You crack me up. No, DQ doesn’t stand for Dairy Queen. =) It might stand for Development Quotient, but I don’t remember off the top of my head. Those genes are on chromosome #6 and mark for celiac disease. DQ2 in a couple of ways, DQ8 is more straight-forward. I love the genetic piece to this and often do a funny little drawing demo to show how it plays out in families (while teaching this stuff to others). Having the gene test is a good piece to add to the puzzle if diagnosis is difficult or confusing. Genes don’t change, so it doesn’t matter if you’re GF or not. A genetic test gives you additional information, but does not confirm anything other than you may have the predisposition for Celiac. About 30-some percent of the population has one of the genes (about 95% of the time, it’s DQ2), so there are a lot of people walking around with the genetic predisposition, but never get Celiac. There are SO many factors. Like I said, it’s a puzzle and we all have different puzzle pieces. I had everyone in my family gene tested and we all have a genetic connection to Celiac. Three out of 5 of us have 2 copies of celiac genes. I have 2 DQ2 versions, but 2 of my kids have both DQ2 and DQ8. Two (husband and one son) have just one copy and it’s DQ8. Genetics is fascinating stuff! BTW, no point in being genetically tested if you’ve already been diagnosed with Celiac via antibody testing and/or biopsy.

Hope that cleared it up.

As for your vegetarian son, I’m with him. =) A predominantly plant-based diet works best for me. I could easily be a 100% vegetarian.

Thanks for your comment! I appreciate it and think this is a good conversation topic!

Melissa

When do you recommend people to get this test?

I love all the information you shared. It’s funny I found if I cut down a lot on my protein, I didn’t feel as well. I don’t eat much beef, mostly chicken, pork and seafood, lots of seafood. I wondered if I was detoxing something or if my body just needed more animals.

My son is a vegetarian who thankfully does not eat soy and he is thriving. You are so right, we are all unique.

Once again, I am laughing out loud at 5:15 AM because of you! You are such a good writer. Oh, we must have come from the same clan as we have the same sense of humor. I’m sure there is a genetic link between us somewhere along the line. I agree with you on the meaty/veggie stocks. That’s where I get my “meat” taste as well. I just don’t do well with meat other than in very small (and occasional) doses.

I’m guessing you were the one creating the prehistoric tribal fashions for us as I have very little fashion/color sense. I can just picture you dyeing grass woven gowns with berry juice and making jewelry out of pterodactyl bones and mastodon teeth. We must have been the talk of the tribe. Either that, or we were banished and that’s where our eventual gypsy genes came into play.

I’m absolutely sure we were friends in our past lives.

Thanks for putting me in such a good mood right off (the sun isn’t even up yet).
=)

P.S. Off to visit Miles (I’ll sneak over there since I’ve been so bad about visiting lately).

I feel almost guilty to say that my ancient ancestors were probably responsible for the sad demise of the pterodactyl (or as we called it, the flying chicken ). Now, being of short leg and likely very low down in the pecking order when it came to who eats first….. my lot developed the art of the stock pot (or gourd?) with all the old roasted bones, vegetables and herbs.

I like the taste of meat on the whole but I don’t digest it well so meaty/veggie stocks are where I’m at most of the time. And might I say how much I have enjoyed this post…. how often are we wondering why we are inclined to some foods and not others. At some point Melissa we must have been gathering berries and herbs in the same tribe… our lot were good at pre historic art too and fashioned the first hand woven winter pajamas

Fabulous post Melissa, I may have to read it all over again.

Cid

p.s. if you get time, pop over to Miles’ site where we’ve been discussing herb apple jelly and other preserves.