The REAL DEAL About Gluten

Gluten-free products are on the rise. As a matter of fact, there are more gluten-free products sold on store shelves than ever before in history. This has created quite the concern with people, because those that don’t exactly know what gluten is are curious about whether or not they should be avoiding it altogether.  As a nurse I hear this quite often,”What is gluten?” or “Is gluten bad for me?” So I felt it a great topic to quickly go over so you all can be in the know.

Gluten is the stuff in bread that holds it together. It makes bread chewy and makes pre-cooked dough elastic so that it stretches. It’s actually a protein found in wheat and other similar grains, like barley and rye. People that have the biggest issue with gluten are people who’ve been diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease. This is, what they call, a genetic auto-immune disease where the small intestine has become damaged and causes a problem when it comes to absorbing certain nutrients from food. The good news is that only about 1% of the population in the U.S. has been diagnosed with this disease. However about 85% of those people are un-diagnosed or mis-diagnosed with other illnesses. The bad news is that there are about 5 times as many people who are gluten sensitive aka Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity.

Gluten sensitivity is a little trickier. Gluten sensitivity is the condition where there is little to NO intestinal damage that occurs with Celiac’s Disease and that this effects about 18 million people in the U.S., an
d most of them are adults. There is some growing research out there that is suggesting that people who have these gluten sensitivities aren’t sensitive to gluten, but instead to a particular type of poorly-digested carbohydrate the are calling FODMAP’s but this research is still in its early stages.

If you’re worried that you may be sensitive to gluten, have a gluten allergy, or may even be thinking you want to get checked out for Celiac’s Disease, here are some symptoms that could indicate you have an issue with gluten:

• bloating, gas and/or abdominal pain
• hard to flush, bulky or loose stools
• diarrhea or constipation/itchy skin rash
• tingling or numbness in hands and feet
• discolored teeth or loss of enamel
• canker sores/joint pain/fractures or thin bones
• irritability or behavior changes/significant unexplained weight loss
• poor weight gain/delayed growth

Although I’ve never had any issues with gluten, I have had many clients that have. Many of them struggle to find healthy food and snack options that are not only gluten free but taste good also. This is one of the many reasons I’ve chosen USANA Health Sciences as a product partner. Their food line is not only gluten free and delicious, but it is a low glycemic option. This means it won’t spike blood sugars and is a healthy choice for Type II diabetics too. Here’s a little video clip that I’ve found useful explaining USANA’s delicious gluten-free food line.

If you’d like to know more about USANA and their food line, click here.

I hope this helps answer some of the questions you might be having about gluten and whether or not it’s a healthy choice for you. If you’d like some more answers on this topic, I’d suggest you go to the Celiac Disease Foundation website. It’s a great resource and is HIGHLY educational.

Stop Your Stressin’! 6 Stress Reduction Techniques That Work

STRESS!!! We all feel it right? It seems to all come at once too! If you know what I mean, leave me a “hell yeah” in the comment box below. I mean if it’s not the bills, the job, THE BOSS, the kids, the chores, the auto problems, the school projects, the classes, the pet, homework, TRAFFIC, IT’S SOMETHING ELSE. BOOO!

It’s everywhere. Trust me, you aren’t the only one that feels it. We ALL have stressful situations in our lives. Even those who you would think have the least stress, yep, they have stress too. Stress is a major contributor to health issues we face. From the common cold to heart disease to DEATH, stress is a big perpetrator.

As a matter of fact here is a list of things known to be caused by stress (not stress only by the way). Any of these hit close to home:

• Gastro-intestinal problems (Nausea, Diarrhea, IBS, Spastic Colon, Indigestion)
• Colds and Sinus Infections
• Vaginal Yeast Infections and Bladder Infections
• Hypertension, Heart Disease, Asthma
• Migraine Headaches
• Substance Abuse in people with Addictive/Compulsive Disorders

Because of all the health issues that come along with stress, it is extremely important to learn how to recognize and address the stress you are having. The prevention of a stressful situation is the absolute best thing you can do, but that’s almost laughable just to type! Stressful situations arise at a moments notice and can almost never be prevented. However, learning to deal with those stressful situations and to get out of them quickly will serve you well. So let’s get started shall we?

Fondling Breasts-I read not too long ago that fondling a woman’s breast can lessen stress. I don’t know how true that is for most, but it does for me! I don’t think my wife buys it, but she’s a good sport nonetheless! 🙂 On a side note, I found these online and thought I should include them for any of you that want to give the boob-fondling a go when you get stressed.

If it works, be sure to comment back and let the readers know! FOR YOUR INFORMATION-Fondling breasts has been linked reducing breast cancer cell proliferation. See this article here. IDK.

Hitting the Gym-After a long stressful day go pump some iron. Or, if you prefer, do some cardio or yoga. I find this extremely helpful because when I get in the gym, I turn my mind off. I focus on the task at hand, which is GAINZ. When I leave the gym, I’m in a better mood, I’m more relaxed AND I sleep better. (By the way, if you have a difficult time sleeping at night, workout in the evening and it will help).

Meditation-Meditation has long been touted as a powerful stress-reduction technique. I sometimes will start my morning in a meditative state. It really sets the pace for the rest of the day which, as mentioned above I’d rather stay away from stressful mornings.

Tunes-They say that music soothes the savage beast. In the case of stress, it certainly does. These days, with the introduction of Pandora, Spotify, and even Amazon Prime Music (awesome!), you can pretty much listen to whatever you want. So, when you get stressed out, put on the ear buds and chillax with some of your favorite de-stressing music. It works!

LOL!-They say that laughter is the best medicine. Speaking of the above music apps, you have your own stand up comedian in your pocket! My favorite is Jim Gaffigan. I find when I am super-stressed out and I cannot get to a gym, and maybe I’m in my car and meditation is out, I turn on some Jim Gaffigan and I let him take it all away. Never heard of him? Check out this YouTube video! You will be ROLLING!

Horizontal Mambo-Yes, I mean S E X (with your spouse that is). This is last, but certainly not least. Sex is linked to all sorts of health benefits actually. Guys, this list is for you! Having sex releases the feel-good hormone, serotonin, that not only makes you feel good, but relaxes you afterward.

So, I hoped this little list helped you all. Stress really is no laughing matter. Not only can it affect you but can impact those around you. Plus, you don’t want to be that person that everybody hates to be around. AND, if you foresee an upcoming stressful situation, prepare for it in advance so it doesn’t hit so hard. They say that “fortune favors the prepared mind.”

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to read this blog. I hoped you enjoyed it. If so, please like, comment and share it. I’d like to help and reach as many people as I can. THANKS!