leaky gut

The Window Screen In Your Gut

January 23, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Does this sound familiar?

You’ve recently eliminated several foods from your diet – such as gluten or dairy – knowing that 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?

Well, here’s an analogy I think you’ll like.

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 if 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 your digestive tract.

Are You Getting The Nutrients You Need?

August 22, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that up to 50% of people with Celiac disease have multiple nutritional deficiencies?

This often holds true as much as ten years post diagnosis!

And it doesn’t even include those who are merely gluten-sensitive (as opposed to someone with Celiac disease) or allergic to other foods, such as dairy, nuts or eggs.

Yet, I know from personal experience, that it is, in fact – true.

One thing about being gluten-free, or following any kind of special, medically prescribed diet, is that you may not be getting the nutrients you need.

So, you definitely want to make sure you are!

How do you know where you stand, nutrition-wise?

Take time to review each of the following, and you will have a better idea of your present habits, and what likely needs a bit of work.

Eat a High Quality Diet

Hands down, good health begins with a whole foods diet.

Is There A Frat Party In Your Gut?

July 25, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Truth be told, while I’ve been to a number of Frat Parties in my day, I never actually drank the beer.

That’s because I never acquired a taste for it – not even to this day.

(As you can imagine, I was the life of the party.)

Perhaps this was my body’s way of telling me that gluten wasn’t my friend – long before I knew the first thing about Celiac Disease or gluten-sensitivity.

As you likely know, Frat parties have a reputation for being a bit on the wild side, with lots of drinking and misbehavior.

So, what does a Frat Party in your gut look like?

The key word, here, is “misbehavior”.

With that in mind, let me share with you 3 things I’ve learned about my own body over the past year:

Extremely low Stomach Acid

A Leaky Gut

Yeast Overgrowth

Sounds like a Frat Party for sure, doesn’t it?

Well, here’s the thing.

5 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Skin

July 4, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that your skin is your largest organ?

Not only that, it’s also your body’s #1 defense against the outside world. And it gets more fascinating still – since you have both an outside skin, and an inside skin.

(That inside skin covers things like your digestive tract and your respiratory system – not necessarily something you would think about)

Back in the early days when I first went gluten-free, I attended a lecture that was geared toward gluten-free folks like you and me.

The presenter was very insistent that there was no need to be concerned about putting gluten-containing products on our skin.

He said it was virtually impossible for gluten in skin care products to be a problem – because we weren’t ingesting it.

At the time, I thought it made sense.

But guess what?

He was wrong!

While it’s true that we don’t ingest our toiletries or cosmetics – whatever we put on our skin does get absorbed.

And that’s important!

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

June 13, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do 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

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…]

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: #1 mistake, Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, gluten-free, GPS, leaky gut, trade-offs

Let’s Chew On This

June 6, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did your grandmother (or a parent) ever admonish you to adequately chew your food?

(In my husband’s family, his grandmother had a hard and fast rule to chew each bite exactly 33 times).

Well, it turns out your grandmother was right!

Chewing your food thoroughly is a critical part of the digestive process, priming your stomach and your digestive juices for the task ahead.

Not only that, this entry point – i.e. your mouth – is also where the Gut-Brain connection happens.

Translation – your gut and your brain are so closely connected, that the gut is often referred to as your “second brain”.

In fact, proper chewing does all of the following for your body:

Helps to eliminate gas and bloating (gluten sensitivity, anyone?)

Helps to eliminate abdominal pain

Helps to reduce the load on the rest of your digestive system

Actually helps with weight loss!

Are you curious about the last one?

Properly chewing your food can actually help with weight loss (and weight maintenance) simply because you’ll end up feeling satisfied on less food!

So, here’s the thing.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT Tagged With: Celiac disease, chewing, digestion, digestive health, food allergies, gluten sensitivity, gut-brain connection, intestinal permeability, leaky gut, weight loss

Do You Have a Leaky Gut?

May 30, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

The very words “leaky gut” sounds scary, I know.

In fact, for most of us the first time you heard those words, you probably recoiled in horror.

“Leaky gut? No way – not me!”

Well, guess what?

The very fact that you have Celiac Disease, non-Celiac gluten-sensitivity or multiple food sensitivities means you probably do.

It’s actually that simple.

And it’s also very common.

The medical term for leaky gut is “intestinal permeability”.

What that means, quite simply, is that over-sized molecules of undigested food particles are leaking through your gut wall into the bloodstream – wreaking havoc along the way.

(And the reason why, is because those all-important villi that line the digestive tract, aren’t able to do their job).

Of course, this is when you immune system kicks into overdrive, in an effort to vanquish the unwelcome intruder.

An important note, here: this does not mean that your immune system has gone haywire – quite the contrary.

In fact, it’s the job of your Immune System to protect you from anything that doesn’t belong in your body.

So in that sense, it’s simply doing what it’s designed to do.

The Window Screen In Your Gut

Are You Getting The Nutrients You Need?

Is There A Frat Party In Your Gut?

5 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Skin

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

Let’s Chew On This

Do You Have a Leaky Gut?

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