Karen

Mimics, Marauders & Masqueraders

October 31, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Sounds 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.

How To Have A Healthy Halloween

October 17, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Are 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.

3 Common Myths of Environmental Toxins

October 10, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

There 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:

Your Skin (i.e. sweat)
Your Digestive tract (i.e. elimination)
Your Kidneys
Your Liver

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

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

The Noise In The Room

October 3, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

“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.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: gluten-free, GPS, inflammation, interconnectedness

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 Is the Trade-Off?

September 19, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Let’s say you’ve been diligently reading labels since going gluten-free, ever mindful that gluten can often be sneaky – showing up where you’d least expect it.

But did you ever stop to wonder, now that you’ve given up gluten – what not-so-great choices you might be making instead?

In other words, what is the trade-off?

For example, back when I first became gluten-free, I started eating a lot more eggs.

That’s because I was baking my own gluten-free bread, and the standard recipe called for three or four eggs per loaf.

Since eggs are gluten-free, I thought nothing of it.

Also, 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.

So guess what happened?

Mild, Medium or Hot – What’s It Gonna Be?

September 12, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

It sounds like a preference for hot sauce, I know.

Or better still – how do you like your Chinese take-out?

As you may have guessed, it’s none of the above.

Rather – “Do You Want Mild, Medium or Hot?“ – is one of the first questions I ask my private clients, because I want to know about your food preferences, and how “deep” you’re willing to go in the coaching process.

Of course, it’s a given that I’ll be looking closely at your diet and making recommendations on where I see room for change.

At the same time, I don’t want to suggest anything that you’re not at all comfortable with.

(Not right off the bat, anyway).

Hence the question.

After all, it’s my job as a coach to help you stretch and realize the possibilities for turning your health around.

(This means a constant back-and-forth and checking in with how you’re feeling, what’s working for you and what isn’t).

So – what’s it gonna be?

How deep are you prepared to go?

You want “Mild”?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: environment, healthy coach, hot, lifestyle, medium, mild, realize the possibilities

Are Your Kids Missing School?

September 11, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Allergy Concept Did you know that asthma in children is on the rise, resulting in a lot of missed school days?

(According to the latest statistics, more than 25 million people are affected.)

That’s a lot!

The likely culprit might surprise you even more – toxins in the environment.

Yes, you read that correctly.

The rise in asthma has been specifically correlated to a group of chemicals commonly referred to as VOC’s. (That stands for Volatile Organic Compounds).

Even the word volatile sounds scary, doesn’t it?

You might be wondering what that even means.

Well, you know how, when food has gone bad, it typically has a rather awful smell?

Think of VOC’s in the environment as being the household equivalent to rotten food.

So, just as you wouldn’t eat food that has obviously seen better days (gluten-free, or not) you really don’t want to surround yourself with chemicals that poison the air you breathe.

In fact, we now know that indoor air pollution can actually be 50% worse than outdoor air.

Can Juicing Make You Fat?

September 5, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

I’ve been making a lot of smoothies lately.

If I’m not in the mood for a smoothie, I’ll chop up a bunch of veggies and juice up a tall glass of green juice.

Whipping up a green smoothie, or juicing a tall glass of veggie goodness, seems to be all the rage lately.

And yes, I’ve been caught up in the excitement!

Do you have a preference?

For myself, I often prefer a smoothie to juicing – I like that the fiber stays intact (am I the only one who hates throwing all that nutritious fiber down the drain?) – plus I find it easier to clean a VitaMix than a juicer

Sometimes it’s a Green Smoothie, other times it’s a little less green, depending on the ingredients – it’s a little like mixing a palette of paint, to see what color you end up with.

On the flip side of things, there are many detractors to the juicing craze.

Bottom line – while certainly delicious, juicing may not always be the healthiest choice.

According to the experts, when you drink a glass of juice – especially if it’s mostly fruit – you’re really drinking nothing but a glass of sugar.

Are Your Kids Missing School?

August 29, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that asthma in children is on the rise, resulting in a lot of missed school days?

(According to the latest statistics, more than 25 million people are affected.)

That’s a lot!

The likely culprit might surprise you even more – toxins in the environment.

Yes, you read that correctly.

The rise in asthma has been specifically correlated to a group of chemicals commonly referred to as VOC’s. (That stands for Volatile Organic Compounds).

Even the word volatile sounds scary, doesn’t it?

You might be wondering what that even means.

Well, you know how, when food has gone bad, it typically has a rather awful smell?

Think of VOC’s in the environment as being the household equivalent to rotten food.

So, just as you wouldn’t eat food that has obviously seen better days (gluten-free, or not) you really don’t want to surround yourself with chemicals that poison the air you breathe.

In fact, we now know that indoor air pollution can actually be 50% worse than outdoor air.

Mimics, Marauders & Masqueraders

How To Have A Healthy Halloween

3 Common Myths of Environmental Toxins

The Noise In The Room

Are Your Genes Talking to You?

What Is the Trade-Off?

Mild, Medium or Hot – What’s It Gonna Be?

Are Your Kids Missing School?

Can Juicing Make You Fat?

Are Your Kids Missing School?

If You Are New, Start Here:

Search

Categories

Recent Pins!