Search Results for: trade-off

What Is The Trade-Off?

Egg & ChickAre you committed to eating a healthy diet?

If so, you already know that being a diligent label reader is helpful.

When you add a special dietary protocol to the mix, it becomes all the more crucial. Whether you’re contemplating a gluten-free diet – or you’re  already gluten-free – rest assured that it quickly becomes second nature, as you become ever mindful that gluten can often be sneaky – showing up where you’d least expect it.

At the same time, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword! What not-so-great choices could you be making instead?

What is the trade-off?

Let me share what I mean.

Back when I first became gluten-free, I started eating a lot more eggs. I was baking my own gluten-free bread, and the standard recipe called for three or four eggs per loaf – and since eggs are gluten-free, I thought nothing of it.

At least once a week, we’d have omelets for dinner – or even breakfast. On occasion, I’d even whip up a soufflé. (Sounds fancy, I know, but soufflés are actually pretty easy to make).

Then almond meal hit the market, and it seemed like a wonderful alternative to gluten-free flours.

Being an almond lover myself, I was ecstatic!

In a given week, I poured almond milk on my breakfast cereal and snacked on almonds by the handful. And before I knew it,  I started experiencing many of the symptoms I’d had BEFORE going gluten-free.

What was that all about?

[Read more…]

What Is the Trade-Off?

Egg & ChickLet’s say you’ve been diligently reading labels since going gluten-free, ever mindful that gluten can often be sneaky – showing up where you’d least expect it.

But did you ever stop to wonder, now that you’ve given up gluten – what not-so-great choices you might be making instead?

In other words, what is the trade-off?

For example, back when I first became gluten-free, I started eating a lot more eggs.

That’s because I was baking my own gluten-free bread, and the standard recipe called for three or four eggs per loaf.

Since eggs are gluten-free, I thought nothing of it.

Also, at least once a week, we’d have omelets for dinner – or even breakfast.

On occasion, I’d even whip up a soufflé.

(Sounds fancy, I know, but soufflés are actually pretty easy to make).

Then almond meal hit the market, and it seemed like a wonderful alternative to gluten-free flours.

Being an almond lover myself, I was ecstatic!

In a given week, I poured almond milk on my breakfast cereal and snacked on almonds by the handful.

So guess what happened?

[Read more…]

What Is The Trade-Off?

Egg & ChickLet’s say you’ve been diligently reading labels since going gluten-free, ever mindful that gluten can often be sneaky – showing up where you’d least expect it.

But did you ever stop to wonder, now that you’ve given up gluten – what not-so-great choices you might be making instead?

In other words, what is the trade-off?

For example, back when I first became gluten-free, I started eating a lot more eggs.

That’s because I was baking my own gluten-free bread, and the standard recipe called for three or four eggs per loaf.

Since eggs are gluten-free, I thought nothing of it.

Also, at least once a week, we’d have omelets for dinner – or even breakfast.

On occasion, I’d even whip up a soufflé.

(Sounds fancy, I know, but soufflés are actually pretty easy to make).

Then almond meal hit the market, and it seemed like a wonderful alternative to gluten-free flours.

Being an almond lover myself, I was ecstatic!

In a given week, I poured almond milk on my breakfast cereal and snacked on almonds by the handful.

So guess what happened?

After about a year on the gluten-free diet, I started experiencing many of the symptoms I’d had BEFORE going gluten-free.

What was that all about?

[Read more…]

The Myth of Weight Gain & What To Do About It

Calories LetterpressAre you swept up, once again, in the first-of-the-year weight-loss battle?

Post holidays, it’s not uncommon to be 5-10 pounds heavier than you were two weeks ago and frustrated (yet again) that yet another year has passed where you ate all this junky food and are feeling like crap from all the over-indulgence.

Chances are you’re also thinking about what to do to start losing that weight. (It’s why Gym memberships EXPLODE during January.) You’re going to start seeing all these Detox and Cleanse programs – with the emphasis on exercising more and reducing calories.

While that’s all well & good, there’s also an elephant in the room!

What if I told you that your struggles to lose weight aren’t so much about how much you’re eating, but rather WHAT you’re eating? And that the chemicals and other irritants in your environment can also have an enormous impact on your weight!

What’s toxic to your body?

If your normal diet is gluten-free, (maybe dairy-free as well) and you veered off that path, that alone can get you off track.

But maybe you didn’t stray. Maybe you did everything ‘right’ –  yet you still baked, and ate your share of seemingly safe holiday treats. In that case, you might simply have eaten more refined gluten-free flours and starches than you would normally eat, and are now feeling bloated and out of sorts. (Not to mention the additives and preservatives typically found in processed foods – whether gluten-free or not).

Add to this a simmering cocktail of chemicals like BPA found in plastic storage containers, water bottles, and store receipts! (you’ve likely read about this offender in the news)

[Read more…]

10 Americans – A Gem of a Video

Pile of PancakesTruth be told, this isn’t a story about pancakes but bear with me here.

Because there actually IS a large pancake stack in this wonderful video I’m sharing with you today – titled “10 Americans“).

As you may know by know, I’ve done a considerable amount of training with an Environmental Toxins Expert – learning as much as I can about the home environment in particular and the many little things we can do to create change.

