and baking activities everyday!
– Led by celiac dietitian, Selena Devries RD, and volunteers
– For kids 6-12 years
– Established with the support of the Canadian Celiac Association’s Kelowna Chapter

• Learn more here!
• To sign up for news or to join the waitlist, Contact Selena

From Selena!

First and foremost, I want you all to know that I, myself, am celiac. Further to that, I am a registered dietitian, that specializes in the dietary management of celiac disease in my practice. I am also on the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) national board of directors, and host the CCA virtual office hours, “ask the dietitian,” for the CCA FB group page for over 10,000 group members. You can trust that your child will be in safe hands with me at the day camp. Food and kitchen details below

Sponsorship:

Are you or do you know of a GF company or organization? Camp celiac is looking for sponsors to get camp celiac off the ground and running! If you are interested in helping in any way, please connect with selenadevries@gmail.com

Pricing:

Registration is now live at healthbean.ca. Cost per child to be announced.

Kitchen and food details:

Lunch and one snack per day will be provided for the kids.

Kitchen:

• The kitchen is not a certified gluten free kitchen. However, it will be sanitized top to bottom before the camp starts and it will remain gluten free for the entire week of the camp.
• The camp is run at a church
• Dedicated GF equipment will be used: cutting boards, wooden spoons, baking pans, baking/cooking utensils, baking equipment (ie-mixers), food processor, blender, pasta strainer, toaster.
• Cloths, tea towels, and sponges: clean/new ones will be provided
• Questions? Happy to answer them, please contact me.

Food:

• The food menu has not been finalized but I am happy to share when it is and answer any questions on ingredient sourcing
• All nuts and seeds, GF grains/cereals (and products made from these) will be purchased with a “GF claim” or certification logo
• Food donations are only accepted from dedicated bakeries, or GF companies that state GF on packaging, are certified by CCA or other organization, or have been vetted by me.
• Questions? Happy to answer them, please contact me.

Additional medical diagnosis:

At this time, no additional medical diagnosis can be accommodated. If camp celiac is a success, we do hope that we will be able to manage type 1 diabetes in the future when we have a larger budget to accommodate additional health professionals.

Additional food sensitivities and allergies:

Dairy free will be accommodated for dairy sensitivities. If there are dairy allergies, please note that there will be dairy in the facility and there will be no guarantee of preventing cross contamination of dairy in the kitchen.

No other food sensitivity or any allergies can be accommodated at this time. Staff will note additional sensitivities upon registration, but the offending food/s may or may not be used in the kitchen. If they are in the kitchen, staff will direct your child way from the food. Therefore, if it is a life threatening allergy or anaphylactic response, it is recommended that your child does not participate in the camp this summer.

Schedule:

The schedule will be worked out closer to the date. But, you can expect that your child will participate in one age appropriate cooking or baking activity per day and engage in physical activity, and arts and crafts daily as well!

Selena De Vries is a Registered Dietitian living with celiac disease who specializes in the dietary management of that condition. She will be hosting a ‘virtual office hour’ on the Canadian Celiac Association Facebook Group every Friday from 12 – 1pm Pacific Standard Time (3pm – 4pm Eastern Standard Time). Selena will post at 12pm stating she is online. Ask your nutrition related questions in the comment section within her post. Arrive early and post your question!

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• Selena De Vries is dedicated to helping individuals who are struggling with digestive issues find food freedom. Selena understands that celiac disease not only effects one’s physical health but also effects one’s emotional health. Using an integrative approach in the management of digestive health conditions, she provides support for those with celiac disease/gluten sensitivity and nutrition coaching for other digestive health conditions.

Testimonial

• “I contacted Selena when I still wasn’t feeling well a year after my celiac diagnosis. I’d read so much on the Internet I thought I knew everything I needed to know. I was wrong.  

• Selena has important advice on how to do GF properly (it’s not as straightforward as I thought) and for regaining your health. She is organized, punctual, and professional.  And she has celiac disease herself , so she gets it.
• I think a lot of us, by the time we’re diagnosed, have had more than our share of health care practitioners and may not want to bother with a dietitian.
• Selena played a crucial role in my recovery, and I would highly recommend her, whether you’re newly diagnosed or just trying to feel better.”
• ~ Charlene (long-distance celiac disease client)

Selena is licensed to practice as a dietitian in British Columbia and her services are available to anyone in Canada. 

Get Selena’s Top 21 Simple and Energizing, Gluten Free Snack Ideas Delivered to Your Email!

Celiac Total Health Package – 5 sessions

• Includes one initial assessment, 3 follow ups and a meal planning assessment along with a one week meal plan. Selena will recommend labs/procedure to identify any underlying nutrient deficiencies, will provide you with all the education you need to feel confident going gluten free and get you feeling better throughout our appointments, and most importantly, help you prepare and choose healthy GF products and get healthy GF meals on the table that the whole family can enjoy. Book your appointment or contact Selena with questions.

Eating Out With Confidence – 3 sessions

• Are you avoiding eating out due to the fear of being ‘glutened?” If so, this package is for you. Selena will provide you with education and resources that will improve your confidence in eating out safely. You will also get access to her on the go! For example, if you are eating out at a restaurant and need help in ordering your meal to reduce risk of being contaminated, she will walk you through what you need to ask to ensure your meal is at low risk of being contaminated. Book your appointment or contact Selena with questions.

