Celiac disease

W Is For Weakest Link

November 17, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Halloween is behind us, yes – so why the pink wig?

After all, isn’t November about pumpkins, turkey and gratitude, as evidenced by Thanksgiving preparations?

For anyone with food sensitivities – diagnosed or not – the holidays can present a landmine of challenges. (Challenges or Opportunities? I’ll let you decide….)

Could you be one of those ‘unlucky’ ones, doomed by your genetic blueprint?

Here’s the ONE BIG take-away I have for you today: your genes are completely malleable!

Yes, its true! Your genes literally get turned ‘ON’ or ‘OFF’ by various things in your environment, be it from food, lack of sleep or chemical exposure. This is where personal vulnerability comes in – as in “W is for Weakest Link”.

As you’ll discover in this video, your ‘weakest link’ could be your:

Thyroid
Hormones
Joints
Gut
Brain
Weight

What will it be for YOU? (Of course, it’s a bit of a catch-22, since you won’t actually know until symptoms appear).

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.

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: A Gluten Primer A-Z, autoimmune disease, brain health, Celiac disease, digestion, gluten sensitivity, gut, hormones, inflammation, thyroid, weakest link, weight

Are You Vulnerable?

November 10, 2017 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? Perhaps you’ve even noticed this in yourself – and your seemingly ‘sudden’ sensitivities to gluten, and other foods – which have led you to a somewhat restricted diet.

Why would the foods you’ve always loved – and have eaten all your life – no longer agree with you?

V Is For Villous Atrophy

November 3, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

OK, I admit it – I live in a bubble of sorts.

The bubble I speak of revolves around Functional Medicine, which is always focused on learning the root cause of your illness – versus a conventional approach, which only looks at symptoms.

Looking at your body as a whole makes perfect sense to me.

After all, it’s made up of closely interconnected parts – including your immune system, your neuroendocrine system and so forth.

First and foremost is your Digestive System.

This last one, alone, is typically at the root of whatever ails you – with the usual dietary culprits being Dairy, Sugar, and Gluten.

It’s what I focus on throughout A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z – although I also share plenty about your immune system, leaky gut and lots, lots more.

But why gluten – specifically?

Do You Have A Shag Carpet?

October 27, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Warning: while it’s true that I’ve been known to dabble in interior design, this is NOT a post about choosing the best carpet for your home.

Just saying.

Rather, it’s about those little soldiers that line the entire surface of your small intestine – that have the appearance of little shags because they literally look like shag carpeting!

The medical term for those little soldiers is “villi”, a key part of the immune system in your gut.

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

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

However, as most anyone with Celiac Disease can tell you, what’s happened is that those villi have completely worn down – and totally atrophied.

So now you have Berber.

Berber carpeting is flat – when this happens, the villi are no longer able to do their job.

Gluten-Sensitivity & Celiac Disease – Should You Be Tested?

September 29, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Take a look at the list of symptoms below.

Are any of them common for you – or even someone else you know?

Digestive Complaints
Cramps, Bloating or Gas
Constipation
Diarrhea
Headaches or Migraines
Sinus Congestion
Joint Pain
Rash or Itching
Insomnia
Chemical Sensitivity
Memory Loss
Osteoporosis
Weight Gain
Mood Swings

While this list is by no means comprehensive, the thing to note is that NONE of these symptoms are NORMAL!

They’re common, yes – but common and normal are NOT the same thing! It’s an important distinction, and one I like to stress – at every opportunity!

Here’s another thing I like to stress:

S Is For Symptoms

September 22, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Got symptoms? If so, I’m really happy for you!

I don’t mean to sound snarky. But the fact is, if you’re dealing with various bodily symptoms – it really IS a good thing!

Why?

Because, it means your body is talking to you.

It’s trying to tell you something – along the lines of “I don’t like what you’re doing to me, so knock it off.”

The thing about gluten-sensitivity – and the reason I’m teaching all about it in A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z – is that it’s known to be the trigger behind upwards of 300 different symptoms and illnesses!

This includes autoimmune disease, inflammation, intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut), and lots more.

Even neurological disorders, as referenced in this study.

If it surprise you to learn that sensitivity to gluten is NOT limited to the gut, here’s another interesting fact: up to 50% of people with celiac disease have NO digestive symptoms whatsoever! (Because it’s manifested elsewhere in your body.)

For this very reason we say it is ‘Systemic’. It’s also why S is for Symptoms and Systemic inflammation.

Cause it literally feels like your body’s been hacked.

Filed Under: EAT, ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & WELLNESS, HEALTHY AGING Tagged With: autoimmune disease. Gluten Primer A-Z, Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, gluten-free, health, immune system, inflammation, neurological, symptoms, systemic

Is Removing Gluten Always The Answer?

September 15, 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.

P Is For Pearl Necklace

August 11, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

If you’re anything like me, you probably believe that whole grains are incredibly good for you.

I used to think so myself!

Yet I’ve come to realize that whole grains aren’t quite what they’re cracked up to be (pardon the pun).

Why?

Gluten-filled grains such as wheat – along with just about any food that’s part of the plant kingdom – have their own built-in defense system.

What’s On Your Bucket List?

July 21, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

You’ve heard of a Bucket List, right?

It’s a list of things you’ve always wanted to do, but never quite got around to – so in a nutshell, a Bucket List is a way of setting some goals for yourself, as far as what you’d like to accomplish in this life, before moving on.

No question, it’s an awesome idea!

(Perhaps you’ve even seen the movie by that name?)

Today I’d like to share with you a different sort of Bucket List.

It’s an analogy, if you will, a way of looking at the hand you’ve been dealt – your medical history, along with your entire life trajectory and challenges along the way.

In other words, everything that’s you led to where you are today.

So, here’s the thing.

Picture a bucket of water – with the water level stopping about two inches from the top.

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.