Search Results for: Celiac disease

Is Your Brain Working?

April 21, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

What are you reading these days?

This past week, I’ve been immersed in a book called “Why Isn’t My Brain Working?” by Datis Kharrazian, DHS.

Recommended to me by my nutritionist, it’s proven to be an excellent read!

Of course, there are all kinds of reasons why you’re brain might not be functioning at top speed, and undetected Celiac Disease or food sensitivities are certainly among them.

That’s why I’m especially enjoying the chapters on Gluten Sensitivity – and the Gut-Brain Axis.

The former includes an extensive breakdown of the appropriate tests your doctor needs to run before ruling out anything.

Cause here’s the thing:

If your doctor only tests you for Celiac Disease, you could still be highly sensitive to gluten and not know it.

Also, did you know that a gluten reaction could show up just as easily in the brain as the stomach?

The good news is that a qualified medical professional will know to look for this, so you want to make extra sure that you’re in good hands.

Filed Under: HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: brain health, Celiac disease, Datis Kharrazian, gluten sensitivity, gluten-free, gut-brain axis, why isn't my brain working

Is This Your New Normal?

April 11, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Have you felt some resistance accepting the reality of your food sensitivities?

Perhaps you’ve fought the urge to cheat a little bit – just this once?

After all, you probably want to be just like everyone else, especially in social situations, or when dining out.

You want what they’re having.

Today, I thought I’d share with you a little story.

If you’ve been following my blog lately, or reading my newsletter, then you already know that my eighty-nine year old mother recently went gluten-free.

(And also dairy-free.)

This was the result of a visit to my naturopath.

(And yes, even though I knew in my gut that taking my mother to see a naturopath was a good idea, I started to question my decision soon after – wondering if I was doing the right thing).

Was it fair to put an 89-year-old woman through this, and change her diet after a lifetime of eating a certain way?

Of GMO’s & Things

March 17, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Have you heard the conversation about genetically modified organisms in our food supply?

Some are calling this an extremely risky human experiment – and rightly so.

That’s because no one really knows how harmful these genetically modified organisms (aka GMO’s) might be.

In Europe and many other countries there’s a strict ban on GMO foods – until they’re proven safe.

Here in the USA we’ve taken the opposite approach, which is to declare genetically modified foods as safe until we learn otherwise.

Why is that?

Well, it’s hard to say for sure, but one thing we do know is that the scientific experiments that would prove these foods safe for human consumption, just haven’t been done.

(And if you do happen to hear a claim to the contrary, chances are that particular scientist was hired by the very company manufacturing the genetically modified food – a conflict of interest if there ever was one.)

Unfortunately, genetically engineered corn and soy are two of the biggest culprits.

So, unless you are purchasing organic products, you can be almost certain that GMO’s are in the food you are feeding your family.

Do You Have Street Smarts?

March 14, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

When it comes to being gluten-free, what most of us need – in order to manage our special diets – is “Street Smarts”.

Of course, street smarts aren’t always easy to come by.

In fact, for some of us it can take a very long time to get up to speed.

What do I mean, exactly, by Street Smarts?

Basically, it means knowing how to handle just about any situation that comes along – whether you find yourself tempted to stray and eat just that one little bite of gluten-filled “goodness” or you’re simply harried and frustrated by well meaning folks who don’t seem to understand or care.

(I put that in quotes because there’s nothing “good” about having celiac disease and intentionally eating gluten).

In a nutshell, it comes down to:

Knowing what foods are safe to eat

It all starts here.

Yes, it can take awhile to get up to speed and know exactly where gluten is lurking – or, if you’re sensitive to dairy, knowing exactly which foods to avoid.

And even when you know which foods are safe for you, the next step is learning which choices are the healthiest.

After all, just because something is gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean it is good for you.

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!

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.

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

Celebrate Your Sensitivity

December 20, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

Let me ask you a question.

Has the following thought crossed your mind in recent weeks, while celebrating the holidays?

“I wish I could eat whatever I want – gluten included – and not have it impact my body!”

OK, let’s be honest here.

While that would be good news indeed, for most of us it isn’t the reality, is it?

Sure, it would be great – fantastic, even – to be able to eat gluten-containing foods again, but at the same time, doesn’t your body feel really good based on what you’ve chosen to eat instead?

I, for one, am not even wishing for a cure.

Why?

As daunting as it might be (especially in the beginning) the most impressive thing about Celiac Disease (and it’s sister condition “Non-Celiac Gluten-Sensitivity”) is that better health requires nothing more than changing your diet.

There are no medications to take. (Seriously – this is a good thing!)

No surgery is required.

Which is why I’m suggesting that you jump up and celebrate your sensitivity this holiday season.

Because being sensitive is NOT a bad thing!

Let me explain what I mean.

Sensitivity 101

When you react to something – whether it’s something you ate, or something in the environment – it’s your body’s way of communicating with you.

In short, your immune system only kicks in when it’s been triggered.

So, while you might feel uncomfortable in the moment – because of a headache, stomachache or other discomfort brought on by the offender – it’s only because your immune system is doing exactly what it is supposed to do.

It’s trying to protect you!