Meal Planning Initial Assessment – 1 hour In-person – Online, video chat or by phone

• If you are struggling with getting healthy meals on the table that everyone can eat, this is for you. Selena will conduct a meal planning assessment and based on your input, she will put together a sample one week meal plan along with brand name food recommendations. You will get recommendations that makes healthy eating (with food restrictions), convenient, healthy and delicious. Book your appointment or contact Selena with questions.

Celiac Initial Consultation – 1 hour 30 minutes In-person, online, video chat or by phone

• Please book if you have been newly diagnosed with celiac disease or if you have celiac disease but are still struggling with symptoms. Selena will conduct a nutrition assessment & will provide an emailed lifestyle plan within 24 hours detailing the nutrition plan going forward. Supplements and lab tests will be recommended on an individual basis and the lifestyle plan will also include educational handouts, recipe ideas, and brand name food recommendations. Allow a minimum of 3 days advance booking as a 3 day food journal is required prior to the appointment. Book your appointment or contact Selena with questions.

Celiac Dietitian on Demand – 30 minutes – Online, video chat or by phone

• This is not for newly diagnosed celiacs or those who are struggling with digestive symptoms. If this is you, please book the initial consult (either celiac or digestive health). This is for you if your symptoms are fairly under control and you have brief questions. For example, a question on supplement use, the inclusion of GF oats in the diet, if you are grocery shopping and want to confirm if a brand name product is gluten free and safe to consume, if you are at a restaurant and want to know how to order an item that will be at low risk for being contaminated, or if you have questions on GF travel. Book your appointment or contact Selena with questions.

Initial Digestive Health Consult – 1 hour 15 minutes – In-person, online, video chat or by phone

• Please book if you are struggling with digestive health concerns or have been diagnosed with a digestive health condition (if you have been diagnosed with celiac, please book the celiac specific consult). Selena will conduct a nutrition assessment & will provide an emailed lifestyle plan within 24 hours detailing the nutrition plan going forward. Supplement, lab tests and lifestyle recommendations will be recommended on an individual basis and the lifestyle plan will also include educational handouts, recipe ideas, and brand name food recommendations. Allow a minimum of 3 days advance booking as a 3 day food journal is required prior to the appointment. Book your appointment or contact Selena with questions.

45 Minute Follow Up Appointment – In-person, online, video chat or by phone 

• This service can only be booked after an initial consultation has been completed. We will identify how the individual is doing on goals, barriers they may be facing, and steps to take going forward. Book your appointment or contact Selena with questions.

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Living in the Okanagan or anywhere in British Columbia? View Selena’s services or book an appointment!

• Contact Selena for in-person or on-line support
• HealthBean.ca • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Pinterest • Videos • Blog
• selenadevries@gmail.com • 1-778-990-6047

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• HEALTHBEAN NUTRITION  specializes in digestive health.  We deliver easy to digest, bite-size pieces of information so our clients can, finally, achieve the healthy & happy digestive system they’ve been striving for. Learn more ...

• HEALTHBEAN PHILOSOPHY– Selena employs elimination diets and/or a specific diets in accordance with her clients’ conditions, and only when deemed necessary.  She reserves advice about the gluten-free diet for those who require it – not those choosing to follow the diet as a lifestyle choice.  Expect clear, concise instructions on the appropriate diet for you and, maybe even some myth busting! Learn more  …

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Selena knows first-hand how her undiagnosed celiac disease affected her physical and emotional health. After telling her that, “Well, you have celiac disease,” her MD suggested she, “google the diet,” and out the door she went. Sound familiar?

That’s why Selena established Healthbean Nutrition.  She is dedicating her education, personal insights and her own recovery to helping her fellow celiacs make this enormous lifestyle transition – and find  joy in eating again! Learn more …

Selena’s Road to Diagnosis

• “When I was going through university, I was exhausted, ALL the time.  I had to drag myself out to hang out with friends, and if I had it my way I would have spent most days in bed sleeping.  It was not unknown for me to sleep 12-16 hours a day.  Call me crazy, but I related it all to the busy-ness of school.  I was even checked for anemia at one point (common with celiacs) and I was ‘fine.’  

• The symptoms continued through school and the brain fog was undeniable.  I distinctly remember during my dietetic internship (like a medical residency except everything is nutrition based) at Kelowna General Hospital sitting in the office, charting on a patient and, literally, feeling like my brain was so fuzzy that I could barely keep my eyes from nodding off.  It was awful. 

• Another thing I didn’t pay much attention to, was bowels.  I was always constipated.  Never the other way around. Never.  And, I also remember mentioning this to my gastroenterologist just before the endoscopy and he said ‘oh, well with your very low antibody levels and constipation, there is a very low chance that you are actually celiac but we will proceed with the endoscopy since you’re prepped and ready to go.’  

• The piece of paper I received after the endoscopy said to follow up with my GP.  I did follow up with my GP and the report came back positive for celiac disease.  My GP said “well, you’re celiac.  But, you’re a dietitian, right, so this should be easy for you!”  

• Perhaps I had a leg up in the nutrition part of it, but I think we all know that the gluten free diet is not a walk in the park.  And, although, I am so appreciative of the medical care I received, it did open my eyes to the lack of knowledge within the medical community when it came to celiac disease and the lack of support offered to individuals with celiac disease.  

That’s how Healthbean Nutrition was born!

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• *Information and perspectives posted on  The Celiac Scene are intended to provide general information, without independent verification on the part of The Celiac Scene for  the accuracy of the information provided to it. The information is specifically not intended to be a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by your physician or other health care professional. Always consult your own physician or other health care professionals about any medical questions, diagnosis, or treatment, especially before trying any diet. Healthbean Nutrition does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on any content contained herein.