Don't Think You Can Get Healthy?

That’s what I used to say. When facing food that tastes good, but is bad for you, there's that feeling of powerless when tempted by its flavor or aroma… be it sweet, salty, or both.  Then comes the day when you realize that you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Along with that realization, comes the nagging question... “Can I really get healthy?” In years past, the following are some of the reasons why I thought I could not get healthy. The difference between now and then though is that I now have some comebacks to keep me focused.

1. I don’t eat THAT much junk food! I didn't think so until I kept a food diary and discovered that I ate more junk food than I cared to admit to myself, to my husband, or to my stepson. Whether it’s a pad of paper or a phone app such as “LoseIt”, a food diary allows you to take a hard look at what you eat during the course of a day. Before you know it, you start to see eating patterns emerge. For example, my husband would have a big breakfast at home, but still have room for donuts before lunch when someone brought them into work. Then after lunch, he would hit the vending machines. For me, I loaded up on carbs throughout the day. It would be pancakes, French toast, or hash browns for breakfast; a sandwich or leftover pasta for lunch; followed by a mid-afternoon snack be it a Mounds bar or a handful of Twizzlers – all in an effort to get that much-needed energy boost to get through the rest of the day. Using a phone app has an added bonus of not only tracking what you eat, but also the exercises you take in, calculating the calories you consume and burn as well as the nutrients you take in be it carbs, fats, or protein along with cholesterol and sodium levels.
2. I wouldn’t know where to begin. Once you become familiar with your eating patterns, you know what and where to cut back on. Being Italian in heritage, I have to tell you that I ate a lot of bread and pasta in my day. What's more, I could not even begin to imagine a life without either one. Ultimately, my food diary did not lie. I knew in my heart that I had to cut down on those tasty carbs. Keeping a food diary has helped me to stay connected in terms of what I ate compared to how I felt. My gut ached on days filled with bread and pasta. In addition, I felt bloated, tired, and cranky. Conversely, on days I had protein, fruits, and vegetables I felt thinner, had a clearer head, and more energy.  So the logical first step for me was to seek out appetizing Paleo and Gluten-Free recipes.
3. Healthy foods are bland and boring. Truth is they do not have to be. Spice them up with flavored butter or spices. Reinvent old recipes using spaghetti squash in place of pasta; cauliflower as the base for “mock fried rice”, or zucchini as the “crust” the next time you make pizza. This is your chance to get creative!
4. I don't have time to make meals from scratch. Truth is grocery stores now offer fruits and vegetables pre-washed and cut. Lean cuts of meat are already seasoned and ready to throw in the oven (be sure to read labels before purchase for any “unsafe” ingredients such as gluten or MSG) . As a result, stir fries take less time to make on your stovetop than it does to microwave a frozen lasagna or bake a store-bough pizza in the oven.
5. I don’t feel ready. That’s ok. Practice in moderation and realize each new day provides another opportunity to get healthy. It took my husband and I a good six weeks and a lot of trial and error to get into the groove of a new dietary routine. Even then we gave ourselves permission (I know I did at least)  to indulge now and then. What I discovered along the way was that by giving into your cravings, the cravings dissipate. No longer feeling deprived, you're ready to start anew. What’s more, you learn after a few indulgences that the foods you crave no longer taste nearly as good as they once did!

      What are some of your reasons for not getting healthy? Chances are... there's even better reasons to get healthy!

Carb Sense

   Carbohydrates are essential for good health. They give our body energy. But, we must be aware of how carbs effect our body. There are simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbs are absorbed quickly into the blood stream, whereas the body has to work at releasing the carbs in their more complex forms. Both enter the blood as glucose. How quickly they raise blood sugar is behind the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load numbers.

   The increase of sugar in the blood stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin, which is a hormone that the body uses to regulate the blood sugar by informing your body it is time to store the sugar as glycogen and fat. Simple carbs cause a higher sugar load and causes a higher insulin response.

   But aren’t there good carbs? Yes. Eat more fresh vegetables, more fresh fruits and less grains and cereals. Vegetables have sugar but it is harder for your body to get to it and causes a gradual absorption into the blood stream. Fruits have more sugar, in the form of fructose, which usually has a higher glycemic load than vegetables. Nature usually pairs these sugars with fiber.

   Fiber is not digested by your body, so these carbs basically pass through you. These can be subtracted from the total carbs to get your “net” carbs, also sometimes called impact or effective carbs. If you eat something with a Total Carb count of 16g, with 4g of fiber, then this food would have 12g of net carbs.

