Archives for October 2014

Mimics, Marauders & Masqueraders

Comedy and tragedySounds like a lot of drama, doesn’t it?

Halloween, or not – these mimics, marauders and masqueraders are present in your body all the time!

And even though your body is beautifully designed to deal with these pranksters at a moment’s notice, sometimes your immune system does make mistakes.

Or rather, we think of them as mistakes, but in all actuality, your immune system is simply doing what it’s designed to do – which is to protect you.

So, what’s really happening is that some of these invaders are actually very clever – mimicking or masquerading as something other than what they really are.

And the immune system gets confused.

Let me explain.

 

Cross-Reactivity

As you know, gluten is a protein found in certain foods.

Many of the foods you eat contain proteins, all of them different. And this is why the immune system can get confused – because the proteins (even though they’re different) can look very similar.

For example, the proteins in dairy products – more specifically casein, – look almost identical to the proteins in gluten.

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How To Have A Healthy Halloween

Halloween cupcakesAre you ready for Halloween?

While I’m not inclined to don a costume, or deck the house out with carved pumpkins and Halloween décor, I do like to prepare a festive sweet or two for the occasion.

(A gal needs to indulge once in a while).

Even so, I try to find healthier alternatives whenever possible – relying mostly on homemade goodies so I can explore different sweeteners and switch out ingredients as needed.

Of course, one could just as easily focus on savory treats the fit the Halloween theme.

How about a “Black and Orange” Salad – using Forbidden Rice and oranges? (Sweet potatoes would also work in a pinch).

Or, a nourishing bowl of soup served inside a hollowed out pumpkin?

While that’s all well and good, you’ll probably still want a little something sweet for dessert.

I know I would.

With that in mind, here are my suggestions for a healthy Halloween – so you can have your cake and eat it too!

 

Cut Back On Sugar

Seems like an impossibility, doesn’t it – especially during a “candy-focused” holiday like Halloween?

And yet, for the unlucky few among us who have tested allergic to sugar (or, are super sensitive), this is an everyday reality – not just during Halloween, but all year long.

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3 Common Myths of Environmental Toxins

GMOThere are lots of myths out there about environmental toxins, detoxing, and whether or not it’s even a necessary thing to worry about.

So, let’s jump right in and discuss these, one by one.

 

MYTH #1

My Body Is Designed to Rid Itself of Toxins – Without Any Help From Me

This particular myth is, in part, true.

Your body is designed to detoxify it’s internal environment, and it accomplishes this task through various specific pathways:

In fact, your liver is the powerhouse for the entire detoxification process.

However, it’s also where things can go wrong.

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The Noise In The Room

You are fired!

“Every part of your body & every cell in your body communicates with every other part of your body & every other cell. Everybody’s talking at the same time.”

Mark Hyman, M.D.

 

Have you ever found yourself in a crowded room full of people?

Did you happen to notice the cacophony of voices as you found yourself speaking as loud as possible to the person seated right next to you – trying to be heard above the din?

Well, that’s the kind of noise that’s going on in our bodies all the time.

The above quote illustrates this perfectly!

It makes sense, of course, since everything’s interconnected.

Of course, we’re not aware of this noise in our bodies.

It’s more like a low hum in the background, so faint we really can’t hear it at all.

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