I happen to LOVE quinoa!

Unfortunately, it doesn’t love me back.

Even so, I can’t think of a better way to highlight this unique pseudo-grain than Q Is For Quinoa – as it fits in rather nicely with my on-going educational series “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z”.

If you’ve been listening to these videos – you understand by now that gluten and wheat sensitivities could easily be the root cause of your health issues.

I also recently shared that most grains – along with many other plant foods – contain problematic compounds like lectins.

Quinoa – although it’s a wonderful substitute for wheat flour, rice, and even oats – may not work for everyone for this very reason.

NOTE: The ideal way to cook Quinoa is with a Pressure Cooker! This method is equally effective for other grains and legumes – however, while pressure cooking will destroy lectins, it does NOT destroy gluten.

I talk a lot in this space about Special Diets, gluten-free and otherwise.

But nothing exists in a vacuum. This is why EVERYTHING in your environment matters – not just food!

To learn more, & receive the most up-to-date, in-depth information regarding all things related to Gluten Sensitivity, Autoimmune Disease, Inflammation & more – be sure to watch my educational video series “A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z“. It’s available FREE on my bi-weekly newsletter, but you can have immediate access to all 26 videos – plus a full, 2-hour Tutorial here.

The genes you’ve inherited are what they are, that’s true.

But did you know they come with a sort of ON/OFF switch?

Which begs the question:  Are your genes turned ON? That’s a bit of a trick question – because the genes that are in the ON position could actually be your ‘bad’ genes, as opposed to your ‘good’ ones.

How do you know the difference?

If you have an autoimmune disease – such as Celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or something else altogether – autoimmunity is known to have a genetic component, along with an Environmental Trigger. (The third leg, so to speak, being Leaky Gut).

This is WHY everything you do – from diet and exercise, how you handle stress and lots more – influences how your genes are expressed! (Science calls this epigenetics).

In other words, getting older doesn’t mean you have to get sick!

You’re not doomed to get dementia – or worse still, Alzheimer’s (something I’ve experienced close-up and personal with my mother) – just because it ‘runs in the family’.

It’s with sadness that I share with you today my mom’s recent passing. In a way it’s also fitting, because we’re now at the letter ‘N’ – as in N is for Neurological – all part of my on-going video series “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z”.

[Read more…]

Memories are a wonderful thing.

Whether they’re of your loved ones, a special celebration, or even an amazing meal – it’s these recollections from your past that make your life all the richer.

Does your immune system also have a memory?

You bet it does!

I share all about it in this week’s video: M is For Memory B Cells – a key player in how your immune system functions.

It’s a lot like the RAM in your computer…

Or your memory of that family picnic 30 years ago when your brother teased you & threw you in the pool…

[Read more…]

The fun continues this week – with “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z”!

In our last installment, I brought you an Army and a Cannon – in J Is For Junk Food, a Donut plays a starring role (gluten-free junk food in particular).

But wait! Does that means you can NEVER eat a gluten-free cookie again – or better still, a donut?

Of course not!

But this does bring us full-circle to what my 26-video series “A Gluten Primer A-Z” is all about – exploring gluten sensitivity from EVERY angle. (quite literally – click here for the full video series and tutorial).

So yes, “J is For Junk Food” – and I’ve included it in this discussion about gluten because it happens to be one of the biggest downfalls of a gluten-free diet, especially when you’re first diagnosed. (Something I can personally attest to).

But there IS a fix, and it’s an easy one at that – focusing on a whole foods diet, as opposed to heavily processed foods. That means a dietary protocol based on whole grains, nuts & seeds, legumes, fruits & vegetables (organic whenever possible), wild caught fish, grass-fed meat and plenty of healthy fats.

When you eat this way, you can absolutely justify the occasional treat.

Hint: While Celiac disease affects 1 in 100 people – Gluten Sensitivity is known to be 6-20 times MORE common. Which means you might not be as lucky as you think. Knowing where you fall on this spectrum for gluten intolerance is key to managing your long-term health – & can’t be stressed enough. [Read more…]

When you suspect that gluten is a problem for you & your doctor runs lab work, the tests might still come back negative – and that can be misleading. (Especially if he then tells you it’s OK to eat gluten & ‘go grab a whole wheat sandwich on your way home’.)

But what if your doctor unintentionally ran the wrong tests?

The thing is – something can appear to be false when it’s actually true. It’s what we call a “False Negative“. This is why it’s SO important to understand all the twists & turns when testing for gluten sensitivity.

That’s it in a nutshell – but I dive into much greater detail in my new video series “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z” (complete with accompanying tutorial)!:

If your goal is to minimize your symptoms and turn your health around – it all starts with what you’re putting into your body.

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Do you have Celiac Disease?”

Perhaps the bigger question is “ “Do you have a gluten-related disorder, most often referred to as Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity – or Gluten Intolerance?”

If you answered “yes” to either question, then gluten certainly is a toxin, at least to YOU!

If you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t appear to have a sensitivity to gluten – that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re completely off the hook.

According to Dr. Tom O-Bryan, the Gluten-Free Doc, “Everyone should be checked for a gluten sensitivity. And if you have the celiac gene, you definitely want to be checked every two years or so. You might be fine now, but at some point you will likely cross the line.”

Why is that? [Read more…]

The holidays are in full swing, no question about it.

And with that comes temptations galore, as you fend off one sweet, gluten-filled treat after another.

But do the holidays – or any special occasion for that matter – really mean you have to forego everything that’s sweet and tasty?

Of course not!

There are hundreds of blogs and cookbooks available to you, filled with mouth-watering, delicious recipes that cater to your special diet – be it gluten-free, vegan, or something in between.

So perhaps the bigger question is this:

Can a cookie – or any sweet treat – still be part of a healthy lifestyle?

And my answer is “Yes, absolutely!”

However, there is a caveat.

[Read more…]

How’s your stress level these days?

Are you obsessing over the busy-ness of the holiday season? With gifts to purchase (and wrap), parties to plan (and attend), and guests to entertain it’s no wonder that for many of us the holidays are the most stressful time of the year.

And that doesn’t even cover the food ! Tables laden with holidays feasts, and endless gluten-filled, sugary treats – how will you survive?

I hear you! It’s a common refrain, for sure.

In the same breath, my clients are also saying this:

“I don’t want to feel like crap by January 1!”

Perhaps you’re also wondering how you can rein in your appetite when so many temptations abound? Let’s face it – the holidays can be extremely stressful, with so much to do and so little time.

Even more worrisome, is that stress is a HUGE compounding issue for any health concern you might have. Especially when it comes to your digestive health!

[Read more…]