   You may notice that the fiber and sugar carbs listed on the label do not add up to the total carb count.  For instance, a sweet potato, 5” long (130g) has 112 calories. It has 26g of Total Carbohydrate, 4g of fiber and 5g of sugar. So what is the other 17 grams? Those are complex carbohydrates or starches. It has a medium glycemic load of 11. Foods with a glycemic load of 10 or less are considered to have a low glycemic load. High glycemic load (20 and higher) foods increase blood sugar the most.

   Keep your net carb count low by using fresh vegetables, supplemented by fruit. Not only do fresh vegetables offer complex carbs, they are usually packed with lots of nutrients. Foods such as raw cauliflower, broccoli, tomato and even celery are very nutrient dense, make you feel full and accomplish all this with limited calories.

   Happy eating. You don’t have to necessarily count carbs, just realize where they come from. Stay away or limit obvious starches like breads, cereals, and potato, as they quickly turn to sugar and increase your insulin (storage hormone) response. Good health to you.

Hunger for Change

As we have shared in previous posts, my husband and I have been "going against the grain" now since early January after experiencing a number of health setbacks last year... and the results have been extraordinary. Not only do our stomachs and intestines feel better, be we also have a clearer head, more energy, and greatly reduced joint pain. In addition, we no longer crave processed foods, are extremely satisfied with the smaller portions we do eat, and best of all... we no longer feel famished in between meals. As a side benefit, we have lost weight too! Watching the documentary, "Hunger for Change" last night only confirms what we have experienced for ourselves these last few months. In a sequel to their popular documentary "Food Matters", filmmakers James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch take a controversial look out at why you crave certain foods and how the food industry has secretly engineered packaged foods to be highly addictive. Foods such as wheat and corn as well as additives such as sugar, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and MSG have been engineered to stimulate appetite with some experts saying they are as addictive as cocaine. Daily consumption of these as well as other processed foods and additives lead you down a destructive path of food addiction, obesity, and metabolic syndrome while increasing your risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure,  arthritis, dementia, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and more. 

The good news is that once you realize what is actually happening, you can make needed changes to your diet to eliminate food cravings while escaping the diet trap too. It starts by gradually replacing processed “faux-foods” with organic, nutrient-dense real foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits and lean meats such as chicken and fish. In addition, by making other lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and proactively reducing your daily stress, you can live a fuller, more vibrant life as you now have an abundance of energy in which to achieve all of your goals... and eventually reach your ideal weight too!

Want to know more? Check out FoodMaters.tv and the video "Hunger for Change."

Tips for Dining Out Gluten-Free/Grain Free

One of the major challenges of the gluten-free/grain-free (GF2) lifestyle is dining out. I am happy to say that you don’t have to be a recluse. In fact, with so many restaurants including gluten-free options on their menus, it’s possible to go out with your friends and loved ones and stick with your diet too. The secret is simple… be prepared and here’s how…

1. Don't go hungry. The hungrier you are, the more likely you are to make a mistake. So eat something beforehand and/or be sure to bring some snacks to munch on while everyone else is filling up on the rolls. A friend of mine keeps individually packaged GF cookies and crackers in her purse.
2. As in theatre, know the show before you go. By that I mean, be familiar with the diet you are on. Whether you are staying away from gluten or grains all together, not only know what foods to avoid, but also where they are likely to be hidden. For example gluten or grain may be hidden in sauces, gravies, dressings, and condiments. So be sure to protect yourself against them.
3. Select a GF2 friendly restaurant. Check with the restaurant in advance to make sure there are menu items you can eat. In addition, you may want to check out one or more of celiac-friendly restaurant directories. Also..l. whether the restaurant is a chain restaurant or a local establishment, many offer gluten-free menus. So be sure to check out their menu online or have one emailed to you beforehand. If you're still not sure whether anything safe is on the menu, call ahead, preferably when the restaurant isn't busy, and speak with the chef or the manager
   
   Note: If you'll be dining at an Italian restaurant, call to ask whether they have gluten-free pastas. Many of them do. If not, ask whether they mind if you brought your own pasta. Many restaurants will be happy to prepare your gluten-free pasta and top it with their own fresh sauce.
   
4. Tell your server you're on a special diet. Advise them that you have dietary restrictions and need to know how the food is prepared. If your server does not understand, ask to speak with the restaurant manager or the chef. Also... consider bringing along a dining card that explain what you can and cannot eat. Cards are available in a wide variety of languages.
5. Select two or three dishes on the menu that look as though they may be safe, then be sure to ask questions. For example, look for simple dishes without coatings or sauces, or with sauces that can be left off. Check out and learn restaurant menu terms that indicate a dish containing gluten. In addition, be sure to always ask your server to tell the chef you cannot have wheat, barley or rye (or any grain for that matter if you are grain free). Ask a lot of questions and never assume anything is gluten-free or grain-free. Even if a menu item looks safe, a chef's secret recipe may include gluten or grains.
6. Be prepared to eat something that isn't your first choice. If nothing on the menu looks safe, ask if the chef if they can sauté’ some plain meat or fish in olive oil or butter and include some steam some vegetables. While it may not be the tastiest meal you ever had, keep in mind that the goal here is to eat food that does not make you feel sick.

