Health

Time to fire up the grill and start barbecuing because summer is here. It seems not a day goes by when the aroma of grilled meat doesn’t fill the air. If you are cooking for someone who is gluten intolerant, just a few simple steps will ensure a safe and tasty meal. Eating a burger with a knife and fork works in a pinch, but it just isn’t the same experience, or very filling.

I love attending barbecues, but there are a number of sources of gluten that needs to be considered, such as: condiments, toasting buns on the grill surface, seasonings, marinades, and utensils. I like to come prepared with my own gluten-free bun. I don’t expect the host to provide a gluten-free bun because a) how would they know what to get, b) what if the gluten-free bun contains additional allergens I avoid, and c) I don’t want the host to fuss over me, or exclude me because they don’t think they can feed me safely.

Here are some great tips for successful gluten-free grilling whether you are the host, or the attendee: Read More »

I was looking back at old drafts of posts that I’ve written over the years but never published, and I found this rant on the 1200 calorie weight loss myth. Since it’s the last day of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week  and the first day of National Nutrition Month, I figured it would be a good time to share it. (Editor’s note: Originally published March 1, 2014)

Not a week goes by that I don’t see a client who truly believes she/he needs to be following a 1200 calories diet to lose weight or be healthy. It seems to be the #1 nutrition myth.

Despite what the intertubes may say, a 1200 cal diet is not considered standard professional weight loss advice. Honest.There is, of course, plenty of bad advice and/or controversy out there, because that sells. There’s also a whole lot of standard nutrition advice that I heartily disagree with, but that’s another post. Take a  look at Read More »

Photo by David Shankbone

Cooking for children on gluten-free diets requires special planning and care to ensure that they are getting all the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. Replacing gluten-filled junk food with gluten-free junk food of course, isn’t good for kids.

Despite the snow covered trees, glittering lights, smoke from the chimneys and the overall sense of Holiday spirit that store fronts and houses display, for people living gluten-free there is usually a little bit of gluten-free gloom that hangs over the Holiday season. Don’t get me wrong, we are far from gluten-free grinches, but we cannot deny the nagging sense of anxiety that takes over when considering all of the ways that gluten can complicate even the simplest of Holiday celebrations. Your work may host a Holiday party, you may be staying with extended family members during the Holiday season, there may be a slew of dinner party invitations in your inboxes (or mailboxes if you are classic like that). Don’t let the Holidays overwhelm you! This Gluten-Free Holiday Survival Guide should help make the Holiday season gluten-free and stress-free. Read More »

Do you feel tired all the time? Maybe tired isn’t even strong enough of a word to describe the extreme fatigue you feel all day, every day. The problem seems to be pretty common place for those who eat a gluten-free diet.

Or maybe you have trouble falling asleep at night and wake up completely drained as if you were running a marathon in your sleep. Sure, you could chalk it up to a busy, stress-filled life, but the answer is more complex and hits closer to home that you even realize.

Allow me share with you a personal story… Read More »

The below Dear Abby letter is my take on someone who has just been diagnosed with Celiac Disease and doesn’t understand that the gluten-free diet is not a death sentence. I personally think that the gluten-free diet is a blessing of sorts…

Dear Abby,

I have spent the last few months visiting several doctors trying to figure out what is wrong with me. I’ve experienced everything from extreme irritability (causing several fights with my husband), to running to the bathroom over ten times a day! The state of my health was really starting to affect other aspects of my life. Read More »

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Medifast has developed two gluten-free packages for people on the gluten-free diet who want to lose weight quickly and safely. The gluten-free packages come in a 4 week package and a 2 week package.

Discount codes are good until August 31st, 2013.

Free shipping with a purchase of $150 or more: Click Here and use coupon code SHIPAUG13

Save $66 with a purchase of $250 or more: Click Here and use coupon code AUG31K

What is Medifast? From Medifast’s website…

Read More »

I’ve only recently started using coconut butter in my raw foods recipes, but I’ve used coconut oil for years. It took me a while to figure out what the coconut butter hype was about, because I thought that coconut butter and coconut oil were the same thing. They are NOT. They are drastically different and yield different results when making raw foods.

What are the main differences: Read More »

We all know how “gluten-free” is a buzz word now. It seems it is easier than ever to find “gluten-free” labeled packaging at the local grocery store chain. Restaurants are labeling more food “gf” to try and attract more customers. But is this helping us? Or is it making more people just roll their eyes?

I get so excited when I see places near me offering “gluten-free” donuts, or “gluten-free” fries, or “gluten-free” pizza, and when anything on their menu is specifically labeled gluten-free. It gets me giddy with excitement, even if I wouldn’t normally eat a donut, or fries. I like to know if I want them, I can have them. But then when it comes down to it, and I am at the restaurant and I ask if their menu items are really gluten-free, and fried in a dedicated fryer, I get a response that is more and more common lately: Read More »