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One of the most important elements to good health is how you fuel your body. Let’s talk about how you can make sure the fuel you are using is the best it can be!

Blogging for good health!

Clean Eating

June 17, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

So many terms are being bantered around in the food world that one could get lost. Maybe I can be sort of a weather vane in a storm of terminology.

There is the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is loosely based on the old Food Pyramid laced with the effects of highly commercialized food “products.” The Food Pyramid boasts whole grain goodness as its broad “eat mostly this” base and vilifies fats as sure killers. It is interesting to note that since the inception of the Food Pyramid model, obesity and diabetes began to skyrocket.

Mere coincidence?

Well, think about it. Grains are broken down and processed as the carbohydrates they are. Carbs are broken down by the digestive system into simple sugars. All carbs are broken down into sugar (glucose or fructose molecules). So, be it a whole wheat bagel or a piece of frosted birthday cake, the end result is sugar. To transport that sugar to body cells, insulin is needed. Any of that sugar fuel not needed at that time is stored as fat. While eating the carb-centric diet as outlined in the Food Pyramid, Americans were requiring their bodies to produce more and more insulin. After a while, being awash in insulin, our bodies become resistant to the effect of insulin—sort of ignoring it. However, our cells were starving for the sugar fuel and we were still hungry; so, we ate more whole grains. Can you see the vicious cycle this was, and is, making? Gaining weight and becoming diabetic. There’s a term for that: diabesity.

Insulin is known as the hormone of fat storage; and eating carbohydrates causes a need, not only for insulin production, but receptivity to its effects. As one who often suffered from frequent low blood sugar crashes, I mistakenly tried to “fix” things by eating carbs. True enough, my blood sugar would go up, but as all of that insulin took effect, my blood sugar crashed again. Little did I know at the time, cutting back on the (starchy) whole grain carbs with each meal would have normalized my blood sugar. I certainly know that now. I can return to low blood sugar crashes quite easily if I re-introduce starchy carbs- even gluten-free ones- heavily into my meals. Instead, I rely on protein and good quality fats along with low-glycemic colorful veggies and fruits to keep me on an even blood sugar keel.

A word or two about “food products.” You know them. If given the long list of their ingredients, you could never guess what they were. A LOT of money goes not only into the production of those items, but extensive money and research goes into selling of them to us. It’s all about money; making money; making more money. Our health is not even on their list of concerns. Making a profit is the list.

Eating Clean or Clean Foods is all about eating unprocessed food, as close to the original source or form as possible. This type of eating eliminates the highly processed oils, “food products,” and “Frankenfoods” such as pre-packaged meals, junk food (chips, cookies, frozen pizza, Pop-Tarts) in favor of real, identifiable food (apples, carrots, steak, tomatoes, kale….you get the idea). This might also be referred to as Whole Foods. Mind you, this also contains whole grains……

Gluten Free eating eliminates the inflammatory proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye. Using simple gluten-free alternatives for common starchy foods such as bread, crackers, cookies will address the gluten sensitivity but not necessarily address maintaining balanced blood sugars or weight loss. Certainly, I have mentioned in other posts, gluten is also found in condiments; thus label reading is needed.

Paleo, Paleolithic, Ancestral Eating or the “Caveman Diet” are all terms used to describe how our ancient ancestors ate prior to the advent of agriculture. It could be described as “Clean Eating” or “Whole Foods” but generally without any grains, legumes, dairy, or soy. Refined sugar is out! The elimination of all grains (in addition to those with gluten) would mean no rice or corn because of other elements- phytates- that can cause inflammatory processes. I promise a future post on that.

So, do we obsess about what we eat? Does it become our 24/7 demon?

I don’t think so. To me, just looking at the ingredient list of an Oreo cookie sends shivers down my spine. Talk about “edible food-like substances!” Isn’t it a natural instinct to protect ourselves? Turning away from poison should not be difficult.

It seems to be a no brainer, looking at the terrible upswing of obesity, diabetes, ADHD, auto-immune diseases and the like, that something has changed. We just haven’t gotten cleverer at diagnosing patients; we are creating those patients by how we have changed eating. Cleaner eating is certainly a part of the picture. We were not designed to eat food dyes, chemicals, or pesticides. But I also agree with the Paleo proponents who cite that our digestive systems just have not generally evolved to eat most grains. Eliminate them and you will feel a difference. Put them back after a month or two and you will return to feeling and looking sub-par. After cleansing your body from the effects of all grains, you could reintroduce non-gluten grains on a limited basis to see how you tolerate them.