Do you have any additional tips you would like to share with this community?

Necessity is the Mother of Re-Invention

Having grown up Italian, I have to tell you that I initially missed a number of “little indulgences” when going gluten-free…especially pasta, pizza, bread, and fried rice (yes, even fried rice). No more. I soon discovered that that with a little creativity and the Internet (and a very thoughtful husband), you can reinvent your favorite foods and not feel at all guilty about doing it.

• Pasta Zero … also known as Japanese Shirataki noodles, you can enjoy pasta with your favorite recipes and remain grain-free. Knowing that I really miss pasta, Justin found this gem at Wegmans with only 15 calories with 4g of carbs and 3 grams of fiber per serving! 
• Pizza with Zucchini Crust…one of the ladies at our monthly devotional group brought a similar recipe to our dinner meeting last month. I have to tell you that I absolutely loved it and really appreciated this dear friend thinking of the wheat-free individuals at the gathering!
• Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice…Justin made this last night for his lunch today. After a sampling, I will say that the day you discover “rice” can be made with a head of cauliflower will be one of the happiest of your life!
• One of my favorites though is Bread in a Mug…yes folks… you can “bake” bread in a coffee mug within a matter of seconds in your microwave. What’s more if you search the Internet... and Pinterest, in particular, you will discover a lot “Bread in the Mug” recipes are out there, ranging from blueberry and banana nut to buttermilk and almond. If you like brownies and chocolate chip cookies, there's similar recipes too!

What recipes have you reinvented while going gluten-free / grain-free???

What's Different

What is the difference between my current diet and the ones that I tried before? First of all, only time will tell how successful this diet will be. The purpose of this diet was to improve my digestive symptoms. I am currently in my tenth week of Gluten free dieting which includes a month without any grains. My stomach is finally beginning to feel better.

   
But one additional effect of this current diet is that I am losing weight. I again, emphasize, this was and is not the main focus of this diet. But, hey, I will take it. Since I need to lose weight anyway, it is a most welcome addition.

  
My previous diets were just a lessening of the volume of food and calories that I was eating before. Even increasing whole grains and fiber were part of those diets. I now understand the effect of glucose spikes in the blood caused by wheat and other grains. Two slices of whole grain wheat bread raise your blood sugar levels higher than a Snicker’s bar. This in turn creates an insulin reaction that ends up storing the sugar as fat.

Even though I was tracking my calories and eating less of them, I felt deprived. The wheat and grains caused me to be hungry and stimulated my cravings for starchy foods. I would lose weight for a short while, but as soon as I began eating again, the weight would come back on, and sometimes even more. I was caught in the same endless cycle that many people are in.

So what makes this different? Removing the wheat and grain from my diet has caused me to seek out other sources of nutrition, namely fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. Vegetables, especially, are low in calories but high in nutrition. You can consume several cups of baby spinach and broccoli and barely break 150 calories. I have purposely tried to keep my carbohydrates below 100g per day. I am eating between 90 – 150g per day.

Again, what’s different? Because of the food that I am eating, I feel fuller on less calories. I am not hungry as often. Since my blood sugar is being kept stable from the naturally low glycemic effect of most of the foods I eat, I avoid the sugar crash and subsequent cravings that come with it. I am simply not hungry all the time as I was in the past. That is be big difference when it comes to hunger.

My past diets made me hungry or feel deprived. I really didn’t feel much better, even when I did lose some weight. Since I have stopped eating grains, I have experienced many benefits, many unexpected. I knew about the brain fog, as it happened to me before almost after every lunch. I did not expect my energy levels to go up as much as they have. I did not expect my arthritis pain to go away. I did expect my stomach pain to go away, but it did not while gluten free, but is now much improved as I am grain free.

Yesterday, I took a 5.5 mile ‘forced march’ hike with my son. My joints did not bother me. I was a little sore when I got home but it wasn’t arthritis pain, it was a ‘dang, that was a hell of a workout’ kind of pain and it felt good!

Benefits so far: more energy; more alert; no arthritis pain; less hungry; less cravings; fresher foods; cooking adventures; better mood; and better sleep.

