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Heal Your Gut

Celiac Disease (CD) is not curable, but it is manageable by eating a strict gluten free diet.  That may not be enough.

Many suffering from CD still feel ill even after being faithful to a gluten free diet.  Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease which causes your body to attack and destroy the microvilli and villi in your small intestines.  These are key to the absorption of nutrients from food and are also where many enzymes used in digestion are made.  When these are destroyed, the ability to absorb nutrients decreases and can lead to malnutrition.

This is not all that happens in a damaged intestine.  Gluten can cause the tight junctions, spaces between cells lining the intestines, to be damaged or destroyed allowing larger molecules such as proteins and even microorganisms to pass into the blood stream.

Under normal circumstances, the intestinal wall only permits small particles to pass through the intestinal wall and into the blood stream. When these larger molecules make it through into the blood stream our bodies do not recognize these  larger molecules and an autoimmune response begins.  It is these autoimmune responses that may be the cause of you still feeling ill.  What needs to happen to feel well again, is to heal the gut.

“Add What You Like” Turkey Burgers

Yummy turkey burgers! Healthy AND delicious!

Being sick at a young age and having to go to numerous doctors has made me more aware of my body. I know when I feel great and I know when something’s “off”. When I realized food was the culprit of my illness I was persistent until we got answers. There were times I wanted to back down and settle because I was tired of fighting, but thank god I didn’t.

Although I have an amazing team of doctors supporting me, I have learned I’m my own body’s expert. I know what foods make my stomach hurt and I know what

Celiac Disease, on the Couch

stock-photo-3443895-depression-and-sorrow1-216x300[1]Kathleen (not her real name) came to counseling because of anxiety. After an intake, we identified several areas in her life that sounded like they were contributing to her difficulties. We started working with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a system that looks at the thought sequence you use, and where a distorted belief can be corrected and thereby relieve suffering.

After teaching her a series of formulas, she was able to apply the principles herself when not in the office with me. This is a very effective psychotherapy intervention, that is so useful that many insurance companies paying for counseling expect to see it as part of a treatment plan. But, it did not seem to offer Kathleen the relief I was expecting. So, we continued looking elsewhere in her life for the source and solution of her anxiety. If it wasn’t her thinking causing it, perhaps it was situational.

I Got Glutened and It’s My Own Fault!

no glutenI sit here writing this post from my bed. It’s 9:39pm and I have been in bed since 4:30pm. My tonsils are so big it hurts to swallow and I feel like I have been in a boxing match where I lost, severely.

I used to get sick like this all the time before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease and I am starting this think that my immune system is a wreck again.

Why? Because I have been slack. Many of those out there with coeliac disease will think I am stupid. I am stupid.

You see at my current job we have staff cafe.

Four Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Snack Recipes

Everyone knows home cooked foods are better for you than processed, but who has the time???

Here are four quick and easy snack recipes to enjoy this weekend!

Gluten Free Rice Crispie Square Recipe

Gluten-free rice crispie squares are fast, easy and oh, so familiar- a gluten-free kid’s favorite recipe.

Make a batch to take along to sporting events, for sleep-overs or pack a bag for road trips.

Total Time: 10 minutes

Is Baking Powder Gluten-Free?

bakingpowderQuestion: Is Baking Powder Gluten-Free?

Gluten-free baking recipes frequently call for “gluten-free” baking powder and some products are labeled “gluten-free.” Why is that? Learn what’s in baking powder and even make your own fresh gluten-free baking powder at home.

Answer:

No, not all brands of baking powder are gluten-free. Baking powder is made from baking soda, cream of tartar (a bi-product of wine production) and a “moisture absorption agent” which is usually, but not always cornstarch. Other starches including potato starch (gluten-free) and wheat starch (contains gluten) can be used in baking powder products.

Therefore, not all brands of baking powder are gluten-free. According to manufacturer information, the following baking powder brands are gluten-free. Most of these products are available at large and small grocery stores in the United States.

5 easy kitchen tips for gluten-free living

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Is your kitchen a gathering place?

glutenfreeThe kitchen is a natural place for people of all ages and backgrounds to share stories and flavors.

When transitioning to eating gluten-free, cooking and meeting in the kitchen will probably change.

It means double checking each addition to a dish or scrambling to make sure there is no cross-contamination.

Gluten Free Crab Cake Recipe

gluten free crab cakes
Gluten Free Crab Cakes © 2011 Teri Lee Gruss

Gluten-free crab cakes are delicious and easy to make using ready-made gluten-free crackers. Make large crab cakes as an entree or mini-crab cakes for out-of-the-ordinary appetizers.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 6 large crab cakes / 18 small

Ingredients:

Helping a West Point Graduate Connect the Dots Between Symptoms and Their Causes

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My mother, Cleo Libonati, RN, BSN was giving a presentation to medical school students at a major medical school in Philadelphia. The topic was “Identifying and Correcting Nutrient Deficiencies in Celiac Disease.”

A student approached her after the presentation. She was a tall, athletic looking woman with short blond hair. She introduced herself as Amanda and told Cleo she was afraid she might have to drop out of medical school. She said she was a West Point graduate, but no one could diagnose her.

She said she had constant gastrointestinal problems and fatigue. She couldn’t concentrate. Something was terribly wrong. She could feel it.

IBS Guidelines Should Include Screening for Celiac Disease

Guidelines for the treatment of IBS published by the American College of Gastroenterology include screening for celiac disease. These guidelines were established in 2008.

New IBS Guidelines Offer Treatment Ideas

American College of Gastroenterology Updates Recommendations for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
By Bill Hendrick

WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MDDec. 19, 2008 — New guidelines have been issued by the nation’s gastroenterologists that are aimed at easing the abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which afflicts millions of Americans.

The guidelines, issued by the American College of Gastroenterology, also offer hope to patients who’ve struggled with the condition and found satisfactory treatments lacking.