If you are just getting started in cleaning up what you eat, ditch the sugar first. It is so liberating to not pine for another sugar “hit.” So many people trying to do this simply switch to non-caloric sweeteners, but that seems wrong on multiple levels. How natural is it? Ok, there’s Stevia and the like, but to me, that’s like getting off of heroine by going on Methadone. So many never get off of the Methadone. Additionally, there are many studies showing those using artificial sweeteners actually eat more. See, the artificial sweetener is telling the brain that sugar is on the way; when blood sugar levels don’t go up; the brain sends the signal to eat in order to raise the blood sugar.

Guess you can’t fool Mother Nature!

The next post will be about how to optimize your success at making positive changes in your eating and exercise habits.

If you find these posts useful, please subscribe by clicking on the green button at the left of the screen to join our growing community of those seeking to renew their health one meal at a time.

Thanks-

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

It’s Sweet Basil Pesto!

June 13, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

Pesto can be such a versatile thing to have around, and making it at home is such an easy and rewarding project. I always plant some sweet basil plants each spring in anticipation of their abundant growth and distinctive fragrance. With a tendency to over plant these prolific growers, I limited myself to just two plants this year and have churned out my first batch already after just a month of growth. Now that we are seriously in the growing season, there should be another batch in 2-3 weeks! Fortunately, you can also purchase fresh basil from the local farmers’ market or grocery store as well if you lack any from your garden.

There are several varieties of basil, each with its own signature flavor. The kind served with a luscious bowl of hot Pho in Asian restaurants is so spicy, and a wonderful flavor enhancer of that steamy noodle soup. The noodles are gluten-free, made from rice, and a part of the 20 in 80/20, Paleo eating described last week. Going to your local nursery, gently touching the leaves of the different basil varieties, and smelling your fingertips, will clue you into how they taste.

Recipes abound for pesto but they pretty much look the same to me. I can’t claim authorship of this universal combination of just a few ingredients. So here’s what to do with your harvest or purchase:

Sweet Basil Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh sweet basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup Parmesan, Parmesan-Reggiano, or Romano cheese, grated

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts

3 cloves garlic

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste – (I used not quite a ½ tsp. of Kosher Salt and about the same amount of black pepper)

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

• Using a food processor, pulse the nuts a few times.

• Add the garlic cloves and pulse some more.

• Add the basil and pulse until it looks like this.

•With the food processor fully on, slowly pour the olive oil through the shoot.

• Stop to scrape the sides down and add the grated cheese. Pulse until combined.

• Add salt and pepper and pulse to combine.

• Float some extra olive oil on top to seal in the vibrant color

This should yield over a cup of fresh pesto for you to enjoy, give away, or both!

What to do with pesto? Well…..add your fresh pesto sauce to:

– some zoodles (See Post) for a tasty side dish

– sautéed shrimp

– cooked chicken

– dip a piece of GF (gluten-free) bread into

– enhance GF sandwiches or deli meat roll-ups

– spread onto salmon before baking

– top any cooked veggie

Fresh pesto is a great thank you gift to your kind neighbor who watered your basil plants for you while you were on vacation!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Vacation Time Food and Thought

June 7, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

Well, it’s time for enjoying the great out-of-doors with folks looking for any excuse to party outside, grill, picnic, go to the beach for an afternoon or for a week, or just sit on the porch for some impromptu dining alfresco. For me, whatever I am doing, it’s always better being done outside in the fresh air! That novel is just so much more pleasurable to read with a gentle breeze and the bountiful sounds of nature all around. That afternoon nap is infinitely better when on a porch swing or hammock while being lulled to sleep by the buzz of the cicadas and the songs of the birds. Quiet conversation is more personal somehow when shared in the open air. Pauses in the chatter are totally acceptable as we tune our minds and hearts into the pulse of the nature around us! Unplug from all of the devices we surround ourselves with and plug into the hum of all that is natural for the best vacation possible regardless of location.

Wherever we find ourselves enjoying nature, family, and friends, it is still possible to have a good time and yet not throw away all we have gained in cleaner eating. Every mouthful is a choice. “Is this food or drink going to do ill or good to me?” There does not have to be any sense of sacrifice or deprivation if we surround ourselves with good options depending on our individual goals.

Most everybody in the Paleo community is very content with the 80/20 rule. As I explained in the last post, in addition to being gluten free (which is the first step in improved health for many), people eating according to the over-all definition of Paleo also exclude the rest of the grain world, legumes, possibly dairy, and sugar in favor of (preferably) free range and grass fed meats, eggs, fish and seafood, with plenty of vegetables, some fruit, and good fats found in olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.

