HEALTH & WELLNESS

Inflammation 101

March 7, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Have you ever had a doctor tell you that you had inflammation?

The first few times I heard that word bandied about, I didn’t know what the doctor was talking about.

Inflammation?

What exactly did that mean?

Well, it turns out that inflammation inside your body is not much different from an inflamed wound on the outside of your body.

(Except for the fact you can’t see it).

You know how – if you cut yourself – the area around the wound becomes red and sore?

We recognize this as a sign that our body is trying to fight infection.

What’s surprising, though, is that you can have a similar kind of ‘injury’ inside your body – the equivalent of a bruise, or sore that has gone unchecked.

And just like anywhere else, your immune system kicks in and sends a bunch of fighter cells to the injured spot, to do their hard work.

Even more surprising, it turns out that 70% of your immune system is in your gut!

Are You Vulnerable?

February 21, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Growing up, I thought I was fairly invincible.

This would explain the concussion at age 8, from falling off my bike. (I was trying to stand on the handle bars).

It would also explain the ski accident four years later that put me in a cast for several months.

(While you might still find me on the slopes, I’ve never again skied downhill quite so fast).

When it came to food, I thought I had an ‘iron stomach’.

I was extremely proud of the fact that I could eat pretty much anything.

Fast forward a good many years, and things have definitely changed.

In fact, the older I get, the more vulnerable I seem to be.

How did that happen?

Of course, this is most apparent in my sensitivities to gluten, and various other foods – which have led to a somewhat restricted diet.

Perhaps you’ve found yourself on a similar path.

Suddenly foods that you’ve always loved – and have eaten all your life – no longer agree with you.

The Gluten Summit 2014

January 28, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you happen to catch the amazing line-up of speakers at The Gluten Summit last November?

I’m still sifting through the content, gleaning new nuggets of information every time I listen.

So, I was absolutely thrilled to learn that a follow-up event has been schedule for January 29 – February 2, 2014.

Titled “Now That You Know, Where Do You Go?”, you can register for FREE right here.

Personally, I can hardly wait!

OK, so who would benefit most from this online summit?

Anyone who has recently been diagnosed with a Gluten-related Disorder – such as Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)

Someone who has not been diagnosed, but suspects they might be sensitive to gluten and/or other foods

The person who says “this doesn’t apply to me, my digestion is fine”. Cause, well – you never know.

Hint: The symptoms of gluten sensitivity are often silent and can present anywhere in the human body – not just the gut.

Are you ready to tune in?

Filed Under: HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: Celiac disease, gluten-free, NCGS, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, Now That You Know Where Do You Go, The Gluten Summit

Do You Have A Shag Carpet?

January 23, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

While it’s true that my background is interior design, this is not a post about choosing the best carpeting for you home.

Rather, it’s about those little soldiers that line the interior of the small intestine, that have the appearance of little shags – literally like shag carpeting.

The medical term for those little soldiers is “villi”.

Their job is to be vigilant about any intruders that might enter the digestive tract, and dispose of them immediately.

When they’re doing their job properly, they’re readily visible – waving about in the breeze.

What Is The Trade-Off?

January 17, 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?

After about a year on the gluten-free diet, I started experiencing many of the symptoms I’d had BEFORE going gluten-free.

What was that all about?

How to Handle A (Food) Emergency

January 15, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Two nights ago, I spent five hours at the ER with my elderly mother.

While she’s since recovered and back in the comfort of her home, the incident was a stark reminder of the kinds of food emergencies that can crop up when you’re unprepared.

I was cooking dinner when I got the call; my mother was unresponsive and the caregiver was taking her to the hospital.

My inclination was to drop everything and dash out the door.

The thought crossed my mind that I should eat something first. (After all, I was already preparing our evening meal)

However, my stomach was tied up in knots at that point, and the thought of eating something did not appeal to me. (A rare occurrence, actually).

