Search Results for: Celiac disease

Is Removing Gluten Always The Answer?

September 15, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Should you remove gluten from your diet? (I get asked this question a lot).

The short answer is “It depends”.

What do I mean by this? In a nutshell, it depends on what’s going on in your body.

It depends on the signs and symptoms you’re experiencing.

And it also depends on your test results!

Of course, if your tests come back negative, then you’re in the clear – at least for the time being – more on that later.

But it’s super important that you get the RIGHT tests!

You don’t want to stop there, either.

How To Find Your Path & Stick With It

September 1, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Does this sound like you?

First of the year, you vowed to lose a few pounds – and transition to a healthier way of eating.

But nine months later, you’re exactly where you were on Day 1.

To make matters worse, you just got back from vacation – and all your health goals seemingly fell by the wayside.

You’re beyond frustrated (yet again) that you ate all this junky food and now feel like crap from the over-indulgence – too many desserts, snack foods, and alcohol.

Now you’re regretting it big-time!

Chances are your digestive system is also out of whack because you’ve been eating things you wouldn’t normally eat. You’re paying for it with daily heartburn, indigestion – and an extra 10 pounds.

All this despite your goal this year, to do at least ONE of the following:

Make healthier food choices
Transition to an anti-inflammatory diet, by removing gluten & sugar (because you know you’ll feel better)
Identify which foods you’re sensitive to – to help calm your immune system
Lose weight
Mange stress by focusing on self-care (e. all of the above)

Is Gluten Toxic?

August 4, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Is Gluten Toxic?

If you have Celiac Disease, the answer to that question is yes, of course.

However, if you have a gluten-related disorder – otherwise referred to as Non-Celiac Gluten (or Wheat) Sensitivity – then gluten can be equally toxic.

In either scenario, gluten certainly is a toxin, at least to you.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t appear to have a sensitivity to gluten – that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re completely out of harms way.

Especially if you’ve yet to be diagnosed!

According to Dr. Tom O-Bryan, who refers to himself as the Gluten-Free Doc, “Everyone should be checked for a gluten sensitivity. And if you have the celiac gene, you definitely want to be checked every two years or so. You might be fine now, but at some point you will likely cross the line.”

What imaginary line is he talking about?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS, HEALTHY AGING

O Is For Osteoporosis

July 28, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

You’ve heard of a Bucket List, right?

But there’s another Bucket analogy that’s also worth exploring – an overflowing bucket, if you will.

What does that image conjure for you? Does it mean you’ve gone too far? Perhaps you’ve filled the metaphorical bucket too full?

Whatever it is that you’re doing, your body can’t tolerate it anymore.

It’s communicating this to you via the only language it knows: your symptoms – and that includes autoimmune disease, osteoporosis and lots more.

Sure enough, O is for Osteoporosis!

While it might be a lesser-known aspect of gluten sensitivity, it can be just as debilitating as digestive or neurological issues. (and has nothing to do with increasing your intake of calcium!)

What’s On Your Bucket List?

July 21, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

You’ve heard of a Bucket List, right?

It’s a list of things you’ve always wanted to do, but never quite got around to – so in a nutshell, a Bucket List is a way of setting some goals for yourself, as far as what you’d like to accomplish in this life, before moving on.

No question, it’s an awesome idea!

(Perhaps you’ve even seen the movie by that name?)

Today I’d like to share with you a different sort of Bucket List.

It’s an analogy, if you will, a way of looking at the hand you’ve been dealt – your medical history, along with your entire life trajectory and challenges along the way.

In other words, everything that’s you led to where you are today.

So, here’s the thing.

Picture a bucket of water – with the water level stopping about two inches from the top.

N Is For Neurological

July 14, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

The genes you’ve inherited are what they are, that’s true.

But did you know they come with a sort of ON/OFF switch?

Which begs the question: Are your genes turned ON? That’s a bit of a trick question – because the genes that are in the ON position could actually be your ‘bad’ genes, as opposed to your ‘good’ ones.

How do you know the difference?

If you have an autoimmune disease – such as Celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or something else altogether – autoimmunity is known to have a genetic component, along with an Environmental Trigger. (The third leg, so to speak, being Leaky Gut).

This is WHY everything you do – from diet and exercise, how you handle stress and lots more – influences how your genes are expressed! (Science calls this epigenetics).

In other words, getting older doesn’t mean you have to get sick!

You’re not doomed to get dementia – or worse still, Alzheimer’s (something I’ve experienced close-up and personal with my mother) – just because it ‘runs in the family’.

It’s with sadness that I share with you today my mom’s recent passing. In a way it’s also fitting, because we’re now at the letter ‘N’ – as in N is for Neurological – all part of my on-going video series “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z”.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

M Is For Memory B Cells

July 4, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Memories are a wonderful thing.

Whether they’re of your loved ones, a special celebration, or even an amazing meal – it’s these recollections from your past that make your life all the richer.

Does your immune system also have a memory?

You bet it does!

I share all about it in this week’s video: M is For Memory B Cells – a key player in how your immune system functions.

It’s a lot like the RAM in your computer…

Or your memory of that family picnic 30 years ago when your brother teased you & threw you in the pool…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Gluten & the 80/20 Rule

June 25, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Have you heard of the 80/20 Rule?

Also known as the Pareto principle – it’s the understanding that, in the grand scheme of things, roughly 80% of results come from just 20% of your efforts.

You can think of it in terms of economics, but it also plays out in other areas of your life. For example:

At home or the office – it’s usually 20% of the people, who are typically doing 80% of the work

It’s likely that you wear only 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time

If you analyze a day in your life, it’s possible that only 20% of your achievements really matter

In your home, you might spend the majority of your time in just 20% of the available space

At mealtime in Japan, a popular rule of thumb, is to stop eating when you’re 80% full

More recently, I’ve noticed a disturbing new trend – which appears to be the “80/20 Rule with a Twist”, in regard to food and nutrition.

The Window Screen In Your Gut – A Gluten Analogy

June 9, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Does this sound familiar?

You’ve recently eliminated several foods from your diet – things like gluten, dairy or even eggs – because you know you’re sensitive to them.

And you’re eating other foods instead.

Maybe you’re even eating a lot of these other foods – they’re ‘safe’ after all.

And the next thing you know, you’ve become sensitive to THOSE foods.

What the heck is going on?

Is this just a part of getting older? Or is there a better explanation?

Let me share with you my favorite analogy.

If you think of your average window screen, its job is to keep bugs and gnats out of your home – letting in only the good stuff. (The ‘good stuff’ being fresh air!)

However, what happens when there are holes in that window screen?

Next thing you know, a mosquito or two will be buzzing about your head or maybe even a larger insect.

Now compare this to what might be going on in your digestive tract.

Are You Losing Your Mind?

May 26, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you ever have days where you’re feeling super forgetful?

Like not remembering the name of your favorite book, or movie, or that ‘thingy’ you’ve been meaning to buy for weeks – what was that called again?

Maybe you’ve realized that the lines have blurred over the sequence leading up to an event that – even though it happened years ago, used to be so clear in your mind.

A ‘Brian Williams’ moment, if you will.

Then again, maybe you’re thinking one thing, but the words don’t come out quite right.

What the heck is that all about?

Are you losing your mind?

Search Results for: Celiac disease

Is Removing Gluten Always The Answer?

How To Find Your Path & Stick With It

Is Gluten Toxic?

O Is For Osteoporosis

What’s On Your Bucket List?

N Is For Neurological

M Is For Memory B Cells

Gluten & the 80/20 Rule

The Window Screen In Your Gut – A Gluten Analogy

Are You Losing Your Mind?

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