Well, so what does that look like when you are in the 80 zone vs. the 20 zone? It is such an individual thing! For me, even the 20% is always gluten free with some give and take on the other grains or a bit of sugar. Now and then there will be a small scoop of rice or quinoa, maybe a quarter or a third of a baked potato, hummus, or a sprinkle of sugar on some strawberries. Don’t forget birthdays; we usually share a gluten-free brownie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce at our local Outback!

I am so used to not eating or drinking sweet things that sodas do not even entice me, and southern sweet tea is impossible. Truly, getting off sugar is not that hard after just a few days, certainly after a week or two. It’s a no brainer. Certainly, if your goal is weight loss, sugar has to go… for the most part. But again, let’s not create Paleo “Nazis” or sugar “Nazis.” Life is to be enjoyed and it is no fun to be around someone who is a royal pain in the fanny at a restaurant by not letting their kids have more than a spot of ketchup on a piece of hamburger because of the sugar!

Last weekend, we attended a fabulous covered dish and BBQ at a friend’s beach house. No real dietary sacrifices were made when eating fabulous Eastern North Carolina pork BBQ! Mmmmmm! There were a few corn chips used to scoop up shrimp dip and taco dip; that was 20 zone corn, but that is okay. Veggies and fruit were on the buffet; no problem. The corn off the cob was great; into the 20 zone but all okay. And the dessert table was groaning of course, but I did bring gluten-free cake, oh-so-slightly sweetened sliced strawberries, and whipped coconut cream for topping; all gluten-free but certainly high on the starchy carb scale. I was happy. Left with a happy belly, too.

So here I sit having helped myself to several servings of gluten-free strawberry short cake during the week, but guess what? My favorite white crop pants do not fit!

Carb consumption is clearly something I must control- along with needing to tone-up more. Remember my article, “Gradual and Consistent?” Well, my personal goal is to work exercise into my daily routine. Starting off with a goal so small, it is a cinch to do and succeed, I have mastered a half plank each morning lasting for up to two minutes! Having learned the art of French brewed coffee, I do my daily plank during the last of the 4 minute brew time. Not much, but a daily success. I have learned that for goal setting, being as specific as possible with when-where-how directly correlates with success, so that brew time each morning is when I do my planks.

Now, I am going to return to my slow squats, kettle bell swing, and step up/down routine by setting another specific time to guarantee success. Slow exercises are actually more effective than rapid movements, I have learned, and they do not have to be repeated as often during the week. If you’d like, I will do a post or two on exercises; let me know.

So, is the beach calling? Instead of chips fried in “Franken oils” and a Coke, at least grab some gluten-free pretzels, cheese, and green tea steeped with fresh mint! Grilled burgers are wonderful, but just don’t serve them with a bun; all of the goodies can go on top and forks work just fine! Egg salad on gluten-free crackers is a personal favorite; or tuna salad or chicken salad! Don’t forget some yummy avocado slices with lemon pepper on top! Pre-sliced carrots, peppers, and squash are tasty by themselves or great dipped in hummus (there’s that 20 zone). It is all good!

Have fun and don’t forget the sun screen!

Deidre

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Testimonials: If you have benefited by going gluten-free or Paleo, and have a story to tell and share with others, please email me at foodtalk4you@gmail.com with your testimonial for a future post.

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

It’s Called Paleo!

June 3, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

While I actually prefer to describe what I eat or don’t eat, some people feel more comfortable with a name, a title, a moniker, if you will. Okay. It’s called Paleo – “Pay-leo.” Paleolithic eating. Caveman diet, perhaps. Well, not if that conjures up images of a big club, saber-toothed tigers, and eating raw meat! Please! I am sitting here wearing pearls and sporting sandals with heels!

No, Paleo is a descriptive of how mankind ate eons ago, before the advent of cultivated grains, and certainly before the advent of today’s “Frankenfoods” that are unidentifiable from their long lists of chemical ingredients. You could call it whole foods without the gluten and lectin from grains, and legumes to kick-start unhappy bellies, inflammation, or leaky gut. A time without added sugar.

