Tag Archives: Lifestyle

Reporting Cross Contact Can Turn Into a Win-win for Restaurant and Consumer

Gluten pasta at the bottom of sauteed cabbage - Credits: Jennifer Harris

Gluten pasta at the bottom of sauteed cabbage – Credits: Jennifer Harris

It has happened to most all of us at one time or another. You have just finished a meal at a restaurant when you notice you aren’t quite feeling right. For me, that starts with a stabbing headache and a hot flash. Immediately you know your meal has come into contact with gluten. Now what do you do? How can you turn your negative experience into a positive one? Read More »

Interview with Gina Meagher: Living with Type I Diabetes and Celiac Disease

Gina Meagher Celiac Disease DiabetesI met Gina through the Celiac Sprue Association, Denver Chapter 17.  She helped me get involved in volunteering at last years ‘Incredible Edible Gluten-Free Food Fair™!’  She has been part of CSA for several years and is a member of the Board.  She has a lively personality and is willing to share her thoughts with others.  I am so excited that she was willing to sit down with me and talk about her experiences of living with Type I diabetes and Celiac disease.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  The overall message I took away, was that neither Diabetes nor Celiac disease define who Gina is, because she is so much more and has never let either one stop her from living the active life she was meant to have!

Interview

 

Jenn: Hi Gina! It’s great to be with you today and to have the opportunity to get to know you better.  So, tell me…how old were you when you were diagnosed with Type I diabetes?

Gina: I was 17 years old.

Jenn: And how old were you when you were diagnosed with Celiac disease? Read More »

Celiac Disease Q & A: Common Nutrition and Celiac Disease Questions

The following questions and answers were developed by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School:

Q. What is it like for a person you see who is newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease?
A. The gluten-free diet requires more preparation, taking food with you when you travel, making sure that you are safe in dining-out situations or when you are visiting with family or friends. So for some, it is very simple and straight forward and they are already experimenting with new grains like amaranth, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, and teff. But some people are Read More »

Surviving a Gluten Free Life

Gluten Free is heard everywhere nowadays.  It’s seems to be as popular as the vegan diet years ago.

Unfortunately gluten free is not a fad, or a diet, it is a way of life for those with Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity.

gluten free livingThose of us, including myself, need to check everything that we eat which can honestly be a royal pain, but the good news is that most places are gluten aware.  There are those hole in the wall places in the middle of nowhere that we can never find anything to eat, but we can always pack a snack.

The first time that you go grocery shopping or out to eat can be overwhelming after being told that you Read More »

Gluten Kills Awareness Tee Shirts and Hoodies

Gluten is killing people. Spread awareness and look great doing it with these awesome Gluten Kills tees & hoodies!

Gluten Kills Ladies Forest Tee

Gluten Kills Ladies Forest Tee! Other colors available.

Click here to get yours! 

Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease causes over 300 signs, symptoms associated disorders and complications. Millions of people around the world are affected, but the rate of diagnosis is low. Most people and doctors do not realize how many symptoms and illnesses gluten causes. Read More »

My 14 tips for a HEALTHY 2014!

Can you believe 2014 is already upon us?! It’s crazy how fast time flies.
Each year since going gluten-free I’ve learned more and more about how to live a healthier life…and I wanted to share what I’ve learned this year with you! Here are my 14 tips for your healthiest year yet:
 
happy new year gluten free
 
 
1. Eat RAW veggies – EVERY DAY!
gluten free veggies
Raw vegetables are full of digestive enzymes, nutrients, and fiber our body needs to function at it’s best. Eat them daily and you’ll definitely reap the benefits.  Read More »

How To Make the Most of Celiac Awareness Month!

celiac

This year I am taking Celiac Awareness Month a little more personally than years past! In March, I went to the Digestive Disease National Coalition and met with Senators to discuss Resolution 550 that officially makes May  National Celiac Awareness Month.

When talking with the Senate staff I explained that making May Celiac Awareness Month gives members of the gluten free community a great jumping off point for awareness campaigns and projects. For example, the Read More »

Philly: A Gluten-Free Friendly Town

Gluten Free Pasta by Ristorante Panormama. Credits: Emma Furino

Gluten Free Pasta by Ristorante Panormama. Credits: Emma Furino

Philly is one of the most gluten-free friendly cities in the country. So much so, it’s been called “the first gluten-free neighborhood in the U.S.”

It takes a lot of components to come together to make a great GF city.

It helps if your state is no stranger to the gluten-free way of life. Earlier this year, Gluten Free Travel Site named Pennsylvania the “World’s Most Celiac-Friendly Destination.” We examined this accolade in Read More »

Say What?! Those Crazy Gluten-Free Misconceptions

When it comes to the gluten-free diet there are crazy misconceptions out there… thanks to Hollywood and the media! Lets take some time to clear somethings up…OK?

Newsflash, GOING GLUTEN FREE WILL NOT CAUSE YOU TO LOSE WEIGHT!! If I had to guess people who lose weight after going gluten-free are eating healthier or have finally received a proper diagnosis! I’m not a medical professional but these are my thoughts based on some of my own experiences:

When I first went gluten-free I was so afraid of food that I stuck to the foods I knew were safe. This meant I was eating mostly foods that could be found around the perimeter of the grocery store.  Some people refer to this as clean eating, which in fact is better for your overall health & wellness. However, eliminating processed foods also decreases your caloric intake. This is why I dropped weight, which I might add was unintentional since I was already below average.

If you go gluten-free and load up on processed foods like most, it’s just as bad for you as if you were splurging on gluten containing food, or in most cases worse since gluten-free foods are higher in fat and sodium. Life is about balance. Enjoy a slice of cake, but remember to eat your fruits and veggies too.

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First and only time in history of Embrace G-free that I’m making a special shout out to ALL THE GLUTEN-FREE HATERS IN THE WORLD; which once included Read More »

Tweaking Tradition: Holidays

gluten free holidays

It is that time of year again! We have shining lights on all the streets, the fire light of Menorahs shimmering through windows and stars twinkling atop 6-foot tall trees.  The winter holidays are by far my favorite despite the accompanied stress they tend to bring.  Personally, I love when the whole family gets together for the holidays. We don’t have any of the often satirized family drama you see on TV and in the movies about family gatherings during the holidays.  The holidays usually bring around a different type of stress for me: how to avoid gluten during all of the holiday dinner parties.  This year, however, this won’t be an issue because my family has figured out how we can tweak our Italian traditions to be totally gluten free. Read More »