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: ER, food emergency, gluten-free, snacks

Is ‘Gluten-Free’ the Key to Weight Loss?

January 10, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

It seems that, every year – when January 1 rolls around – a lot of folks jump on the weight loss bandwagon.

Maybe you’ve done this yourself, vowing that this is the year you will finally lose those stubborn last pounds.

In some circles, we’re told the only sure-fire way to lose weight is to stop eating gluten

This might come as a surprise to those of us who are already gluten-free, especially if we’ve made this choice for medical reasons such as Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity.

(Often referred to as Non-Celiac Gluten-Sensitivity, or NCGS).

In other words, weight loss was likely the furthest thing from your mind when you first received a diagnosis that explained the myriad of health woes that had plagued you for years.

(There could even be one or two among you who were anxious to gain weight!)

So this whole thing about removing gluten from the diet in order to lose weight has me puzzled – in part because it has the unfortunate outcome of turning a serious medical condition – one that requires a special diet – into a fad.

Is losing weight really that simple?

Have You Read “Wheat Belly”?

January 9, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

I just finished reading the much-acclaimed book “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis.

It certainly confirmed for me, why the book has been so popular. (I now consider this a must-read).

In his book, Dr. Davis does an elegant job of describing the evolution of modern, hybridized what, and why so many of us have a hard time digesting this modern wonder that leads to so many healthy concerns – not just limited to the digestive system, either.

Dr. Davis also discusses, in detail, the Glycemic Index – an equally important part of the overall picture.

If you’re not familiar with it, the Glycemic Index is a means of measuring how quickly your blood sugar rises upon eating a particular food.

And the foods that have the greatest impact on your blood sugar are – no surprise – carbohydrates, especially whole grain bread!

That means wheat, of course.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: Dr William Davis, gluten-free, glycemic index, wheat, Wheat Belly

Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Kickstart the New Year

January 3, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Welcome to 2014!

Over the past few days, it occurred to me that the start of a New Year isn’t all that different from how one starts a new day.

In both cases, it often seems that the day – or the year before you – is an open slate.

Anything could happen, right?

(And often it does.)

How you begin your day sets you up for everything you will encounter by days’ end – including how you will handle the stresses that will inevitably come your way.

Hence the question:

What do you eat for breakfast?

Do you grab a bowl from the cupboard, snatch a bag of cereal, and call that a meal?

If you’ve included some fruit – such as fresh, organic berries – that’s terrific.

Truth is, you’re doing exactly what most Americans do, starting the day with a bowl of cereal and fruit.

(And while that’s OK, it’s not ideal – I’ll tell you why in a moment).

Breakfast is often one of the most challenging meals once you switch to a gluten-free diet.

At first, it might seem easy – all you need to do is trade your favorite breakfast cereal for a gluten-free substitute.

And that works just fine, until you hop on a plane and travel to a strange city.

Now what do you do?

Is Detox a 4-Letter Word?

December 27, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

As the New Year approaches, hardly a day goes by that I don’t see an email or Facebook post advocating a full body detox.

The general idea is to undo the damage from all the holiday indulgence.

(I even offer a Kitchen Detox Makeover; it’s not quite the same thing, but a detox just the same.)

And of course, with New Year’s Eve just five days away, the holiday celebrations aren’t even over yet.

So, what’s the point of a Detox, anyway?

Is this just some “new agey” thing?

Why would the human body even need to detox? And what exactly are you detoxing from?

Well, I admit, I’ve been among those to roll their eyes in the past, at the slightest mention of the word.

Maybe other people embraced the idea, but I sure didn’t

But then I realized a few things.

And the most eye-opening realization was this: my body is detoxing all the time, anyway, every single day.

It’s doing this all on it’s own, with absolutely no prompting from me.

In a nutshell, this is how your body is always detoxing:

Your Skin

You know how great you feel after a work out, especially if you’ve worked up a good sweat?

Well, guess what?