Why would anyone like to eat like that? Well, judging from the robust health and physical structure of the Paleolithic peoples, we could learn a thing or two. Such as… the Paleolithic people were taller, stronger boned, had better teeth, lived longer, and had no precursors to modern day aliments or diseases compared with the Neolithic peoples who followed them to become the first farmers. The poor farmers who had all the cultivated grains and corn to add to their diets lived shorter lives, were shorter, had weaker bones, really needed to see a dentist for cavities, had higher child mortality, and showed many precursors to modern diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancers. (1)

Hmmmm. But those Paleo people didn’t live as long as we do! Right on! They also did not have the benefits of modern medicine, emergency departments, or hand hygiene. Taking a bad fall could spell the end of the Paleo man, woman, or child, without clean dressings, antibiotics, or an x-ray machine! Clearly there would have been little opportunity to be careless in everyday life, lest the family unit become jeopardized upon the death or injury of one member.

So- life without Pop Tarts, Hostess Twinkies, Frosted Flakes, Oreos, Coke, frozen pizza…”Egad!” What’s left, you may ask? Try (free range and pasture raised/never corn fed) meat, poultry, eggs; fresh fish and sea food; vegetables; roots; fruit in season; nuts; seeds. With our amazing cooking methods, equipment, spices, and flavorings, you are looking at totally wonderful food with endless variety!

More-over, such a diet plan will never leave you hungry or feeling deprived. Such a diet is high in protein, good fats, (as opposed to the “Frankenfats” of today which are highly processed), lots of fiber, and is not dependent on starchy carbohydrates which cause blood sugar, (read: insulin), problems.

It’s a process. Is all of my meat pasture raised? Not yet; some, not all. But I buy the best I can; a local market is carrying pasture raised ground beef. That’s a beginning, but I am not sure it is “pasture finished” meaning they did not add a bunch of corn to the animal’s diet before market. Remember, corn is used to fatten animals, not to make better protein. We have to look for animals raised outside of the feedlot conditions of massive production facilities so they are more humanly treated and not given hormones and unnecessary antibiotics. The day-to-day stress hormones of the feedlot life are transferred to the meat we eat along with the injected hormones and antibiotics. That is one link to some of the rise in antibiotic resistant bacteria, and crazy hormone imbalances in people.

But, still; what do I eat? Okay, here is what my plate looked like a couple nights ago:

Lamb shoulder chop, bone-in

Avocado oil (used in the pan)

Salt and pepper

Curried coconut carrots

Coconut oil (used in the pan)

Sliced carrots (4 medium)- I used my food processor to make even, thin slices

Sea salt

Curry powder to taste

Unsweetened coconut flakes

1-2 Tbsp. water to help steam with lid on after stir-cooking on medium heat

Brussels sprouts with cranberries and prosciutto:

Prosciutto – 2 to 3 slices torn into small pieces

Sliced Brussels sprouts (1 bag)

Ghee (used in the pan)

¼ cup dried cranberries

Sea salt

1-2 Tbsp. water to help steam with lid on after stir-cooking on medium

What about special events? Parties happen, folks, and I’ll be there! Always gluten-free, though.

Let’s see; the party this past weekend featured some of North Carolina’s finest pork BBQ, (I passed on the hush puppies), and there were salads, veggies, deviled eggs (that’s what I brought), and fruit. It was great! But I really wanted to “par-tay” so I whipped up a gluten-free cake (thank you Betty Crocker), sliced some strawberries with a pinch of sugar, and whipped coconut cream to top it off! Yum! Was there sugar? Yes. But a minimal amount. Were there some chemicals in that cake mix? Yes. But it was gluten-free.
“Ya gotta’ live!” Life is about balance, but don’t throw the baby out with the bath water! I came with a happy belly and I left with one; gluten-free does not mean deprivation. Paleo is not limiting.

My dinner on the grounds of Tryon Palace last night while waiting for the NC Symphony to play for us consisted of left-over deviled eggs, some tuna salad, and- ta-da- some of my strawberry shortcake. Pretty good eats for me. I passed on the cookies that were offered; not a problem. I was full!

• Mark Sisson, The Primal Blueprint and Robb Wolf, The Paleo Solution

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Is This Your Brain On Gluten?

May 31, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

If you are a parent or a teacher, perhaps you have had to deal with a scene like this. Picture an after-school meeting with three or four teachers sitting around a conference table, along with a haggard parent, and an impatient student.

“I’m sorry, but your child’s participation and motivation levels have been dropping this semester.”

“I don’t know why. He says he’s doing his homework whenever he has any to do at home.”

“My understanding is he used to do well in his subjects, but we all have seen a general lack of caring. He seems so able, but we are having a hard time motivating him to apply his abilities anymore.”

