gluten

Mimics, Marauders & Masqueraders

October 16, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you sometimes feel like there’s a lot of drama going on in your body?

With Halloween just two weeks away, it seems like the perfect time to explore this drama in greater depth, since these so-called mimics, marauders and masqueraders are present 24/7.

Yes, you read that correctly.

You see, even though your body is beautifully designed to deal with these pranksters at a moment’s notice, sometimes your immune system does make mistakes.

Or rather, we think of them as mistakes, but in all actuality, your immune system is simply doing what it’s designed to do.

And that is to protect you.

So, what’s really happening here is that some of these invaders are actually very clever, mimicking or masquerading as something other than what they really are.

And the immune system gets confused.

Let me explain.

The Window Screen In Your Gut

January 23, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Does this sound familiar?

You’ve recently eliminated several foods from your diet – such as gluten or dairy – knowing that you’re sensitive to them.

And you’re eating other foods instead.

Maybe you’re even eating a lot of these other foods – they’re ‘safe’ after all.

And the next thing you know, you’ve become sensitive to those foods.

What the heck is going on?

Is this just a part of getting older? Or is there a better explanation?

Well, here’s an analogy I think you’ll like.

If you think of your average window screen, its job is to keep bugs and gnats out of your home – letting in only the good stuff.

The good stuff being fresh air!

However, what happens if there are holes in that window screen?

Next thing you know, a mosquito or two will be buzzing about your head or maybe even a larger insect.

Now compare this to what might be going on your digestive tract.

Are Your Genes Talking to You?

September 26, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Did you know that your genes are constantly talking to you?

Not only that, you’re also talking to your genes through every choice you make, and every decision.

Especially when it comes to diet and lifestyle!

How’s that even possible?

Truth is, you can’t change the genes that you were born with.

However, you do have the ability to control how your genes are “expressed”.

What does that mean?

Throughout a typical day, the foods you choose to eat, the amount of sleep or exercise you get and any number of things that you might be exposed to, are signaling to your genes.

They’re having a conversation.

And these signals, or triggers, are either turning your genes “on” – or “off”.

Pretty cool, huh?

But what does this have to do with the health of your gut, not to mention your sensitivity to gluten and other foods?

Is Gluten Toxic?

August 15, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

The bigger question, of course, is “Do you have Celiac Disease?”

Or, “Do you have a gluten-related disorder, most often referred to as Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity – or Gluten Intolerance?”

Did you answer “yes” to either question?

In that case, gluten certainly is a toxin, at least to you.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t appear to have a sensitivity to gluten – that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re completely off the hook.

According to Dr. Tom O-Bryan, who refers to himself as the Gluten-Free Doc, “Everyone should be checked for a gluten sensitivity. And if you have the celiac gene, you definitely want to be checked every two years or so. You might be fine now, but at some point you will likely cross the line.”

Why is that?

Is There A Frat Party In Your Gut?

July 25, 2014 By Karen Leave a Comment

Truth be told, while I’ve been to a number of Frat Parties in my day, I never actually drank the beer.

That’s because I never acquired a taste for it – not even to this day.

(As you can imagine, I was the life of the party.)

Perhaps this was my body’s way of telling me that gluten wasn’t my friend – long before I knew the first thing about Celiac Disease or gluten-sensitivity.

As you likely know, Frat parties have a reputation for being a bit on the wild side, with lots of drinking and misbehavior.

So, what does a Frat Party in your gut look like?

The key word, here, is “misbehavior”.

With that in mind, let me share with you 3 things I’ve learned about my own body over the past year:

Extremely low Stomach Acid

A Leaky Gut

Yeast Overgrowth

Sounds like a Frat Party for sure, doesn’t it?

Well, here’s the thing.

Shooting Yourself In The Foot

April 20, 2012 By karenkent Leave a Comment

Last week, I accompanied a friend to a doctor’s appointment.

My role was official note taker.

As luck would have it, the discussion came around to the subject of gluten – even though this was far removed from the initial purpose of our visit.

In reviewing some of the lab work and test results, the doctor made some key observations and suddenly announced that my friend was likely highly sensitive to gluten.

When I heard the word “gluten” my ears instantly perked up.

I couldn’t help it.

I suddenly found myself glued to every word the doctor was saying, and felt incredibly grateful for this unique opportunity to hear his take on managing food allergies.

I particularly loved the following analogy.

The doctor compared the human body to a used vehicle, traveling along the Road of Life.

Along the way, he said, we encounter many potholes especially once we’ve reached a certain point in our lives. Having an autoimmune disease like Celiac Disease, or gluten sensitivity, is one of those potholes.

Which is why our bodies need to be properly maintained and require the occasional tune-ups – just like a car.

Understandably, the doctor was quite insistent that my friend completely eliminate gluten from her diet.

“Otherwise,” he said, “You are shooting yourself in the foot.”

Those words really stayed with me. It was a much-needed reminder that it was time to revisit any bad habits I might have picked up along the way.

Let’s take a closer look at how this works.

