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Are You Ready for a Disaster? Follow These Steps

gluten free emergencyFearsome tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, radiation contamination, tornados, thunderstorms, mudslides and floods are in the news.  Still, other kinds of disasters like hurricanes, house fires, wildfires, explosions, extreme heat and biological threats and are real possibilities in the upcoming months. Being ready is being smart.

Underlying any disaster is the need to prepare for injuries, lack of power, unsafe water, contaminated food, loss of clothing and loss of shelter.  www.ready.gov site says, “You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately.”

Make an emergency plan now for these three options and review it with the family:

Agave Nectar Pros and Cons

Agave Americana

We have been asked about the safety of using agave syrup as low glycemic substitute for cane sugar.  Here is some useful information.

Of the several hundreds species of agave, commercial agave syrup is produced from Agave Americana, a desert succulent plant. The syrup, or nectar, is obtained from the sap.  The sweet sticky sap is extracted from the base of the plant then boiled to produce the “syrup.” Cooking converts the sap’s natural

Celiac Disease & Excessive Gas in the Digestive Tract: What it is and How to Get Rid of It

Source: Buzzle.com

It’s a fact. Everyone produces gas. Ordinarily, most people produce about 1 to 3 pints of gas in a day. Gas is normally painless, creating a feeling of fullness until it is passed.

But sometimes pain is experienced, and when it does it can be either dull or sharp, leaving us feeling bloated or tender in places. It can be localized in one spot, or felt throughout the abdomen.

About 50% of people with celiac disease complain of chronic discomfort from gas at the time of diagnosis.

What is Gas?

The accumulation of gas in the digestive tract is called flatus, and having

MEDICAL RESEARCH: Vitamin D Deficiency is Associated with Insulin Resistance and ß cell Dysfunction

 

Editor’s note:

In the following medical research study, healthy participants were enrolled to examine the effects of vitamin D on insulin production and use in the body. This research shows that:

1) Vitamin D plays an important role in insulin sensitivity in the body, and deficiency of vitamin D hampers production of insulin hormone by beta cells in the pancreas.

2) People with vitamin D deficiency are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by lack of insulin sensitivity in body tissues and inadequate production of insulin hormone in the pancreas.

Correcting Potassium Deficiency in Celiac Disease with a Gluten Free Diet

Potassium is a mineral that is easily absorbed by the digestive tract. This micronutrient is essential for life because of the vital functions it performs in our bodies. Normal nerve conduction, muscle contraction, fluid balance, acid-alkali balance, blood pressure regulation, digestion, protein production, and metabolism require the action of potassium. For example, in metabolism potassium is required for the movement of sugars, amino acids, and other molecules into cells.

Potassium is an electrolyte that takes part in electrical conduction and chemical reactions in opposition to the electrolyte, sodium. In bodily fluids, potassium is the major cation (positively charged ion), while sodium is the major anion (negatively charged ion).

About 98% of the body’s potassium is contained within muscle cells, while

Gluten-Free Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

High fiber and nutrient rich, these tasty, natrually gluten-free pumpkin seeds are hard to resist and simple to make. Use any leftovers to sprinkle over a salad or add to cooked rice. A fourth cup gives you half your RDA of manganese and magnesium and a third of your tryptophan to keep you calm and strong! These seeds are very high in iron, copper, vitamin K and zinc.

Copper Malabsorption in Untreated Celiac Disease Common

 

Editor’s note:  

In this study, researchers investigating the absorption of copper in untreated patients who had damage to their duodenum found anemia in 3 out of 10 of these patients that was due to copper deficiency.  They gave all the study subjects a solution of copper to drink that was equal to a daily dose then tested their blood level. 

Gut Microflora Associated Characteristics in Children with Celiac Disease

Editor’s note: This important study demonstrated that short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels in stool samples were abnormal in participating children with celiac disease, with and without treatment with gluten-free diet. SCFAs are healthy energy byproducts produced by microflora (beneficial organisms) in the colon during fermentation of undigested carbohydrates arriving from the small intestine. SCFAs nourish the colonocytes, cells that line the colon, to maintain normal function. They also help absorb salts and water from stool.  

“Gut Microflora Associated Characteristics in Children with Celiac Disease”

Tjellström B, et. al.

Microbiology and Tumour Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Am J Gastroenterol. 2005 Dec;100(12):2784-8.

 

Background and aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the

MEDICAL RESEARCH: “Pediatric case series evaluating a standardized Candida albicans skin test prod

 

 Editors’ note: This study investigating the value and safety of Candin for clinical use in children demonstrated effectiveness and safety.  Candin is a reagent or skin test for sensitivity to Candida albicans, a yeast microorganism that can cause infection.  The study recommends using Candin in combination with other reagents in infants with anergy to see if they react to antigens other than Candida albicans.  Anergy is described in Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary as the impaired or absent ability to react to common antigens administered through skin testing. Antigens are markers on the surface of cells that stimulate production of antibodies.  In this study, Candin was tested at the same time as a skin test for tuberculosis (purified protein derivative tuberculosis) for comparison of results.

Understanding Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Deficiency in Celiac Disease

Riboflavin is a micronutrient, also known as Vitamin B2, which performs many important functions in the body. Riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin that releases energy from carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids. It plays a key role in specific amino acid production and provides antioxidant protection. Riboflavin is essential for growth and production of red blood cells and maintaining healthy skin, eyes, hair, and nervous system.

Riboflavin Deficiency

More than 34% of Americans get less than the RDA because, unlike other vitamins, riboflavin is not found in many foods.

Riboflavin depletion and/or deficiency is common before starting the gluten-free diet treatment. It frequently results from malabsorption due to damage to the small intestinal lining, but can also be depleted by excretion through diarrhea, excessive sweating or excessive urination. It is important to note that riboflavin deficiency can result from low serum proteins, which is a common occurrence in untreated celiac disease.

When riboflavin deficiency appears after starting the gluten-free diet, it is usually due to