Gluten, Gluten and More Gluten ~ What’s a Person To Do?!

There is a huge rise in gluten free foods and this is great news for people who are gluten sensitive, because they now have a variety of options.  But is gluten the real problem or is it Genetically Modified (GMO) wheat? 

Gluten is a mixture of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin.  The gluten proteins are found in the mature seed of wheat, barley and rye.  Close relatives of wheat, such as spelt, triticale, kamut, faro, and einkorn, also contain gluten.  Gluten (from Latin gluten, “glue”) gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and to keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture.  Well hello ~ that makes sense!  Glue, chewy, stick to your ribs I mean intestines kind of food ~ no wonder we are sensitive to it!

If a product contains wheat or GMO wheat it has gluten in it.  I don’t think we can put the blame on a GMO when it comes to the rise of gluten sensitivities in humans.  I do think we need to take a closer look at all the products that have gluten, added gluten and often hidden gluten in the ingredient list.  Who knew we were ingesting so much gluten!  I was surprised to find gluten in soy sauces, pickles, salad dressings, chicken broths, malt vinegars, canned soups, seasonings and spice mixes.  The bottom line when it comes to gluten is do your part ~ read the label ~ or better yet eat foods that do not require a label such as fresh fruits and vegetables! 

Why Fermented Foods?!

Not only is it a win-win situation ~ it’s a gut thing! 

Fermentation breaks down the hard to digest components of foods and tends to maximize the nutrients.  Kinda like digesting my food a little for me before I even take a bite so that I ingest the best parts.  (vision of a mama bird feeding a baby bird)

Lately I’ve been doing fermented oatmeal.  Leaving the oatmeal to ferment overnight does not give it a sour or tangy taste, that being said when the heat goes up in the house this summer I may have to leave it out a little less time.  There is that old saying “some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pot nine days old”.  I like mine about 1 day old and hot.  (see the recipe at www.likeicancook.blogspot.com )

About a week ago sauerkraut was made in this house with raw milk whey, cabbage, caraway seeds and a lot of packing into a mason jar!  Sauerkraut is easy to absorb nutrients and helps improve the quality of gut bacteria we host by acting like a pre-biotic and pro-biotic all in one.

Homemade Sauerkraut

There are many foods and drinks you can prepare with fermentation.  You’ll have to try something that suits your taste buds and gives you what you are looking for.

Water Kefir infused with apples and cinamon

Kick Start Your Metabolism!

 Chiropractic Care and Your Personal Lifestyle

Regular chiropractic care is an important component of any lifestyle change you're planning to put into place. Whether you're improving your diet by eating at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, engaging in regular vigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes five times per week, or both, the benefits you obtain will be enhanced by regular chiropractic care.
To derive the most benefit from the healthful food you're eating and the exercise you're doing, your metabolism must be working properly. Your metabolic systems require your nerve system to be functioning at peak capacity. Nerve signals must arrive on time and must be processed properly. Spinal nerve irritation interferes with these activities. Regular chiropractic care helps make sure your nerve system is free of interference and, as a result, helps make sure you're getting the most out of your valuable time and effort spent in implementing your new lifestyle upgrade.

***above was a copy/paste article***

Here's my two cents...

Still living up to your New Years resolution of a new you?  Did you make a New Years resolution?  Why not just set some goals and go for it?!  Short term goals, long term goals, make a plan and stick with it.  Short term goal could be clean eating for 3 days, then increase your goal to 5 days, that kind of thing.  Workout 2 days a week, increase to 3 days a week, etc.  You get the picture.  Baby steps.

Got Grains?!

Kefir grains that is!

Now that Dr Oz has put out how good kefir is for you, everyone will want some!

Basically there are two types of kefir grains, water kefir grains and milk kefir grains.  From what I have read water grains can convert to milk grains but not the other way around.  I am currently trying to convert some of my water kefir grains to milk ones ~ I'll let you know how that goes!

You can buy kefir products at local health food stores and some grocery stores in the dairy aisle.  Or you can grow your own.

Growing your own is pretty easy and kind of fun.  You can change up the recipe and make flavors you enjoy.  I do the basic one with a slice of peeled lemon in each jar.  I have added dried apricots to get a slightly different flavor.  You can also add ginger root and make your own ginger beer.

Benefits of Kefir?  It's a natural supplier of probiotics to the digestive track.  Probiotics refers to the healthy bacteria that usually feed on the "bad" unhealthy bacteria in the stomach and intestines.  By drinking water kefir you will bring a natural balance to your internal microflora.


Get your grains today because soon they will be all gone ~ thanks Dr Oz (when he speaks the stores sell out)

UPDATE:  3/7/14
***For more info on Weston A Price Meetings ~ email me at wicomicocountywapf@yahoo.com***

***Success on making water kefir grains into milk kefir grains***

My first published article......

