gluten-free

Y Is for Yeast

December 16, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

As the year draws to a close, A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z is also nearing the end.

That’s right, I’ve been sharing all 26 videos with you throughout the year – & I’m happy to say it’s been a blast.

But wait – there’s still two more!

In today’s installment, we have Y Is for Yeast.

Not too exciting, I know, but consider for a moment that yeast figures rather prominently this time of year – whether in your baked goods, or all the sugary treats you inhale.

I don’t talk much about sugar in this video series, but one complication from a high sugar diet is an infection known as Candida, (basically an overgrowth of yeast). If your tendency is to crave something sweet during the proverbial afternoon slump – and to cave for said craving (whether or not you’re hungry) – that’s a sure sign of a sugar craving, too much of which could lead to the before-mentioned yeast overgrowth or other health problems.

With that in mind, be sure to watch “Y is for Yeast”

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: ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: A Gluten Primer A-Z, Candida, gluten-free, infection, sugar cravings, yeast

Is It Time For You To H.A.L.T?

December 8, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

The holidays are upon us, and for many it’s the most challenging time of the year.

The heavy emphasis on love and joy, family togetherness and endless festivities can easily take you down, special diet or not.

Worse still, what if the holidays find you alone?

What if you’re dealing with a recent break-up, an illness, or worse still – a death in the family?

Can you relate?

While there’s no question these things are difficult any time of the year, the pain and heartache increases ten-fold during the month of December.

Yet the bigger issue is this: when you’re up against life’s challenges, do you still find time to take proper care of yourself?

How do you deal with those typical stressors we call ‘Life’, that will inevitably come your way?

This is where some mental gymnastics come into play – in the form of a self-coaching technique known as H.A.L.T.

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?

U Is For Unaware

October 20, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

This past weekend, I listened to an amazing interview with Joe Cross.

In case his name doesn’t ring a bell, Joe Cross is the hero of Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead – he turned his life around by going on a juice fast.

As he puts it, the food you put in your body is information. If you’re starving yourself of the RIGHT fuel (aka food), is it any surprise that things go wrong?

The thing is, 70% of all disease is caused by lifestyle choices – not your genes!

What are those choices? They include things like: what you eat and drink, what your sleep patterns are, how much exercise you get (or not), whether you smoke – and also how you manage stress.

Which leads me to this question:

How connected are YOU to how you’re living your life?

How to Look 20, When You’re Well Past 50 (60, Even)

October 13, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

A while back, a friend whom I hadn’t seen in awhile exclaimed that I looked about 20.

Of course, I didn’t believe her. (When I look in the mirror, I’m as critical as the next person).

But I was pleasantly surprised and secretly quite pleased to hear this.

Who wouldn’t be, right?

After all, it isn’t exactly easy to pass for 40 years younger than your actual age!

“What about my gray hair?” I asked her, thinking that was a dead give-away.

She brushed that aside, saying it didn’t mean a whole lot.

Well, OK then.

The thing is, this wasn’t an isolated incident – which, to be perfectly honest, leaves me a bit baffled..

People want to know “What’s your secret?” – and while I might not be sure initially, when I think about the work I’m doing, and how I live my life, I realize – that’s the secret right there!

What I teach, after all – is a lifestyle.

T Is For Testing

October 6, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Have you been trying to get answers for your health issues?

Perhaps your doctor has told you there’s nothing wrong with you (translation: it’s all in your head).

Or perhaps he ran some tests for gluten sensitivity – only to have them come back negative (but you suspect otherwise).

You may have been given some pills, and a few words of advice, and sent home with little more than a pat on the back.

Your intuition is screaming “NO” to medication.

You know that something’s been overlooked – whether it’s coming from your diet, or something in your home you’ve yet to identify.

And it’s making you sick.

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.

R Is For Reintroduction

September 8, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Let’s say you’ve been gluten-free awhile – and you’re feeling great.

But you’ve been hearing from friends, as well as online, that European wheat is somehow ‘safer’ – even though it still contains gluten.

Is there any truth to this?

In R Is For Reintroduction I explore this popular myth – that it’s OK to bring gluten-containing foods back into your diet, regardless of the circumstances.

I call this a myth because it’s so misleading.

The reason WHY, is because your immune system has a Memory – especially for gluten. It doesn’t forget!

Once you start eating wheat again (and by default gluten) odds are high that ALL your symptoms will come back.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise – since you’d be reintroducing the very food that’s making you sick. (Especially true for autoimmune disease).

In other words – you can’t be just “a little bit pregnant”.

You’re either sensitive or you’re not. Period. And your immune system will ALWAYS have the final say.

If you’re eager to learn more & don’t want to wait a full year to receive the most up-to-date, in-depth information regarding all things related to Gluten Sensitivity, Autoimmune Disease, Inflammation & more – click here for immediate access. You get ALL 26 videos of A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z, including a jam-packed tutorial!

Filed Under: EAT, ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & WELLNESS, HEALTHY AGING Tagged With: A Gluten Primer A-Z, Alzheimer's, dementia, digestion, European wheat, gluten-free, immune system, inflammation, memory

How To Find Your Path & Stick With It

September 1, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

Does this sound like you?

First of the year, you vowed to lose a few pounds – and transition to a healthier way of eating.

But nine months later, you’re exactly where you were on Day 1.

To make matters worse, you just got back from vacation – and all your health goals seemingly fell by the wayside.

You’re beyond frustrated (yet again) that you ate all this junky food and now feel like crap from the over-indulgence – too many desserts, snack foods, and alcohol.

Now you’re regretting it big-time!

Chances are your digestive system is also out of whack because you’ve been eating things you wouldn’t normally eat. You’re paying for it with daily heartburn, indigestion – and an extra 10 pounds.

All this despite your goal this year, to do at least ONE of the following:

Make healthier food choices
Transition to an anti-inflammatory diet, by removing gluten & sugar (because you know you’ll feel better)
Identify which foods you’re sensitive to – to help calm your immune system
Lose weight
Mange stress by focusing on self-care (e. all of the above)