Crockpot Paleo Recipes

YES PLEASE!!   Whoever the genius is that put this together is... a genius.  Whom I would like to kiss.
Check out this blog:  Paleo Crockpot Recipes

If you haven't already, you should do a little google search on Paleo for Celiacs.  Thanks to this lifestyle, I havent been to the pharmacy in 10 months!

More Brain-to-Gut Evidence

In a study of 177 women with Celiac Disease, 22% were found to have an eating disorder, or poor eating behaviors and also despite being faithful to a strict gluten free diet, 37% were found to have depression.

I am not sure if this is such astounding news or not.  If you took a study of random women who do NOT have Celiac Disease, I am sure you might find close numbers to that as well.  Don't quote me, but my guess is that with depression and anxiety being so common in the general public, especially in women, that this could be symptomatic of something else.  Don't they say eating disorders and depression can be hereditary?  Linked to other autoimmune diseases like Lyme Disease or even fibromyalgia?

Nevertheless, it's an interesting read so here's the link:
Celiac Linked to Depression & Disordered Eating

Aren't Celiacs Supposed to be Skinny?

Many of those who suffer intestinal disease such as Celiac Disease cannot understand the mysterious weight gain, and sometimes inability to drop pounds after diagnosis. Aren't we all supposed to be anorexic and gauntly in appearance? Weight gain should not be a problem for us!

Contrary to that popular belief, about 39% of Celiacs battle unwanted bulge. One explanation is our inability to absorb some nutrients and not others, for instance we may be able to absorb some vitamin C but cannot absorb the B vitamins. This, according to www.glutenfreeworks.com, causes us to crave foods with those nutrients, and it can send us on an over-indulging frenzy. They explain, "Undigested nutrients that are not absorbed are then dumped into the colon where bacteria ferment them into short chain fatty acids which are then absorbed into the body and stored as fat because the body doesn’t need all that energy. For example, if unabsorbed proteins are fermented in the colon, the body will get the protein for use in muscle repair or enzyme production or hormones. Instead it will receive energy, in the form of fatty acids, in greater amounts than the body needs."

Another explanation is that gluten free food is not always healthy and balanced. When we are diagnosed we go through a psychological change regarding food. Suddenly we want what we cannot have and we are pissed about it. Even though we may not have even LIKED bran muffins before or sandwhiches or lasagna... now this mental and emotional process is telling us we are victims and we should deserve to have those things. So when we are shopping up and down the gluten free isle in Wholefoods and spot some muffins in the freezer that are gluten free, we throw 4 in our cart like they're free and we've never eaten before. And, oh look! Gluten free donuts? Cookies!? Cake? Animal crackers! Pound cake mix!? oooooh gluten free oreos. SCORE. But even the "healthy" gluten free items are packed in sugar and simple carbohydrates. Because they cannot use whole wheat flours, they are stuffed with high starch flours such as tapioca, potato, corn and soy flours. All of which are processed into your body as sugar and eventually stored as fat.

Also, I have even heard some people say that in order to LOSE the weight, they are going to just start eating gluten and hitting up the bottomless pasta bowls at Olive Garden.

Makes sense, right? Because when we were sick, any gluten in that amount would just come right on out the other end. We can suffer a few weeks of discomfort, sweating and napping on the toilet, no problem.

But then... that doesn't happen and instead you become constipated. Now wait a minute! You should be puking and crying on the toilet! But you're not. Sorry. That technique won't work either. If you are malnourished, like most Celiacs are, and you consume gluten during a time you are not having a Celiac "outbreak" (probably because your body has begun to heal since you started eating GF), your body will react differently than when you were at your sickest. Your body will get angry.

If you crave gluten, it's probably the amino acid glutamine that you are starving for. Gluten protein has a large quantity of glutamine, that - in healthy people- is easy to get by eating whole grains and fibers. But Celiacs can't touch that stuff and we are often very deficient in glutamine. So get a probiotic or l-glutamine supplement to take each day with your vitamins and those cravings will subside in a week or so.

Celiac Disease & Diabetes

Is there going to be a new mandatory Celiac test for those being diagnosed with diabetes? More research is being done but some numbers are showing us a significant connection between the two problems. First of all, we have to understand the base number (scary) that 1 out of 133 (some studies are showing 1 out of 100 in America) people have Celiac Disease. Out of those, only FIVE PERCENT are diagnosed. So with that in mind let's look at three other numbers: 25% of new diagnosis of Celiac in America are in patients age 60 and over. Six percent of those with type I diabetes have Celiac. One out of 125 of those with type II diabetes have Celiac.

Imagine the change in those numbers if everyone who had Celiac Disease were diagnosed, not just 5% of them. Also, diabetics who have a family history of Celiac Disease increase their chances of having Celiac Disease 5-15% than the average, healthy American with European ancestry.

According to the mayo clinic, symptoms of Type II Diabetes are (1) increased thirst (2) fatigue (3) increased hunger (4) weight loss (5) blurred vision and (6) sores that do not heal well.

Some of those symptoms mimic those of Celiac Disease. So will we see an increasing trend of Celiac testing for those with diabetes? One article regarding some research at Ottawa Research Hospital says "A research team led by Dr. Fraser Scott recently screened 42 patients with type 1 diabetes and found that nearly half showed an abnormal immune response to wheat proteins." Dr. Scott suggests that "people with certain genes may be more likely to develop an over-reaction to wheat and possibly other foods in the gut and this may tip the balance with the immune system and make the body more likely to develop other immune problems, such as diabetes.”

