digestion

Got No Willpower?

July 8, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

When it comes to tempting treats – do you firmly believe you have zero willpower?

Are you convinced this lack of control mean you’re deficient as a human being?

Or equally bad, that there’s something terribly wrong with you?

Well, here’s the good news: there might be a perfectly logical explanation for your apparent ‘lack of willpower’!

And it all comes back to your diet and the state of your digestion.

Let me explain.

On a deep, physiological level, it’s possible that your body isn’t absorbing the nutrients it needs, and this can happen for a number of reasons.

The most common ones would be a poor diet, or a flawed digestive system – either one of which can lead to a leaky gut.

Not to mention a host of other problems – including nutrient deficiency! (You could literally be ‘starving’ – and not even know it.)

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

May 13, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you regularly experience any of these symptoms?

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

Perhaps you know others who do?

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

It’s also why it’s critically important to take a closer look at what you’re eating – and to know whether you have Celiac Disease – or non-celiac Gluten sensitivity.

While food sensitivities would also be great to test for, you want to rule out gluten first and foremost.

Here’s why:

Gluten-Related Disorders are known to be the cause behind almost every disease, or symptom within the human body – neurological disorders, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, – especially anything related to your thyroid – plus common age-related diseases such as osteoporosis.

3 Simple Reasons to Cook at Home

April 15, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you hate to cook?

Given a choice, would you far prefer to dine out than take time to prepare a healthy meal at home?

Better still, do you think it would be totally awesome if someone else did all the cooking for you?

That last one does sound awesome, I admit.

Yet the truth is, nothing beats cooking your own food! And here’s why:

You’ll Save Money

Do you balk at the price of organic produce?

Perhaps you’ve even convinced yourself that only the ‘elite’ can afford to eat “that way”?

Are You Starving?

March 18, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you ever have days when your cravings seem totally out of control?

Let’s say you’ve been gluten-free for awhile now, and you have no trouble sticking with that. You also try to steer clear of processed foods, and grains – either whole or refined – as much as possible.

Truth be told, you’re really proud of yourself for doing such an amazing job keeping your diet really ‘clean’!

But you’ve found there’s a catch.

If you decide to have a piece of gluten-free cake, you aren’t able to stop at just one slice.

If you buy potato chips, or bake cookies, you devour the entire bag (or batch) without skipping a beat. Chances are, you’re also REALLY hard on yourself afterwards, for caving to your cravings.

What’s going on?

In a nutshell, you could be starving!

The 26 Second Rule – Fact or Fiction?

March 4, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you believe everything you read on the internet?

To be sure, articles, pictures and the ever-popular infographics are plentiful, to the point it’s sometimes hard to stay on top of everything.

But how do you know that what you’re seeing is even true?

That’s a great question! And I can’t wait to share with you the ‘other’ side of the story.

Case in point, let’s take a closer look at a recent claim circulating on the internet – which is that ANY chemical you put on your skin will enter your bloodstream in 26 seconds flat!

I see this is a perfect opportunity to help you separate fact from fiction, and tone things down a bit.

Cause here’s the thing.

The internet is rife with articles and claims that we absorb up to 60% of everything we put on our skin.

However, this is only partially true – and I’ll explain what I mean by that shortly.

Let’s Chew On This (or How to Take Care of Your 2nd Brain)

February 19, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you remember the mantra about taking time to chew your food?

Chances are, it was your grandmother who proffered this advice, the idea being that you chew thoroughly, at every meal. (My husband’s grandmother had a hard and fast rule to chew each bite exactly 33 times).

Do you scoff at the very thought? Do you also firmly believe that you don’t have TIME to chew every.single.bite – or you’d never leave the table?

Well, guess what?

It turns out your grandmother was right all along!

Chewing your food thoroughly is such a critical part of the digestive process, because it primes your stomach and your digestive juices for the task ahead.

Not only that, the entry point of your meal – your mouth – is also where the Gut-Brain connection happens!