When I tell people that I am grain free, they sometimes ask, “Then what do you eat?” That is a very fair question. It is a question that I would have asked myself if someone told me they were grain free. Wheat, corn, soy and rice is in the majority of foods in the American diet. The diversity in the store is actually based on a limited set of ingredients. So once you explore the outside aisles you can begin creating vegetable and meat dishes that are not only delicious but very nutritious and healing to your body.

Is there a difference this time? You bet there is. I am feeling better in so many different ways; it is absolutely amazing how diet affects your overall wellness. Of course we know what you eat is important, but until you experience such a change in your life, you will never understand just how important.

My wish is for a better health, better foods, and a better life for you.

Let's go shopping!

Now that you have gone gluten-free / grain-free (GF2), now what? While shopping may have always been a fun-filled experience, it now all seems too overwhelming. After initially saying  "now what?", the next question that comes to mind is "how do I adjust my buying habits to support this new lifestyle?" We're here to say you do not have to travel this path alone. You are among a community of friends who are here to help. Help comes in the form of our Shopping page, where we have provided you with a roadmap as to what to buy, what not to buy, where to shop with tips on how to shop to support your GF2 journey... complete with a printable shopping list!

Thinking about joining a CSA?

Now that my husband and I are feeling healthier and have more energy, we’re discovering that we are more creative in the kitchen. Whether we are at the store or online, we gravitate towards a vast array of cookbooks in search of whipping up something new for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With spring just around the corner, we are really looking forward to joining our community’s CSA to take advantage of the local produce.

What is a CSA?

For over 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture (or CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer.

How does it work?

A farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically, each share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products such as fruits and herbs may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share and in return receive a box (bag, or basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

How does it benefit farmers?

Farmers get to spend time marketing their food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin; receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow; and have an opportunity to get to know and establish a relationship with the people who eat the food they grow.

What’s in it for me?

Consumers get to eat super-fresh produce, benefitting from peak flavor and vitamins; gain exposure to new vegetables, new recipes, and new ways of cooking; and get to visit the farm where the produce is grown during peak season. If that is not enough, they soon discover that their kids will actually eat their vegetables, typically favoring fresh produce over frozen or canned. In fact, they have been known to eat vegetables they have never been known to eat. (Wish my parents knew about CSAs as a kid. Maybe then I would have eaten peas!) Best of all, you get to develop a relationship with the local farmer who grows your food, learning more about how the food you eat is grown.

While the concept sounds simple enough, the impact of CSAs has been profound. Over the years, tens of thousands of families have joined CSAs, with demand in some areas of the country exceeding CSA farms. Since the government does not track CSAs, there is no official count of how many CSAs there are across the US. However, with the most comprehensive directory of CSA farms in the US, LocalHarvest.com has over 4,000 CSAs listed in their database.

Where to go?

In the Rochester/Buffalo area, Lori's Market Basket recently announced that they have officially started their CSA Program for the 2014 season.  If interested in being a shareholder, they are offering a number of options. 

• They are offering 100 shares for this years' crop season with a full share priced at $550 and a half share at $300. 
• Each full share consists of a large box (about the size of a bushel) of seasonal produce, while half shares are a half box to be picked up every week.
• The program runs for 23 weeks, between the second week of June and the third week of November.
• There are two convenient pick up locations (their stand in Holley NY as well as at the Greece Ridge Farmers Market)

After contacting Lori’s Market Basket, Lori or Ashley will provide you with an information / customization sheet containing program details and space for telling them the type of produce you like (or do not like). This is a nice personal touch as not all CSAs do this. Plus… Lori’s Market Basket not only includes vegetables, but also fruits, nuts cheese, eggs, and herbs as part of the program. If that is not enough… Lori’s Market Basket plans to set up a Swap Table where you can exchange food items if you have too much of one thing on any given week. So, for example, if one week you have more broccoli in your box than you know your family can use, you can exchange it for a comparable item such as a head of cabbage.

To learn more about CSAs in your area, check out LocalHarvest.com. Or if you live in the Rochester / Buffalo NY area, Lori’s Market Basket is worth the drive. To learn more about them, visit their website; contact them at 585-638-8940; write them at LorisMarketBskt@aol.com, or simply reply to them on Facebook. Oh… and be sure to check out their flyer on Pinterest. All inquiries are quickly answered, and they hope to hear from you soon!

Getting Enough Fiber

Going grain free can make it difficult to get enough fiber.  Since grain was a primary source of fiber prior to my decision to go grain free, I have to seek out new ways to get it. Of course, vegetables are a great source of fiber but even then, it might be hard to get enough. I have averaged about 15 grams of fiber each day. To supplement my diet, I have added ground flax seed. I add it to my sauteed savoy cabbage while it is in the pan. It can also be sprinkled on any vegetable dish. Ground flax seed can be sprinkled on almond and coconut pancakes just after you put the batter in the pan. You can also take psyllium husk capsules.