“Yes, but things are hard at home. My job is on the swing shift, so I don’t get to be around him much. I leave him food to eat, but mostly he eats fast food with his friends and just seems to like mac n’ cheese when he gets home. It’s getting harder for me to get him to keep up with his chores at home, too. His friends are nice enough, and he isn’t in trouble with the law.”

“We are just hoping we could all work together the help him to see how much potential he has but he has to use that potential to succeed.” ……

Dr. Tom O’Bryan recently cited an article in the “Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 2005; 40:1407-1412,” which, I too, have reviewed. A group of researchers in Finland, studying lifestyle and genetic factors in a group of children in a 30-year study about heart disease, was able to share their blood-study results with another group of researchers looking at the long-term effects of silent Celiac Disease.

What a bonanza of information was shared! Of the initial group of 2,800 children, 2,400 were still in the study 21 years later, enabling the second group of researchers to see any effects of undiagnosed/silent Celiac Disease on the educational and life goals of these children. After studying their blood samples and testing for Celiac Disease (CD) they found a group with silent CD. This group differed in no way from their cohort in relation to age, gender, stature, weight, medical diagnoses, health concerns, use of alternative medications, physical or social activity, or cause of death of parents.

But those with silent wheat allergies were four times less likely to attend college than those with no wheat allergies. In the work force, only 28% of those with silent CD were in management positions compared to 45% of their non-allergic cohort.

Do you see pieces of the puzzle falling into place? Clearly, not everyone has Celiac Disease or even falls into the gluten sensitivity spectrum, but aren’t you even a little bit curious to see what your brain or your loved ones’ brains could look like off gluten? Underachievement need not be the by-word around the family table discussions at report card time.

If you and your family could fix this, would you? Why would you not?

According to Celica Central, the current diagnosis rate for CD is 1 person out of every 133 people. However, this is literally the tip of the ice burg! For every one person who is diagnosed, there are eight people who aren’t! Picture an ice burg. What we see on top of the water is just a pinch of the actual size of the ice burg as most of it is unseen underwater. Such a perfect analogy for gluten sensitivities. Celiac Central’s research suggests that by 2019, the diagnosis rate for CD will go up 50-60% due to increased public awareness. That’s what one of my goals is here.

Now, What’s on My Plate:

Zoodles! Anyway I can get ‘em! With the farmer’s markets now offering every imaginable version of summer squash, this is the best time of year to eat Zoodles (a.k.a. julienned zucchini). Who needs wheat pasta or even gluten-free pasta when you can increase your veggie intake and supplant empty carbs!

Using a julienne peeler or a spiral slicer, create your Zoodles using about 2 lbs. of fresh squash (it does not have to be just zucchini). You can pre-peel the squash or not.

Place Zoodles in a colander and toss with about 1 tsp of sea salt and allow to rest for up to ½ hour. This coaxes the extra moisture out of the Zoodles so your plate won’t look soupy. After 20-30 minutes, rinse the Zoodles under cold water and squeeze dry. Paper towels work, but I like using a clean kitchen towel to spread out the Zoodles, roll up, and gently squeeze.

The rest is up to you:

A quick stir-fry with a bit of ghee, minced garlic or garlic powder, and perhaps Penzey’s Bavarian Spice, with a splash of toasted sesame oil to finish for a great side dish

As a stir-fry spaghetti noodle substitute for your favorite spaghetti sauce!

As a raw salad recipe thanks to Zen Belly:

Mix together:

¼ cup tahini

1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 Tbsp. coconut aminos

1 tsp. fish sauce (check it’s gluten free)

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Garnish with:

1 sm bunch scallions, sliced

2 Tbs sesame seeds

If you would like to learn more about how you can implement simple dietary changes that could revolutionize your health, please join our community by subscribing to this blog. Just type in your email address in the box on the left of this screen and click on the green subscribe button. We never share your information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

I welcome your comments and testimonials. Remember, if you or anyone else you love is not at their best, go gluten-free for 30-60 days. 100% gluten-free. Not 98%. Has to be 100% because gluten is just that insidious! There is nothing to lose, except your health, life, sanity, if you don’t.

Thanks for reading!

Deidre

Disclaimer:

The information being discussed in these blogs is NOT intended to replace a relationship with a qualified health care professional. Foodtalk4you blogs endeavor to empower people through the exploration of publicly available resources of information about human anatomy and physiology, and how different foods affect the human body. Readers should seek the advice of their qualified health care providers with any questions about their medical conditions or health status before attempting any dietary, exercise, or lifestyle changes.