This basically states that a gut reaction to gluten or wheat can dismantle our immune system entirely and leave us prone to other autoimmune diseases. So undiagnosed celiac can lead to the development of diabetes.

Why wait for the diabetes to be diagnosed before testing for celiac? Should we begin to make celiac testing a mandatory issue, such as sickle cell? If you are an American with European ancestry and there is a family history of diabetes, osteoperosis or cancer... should we offer tests for celiac the same way we offer immunizations to children? And with that in mind, don't you think its TIME we figure out an accurate, trust-worthy test for Celiac Disease?

Could You Have Candidiasis?

Candida is a parasitic yeast fungus that can affect the mouth, throat, intestinal tract as well as genitals. Normally harmless, this fungus can wreak havoc on your immune system if you are lacking enough good bacteria to neutralize it. Those with Celiac Disease and other forms of intestinal disease or disorders are prone to this fungal attack in the intestines, and without much knowledge of your body, it can continue on and get worse. If you suffer any intestinal problems, you may disregard your candida as the run-of-the-mill gastrointestinal symptoms you normally suffer. Whether you have a wheat allergy or intolerance, Celiac Disease, IBS, dairy intolerance, colitis or Crohn's, you could be wondering what you ate that is leaving you with chronic symptoms. This can drive you crazy if you are certain to be on top of your diet like a dominatrix with a snappy whip.

Symptoms include: headaches, night sweats, diarrhea, brain fog, mood swings, bad breath, heart burn, muscle pain, or chronic cough, allergies or sinus infections.

Half of these symptoms are also related to every other intestinal dysfunction that affects the immune system. And be honest, pretty much everything we eat plays one role or another on our immune system so we could blow most of that off as a "bad burrito" or food poisoning... or "man, I guess I should lay off the onions". Long, lingering and chronic symptoms tend to become a part of you and you just get used to it and blow them off. Allergies, headaches, heart burn... everyone deals with that, so why be such a hypochondriac and force your doctor to investigate something so common?

Once candida begins to weaken your immune system, this creates a neat environment for it to spread and multiply like early 20th century immigration- and you are Ellis Island. Come on in fungus! Just sign your name here while I continue to take antibiotics and eat nasty crap so you can breed!

Men & women get candida in the same numbers. Prolonged use of antibiotics and other medications can leave you prone to candida, as well as pregnancy and long term unhealthy diets. It is often overlooked and requires testing to diagnose, but a study revealed that more than 70% of Americans have this.

If you have been wondering why your headaches persist, or why you continue to have intestinal discomfort despite being gluten-free, this could be your answer. Maybe not, but it's a proactive and good idea to go and get checked.

You can simply handle this issue by eliminating carbs, starches and sugars from your diet and taking a GOOD probiotic.

After a few weeks you may find yourself saying "hmm... I haven't had a headache in a while. and weird, I have more energy". Go figure, you just killed off a ton of fungus in your intestines and are now able to digest nutrients.

Time to put your complaints aside and assume that because you are gluten intolerant or have intestinal disease that you will just "deal" with the unsavory side effects for the rest of your life. "Oh, I hate the brain fog and chronic fatigue and I can't eat this because it makes me jittery and the medications for indigestion don't work...". If you are reading this, then you're not allowed to make excuses anymore. Or complain! You now have a new avenue to approach and possibly solve all of those problems for good.

Now put your gluten free pizza down and stick a vegetable in your mouth.
(Heaven forbid)

Try this saliva test. It's a simple at-home test that can determine if you have candida. When you wake up in the morning, before you drinking anything or brushing your teeth, work up some saliva and spit it into a clear glass of water. Within 1-30 minutes, look in the glass. If there are strings coming down from your saliva, or if the water turned cloudy, or if your saliva sank to the bottom, then you may have a candida issue. You've got nothing to lose by following a grain, starch, dairy and sugar free diet for a while. In fact, whether you have candida or not... following that diet is sure to clear SOMETHING up. Like deform your stomach from the permanent shape of a birthday cake.

Need tummy relief? Call Ginger!

A lot of studies and homeopathic trials have shown that ginger can settle the stomach. If you think you have been cross contaminated or ingested gluten and those tell-tale gut problems begin to show their ugly (and stinky) face, try popping in come ginger candy or tea. People's Pharmacy sells the candies and the Persimmon-Punch (which is a lovely cocktail of ginger and cinnamon).

I, personally, have not tried this. So, in fact, I'm endorsing an idea that I do not have any personal experience with. However, I have heard of this remedy for years and was told when I was pregnant and feeling nauseated to try ginger. I never did... because I'm stubborn and emotionally unstable when pregnant, so my theory was that simply whining and complaining should solve the problem. And if it didn't, then that meant everyone was out to get me. This past weekend I had a bad stomach as a result of drinking a liquor that was likely not gluten free. I was paying the price the next day. So I did my research about this ginger miracle and will be getting the tea and candies to keep in my purse just incase this happens again!

Which it won't. Because I'm perfectly careful and never make gluten mistakes.
(eye roll)

Major brand manu's that are GF

I stumbled upon a great website that lists major brand foods according to category and whether they are gluten free. http://www.glutenfreeinfo.com/Diet/S-FoodList.htm

The site is very simple and intuitive to navigate. Nothing fancy, but just another person trying to make things easier for Celiacs and those who need to live a gluten free lifestyle.