What do I mean by that?

Your gut and your brain are closely connected – to the point that what happens in your gut affects your brain, and vice versa. [Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: chewing, digestion, digestive juices, gluten-free, gut health, gut-brain connection, indigestion, mealtime, second brain, stress, taste buds, weight loss

5 Simple Ways to Kick-Start Your Health

January 29, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

Sometimes it can feel downright overwhelming to get your health back on track!

You want to eat better – and you’ve tried – but despite your best efforts it still isn’t happening.

You try to go to bed earlier, but get sidelined watching a favorite late-night show on TV.

Or, you’re convinced that you do your best work late at night. (more on that later)

You have days, perhaps, when you really feel like crap – and that’s when you tell yourself (again) that you really, really need to get a handle on things.

We’ve all had days like that, right?

Yet even when you know better, it’s often hard to begin.

My advice?

Slow down. Take baby steps.

Pick one of the following, to start – yes, just 1! (After all, you have to start somewhere).

Jump-start your digestion

Hardly a day goes by, that I don’t hear another tip for what you absolutely MUST do first thing in the morning.

5 Simple Ways to Kick-Start Your Health

July 10, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Sometimes it can feel downright overwhelming to get your health back on track!

You want to eat better – and you’ve tried – but despite your best efforts it still isn’t happening.

You try to go to bed earlier, but get sidelined watching a favorite late-night show on TV.

Or, you’re convinced that you do your best work late at night. (more on that later)

You have days, perhaps, when you really feel like crap – and that’s when you tell yourself (again) that you really, really need to get a handle on things.

We’ve all had days like that, right?

Yet even when you know better, it’s often hard to begin.

My advice?

Slow down. Take baby steps.

Pick one of the following, to start – yes, just 1! (After all, you have to start somewhere).

Jump-start your digestion

Hardly a day goes by, that I don’t hear another tip for what you absolutely MUST do first thing in the morning.

Is Detox A 4-Letter Word?

January 9, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

We’re just a few days into the New Year, and hardly a day goes by that I don’t come across an email or Facebook post advocating a full body Detox or Cleanse.

The general idea is to undo the damage from all the holiday indulgence.

(I even offer an Extreme Kitchen Makeover – not quite the same thing, but a detox just the same.)

So, what’s the point of a Detox, anyway?

Is this just some “new agey” thing?

Why would the human body even need to detox? And what exactly are you detoxing from?

Let’s Chew On This

June 6, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did your grandmother (or a parent) ever admonish you to adequately chew your food?

(In my husband’s family, his grandmother had a hard and fast rule to chew each bite exactly 33 times).

Well, it turns out your grandmother was right!

Chewing your food thoroughly is a critical part of the digestive process, priming your stomach and your digestive juices for the task ahead.

Not only that, this entry point – i.e. your mouth – is also where the Gut-Brain connection happens.

Translation – your gut and your brain are so closely connected, that the gut is often referred to as your “second brain”.

In fact, proper chewing does all of the following for your body:

Helps to eliminate gas and bloating (gluten sensitivity, anyone?)

Helps to eliminate abdominal pain

Helps to reduce the load on the rest of your digestive system

Actually helps with weight loss!

Are you curious about the last one?

Properly chewing your food can actually help with weight loss (and weight maintenance) simply because you’ll end up feeling satisfied on less food!

So, here’s the thing.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT Tagged With: Celiac disease, chewing, digestion, digestive health, food allergies, gluten sensitivity, gut-brain connection, intestinal permeability, leaky gut, weight loss

Got No Willpower?

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

3 Simple Reasons to Cook at Home

Are You Starving?

The 26 Second Rule – Fact or Fiction?

Let’s Chew On This (or How to Take Care of Your 2nd Brain)

5 Simple Ways to Kick-Start Your Health

5 Simple Ways to Kick-Start Your Health

Is Detox A 4-Letter Word?

Let’s Chew On This

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