Blogging for good health!

Gluten, Grains, and You

May 24, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

After giving a general introduction to the sometimes shadowy world of symptoms for gluten sensitivity, you must certainly be asking yourself: So what is all this stuff about gluten? What does it actually do? Are other foods causing similar responses in my body?

Well, it’s all about the gut and the ripple effects of what is happening there that can cause either health and homeostasis (the proper balance mechanisms working in harmony) or various levels of disease (“dis-ease” = feeling not right, something wrong) and chaos in the balancing mechanisms.

Sit back and enjoy a brief lesson in anatomy and physiology:

The best way to go from point A to point B is a straight or smooth line if the function is, say, covering an organ or the body. Our skin is smooth; our heart, lungs, and intestines are covered with smooth tissue to protect and enhance their motile functioning. But if surface area is needed, say in our brain, a straight or smooth line of brain matter would not give us enough cerebral cortex or gray matter to have much tissue with which to think. Hense the wavy, folded surface of our brain which allows for increased surface area. Little known fact that could help you in a quiz show: if we could “iron out” the surface area of our brains, we would end up with the area of a pillow case! Now that’s brain power!

Now consider the digestive system.

Mouth: smooth with teeth and tongue for chewing and swallowing functions.

Throat and esophagus: smooth for transport of mushy swallowed food.

Stomach: smooth but folded to allow for stretching out and churning action of the now soup-constency food.

Small intestine where most of the absorption of nutrients occurs:

Not smooth. Much surface area is needed for exposing the soup-like foodstuffs to the intestinal wall. I have heard the small intestine described as a shag carpet surface. The shag carpet projections are called villi and the fuzzy parts of each villi are called microvilli. And this is where our focus will be today.

Gluten and other grains can effect a couple factors here. The shag carpet structures that need to be maintained for proper absorption of nutrients become damaged, bent, crushed even, rendering them useless in nutrient absorption. To keep the carpet analogy going, we now have Berber carpet.

And if that’s not disastrous enough, the integrity of the junctions holding the individual cells of the small intestine together is compromised and the intestine becomes “leaky”. This is where systemic inflammation and auto-immune issues start.

Imagine molecules of protein escaping from being absorbed for use and, instead, are floating around and being seen as foreign invaders. Our bodies will naturally mount an immune response which is what starts the inflammatory response I have mentioned before. Where ever this immune response happens is where trouble happens: pick an organ, any organ; pick a body system, any body system.

Researchers are saying more and more that the bedrock of most all disease is auto-immune in nature. The gluten found in wheat, barley, and rye (and the lectin found in other grains) are what serve as a launching pad for auto-immune and inflammatory diseases. This is why the signs and symptoms of any level of gluten sensitivity are so broad.

To quote Dr. Tom O’Bryan’s article, “The Gut-Disease Connection” from May 8, 2014, in “Dr. Allessio Fasano’s “Leaky Gut Theory of Autoimmunity” he found that the 1st step in the development of autoimmune disease is leaky gut…and in the event we can reverse the leaky gut, the possibility of shutting off the autoimmune response becomes real.”

There are Celiacs who have no digestive issues; there are non-Celiacs who have plenty of digestive issues. I have read recent articles stating that there are some on the gluten sensitivity spectrum who are only reactive to wheat.

So what is one to do? Give being gluten free a real try for 30-60 days. If your symptoms improve, great. If you improve somewhat but still have some level of “dis-ease”, then expand your eliminations to include all grains (rice, corn, oats, etc.). Then, once you are normalized, try reintroducing non-wheat grains one at a time and note your body response. Everyone is unique; maybe you can eat a bowl of oatmeal or a serving of rice.

Today’s Sign Post= check out radicatamedicine.com for more information about gluten and gluten-free eating.

Other grains and gluten-containing grains contain lectins and phytates which also disrupt proper nutrient absorption; they will be discussed in a future post.

Thanks!

Deidre

Disclaimer:

Blogging for good health!

Nutrient Dense Food

May 10, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

As my personal plate is over-flowing at present, I am posting a summary of a recent Designed for Health class. Sorry for the slow down on posts, but life happens. Blessings to all who are marking milestones with graduations right now! Can’t wait to cheer our daughter as she receives her MD from the University of Iowa!

Nutrient Dense Food—

What does that mean to you?

So, we’re looking at food as close to its original form as possible: fresh, minimally processed, with no long list of ingredients. What we need to be looking at is not counting calories but “is eating this food going to do me good or harm?” Is this food nutrient dense?

