A gluten and food allergy support group is active in the community and invites persons interested in learning more about these issues to join in the group's month meetings.

The support groups meets the fourth Monday of each month (date change in May and no December meeting). Those 2018 meetings are: Feb. 26, March 26, April 23, May 21, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 22 and Nov. 26. All meetings are in the Bluffton Public Library starting 6:30 p.m.

Victoria Zeits of the group explains its purpose this way:

"Got questions? Need resources or ideas? Then the Gluten and Food Allergy Support Group is for you.

"It is a self-directed group with the multiple purposes of: sharing information, resources local and on-line, and giving folks the opportunity to talk with other people with food allergies and intolerances, which effect either themselves or family members.  

She adds: "Come and share ideas for food substitutions and alternates. We have also started to explore fermented foods, since a lot of recent publications, say it can help heal the digestive track, where 80% of our immune system resides, which in turn effects food allergies and intolerances.

She said that the eight most common food allergies and intolerances are:          
•Wheat/Gluten
•Dairy
•Soy
•Eggs
•Peanuts
•Tree nuts
•Fish and
•Shellfish

Contact zeits at [email protected] for more information on the support group.