Karen

How to Travel Gluten-Free

May 31, 2013 By Karen 1 Comment

18th Cent French Travel Kit

Back in the day, a gentleman or lady of means typically travelled with something like this.

Perfectly appointed with a travel size knife, fork and spoon and a pair of scissors – for what, I’m not exactly sure.

Fast forward to modern day travel.

Yes, travel in this day and age is a bit more challenging as we navigate airports and busy schedules.

Add a gluten-free diet and lifestyle to the mix, and your travel woes will likely be compounded by the constant worry of “what to eat?”

As we move into the summer travel season, I thought I’d take a moment to review some of my go-to tricks that I rely on whenever I travel.

Making sure, of course, that there’s always something on hand to eat!

(Most of the time, anyway).

For anyone with additional allergies – for example, dairy and eggs, along with gluten – travel becomes even more of a challenge.

Are You Getting The Nutrients You Need?

May 15, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

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

This holds true as much as ten years post diagnosis!

And this doesn’t even include those who are merely gluten-sensitive (as opposed to Celiac) 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.

That means plenty of vegetables, fruit, and nuts and seeds, plus whole grains and legumes.

For protein, you want to rely on free-range poultry, grass-fed meat and wild caught fish.

In other words, the purer your diet, the better off you will be.

Breaking the Fast

April 26, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

Not sure where to begin?

Why not start at the beginning?

The foundation of your day – and your gluten-free lifestyle – is Breakfast.

The very fact that it’s your first meal of the day, is exactly why it’s so important!

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, simply by eating a regular meal.

That’s because adequate fuel is what gets you through the day.

She subsequently addressed the common dilemma of “but I don’t eat breakfast” by suggesting that you start small.

If that sounds like you, it might be 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.

How To Get a Good Night’s Sleep

April 12, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

At the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, England – there is an enormous bed on display.

It always attracts a crowd.

The bed is known as the “Great Bed of Ware”.

What makes it so fascinating?

Well, for starters, it’s particularly ornate and extremely old.

And it really is LARGE.

In fact, it was known to have slept up to ten people at one time!

Odd as that may sound, back in the late 16^th century this wasn’t so unusual.

You see, the idea of a separate bedroom as we know it today, did not exist yet.

In fact, people typically spent every aspect of their day in one room – eating, living and sleeping.

A bed was multi-purpose, as was pretty much all furniture, and easily transportable.

(Except for the Great Bed of Ware, I’d venture to guess).

And why so many people in one bed, you might be wondering?

What Are You Resisting?

April 5, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

Does this sound familiar?

You’re at a restaurant, watching the person next to you devour a pile of crisp sweet potato fries.

They look SO tempting.

In that moment – what would you do?

Would you reach over and grab one, without a moment’s thought?

Which of the following outcomes best describes you?

A) You FIGHT the urge – you’d really like to sample just one.

B) You CAVE – there’s no way you can sit there and not have a taste.

C) You RESIST – as tempting as it might be, you remind yourself that it’s not worth the physical pain and discomfort.
Do you see yourself in any of these scenarios?

Of course, if you answered (C) – that is the correct answer!

It’s where you ultimately want to be, not only on occasion, but all the time.

Let’s go through the other two scenarios again, one by one.

Celebrating Easter -Gluten-Free!

March 29, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

Easter Sunday is just around the corner.

Are you gearing up for a day of celebration, and the arrival of Spring weather?

Whether your Easter celebration is religious in nature, or a reason to gather with family and friends – this is one more occasion where the gluten-free among us might be wondering:

What is there to eat?

A perfect Spring feast might revolve around a roast lamb or chicken, with fresh asparagus and baby potatoes on the side.

So, the bigger issue, is really about dessert.

Right?

For the kiddies, there are Easter egg hunts and baskets full of chocolate goodies.

But what about us bigger kids?

FREE Call

March 22, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

“How To Be Celiac & Still Have a Life- Essential Lifestyle Tips for Anyone with Gluten Intolerance or Food Sensitivities!”

I’m hosting this FREE Teleseminar on Wednesday, March 27 th, at 1:00 p.m.

Put your name and email below to get the call details:

I’ll be giving you some timely answers to the most frequently asked questions about living gluten-free – questions that are likely very relevant to your own needs!

There’s no need to sign up, but remember – space is limited, so be sure to arrive ”early”.

See you then!

Karen

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Filed Under: EAT

It’s Time For Spring Cleaning!

March 22, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

Spring has finally arrived!

How did you mark the occasion?

Do you have an annual tradition for celebrating the first day of Spring?

(Me – I went skiing, which – last time I checked – is generally not considered a Springtime activity).

It’s no accident, by the way, that Spring is considered a time of renewal.

In fact, in ancient Chinese art, the plum blossom is a symbol of Springtime – because it blooms early in the season, signifying new life ahead.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Spring is the also the season for cleansing.

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that more people participate in detoxes of every kind during this time of year.

With this in mind, here are three simple ways you can welcome Springtime into your own home, and your life.

Cleanse Your Cupboards

You may have already cleared your cupboards, fridge and freezer of gluten-containing foods, along with your other allergens.

But why not go a step further?

This is the perfect time to thoroughly clean out your kitchen, and release any foods that don’t truly support your health.

So – out with the tired spices, white flours and processed junk food!

In with whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat and gluten-free oats.

Bring on the whole grain crackers, and minimally processed staples like pasta and whole grain flours for baking.

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

March 15, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

The other night, I dreamed I was baking cookies.

Except these weren’t your typical cookies.

They were actually teeny tiny – as in miniature versions of the real thing.

And I was baking them in a teeny tiny, miniature oven, in a teeny tiny kitchen.

Because of the limited space, I kept knocking things over and making quite a mess, as you can imagine.

(Regular size people don’t fit real well in dollhouses).

Dreams are funny, this way, aren’t they?

And it’s not like I normally dream about cookies – or food.

I don’t!

However, I do collect miniatures, like what you see pictured here.

They look like the real thing, don’t they?

Since we’re on the subject of cookies, I decided it was time to share another cookie recipe.

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Filed Under: EAT, RECIPES Tagged With: chocolate chip, cookies, dairy-free, dessert, dreams, egg-free, gluten-free, miniature, paleo, recipes

‘TIS THE SEASON

December 14, 2012 By Karen Leave a Comment

Recently, I wrote about the giving of gifts, and my fascination with the Japanese scroll.

The Japanese scroll, as you may recall, reveals itself just like a gift when removed from the custom box it has been stored in.

A home can reveal itself in very much the same way.

If you think about it, just the act of entering someone’s home can feel like a ceremony.

As you move from room to room the house will continue to reveal itself.

There could be a pleasant surprise around any corner, maybe even the kind that takes your breath away.

“Oh, what a beautiful room!” we’ve all been known to say at one time or another.

This is one reason why both designers and architects will typically hold back with their design.

We don’t want to overpower your senses all at once.

We want you to take things in a little bit at a time, and take a moment to savor the design before revealing the next surprise.

So take a moment to to ask yourself – what is the first impression visitors have when they enter your home?

Let’s start with the Entry.

The main entrance to your abode should always say something about the person who lives there, i.e. YOU, so the question is – what do you want your entry to say about you?

You can emphasize either your decorating style, or your personal interests, thus setting the tone for the rest of your home.