Design A Healthy Life

Are You Losing Your Mind?

May 26, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you ever have days where you’re feeling super forgetful?

Like not remembering the name of your favorite book, or movie, or that ‘thingy’ you’ve been meaning to buy for weeks – what was that called again?

Maybe you’ve realized that the lines have blurred over the sequence leading up to an event that – even though it happened years ago, used to be so clear in your mind.

A ‘Brian Williams’ moment, if you will.

Then again, maybe you’re thinking one thing, but the words don’t come out quite right.

What the heck is that all about?

Are you losing your mind?

J Is For Junk Food

May 19, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

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…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

What Is The Trade-Off?

May 15, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Are you committed to eating a healthy diet?

If so, you already know that being a diligent label reader is helpful.

When you add a special dietary protocol to the mix, it becomes all the more crucial. Whether you’re contemplating a gluten-free diet – or you’re already gluten-free – rest assured that it quickly becomes second nature, as you become ever mindful that gluten can often be sneaky – showing up where you’d least expect it.

At the same time, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword! What not-so-great choices could you be making instead?

What is the trade-off?

Let me share what I mean.

Back when I first became gluten-free, I started eating a lot more eggs. I was baking my own gluten-free bread, and the standard recipe called for three or four eggs per loaf – and since eggs are gluten-free, I thought nothing of it.

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. And before I knew it, I started experiencing many of the symptoms I’d had BEFORE going gluten-free.

What was that all about?

I Is for Inflammation & the Immune System

May 5, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that May is National Celiac Awareness Month?

With that in mind, I bring you: “I is for the Immune System & Inflammation“ – which we’re exploring it in depth this week.

I must admit, this is probably my favorite video in “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z” video series!

I even bring in an Army & a Cannon! (Yes really – an Army).

But what is the connection, you might ask? And what does Gluten Sensitivity have to do with your Immune System & inflammation?

Whether Celiac Disease or another autoimmune condition (Hashimoto’s anyone?), gluten sensitivity, food sensitivities in general, or life-threatening allergies – even heart disease – your immune system is involved each and every time.

How do you know if gluten is a problem for you?

Is Your Immune System Attacking You?

April 28, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you have days when your body seems like a bit of a drama queen?

Perhaps you were sick with the flu, you’ve been fighting a migraine, or you’re feeling sore and achy all over for no particular reason. Other days, it might seem that you’re no longer able to tolerate the foods you used to eat with abandon – you’re dealing with a major case of indigestion and you’re carrying around an extra twenty pounds (that you can’t seem to lose, no matter what you eat).

Does any of this sound familiar?

I call these on-going annoyances “mimics, marauders and masqueraders” – because that’s basically what they are – but what I’d really like you to take away from this, is that it’s an important part of your immune system and how it functions.

The good news is that your immune system is beautifully designed to deal with these pranksters at a moment’s notice, and it’s exactly that on your behalf so 24/7 – even though it might seem at times that your body is working against you.

Sometimes your immune system DOES get confused. However, even though you might think it’s making a mistake, the reality is that it’s simply doing what it’s designed to do – protect you. Consider too, that 70% of your immune system is in your gut! But because it’s inside, and you can’t see it, and you can’t necessarily feel it – you’re not at all aware that anything is wrong.

The symptoms are often subtle.

What’s really happening, though, is that some of these invaders are actually very clever, mimicking or masquerading as something other than what they really are.

Let me explain.

Cross-Reactivity

As you may already know, gluten is a family of proteins found in wheat and is therefore present in any foods that are made from wheat – although it can sometimes appear in other guises, as well.

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

Autoimmune Disease & You

April 14, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition?

Did you also know that autoimmune diseases are on the rise?

In fact, statistically, if you’ve already been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, your chance of acquiring two or three more is extremely high.

Kind of sobering, isn’t it?

By its very definition, autoimmune disease means that your body – specifically your immune system – is attacking YOU.

It isn’t something that’s supposed to happen.

(And doesn’t, as long as your immune system is functioning properly).

But right now, we’re actually in the midst of an autoimmune epidemic – that’s how common autoimmune diseases have become.

Yet, here’s something else that might surprise you:

G Is For Gluten

April 7, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Continuing with my fun & educational new video series “A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z” (literally) – it’s probably no surprise that ‘G is for Gluten’.

What is Gluten anyway? And why is it a problem for so many people? (And what’s with that bottle of Elmer’s glue???)

Gluten is a protein that’s primarily present in wheat, but also other grains. Even though it is ubiquitous in our diets, it happens to be extremely difficult for the human body to digest. While some people have no noticeable problems with this – others do.

How do you know if you’re one of those people? You pay close attention to the signs & symptoms your body is telling you – be it digestive complaints, neurological issues (numbness & tingling in your fingers or toes, foggy thinking), headaches or migraines, or aches & pains throughout your body.

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.

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!

F Is For False Negative

March 24, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

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.

[Read more…]