health

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.

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, 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

K Is For Kidding Yourself

June 2, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

I’ve been thinking a lot this past week about STRESS – mostly the fact that I didn’t think I’ve been under that much stress.

At least, no more than anyone else. (I was wrong).

I mean, who DOESN’T deal with stress, right?

This is where Kidding Yourself comes in. As in “K is For Kidding Yourself”.

I totally get it. After all, it’s something we all do!

You tell yourself (just like I did) that you’re no worse off than anyone else.

You insist you don’t have sensitivity to gluten – because your digestion works just fine, thank you very much.

Yet, have you considered the myriad other symptoms and medical conditions that have gluten sensitivity at their root?

What about the headaches, migraines, mental fogginess, chronic skin issues, acne, fatigue, or tingling and numbness in your extremities? (Click here for a full list)

If you still believe it’s all a myth – you might just be KIDDING YOURSELF!

Get the FACTS! In “A Gluten Primer – Everything You Wanted to Know From A-Z” – I share it all. It’s fun, it’s FREE (mostly) & informative – & brought to you by a Certified Gluten Practitioner.

Don’t let your symptoms get the better of you!

D is for Donut

February 24, 2017 By Karen Leave a Comment

As always, I’m here to teach you about all things gluten – including certain environmental toxins you might not have thought about before.

Yes, food is part of your environment!

In this #4 video of my new series: “A Gluten Primer, Everything You Wanted to Know From A – Z” – we’re exploring the biggest social challenge of all:

Dining Out!

If you’ve already been doing this while, then it isn’t news to you that knowing how to navigate the social landscape when living a gluten-free, allergen-free lifestyle can be especially hard. And no surprise – it’s often the one area where people cave, despite their best intentions.

Why is this important?

If your goal is to minimize your symptoms and turn your health around – it all starts with what you’re putting into your body. Understand, too, that what works for one person, might not be the best thing for you – no matter how seemingly healthy it might be.

The Book Of You

June 24, 2016 By Karen Leave a Comment

A few years back, I wrote this.

The idea behind it was that all the bits and pieces of your life get woven not only into your memories, but also the very fabric of your home – using color, shape, furnishings and mementos to paint a picture – instead of words.

What I’ve come to realize, is that those same bits and pieces – indeed, the entire story of your life in all its shame and glory – has a huge impact on your health.

No matter how much you might try to deny it, these various threads of your life nonetheless parallel and influence each other – starting at birth, and continuing undiminished, until you take your last breath.

In short, everything matters!

Every bite you choose to eat, every action you take, every significant person who’s crossed your path – to the soup of environmental chemicals you might be exposed to along the way or how you manage stress.

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”?

So You Want to Get Healthy – Is Your Family On Board?

September 11, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Signpost with the words Help, Support, Advice, Guidance and Assistance on the direction arrows, against a bright blue cloudy sky.

I often hear stories like this:

“We’re trying to rid the house of ants, but while I was looking for a safe, non-toxic treatment, my husband went out and bought an insecticide.

And he sprayed it all over. Am I totally screwed?”

Well, no – hopefully not.

As long as this isn’t a daily thing, or you’re not sleeping in the same room that you sprayed in.

More to the point, this kind of conflict crops up all the time in relationships, and it isn’t always easy to resolve.

The next question, of course – and it’s a reasonable one – is this:

What if your spouse, or significant other, DOES think you’re totally nuts for wanting to eat organic foods?

Looking On The Bright Side

May 15, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Do you ever have days where you get caught up in negative mindsets?

Days when everything that’s happening in your life takes on a “woe is me” persona – when you end up wondering if things could possibly get any worse?

Well, I hate to break it to you, but yes they can!

(Things can always get worse – that’s the unfortunate truth).

At the same time, I totally get that – when your mind is in a funk, it’s hard to see the silver lining.

(I know – I’ve been there, many a time!)

Yes, the mind will do what’s it going to do.

However, there are ways you can ‘train’ your mind – and trick it into looking at the bright side, and the many possibilities that are just waiting for you.

Here’s my suggestion:

3 Simple Reasons to Cook at Home

April 3, 2015 By Karen Leave a Comment

Are you someone who enjoys preparing and cooking a meal?

Or, would it be more accurate to say that cooking isn’t your favorite pastime – that, given a choice, you’d prefer someone else did the cooking for you?

Or better still – why not dine out?

Well, here are 3 simple reasons why it’s always a good idea to prepare your own food and eat at home.

You’ll Save Money

Do you balk at the price of organic produce?

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

First of all, I want to stress that organic food is not a fad.

It’s not a food snob or an elitist thing – it’s a straight-up health thing.

Also – it’s the way food used to be grown. (Your grandparents will likely agree with me here.)

Think about that!

Second, if you frequently eat out (or rely on frozen or packaged foods for easy, quick meals) – you’re definitely not saving money!

It’s Time For Spring Cleaning!

March 22, 2013 By Karen Leave a Comment

Spring has finally arrived!

How did you mark the occasion?

Do you have an annual tradition for celebrating the first day of Spring?

(Me – I went skiing, which – last time I checked – is generally not considered a Springtime activity).

It’s no accident, by the way, that Spring is considered a time of renewal.

In fact, in ancient Chinese art, the plum blossom is a symbol of Springtime – because it blooms early in the season, signifying new life ahead.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Spring is the also the season for cleansing.

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that more people participate in detoxes of every kind during this time of year.

With this in mind, here are three simple ways you can welcome Springtime into your own home, and your life.

Cleanse Your Cupboards

You may have already cleared your cupboards, fridge and freezer of gluten-containing foods, along with your other allergens.

But why not go a step further?

This is the perfect time to thoroughly clean out your kitchen, and release any foods that don’t truly support your health.

So – out with the tired spices, white flours and processed junk food!

In with whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat and gluten-free oats.

Bring on the whole grain crackers, and minimally processed staples like pasta and whole grain flours for baking.

5 Life Lessons From Downton Abbey

February 22, 2013 By karenkent Leave a Comment

Did you catch the last episode of Downton Abbey?

There have been a lot of comments circulating this week, as another of our favorite characters met his demise.

(Some of us are still hoping for a miracle – an extend hospital stay, perhaps, or waking up to realize it was all a dream).

Others have dubbed the show “Downer Abbey”.

Which side are you on?

Recently, I mentioned to my husband that it would be a great thing indeed, if Highclere Castle – the British mansion made famous on this hit television series – had public tours for viewing the premises.

So, imagine my surprise to read in our local paper, that the mansion IS in fact open for tours – for 70 days each year!

Yup – time to plan our next trip

All kidding aside, 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 – what this family calls home – 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.

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

Quite a lot, as it turns out!

Keep reading, as I share how you can bring a bit of Downton Abbey into your own home.

CELEBRATE 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 foundation for a healthy lifestyle and the key to making smart, informed decisions for designing a life you can embrace and love!

Why not make your kitchen the star of your home?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: EAT, LIVE Tagged With: Downton Abbey, food sensitivities, gluten-free, health, history, hub of the home, i nterior decor, kitchen

S Is For Symptoms

K Is For Kidding Yourself

D is for Donut

The Book Of You

3 Simple Reasons to Cook at Home

So You Want to Get Healthy – Is Your Family On Board?

Looking On The Bright Side

3 Simple Reasons to Cook at Home

It’s Time For Spring Cleaning!

5 Life Lessons From Downton Abbey

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