Search Results for: immune system

Is Gluten Toxic?

August 4, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Is Gluten Toxic?

If you have Celiac Disease, the answer to that question is yes, of course.

However, if you have a gluten-related disorder – otherwise referred to as Non-Celiac Gluten (or Wheat) Sensitivity – then gluten can be equally toxic.

In either scenario, 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 out of harms way.

Especially if you’ve yet to be diagnosed!

According to Dr. Tom O-Bryan, who refers to himself as 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.”

What imaginary line is he talking about?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS, HEALTHY AGING

M Is For Memory B Cells

July 4, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

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…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Gluten & the 80/20 Rule

June 25, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Have you heard of the 80/20 Rule?

Also known as the Pareto principle – it’s the understanding that, in the grand scheme of things, roughly 80% of results come from just 20% of your efforts.

You can think of it in terms of economics, but it also plays out in other areas of your life. For example:

At home or the office – it’s usually 20% of the people, who are typically doing 80% of the work

It’s likely that you wear only 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time

If you analyze a day in your life, it’s possible that only 20% of your achievements really matter

In your home, you might spend the majority of your time in just 20% of the available space

At mealtime in Japan, a popular rule of thumb, is to stop eating when you’re 80% full

More recently, I’ve noticed a disturbing new trend – which appears to be the “80/20 Rule with a Twist”, in regard to food and nutrition.

L Is For Leaky Gut

June 17, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Ever have days where you look in the mirror and wonder what the heck happened?

Perhaps your skin looks sallow, or blemished – and everything about you seems tired and listless.

Not to mention a new wrinkle or two!

You just.feel.OLD.

If you’re like most people, you’ve likely accepted these annoying physical changes as simply what happens as you get older.

But what if it that wasn’t the truth?

What if – your complexion, your energy, and so many aspects of your health all comes down to the health of your gut?

As in: L is for Leaky Gut!

This is #12 in my series of educational videos “A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z”! – and as with everything in this tutorial, the conversation always comes back to gluten.

Why? Because Leaky Gut plays a KEY role in the onset of Autoimmune Disease, inflammation, and the overall health of your immune system.

H is For Hashimoto’s

April 21, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z – continues – this week, we’re all the way up to “H is for Hashimoto’s”. (Click here for the full video series and tutorial).

But wait – is the conversation still about gluten?

You bet!

Keep in mind that Hashimoto’s (which has to do with your thyroid) and Celiac Disease are BOTH autoimmune conditions – with gluten being the #1 Environmental Trigger across the board!

If you have any kind of autoimmune disease – a gluten-filled diet is not your friend.

Here’s what else you need to know:

Autoimmune disease means your Immune System is in overdrive (it’s attacking your body)
It’s possible to reverse your symptoms entirely!
Implementing an anti-inflammatory, gluten-free diet is key

How do you know if gluten is a problem for you? You pay close attention to how your body is communicating with you – meaning all those signs & symptoms, be it digestive complaints, neurological issues (numbness & tingling in your fingers or toes, foggy thinking), headaches or migraines, aches & pains throughout your body, weight gain and more.

Hint: Even though Celiac disease affects only 1 in 6 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…]

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: A Gluten Primer A-Z, autoimmune disease, Celiac, environmental trigger, gluten, Hashimoto's disease, thyroid, toxins

Why Is Gluten Such a Big Deal?

March 31, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Have you seen all the gluten-free foods these days?

It seems like a brand new thing but really, gluten-free foods have been around for while. Go into any grocery store today and you’ll see whole sections dedicated to shelf after shelf of gluten-free breads, cookies, cereals and lots more.

It’s literally an explosion of products, the majority of which didn’t exist five or ten years ago.

So what gives?

Is this gluten-free trend just another fad? And why should you even consider taking gluten out to begin with?

What’s the big deal?

Gluten is a unique protein, which can be broken down further into smaller proteins, or peptides. The most common of these proteins is referred to as alpha gliadin – or gliadin, for short. But there are many others!

Sidenote: This happens to be one of the BIGGEST problems when it comes to accurate testing, the issue being that most labs are ONLY looking at gliadin – when there are hundreds of other peptides you could be reacting to. That’s why Wheat Zoomer has become my go-to test for accurate results!

Is Removing Gluten Always The Answer?

March 17, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Should you remove gluten from your diet? (I get asked this question a lot).

The short answer is “It depends”.

What do I mean by this? In a nutshell, it depends on what’s going on in your body.

It depends on the signs and symptoms you’re experiencing.

And it also depends on your test results!

Of course, if your tests come back negative, then you’re in the clear – at least for the time being – more on that later.

But it’s super important that you get the RIGHT tests!

You don’t want to stop there, either.

E is for Environmental Triggers

March 11, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

There’s a lot of talk these days about the environment – be it lead in our water, endangered wildlife or polluted air.

Some of these Environmental Triggers even come from your food!

They could be in the form of chemical additives or preservatives found in processed foods – or simply your body’s inability to tolerate a food such as gluten, or dairy.

In either scenario, your body views the offender as toxic!

This, in turn, triggers your immune system – in an all-out assault to rescue you from these harmful invaders.

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.

Do You Have Street Smarts?

February 18, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

When it comes to managing your special diet – do you have “Street Smarts”?

You might be wondering what I mean by this.

While not always easy to come by, Street Smarts means knowing how to handle just about any situation that comes along – especially when you find yourself tempted to stray.

It means knowing that when you’re harried and frustrated by circumstances beyond your control – or, well meaning folks who don’t seem to understand or care – you’re able to make an informed choice because you understand the long-term damage that can result from that one exposure, however small.

My newly released video series A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z explains well, literally everything – in a collection of 26-videos plus a 2-hour tutorial.

In a nutshell, though, here’s what it ultimately comes down to:

Knowing what foods are safe to eat

It all starts here.

Your Body’s Wisdom – Invitation or Threat?

January 20, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

“Symptoms are a signal from the body that it is imbalanced, in distress, or in need of support.”

Kelly Brogan, MD

Your body has it’s own innate inner wisdom.

In other words, with a little help from you – it has the ability to heal (you just need to give it what it needs).

How do you know what your body needs most?

You listen!

What signs and symptoms are your experiencing? How debilitating are they? Are you in pain, or is it more of a nagging discomfort that keeps you from enjoying your life to it’s fullest?