The following was published in Beach to Bay Times ~ local calendar & commentary book:

Genetically-Modified Organisms (GMOs) ~ What’s All The Hype?!

First what is a GMO?  Wikipedia describes it as:  A genetically modified organism is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

To explain it even further…the term GM foods or GMOs is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content.   Genetic engineering can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used. The best known example of this is the use of Bt genes in corn and other crops.  Bt, or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae.  Bt crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer.   Don’t those crystal proteins sound delish?

What does that mean for you and me?  Basically it means our foods are genetically altered.  Corn, soy, sugar, canola and sugar beets are just a few of these foods.  Also you’re most likely ingesting GMOs if you’re eating conventional poultry, dairy or meat. The animals are either treated with hormones (to increase milk production, for example) or GMOs are present in their feed (corn, soy).

You have to ask yourself, are these foods really safe?  Have they been tested?  Since GMOs were introduced in 1996 the deteriorating health of Americans does raise questions.  Within nine years, the number of people with three or more chronic diseases nearly doubled.  And overall food related illnesses doubled from 1994 to 2001, according to the Centers of Disease Control.  There is no systematic, well-funded investigation to explore links between GMO consumption and any disease.   Does that make us the guinea pigs?

So what’s a person to eat?  All organic GMO free products?  That would be pretty radical and expensive but you have to ask yourself (and your body) are GMOs right for you?

About our contributing writer:  Julie McKamey is a Wellness Coach and is the chapter leader for the Wicomico County Weston A. Price Foundation.  She lives in Salisbury with her husband, Dr. Kevin McKamey, who is a Chiropractor at Delmarva Chiropractic.

 

Peeps Are Pigs....

A photo journal of proof.....

We really should take better care of what was made for us to live on!  ;-P

Relax, Rest, Regenerate, Renew, Revive AAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH

Relax means:

~ to become less tense, rigid, or firm.

~ to become less strict or severe; grow milder.

~ to reduce or stop work, effort, application, etc., especially for the sake of rest or recreation.

~ to release oneself from inhibition, worry, tension, etc.

Relax was the key word for my Valentines Day weekend.  And ya know what…it was good!  We do not do it often, the kind of "relax" where you LEAVE the house and the worries of life behind and drive to a nearby (so you are not road weary) destination and relax!  It was all a surprise for me, a very nice surprise that was pulled off with some help but still he did good!

So I was thinking about how important it is to relax as part of stress relieve.  We all get stressed out sometimes and need to just get away, check out from reality, take a break from life, if only for a few hours.

Stress seems to rule our days, to rule our weeks, to rule our months and it’s time to do something about it!  Come on, I know you know what I am blogging about.  You wake up stressing over this or that on a regular basis.  Don't ya?!  You can admit it!!

Why is reducing stress so important?  Because it is not healthy for you and wellness is our focus here peeps!  Overall well being of our mind, body and soul.  I’m here to educate, empower and encourage you to handle your stress!  So here's some stress fighting tips:

Relax ~ Just do nothing, do not think about the stresses of life, it can be for an hour, a day or an entire weekend, just do it!  Leave the cell phones, office stuff and worries of world in a box and don't open the lid!

Breathe ~ Sit up straight, close your eyes and inhale and exhale, nice and easy, then repeat 10 times.  3 deep breathes like this before you begin to consume your meal can go a long way too!

Eat Chocolate ~ A piece of dark chocolate might be just the nibble you need to brighten your outlook and reduce stress. (milk chocolate doesn’t count)  Did I mention we did “Death by Chocolate” this weekend?!  Yeah baby!

Soothing Scents  ~ To calm those nerves in an instant, try inhaling aromas from lavender or peppermint oils.

Take a Bath ~  Hydrotherapy has been practiced for years.  Its healing and restorative powers are great. To make your tub-time extra therapeutic, sprinkle in a handful of bath salts, turn down the lights, turn on some relaxing music, light an aromatherapy candle and LOCK THE BATHROOM DOOR AND THROW AWAY THE KEY!!  ;-)

Get Moving  ~  Even if it’s the last thing you feel like doing go for a brisk walk!  A walk is one of the quickest, most effective ways to reduce stress.  Pound it out!

Go to Your HaPpY pLaCe ~ When you feel tension throughout your body, calm those nerves by closing your eyes and picturing your happy place.  I like to go the beach, hear the waves crashing, feel the sand between my toes and the sun on my face.  There is usually a little umbrella drink in my hand too!  The mind can be very powerful sometimes!
 

Now that I've shared some relaxing, stress fighting tips I'd like to thank the owner and staff of The Refuge Inn www.refugeinn.com for the wonderful accommodations, the owner and staff of Waterside Inn for the sweet hospitality and awesome finish line of the Death by Chocolate trail and to all the local merchants that participated in the event.