Archives for April 2012

Breaking the Fast

Not sure where to begin?

Why not start at the beginning?

After all, doesn’t every design project begin that way?

This is commonly referred to as the foundation – or blueprint – for what is to follow, typically a Floor Plan, or my clients’ Wish List.

Of course, the foundation of your day – and your gluten-free lifestyle – is your first meal of the day – Breakfast.

Maybe you’ve always eaten breakfast, or maybe this concept is new to you.

Perhaps you’re one of those people who never eats first thing in the morning, or before noon.

I recently heard a nutritionist talk about the value of starting one’s day off right, by eating a regular meal. She addressed the common dilemma of “But I don’t eat breakfast” – suggesting that you start small, that it’s really just a matter of changing your mindset.

Mindsets are powerful.

This is why, for most of us eating a Western diet – consisting of cereal, or eggs and bacon with a side of toast – might question what choices we have when eating gluten-free.

The answer is there’s still plenty to choose from – beginning with a great selection of gluten-free cereals.

That’s fine if your preferred first meal of the day is cold cereal with milk, or hot cereal such as gluten-free oatmeal or buckwheat.

Beyond that, I’m going to challenge you to think outside the box.

[Read more…]

Shooting Yourself In The Foot

Last week, I accompanied a friend to a doctor’s appointment.

My role was official note taker.

As luck would have it, the discussion came around to the subject of gluten – even though this was far removed from the initial purpose of our visit.

In reviewing some of the lab work and test results, the doctor made some key observations and suddenly announced that my friend was likely highly sensitive to gluten.

When I heard the word “gluten” my ears instantly perked up.

I couldn’t help it.

I suddenly found myself glued to every word the doctor was saying, and felt incredibly grateful for this unique opportunity to hear his take on managing food allergies.

I particularly loved the following analogy.

The doctor compared the human body to a used vehicle, traveling along the Road of Life.

Along the way, he said, we encounter many potholes especially once we’ve reached a certain point in our lives. Having an autoimmune disease like Celiac Disease, or gluten sensitivity, is one of those potholes.

Which is why our bodies need to be properly maintained and require the occasional tune-ups – just like a car.

Understandably, the doctor was quite insistent that my friend completely eliminate gluten from her diet.

“Otherwise,” he said, “You are shooting yourself in the foot.”

Those words really stayed with me. It was a much-needed reminder that it was time to revisit any bad habits I might have picked up along the way.

Let’s take a closer look at how this works.

For anyone who has ever dealt with a medical issue or two, on this so-called Road of Life, how many of us have gone into denial after the initial diagnosis?

How many of us have been told not to eat certain foods, yet we eat them anyway, telling ourselves that one little bite can’t hurt?

Well, the sad truth is, you’ve just ‘shot yourself in the foot’.

When we consume a food that our body is sensitive to, our autoimmune and nervous systems are suddenly placed on high alert.

The immune system, in particular, goes into full fight mode, trying to rid itself of the intruder.

[Read more…]

Introducing ‘Arbonne’!

On the heels of recommending several ways you can fine-tune your ingredients, I came across a list of foods & additives to avoid when eating gluten-free – a list that extends to beauty products and toiletries.

I thought this was rather fortuitous.

I picked this particular flyer up some time ago at Whole Foods – another very helpful resource, by the way, for a variety of special diets.

Here are some of the items on the list:

  • Binders
  • Caramel Coloring
  • Coatings (i.e. anything breaded)
  • Dextrins
  • Dispersing Agents
  • Emulsifiers
  • Fillers
  • Flavorings
  • Grain Alcohol (beer, ale, rye, scotch, etc.)
  • Homeopathic Remedies
  • Hydrolyzed Protein
  • Malt or Malt Flavoring
  • Modified Food Starch
  • Mono & Di-Glycerides
  • Preservatives
  • Soy Sauce
  • Spices (if anti-caking agents are used)
  • Vegetable Gum (when made from oats)

Pretty daunting, huh?

As if this list isn’t long enough, it’s equally smart to consider your toiletries and beauty products.

That’s right – along with over the counter and prescription medications, everything from toothpaste and other non- ingested products also need to be taken into consideration.

Which is why I’m excited to share with you a product line you may not be familiar with – Arbonne!

While I’m not in the business of selling beauty products, per se, I believe this particular company is another fabulous resource for anyone on a gluten-free or vegan diet.

Arbone products use botanically based formulas that are formulated WITHOUT gluten or animal products.

In fact, they are certified vegan, which means they also don’t use animals for testing.

[Read more…]

Coffee, Tea & Chocolate!

This trio of warming drinks has been on my mind lately.

And while I’ve never been a coffee drinker myself, I do like a good, bracing cup of tea.

In fact, my morning meal doesn’t seem complete without a big mug of this steaming brew, preferably a robust variety of green tea such as Hojicha or Gunpowder.

The names alone are part of the experience!

Whether a tea or coffee drinker, who among us hasn’t visited their local Starbuck’s on occasion, or made this a regular part of their daily routine?

Not only are there coffee shops on just about every corner, but the coffee and tea aisles in the local grocery store are nearly filled to overflowing with a wide assortment of brands and flavors.

And here is where the gluten-free among us can definitely run into some challenges, since these flavored brews may not be gluten-free.

As always, you need to be diligent about reading labels, and look for words like “natural flavors” listed in the ingredients – which indicates that particular beverage may or may not be suitable.

It isn’t always clear.

If anything sounds the least bit suspect – and the words gluten-free do not appear on the label – my advice to you is to keep looking!

As for chocolate – whether hot chocolate or chocolate candy – the same advice applies, especially if you are looking for suitable Easter candy.

In honor of the Easter holiday – and this trio of beverages – I’m sharing 3 recipes that feature chocolate in one form or another.

This way, you can indulge both your sweet tooth and your chocolate cravings while knowing these treats are absolutely safe for your special diet.

[Read more…]