environmental triggers

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.

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.

K Is For Kidding Yourself

June 2, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

I’ve been thinking a lot this past week about STRESS – mostly the fact that I didn’t think I’ve been under that much stress.

At least, no more than anyone else. (I was wrong).

I mean, who DOESN’T deal with stress, right?

This is where Kidding Yourself comes in. As in “K is For Kidding Yourself”.

I totally get it. After all, it’s something we all do!

You tell yourself (just like I did) that you’re no worse off than anyone else.

You insist you don’t have sensitivity to gluten – because your digestion works just fine, thank you very much.

Yet, have you considered the myriad other symptoms and medical conditions that have gluten sensitivity at their root?

What about the headaches, migraines, mental fogginess, chronic skin issues, acne, fatigue, or tingling and numbness in your extremities? (Click here for a full list)

If you still believe it’s all a myth – you might just be KIDDING YOURSELF!

Get the FACTS! In “A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z” – I share it all. It’s fun, it’s FREE (mostly) & informative – & brought to you by a Certified Gluten Practitioner.

Don’t let your symptoms get the better of you!

What Is The Trade-Off?

May 15, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Are 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?

Autoimmune Disease & You

April 14, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition?

Did you also know that autoimmune diseases are on the rise?

In fact, statistically, if you’ve already been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, your chance of acquiring two or three more is extremely high.

Kind of sobering, isn’t it?

By its very definition, autoimmune disease means that your body – specifically your immune system – is attacking YOU.

It isn’t something that’s supposed to happen.

(And doesn’t, as long as your immune system is functioning properly).

But right now, we’re actually in the midst of an autoimmune epidemic – that’s how common autoimmune diseases have become.

Yet, here’s something else that might surprise you:

E is for Environmental Triggers

March 11, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

There’s a lot of talk these days about the environment – be it lead in our water, endangered wildlife or polluted air.

Some of these Environmental Triggers even come from your food!

They could be in the form of chemical additives or preservatives found in processed foods – or simply your body’s inability to tolerate a food such as gluten, or dairy.

In either scenario, your body views the offender as toxic!

This, in turn, triggers your immune system – in an all-out assault to rescue you from these harmful invaders.

That’s it in a nutshell – but I dive into much greater detail in my new video series “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z” (complete with accompanying tutorial)!:

If your goal is to minimize your symptoms and turn your health around – it all starts with what you’re putting into your body.

Autoimmune Disease & You

June 26, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition?

Did you also know that autoimmune diseases are on the rise?

In fact, statistically, if you’ve already been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, your chances of having two or three more are extremely high.

Kind of sobering, isn’t it?

By its very definition, autoimmunity means that your body – specifically your immune system – is attacking YOU.

It isn’t something that’s supposed to happen.

(And doesn’t, as long as your immune system is functioning properly).

But right now, we’re actually in the midst of an autoimmune epidemic – that’s how common these autoimmune conditions have become.

Yet, here’s something else that might surprise you:

Are You Vulnerable?

March 6, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Growing up, I thought I was fairly invincible.

This would explain the concussion at age 8, from falling off my bike. (I was trying to stand on the handle bars).

It would also explain the ski accident four years later that put me in a cast for several months.

(While you might still find me on the slopes, I’ve never again skied downhill quite so fast).

When it came to food, I thought I had an iron stomach.

I was extremely proud of the fact that I could eat pretty much anything.

Fast forward a good many years, and things have definitely changed.

In fact, the older I get, the more vulnerable I seem to be.

Is this simply what happens as you get older? Or is there something more going on?

Are Your Genes Talking to You?

September 26, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that your genes are constantly talking to you?

Not only that, you’re also talking to your genes through every choice you make, and every decision.

Especially when it comes to diet and lifestyle!

How’s that even possible?

Truth is, you can’t change the genes that you were born with.

However, you do have the ability to control how your genes are “expressed”.

What does that mean?

Throughout a typical day, the foods you choose to eat, the amount of sleep or exercise you get and any number of things that you might be exposed to, are signaling to your genes.

They’re having a conversation.

And these signals, or triggers, are either turning your genes “on” – or “off”.

Pretty cool, huh?

But what does this have to do with the health of your gut, not to mention your sensitivity to gluten and other foods?

What’s On Your Bucket List?

The Window Screen In Your Gut – A Gluten Analogy

K Is For Kidding Yourself

What Is The Trade-Off?

Autoimmune Disease & You

E is for Environmental Triggers

Autoimmune Disease & You

Are You Vulnerable?

Are Your Genes Talking to You?

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