As a former interior designer, with an eye on Green Design – this is right up my alley!

As I’ve also shared in recent weeks, it’s SO important to broaden the conversation beyond calories and exercise and  food sensitivities, so we’re not just talking about these things – but also understanding how other things in your environment can affect your weight, and your health in general.

For example – did you know that the average female consumer uses a dozen personal care products every day (which may, or may not contain gluten)? And that those products alone, contain in the neighborhood of 168 different chemicals?

(Men use about half as many products – containing 85 different chemicals, or so.)

Either way you look at it, that’s a lot!

[Read more…]

The Myth of Weight Gain & What To Do About It

Calories LetterpressAre you swept up in the first-of-the-year weight-loss battle?

As we’ve established, it’s not uncommon post holidays to be 5-10 pounds heavier than you were two weeks ago and frustrated (yet again) that yet another year has passed where you ate all this junky food and are feeling like crap from all the over-indulgence. Chances are you’re likely thinking about what to do to start losing that weight. (It’s why Gym memberships EXPLODE during January.) You’re going to start seeing all these Detox and Cleanse programs – with the emphasis on exercising more and reducing calories.

While that’s all well & good, there’s also an elephant in the room!

What if I told you that your struggles to lose weight aren’t so much about how much you’re eating, but rather WHAT you’re eating? And that the chemicals and other irritants in your environment can also have an enormous impact on your weight!

What’s toxic to your body?

For starters, it’s all those additives and preservatives in the “fake” food you’ve been eating.

Add to this a simmering cocktail of chemicals like the BPA found in plastic storage containers, water bottles, and store receipts! (you’ve likely read about this offender in the news)

[Read more…]

So You Want to Get Healthy – Is Your Family On Board?

Signpost with the words Help, Support, Advice, Guidance and Assistance on the direction arrows, against a bright blue cloudy sky.

Signpost with the words Help, Support, Advice, Guidance and Assistance on the direction arrows, against a bright blue cloudy sky.

I often hear stories like this:

“We’re trying to rid the house of ants, but while I was looking for a safe, non-toxic treatment, my husband went out and bought an insecticide.

And he sprayed it all over. Am I totally screwed?”

Well, no – hopefully not.

As long as this isn’t a daily thing, or you’re not sleeping in the same room that you sprayed in.

More to the point, this kind of conflict crops up all the time in relationships, and it isn’t always easy to resolve.

The next question, of course – and it’s a reasonable one – is this:

What if your spouse, or significant other, DOES think you’re totally nuts for wanting to eat organic foods?

[Read more…]

Going Gluten-Free? Don’t Make This Mistake!

PackagesDo you know what most people do, once they receive a diagnosis for Celiac Disease – or it’s better known cousin, Non-Celiac-Gluten-Sensitivity?

They go shopping, of course.

And that’s perfectly understandable.

For most of us, the first inclination is to purchase suitable replacements for everything we’re used to eating.

Things that include:

  • Bread
  • Crackers
  • Cookies
  • Cereal

 After all, a girls gotta eat, right?

Then again, a number of people have been known to go into a sort of hibernation – dreading that first trip to the market.

Instead, they focus on foods that are naturally gluten-free – things like nuts and seeds, all manner of fruits and vegetables, dairy (if permitted), eggs (again, if permitted), meat and poultry, legumes and a few safe grains.

And you know what?

[Read more…]

10 Americans – A Gem Of A Video

Pile of PancakesOK, that image might be a bit misleading, but bear with me here.

(There actually IS a large pancake stack in this wonderful video I’m about to share with you – titled “10 Americans).

Over the past year, I’ve been working with an Environmental Toxins Expert – learning as much as I can about the home environment in particular and the many little things we can do to create change.

(As a former interior designer, with an eye on Green Design – this was right up my alley!)

That’s why, whenever possible, I like to broaden the conversation – so that we’re not just talking about food sensitivities, but understanding that other environmental factors can also impact our health.

Just to share an example – did you know that the average female consumer uses a dozen personal care products every day (which may, or may not contain gluten)? And that those products alone, contain in the neighborhood of 168 different chemicals?

(Men use about half as many products – containing 85 different chemicals, or so.)

Either way you look at it, that’s a lot!

[Read more…]

Of GMO’s & Things

GMOHave you heard the conversation about genetically modified organisms in our food supply?

Some are calling this an extremely risky human experiment – and rightly so.

That’s because no one really knows how harmful these genetically modified organisms (aka GMO’s) might be.

In Europe and many other countries there’s a strict ban on GMO foods – until they’re proven safe.

Here in the USA we’ve taken the opposite approach, which is to declare genetically modified foods as safe until we learn otherwise.

Why is that?

Well, it’s hard to say for sure, but one thing we do know is that the scientific experiments that would prove these foods safe for human consumption, just haven’t been done.

(And if you do happen to hear a claim to the contrary, chances are that particular scientist was hired by the very company manufacturing the genetically modified food – a conflict of interest if there ever was one.)

Unfortunately, genetically engineered corn and soy are two of the biggest culprits.

So, unless you are purchasing organic products, you can be almost certain that GMO’s are in the food you are feeding your family.

[Read more…]