Karen

5 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Skin

July 22, 2016 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 can get absorbed.

And that’s important!

Got No Willpower?

July 8, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

When it comes to tempting treats – do you firmly believe you have zero willpower?

Are you convinced this lack of control mean you’re deficient as a human being?

Or equally bad, that there’s something terribly wrong with you?

Well, here’s the good news: there might be a perfectly logical explanation for your apparent ‘lack of willpower’!

And it all comes back to your diet and the state of your digestion.

Let me explain.

On a deep, physiological level, it’s possible that your body isn’t absorbing the nutrients it needs, and this can happen for a number of reasons.

The most common ones would be a poor diet, or a flawed digestive system – either one of which can lead to a leaky gut.

Not to mention a host of other problems – including nutrient deficiency! (You could literally be ‘starving’ – and not even know it.)

The Book Of You

June 24, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

A few years back, I wrote this.

The idea behind it was that all the bits and pieces of your life get woven not only into your memories, but also the very fabric of your home – using color, shape, furnishings and mementos to paint a picture – instead of words.

What I’ve come to realize, is that those same bits and pieces – indeed, the entire story of your life in all its shame and glory – has a huge impact on your health.

No matter how much you might try to deny it, these various threads of your life nonetheless parallel and influence each other – starting at birth, and continuing undiminished, until you take your last breath.

In short, everything matters!

Every bite you choose to eat, every action you take, every significant person who’s crossed your path – to the soup of environmental chemicals you might be exposed to along the way or how you manage stress.

What You Know In Your Gut

June 10, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

We all know about gut instinct.

It’s that inner compass that guides you day in and day out – even when you choose to disregard it’s message.

Most of the time, it’s ‘spot on’ – helping you determine whether something might be harmful to you, or not – be it another person, a situation, or even the foods you choose to eat.

You can either honor that innate directive in the moment it occurs or ignore it completely.

All to often you might choose the latter – despite knowing, on a gut level that you really ought to pay attention!

The thing is, you have a direct gut-brain connection in your body – with these two seemingly distinct entities constantly in communication with each other.

Yet while your thinking brain knows how to separate fact from fiction – the brain in your gut (literally your 2nd brain) doesn’t have that ability.

What’s On Your Bucket List?

May 27, 2016 By Karen 1 Comment

You’ve heard of a Bucket List, right?

That list of things you’ve always wanted to do, but never quite got around to?

In a nutshell, a Bucket List is a way of setting some goals for yourself, namely what you’d like to accomplish in this life, before moving on.

And it’s an awesome idea!

(Perhaps you’ve even seen the movie by that name?)

Today I’d like to share with you a different sort of Bucket List.

It’s an analogy, if you will, a way of looking at the hand you’ve been dealt – your medical history, along with your entire life trajectory and challenges along the way.

In other words, everything that’s you led to where you are today.

So, here’s the thing.

Picture a bucket of water – with the water level stopping about two inches from the top.

Gluten-Sensitivity & Celiac Disease – Should You Be Tested?

May 13, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you regularly experience any of these symptoms?

Digestive Complaints
Cramps, Bloating or Gas
Constipation
Diarrhea
Headaches or Migraines
Sinus Congestion
Joint Pain
Rash or Itching
Insomnia
Chemical Sensitivity
Memory Loss
Osteoporosis
Weight Gain
Mood Swings

Perhaps you know others who do?

While this list is by no means comprehensive, the thing to note is that NONE of these symptoms are NORMAL!

It’s also why it’s critically important to take a closer look at what you’re eating – and to know whether you have Celiac Disease – or non-celiac Gluten sensitivity.

While food sensitivities would also be great to test for, you want to rule out gluten first and foremost.

Here’s why:

Gluten-Related Disorders are known to be the cause behind almost every disease, or symptom within the human body – neurological disorders, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, – especially anything related to your thyroid – plus common age-related diseases such as osteoporosis.

Have You Bought Into this Myth?

April 29, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

No doubt you’ve heard what the media says about getting older.

All that stuff about genetics and that it goes downhill from there – meaning you’ll be old and sick, tired and achy well before your time – and have to give up your favorite foods, and favorite activities.

Well, guess what?

None of it is true!

Chances are you’re already convinced that being old and sick is just the way it is.

It’s a normal part of getting older, and there’s not a whole lot you can do about it, right?

Wrong!

What about your genes? Isn’t sickness and poor health a foregone conclusion, based on your heredity? Aren’t you doomed form the get-go?

A lot of this confusion about getting older – what I call the ‘myth of aging’ – is based on this outdated belief that your genes are your destiny.

Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

How do I know this?

Look around you, and you’ll find plenty of research that supports what I’m saying – you just need to know where to look. [Read more…]

Filed Under: ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & WELLNESS, HEALTHY AGING Tagged With: aging, autoimmune disease, Deepak Chopra, Design a Healthy Life, dietary triggers, environmental toxins, genes, genetics, gluten-free, Kelly Brogan MD, lifestyle medicine, myths, outdated beliefs

3 Simple Reasons to Cook at Home

April 15, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you hate to cook?

Given a choice, would you far prefer to dine out than take time to prepare a healthy meal at home?

Better still, do you think it would be totally awesome if someone else did all the cooking for you?

That last one does sound awesome, I admit.

Yet the truth is, nothing beats cooking your own food! And here’s why:

You’ll Save Money

Do you balk at the price of organic produce?

Perhaps you’ve even convinced yourself that only the ‘elite’ can afford to eat “that way”?

Are You A Toxic Mess? (What’s Your Body Burden?)

April 1, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Ever wonder if you’ve got harmful chemicals in you?”

I don’t blame you for being curious! Especially if you’re feeling challenged by:

Excess weight
Digestive issues
Any number of mysterious aches & pains

On the heels of our recent exploration into Internet “fact or fiction” – including the myth that chemicals can be absorbed into your skin in 26 seconds flat – answering this question means taking the conversation a bit further.

As you know by now, chemicals CAN find their way into you through many different pathways – either from:

your food
personal care products
cleaning supplies
home furnishings
pesticides
…& more

And there ARE specific kinds of tests that can determine your overall chemical load – some of which you might have heard about some of, such as urine or hair analysis.

That said, are you familiar with Body Burden testing?

Are You Starving?

March 18, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you ever have days when your cravings seem totally out of control?

Let’s say you’ve been gluten-free for awhile now, and you have no trouble sticking with that. You also try to steer clear of processed foods, and grains – either whole or refined – as much as possible.

Truth be told, you’re really proud of yourself for doing such an amazing job keeping your diet really ‘clean’!

But you’ve found there’s a catch.

If you decide to have a piece of gluten-free cake, you aren’t able to stop at just one slice.

If you buy potato chips, or bake cookies, you devour the entire bag (or batch) without skipping a beat. Chances are, you’re also REALLY hard on yourself afterwards, for caving to your cravings.

What’s going on?

In a nutshell, you could be starving!