gluten-free diet. the bad news.

Are you going gluten-free because you have celiac? Because you're gluten-sensitive? Or because you want to lose weight and have more energy?

No matter which reason is yours, I want you to know that there is a way to become gluten-free AND less healthy.

Here's how: 

If you already eat a lot of refine white carbohydrates and substitute those brownies, breads, pancakes, pastas, cereals and cupcakes for gluten free brownies, breads, pancakes etc... you will continue to battle "the bulge", blood sugar swings, mood swings and fatigue (we've all been there!).

Your gluten specific symptoms may dissipate but I feel you're still doing your health a grave disservice.

Many processed gluten products are enriched with vitamins and nutrients (i.e. Raisin Bran) and by switching to gluten free you'll miss out on these few extra nutrients.

Of course you won't miss out on these nutrients if you eat a gluten free diet the healthy way... Stay tuned for this!!

what does 2000 calories look like? holy moly!

What does 2000 calories look like?

I've always been fascinated calorie density (CD), or the amount of calories per pound of food. As this video clearly shows, CD is lowest in unprocessed plant foods.

For example:

Food                          CD
Cucumber                  70
Apple                        270
Cheddar Cheese      1,820

So, in short, you can have a pound of cucumbers in your belly for just 70 calories, or a pound of cheddar cheese for 1,820--almost a whole days worth of calories!

The best way to "crowd out" unhealthy processed food is by concentrating on adding low CD plant foods. This will naturally help regulate your blood sugar and cause you less hunger pangs! Now that's good new.

is gluten-free really healthier? part one.

(Photo courtesy of Swirlz... big yum.)

As a health coach, my clients often ask me if a gluten-free lifestyle is healthier. The answer is plain and simple: no.

The above cupcake, whether gluten free or not, still has refined carbohydrates, many sugars, and empty calories. At times, a cupcake feels like it feeds the soul, but that is a topic for a later date.

So why do we often feel that gluten-free is synonymous with healthy? I will explain this in: part one, the bad gluten-free diet and the good gluten-free diet--stay tuned for all three!

Part one.

To understand all of this, we must first understand the meaning of gluten. Gluten is Latin for "glue". It is a protein found in wheat, rye and barely. There are many tricky ways in which gluten is hidden in our food. Check out how to read a label to see all the other names for gluten. This protein binds together pasta, bread and desserts to make them a dense product many of us love. This new fad diet is not necessarily for everyone and can actually be less healthy when done the wrong way.

Who should be gluten-free?

1) Those with celiac disease: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which there is a progressive deterioration of the villi, or hair-like projections, within the small intestine. These flattening villi, caused by a gluten-triggered reaction, lead to a decrease in absorption of essential vitamins and nutrients. This creates a malabsorption which in turn causes anemia, irritability, weight loss, stomach pains and other gastrointestinal complications. 

2) Those with gluten intolerance: While individuals with celiac disease make up approximately 1% of our population, those with gluten intolerance make up six to seven times that. Though non-celiac gluten sensitivity can have many symptoms similar to celiac, it also has many symptoms that are unrelated to the gastrointestinal system. These symptoms may include bone or joint pain, leg numbness, chronic fatigue, headaches, behavioral changes, sinus congestion or skin rashes.

If you know or believe yourself to be either of the above, I encourage you to attempt a gluten-free diet to see if your symptoms improve. Believe me, you will know without a doubt that you feel better. However, it is important for you to know how to be gluten-free in a way that makes your diet healthier than before--because as I mentioned above, gluten-free is not synonymous with healthy. 

Coming up! How a gluten-free diet can be unhealthy... 

(I promise that the "good gluten-free diet" is to follow....!)