gluten-free

Life Lessons From Downton Abbey

January 24, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Downton Abbey is back!

Are you one of the many fans who’ve waited in anticipation for the start of Season 4?

Perhaps, like me, you tune, in every Sunday night without fail, eager to be transported into the drama-filled lives of the show’s characters.

(Did you know you can actually visit Highclere Castle – the British mansion made famous on this hit series? Located just outside of London, it’s open for public tours 70 days each year – you can be sure I’ve added it to my list!)

Personally, here’s what I really enjoy about the show:

I love seeing history unfold in the moment & learning what life was like “back then”.
I love the interior décor of this mansion studded as it is with antiques and old master paintings gracing the walls.
And, of course, I’m immersed in the characters themselves, and their privileged, fictitious lives.

But what can the average person like you or I glean from a TV show like Downton Abbey – as it relates to our own lives?

Quite a lot, as it turns out!

EMBRACE YOUR KITCHEN

At Downton Abbey, the kitchen is the hub of the home.

In fact, most of the ‘downstairs’ scenes take place in the kitchen – not too surprising since Mrs. Pattmore and Daisy are hard at work from the crack of dawn preparing meals for the entire household.

You may have a similar responsibility in your own home – with the added bonus of many modern conveniences!

Yet, how much time do you spend in your kitchen?

If you’ve just learned you suffer from food sensitivities – the kitchen is even more important – it’s truly the [Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, PLAY Tagged With: allergen friendly, Downton Abbey, fine dining, food sensitivities, gluten-free, healthy lifestyle, kitchen

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.

A “Sleepless In Seattle” Anomaly

January 21, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

I was watching the movie “Sleepless In Seattle” the other day (for the umpteenth time) – and found myself caught up in the following exchange:

The Meg Ryan character, Annie Reed, was explaining to her mother how she met her fiancé Walter.

Seems there was a mix-up with their lunch orders.

Walter – who’s allergic to everything – had ordered a Tomato Sandwich on white bread.

Annie had ordered a Tomato Sandwich on whole wheat

According to Annie, here’s what happened:

“One day we both ordered sandwiches from the same place, and he got my Lettuce & Tomato on Whole Wheat – which, of course, he was allergic to – and I got his Lettuce & Tomato on White”

In other words, Walter was allergic to whole wheat bread, but not white bread.

I mean, is that even possible?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT Tagged With: gluten-free, Meg Ryan, Seattle, Sleepless in Seattle, whole wheat

What Is The Trade-Off?

January 17, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Let’s say you’ve been diligently reading labels since going gluten-free, ever mindful that gluten can often be sneaky – showing up where you’d least expect it.

But did you ever stop to wonder, now that you’ve given up gluten – what not-so-great choices you might be making instead?

In other words, what is the trade-off?

For example, back when I first became gluten-free, I started eating a lot more eggs.

That’s because I was baking my own gluten-free bread, and the standard recipe called for three or four eggs per loaf.

Since eggs are gluten-free, I thought nothing of it.

Also, 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.

So guess what happened?

After about a year on the gluten-free diet, I started experiencing many of the symptoms I’d had BEFORE going gluten-free.

What was that all about?

How to Handle A (Food) Emergency

January 15, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Two nights ago, I spent five hours at the ER with my elderly mother.

While she’s since recovered and back in the comfort of her home, the incident was a stark reminder of the kinds of food emergencies that can crop up when you’re unprepared.

I was cooking dinner when I got the call; my mother was unresponsive and the caregiver was taking her to the hospital.

My inclination was to drop everything and dash out the door.

The thought crossed my mind that I should eat something first. (After all, I was already preparing our evening meal)

However, my stomach was tied up in knots at that point, and the thought of eating something did not appeal to me. (A rare occurrence, actually).

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, HEALTH & WELLNESS Tagged With: ER, food emergency, gluten-free, snacks

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

Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Kickstart the New Year

January 3, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Welcome to 2014!

Over the past few days, it occurred to me that the start of a New Year isn’t all that different from how one starts a new day.

In both cases, it often seems that the day – or the year before you – is an open slate.

Anything could happen, right?

(And often it does.)

How you begin your day sets you up for everything you will encounter by days’ end – including how you will handle the stresses that will inevitably come your way.

Hence the question:

What do you eat for breakfast?

Do you grab a bowl from the cupboard, snatch a bag of cereal, and call that a meal?

If you’ve included some fruit – such as fresh, organic berries – that’s terrific.

Truth is, you’re doing exactly what most Americans do, starting the day with a bowl of cereal and fruit.

(And while that’s OK, it’s not ideal – I’ll tell you why in a moment).

Breakfast is often one of the most challenging meals once you switch to a gluten-free diet.

At first, it might seem easy – all you need to do is trade your favorite breakfast cereal for a gluten-free substitute.

And that works just fine, until you hop on a plane and travel to a strange city.

Now what do you do?

Is Detox a 4-Letter Word?

December 27, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

As the New Year approaches, hardly a day goes by that I don’t see an email or Facebook post advocating a full body detox.

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

(I even offer a Kitchen Detox Makeover; it’s not quite the same thing, but a detox just the same.)

And of course, with New Year’s Eve just five days away, the holiday celebrations aren’t even over yet.

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?

Well, I admit, I’ve been among those to roll their eyes in the past, at the slightest mention of the word.

Maybe other people embraced the idea, but I sure didn’t

But then I realized a few things.

And the most eye-opening realization was this: my body is detoxing all the time, anyway, every single day.

It’s doing this all on it’s own, with absolutely no prompting from me.

In a nutshell, this is how your body is always detoxing:

Your Skin

You know how great you feel after a work out, especially if you’ve worked up a good sweat?

Well, guess what?

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!

Life Lessons From Downton Abbey

Do You Have A Shag Carpet?

A “Sleepless In Seattle” Anomaly

What Is The Trade-Off?

How to Handle A (Food) Emergency

Is ‘Gluten-Free’ the Key to Weight Loss?

Have You Read “Wheat Belly”?

Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Kickstart the New Year

Is Detox a 4-Letter Word?

Celebrate Your Sensitivity

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