For anyone who has ever dealt with a medical issue or two, on this so-called Road of Life, how many of us have gone into denial after the initial diagnosis?

How many of us have been told not to eat certain foods, yet we eat them anyway, telling ourselves that one little bite can’t hurt?

Well, the sad truth is, you’ve just ‘shot yourself in the foot’.

When we consume a food that our body is sensitive to, our autoimmune and nervous systems are suddenly placed on high alert.

The immune system, in particular, goes into full fight mode, trying to rid itself of the intruder.

SORGHUM OR BARLEY?

November 11, 2011 By karenkent 1 Comment

If you’ve been doing your homework, you already know that beer traditionally contains gluten.

That’s because regular beer is made from barley, or hops, which is a big no-no for anyone on a gluten-free diet. If you are a beer drinker and have recently been diagnosed with Celiac disease you might be in despair.

If you also love pizza, and believe you can’t live without the combination of pizza and beer, rest assured you don’t have to give up either one.

Gluten-free beers are made from sorghum, a safe grain for anyone living a gluten-free lifestyle.

As it happens, I’m not a beer drinker myself, yet a friend of mine recently handed me this bottle across the table when we met for lunch.

She’d spotted it in a store and bought it – just for me.

I wasn’t sure what to say.

Our other friends at the table asked “Do you drink beer?”

“No” I said, meekly.

I never have – I just don’t care for it.

However, for those of you who DO drink beer, this is one of several options for you. Gluten-free beers are now readily available in most supermarkets, or specialty food stores.

Try it. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Postscript: Since I took the beer home for my husband, he suggested that I at least try a small sip. I hesitated, then agreed on the condition he finish the bottle if I didn’t like it.

I’m happy to report that Yours Truly did take a sip, while trying very hard not to scrunch up my nose in anticipation of the taste.

I’ll let you guess who drank the remainder.

Filed Under: EAT Tagged With: barley, Beer, Celiac, gluten, gluten-free, sorghum

HUMMUS FOR ALL SEASONS

October 7, 2011 By karenkent 2 Comments

I can hardly believe that Autumn has arrived.

Already, I’m noticing that daylight starts to fade by early evening. We’ve entered that time of year when we like to hunker down and enjoy the warmth and comfort of our homes.

When I look out the window, I see the spectrum of Fall colors everywhere – gold, and vivid orange and yellow.

Squashes and pumpkins adorn the Farmer’s stalls and are piled high outside my neighborhood grocery store.

Yet, for some reason, part of me is still in summer mode, thinking of salads and warm weather menus, and day dreaming about this years’ vacation in the wine country of eastern Washington – an area where it’s just about impossible to drive half a mile without passing a winery, there are so many of them.

Now, I am not a wine expert, not by any stretch of the imagination.

I’m someone who is content to enjoy a glass of wine when the occasion calls for it, and that’s about it.

I recently learned that some vineyards use gluten as a clarifying agent during the wine-making process. I already knew that egg whites are sometimes used, but had never heard about gluten.

This was an eye-opener for me.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, RECIPES Tagged With: Autumn, Fall colors, gluten, gluten-free, Hummus, seasons, wine

GOING GLUTEN-FREE

September 19, 2011 By karenkent Leave a Comment

“Food, wonderful food, glorious food.” … from the musical, Oliver

Food is such a sensory experience.

Inextricably woven into the fabric of our lives, it evokes feelings of both pleasure and comfort on a daily basis.

We taste or nibble, and sometimes devour, depending on our moods and level of hunger. If we are really mindful and aware, we savor every morsel.

Our daily meals are as basic to our existence as taking our next breath.

Yet, when you add Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerance or Food Allergies into the mix, things aren’t quite so simple.

Along the way, life gets a little more interesting, and a lot more challenging.

For this reason, I’ve decided to share with you my personal philosophy for designing a Gluten-Free Life, while embracing my twin passions for Food & Design.

Yes, I also happen to be an Interior Designer – hence the name Gluten-Free Designer! (You can visit my website at www.harmonydesignstudio.com ).

My own story started out simple enough, beginning with an article I read about nine years ago on Celiac Disease.

Up until that time I had never heard of Celiac Disease, but then I’d also never heard of gluten. I had no idea there was a name attached to the debilitating symptoms I’d been dealing with for years.

Yet something about the article caught my attention. I read it all the way through, then read it again. What I read in that article described me exactly – including the stomach pain and discomfort I experienced on a daily basis with no obvious explanation.

To think that all this was attributable to a single protein called Gluten was astounding, almost exciting!

Now – one of the unfortunate facts about Celiac Disease (or gluten intolerance or sensitivity, or whatever you want to call it) is that it can take on average years to diagnosis.

Perhaps this sounds familiar.

Mimics, Marauders & Masqueraders

The Window Screen In Your Gut

Are Your Genes Talking to You?

Is Gluten Toxic?

Is There A Frat Party In Your Gut?

Shooting Yourself In The Foot

SORGHUM OR BARLEY?

HUMMUS FOR ALL SEASONS

GOING GLUTEN-FREE

If You Are New, Start Here:

Search

Categories

Recent Pins!