We’ll get into this more in the fall postings, but you’ve certainly heard of essential fatty acids and essential amino acids? Those come from (good) fat choices and protein choices, respectively. But did you know there are NO essential carbohydrates! Therefore, to maximize the goal of food being nutrient rich, it’s the carbohydrate category that can do us harm.

Now, if you try going gluten-free for the next month or so, you will automatically avoid the empty calories of breads, cakes, pastas, etc. made from wheat, barley, or rye. While I am sharing with you gluten-free “conversions” for those items, it is still possible to maintain the empty calorie sink hole with gorging on scrumptious gluten-free scones every day! So keep that in mind. Treats are treats. I am trying to guide you toward being gluten-free; that’s baby steps, but carbs are carbs.

Okay so where do we spend our carb calories? Nutrient dense vegetables and some fruits of every kind and of every color should be our goal. That’s why I started our first class with the smoothie chart. What a wonderful drink in which to pack nutrients!

For lunch yesterday I fixed a smoothie with a whole pear, 1/3 avocado, ¼ each lime and lemon, soaked chia seeds, sweet spices, three leaves of Swiss chard, two handfuls of baby spinach, unsweetened grated coconut, whey protein, and coconut milk. It made three glasses full so there are snacks and meals already waiting for me in the refrigerator!

Please note the following resources for more information about gluten:

Dr. Mark Hyman, MD – on his home page type in the search box: Three hidden ways wheat makes you fat to read the full article.

On Marksdailyapple.com, Mark gets pretty technical, but has a truck load of information. Click on the testimonials section for folks who talk about massive health turnarounds through food.

What does sugar do to us? Well, briefly…

It skyrockets your blood sugar levels which in turn calls for you to make, release, and respond to insulin. A problem with any part of that process is called Diabetes.

Sugar is addictive in the same way crack and heroin are addictive. The opiate receptors in our brains are stoked and demand MORE!

By-the-way, starchy carbs are also addictive for the same reason!

Sugar is inflammatory to the body, affecting the heart, joints, skin…pretty much everything.

Where gluten is found –

Well, if you eliminate wheat, barley, and rye, you are well on your way, but gluten is also found in the ingredient lists of packaged and processed foods. Many food labels now sport gluten-free entries under allergy information, but those not labeled gluten-free, you will have to check the list.

Beware of anything with the word ‘wheat’ or ‘wheat starch’ in it. I used to love sautéing artificial crab meat with onions, veggies, and spices for a great hot cracker spread, but in the ingredient list is ‘wheat starch’…

In restaurants, ask for the gluten-free menu. Outback’s original way of cooking their steaks has gluten, but their fire cooked steaks are without gluten! Who would have known! Good news! Their brownie covered with chocolate sauce and ice cream is gluten-free! Birthdays happen!

Beware of gravies of any kind; they usually come out of a can and all contain gluten. Soy sauce has gluten, but you can use Tamari or Coconut Aminos instead at home.

Always read labels and look for yourself. While you’re at it, look for items without added sugar, too!

Hope these tips for nutrient dense foods and gluten-free advisories will help you in the coming week.

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!

May is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month

May 2, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

May is National Celiac Disease Awareness month and I will be devoting myself to gluten issues all month!

Judging by the University of Chicago’s Celiac Disease Center’s four pages listing 300 symptoms that have been connected with Celiac Disease, (cureceliacdisease.org), we’d better pay close attention to what we are eating! Not that this list solely belongs to gluten sensitivity, but gluten sensitivity’s symptoms can be so incredibly subtle that even the most diligent practitioner may miss an accurate diagnosis by treating symptoms and not causes.

So, if you are suffering from multiple symptoms without a diagnosis, can’t explain why you do not feel ‘right,’ suffer with any kind of an autoimmune disease, (this includes Diabetes), then take a second look at gluten. Anything from an unhappy belly, iron deficiency, late or no onset of menstruation, inflammation or an inflammatory condition, polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, clumsiness, brain fog, migraines, dermatitis, ADD/ADHD, to unexplained muscle or joint pain can be related to gluten sensitivity. Just to name a few.

There are tests that can show if you are reactive, but some have shown to have false negatives AND you have to be eating gluten at the time for a positive result. Why not just cut gluten out?

When I think of the times our undiagnosed daughter went to the school nurse because of her unhappy belly and feeling ‘not right’ and was given packages of saltine cracker to eat, I just shiver in remorse. Even her pediatrician was baffled at her wide array of seemingly unrelated symptoms and things we didn’t even know were symptoms at the time (not a truck load of teenage hormone issues but a train load).

The saddest thing, however, was when I told our pediatrician years later what the cause actually was, Celiac Disease, he shrugged it off saying that was a “trendy diagnosis!” Our daughter almost died from malabsorption of nutrients! Trendy diagnosis? May the patient beware! Not all physicians are tuned in to gluten sensitivity.

Question your physician about his/her experience with gluten sensitivities. There are websites, such as Dr. Tom O’Byran’s, thedr.com, that can help you get in contact with someone conversant in gluten issues.

Stay tuned! Next post will explain just how gluten ravages the body and what foods need to be eliminated.

Deidre

Disclaimer:

Blogging for good health!

Can’t vs. Don’t

April 28, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

As we learn about the health benefits and detractors of certain food options, and as we begin to apply new food choices to our eating patterns, the semantics we use to express our preferences can actually sabotage our successful eating practices.

For example, you just attended one of my “Designed for Health” classes and your eyes have been opened to the effects of gluten and lectin on the digestive system and overall body functioning. You have followed up with recommended readings which I gave you, and you have determined that there seems to be a clear link with your health issues and some level of gluten sensitivity. You remember hearing that a single exposure of gluten can adversely effect your body for up to two weeks, so you are determined not to eat any. Your family and friends are told you ‘can’t’ eat gluten.

Fair enough. Then you go to your sister-in-law’s for a birthday dinner and when the cake is offered you say, “I can’t eat gluten.”

There is something about the word “can’t.” It implies an outward force or idea is being applied to you. Maybe you agree with this restriction and maybe you don’t. Outward forces can be applied or withdrawn. “I can’t eat chocolate; it’s Lent.” “I’m on a diet; I can’t eat ice cream.” “The doctor said I can’t eat fried food.” ‘Can’t’ just screams: “buuuuuut, welllllll, maaaaybeeee just this time!” It also opens the door for others to try to twist your arm. “It’s Henry’s birthday; I made your favorite recipe!” Will you eat the cake? Probably.

But if you were to embrace the term ‘don’t’ or ‘do not,’ you would be telling others, and yourself, that the decision comes from within you. It is your choice made for you and by you. You have reasoned over this and have made a conscious decision to do something for your health. Period. It is done. “I do not eat gluten; but thanks, anyway!”

Our choice for improved health is personal and comes from within. There is no arbitrary force being exerted upon as the advertisers of the Standard American Diet put upon us in the media. No, we are thinking for ourselves, and we don’t eat gluten.

And for my friends in New Bern, North Carolina:

“Designed for Health” classes, led by Deidre Edwards, will provide participants with an opportunity to discover ways to reclaim their health, one meal at a time. God’s spirit dwells within us and we are His temple. Let’s take a look at how we are maintaining His temple! If you desire to improve your energy levels and the functioning of your body, join us as we explore various sources of nutrition and health information. Plus we will prepare some delicious food and eat it!

First Baptist Church in New Bern

Two FREE introductory classes are being offered at First Baptist Church the next two Wednesdays: April 30th and May 7th at 6 pm in the Youth Lounge in the basement of the Education Building.

We will be learning what Hippocrates meant when he wisely said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Deidre

Disclaimer:

Blogging for good health!

Green Tea

April 24, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

According to Jonathan Bailor in his book, The Calorie Myth, green tea has properties – polyphenols- that are extremely beneficial. Polyphenols apparently have been shown to help prevent a host of diseases and conditions AND help to burn fat! Interactions with properties of the tea and our hormone noradrenaline make such benefits possible.

To be effective on such a level, however, we would need to consume the equivalent of ten tea bags’ worth of tea each day. Sounds like a recipe to float away! But wait! Jonathan Bailor says we can reap the benefits of ten green tea bags by simply brewing them in (much) less water! It’s the tea leaves’ polyphenols we’re after and not the water! Although, the tea we do drink does count toward our goal of 8-ish glasses of water a day!

So, per Jonathan, I brewed some seriously dense tea using 6 bags in over a cup of water. That was yesterday so it was good and cold from chillin’ in the refrigerator overnight. At noon, I made a smoothie using the strong tea as the fluid to my concoction of the usual suspects, (see post on smoothies), and I was delighted with the results!

Where was the rest of my 10 bags’ worth? That was the loose green tea brewed first thing this morning.

The tabs for comments and subscribe will gain life soon– I hope. Certainly you will not have to log in!

Deidre

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Reclaim your health one meal at a time