I use an android app called Lose It! to track my calories and macronutrients. It is a wonderful way to keep notes as to what I eat and what nutrition it contains. It also tells me where I need to fill in and cover. I am sure there are other apps that are similar.

Enjoy your journey to good food, good health and a great life. - Justin

*Lose It! is a service of FitNow, Inc.

Should you consider gluten-free cosmetics?

Whenever Afton Jones wears eye makeup, her eyes become swollen, heavy, and watery. Soon after she discovered her mascara had gluten in it. Since then the 20-something Celiac sufferer from Texas has been on the lookout for gluten-free cosmetics and providing product reviews on her glutenfreemakeupgal.com site. Like Afton, many of those suffering from Celiac disease are discovering that the gluten-free lifestyle goes beyond making dietary changes and into their daily beauty regimen. An ever sneaky fellow, gluten has been known to lurk in your makeup and toiletries as it is used as a binder to help ingredients stick together and to add moisture using gluten-derived oils. As a result, lipstick, lip-gloss, mouthwash, and toothpaste all have been known to trigger a reaction. Others develop skin reactions to lotion, sunscreen, or shampoo due to gluten-sensitivity or allergies to wheat or other grains. As for the gluten sensitive folks… little is known about exactly how much gluten popular cosmetics contain and how much it takes to cause harmful side effects. So … you may still want to go gluten-free with your cosmetics and toiletries. The reason is that even if you go symptom-free with your make-up, you can still be doing damage to your inside. That is the word from Alice Bast, Founder and President of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) in the US News article, “Are Gluten-Free Cosmetics Necessary?”. So does that mean you should opt for gluten-free cosmetics? There does not seem to be a one-size fits all answer, with the decision being a very personal one. But if you do choose to use gluten-free cosmetics, go to Gluten-Free Make-Up Girl to download your free copy of her 2014 Gluten-Free Make-Up list. While there, you may also wish to check out her make-up reviews.

Stocking your pantry

One of the major challenges when getting started on any new cooking adventure, including a gluten-free or a grain-free one, is in how to stock a healthy and safe kitchen pantry.  Thanks to “The Gluten Free Table” by Jilly Lagasse and Jessie Lagasse Swanson, life has gotten a little easier as their book dedicates a full chapter on how to set up a well-stocked pantry. While the following list is a rather lengthy, it is not by any means a complete list of ingredients to get you started:

For Baking:

• Gluten-free all-purpose baking mix
• Almond Meal / Flour
• Coconut Meal / Flour
• Baking powder and baking soda (gluten free)
• Xanthan gum
• Guar gum
• Honey, molasses, agave syrup, coconut sugar
• Applesauce (all natural unsweetened)
• Fruit preserves (good quality)
• Shredded coconut
• Almond milk
• Coconut milk
• Condensed milk
• Chocolate (good-quality milk, dark, white)
• Dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, raisins, currants, etc.)
• Nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts)
• Salt
• Butter
• Vanilla and almond extracts (all natural)
• Spices (all-natural cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)

Pasta, Cereals & Grains (Gluten-Free, Not Grain-Free):

• Gluten-free pastas (any blend of corn, rice, quinoa in any brand and shape you prefer including lasagna noodles)
• Gluten-free rice noodles (vermicelli and pad Thai–cut rice noodles, bean thread noodles)
• Gluten-free oats and oatmeal
• Gluten-free cereals
• Corn tortillas
• Corn grits and polenta
• Quinoa
• Rices (brown, white, jasmine, basmati, wild)

Dried Legumes:

• Dried beans (red kidney, black, black-eyed peas)
• Dried peas
• Lentils

Canned and Bottled Goods, Sauces, and Seasonings:

• Canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce
• Canned beans (red kidney, black, black-eyed peas)
• Vinegars (apple cider, red, white, balsamic, cooking sherry)
• Oils (olive, coconut, vegetable, sunflower)
• Peanut butter and almond butter (all natural)
• Fruit preserves (all natural)
• Salsas
• Gluten-free soy sauce and teriyaki sauce
• Condiments (catsup, mayonnaise, mustards)
• Spices and seasonings (all natural)
• Gluten-free beef, chicken, vegetable stock or stock cubes

Once stocked with these essential items, your pantry get your creatives juices going, allowing you to create a bountiful feast of nutritious and delicious meals. For more pantry ideas, check out “The Gluten Free Table” by Jilly Lagasse and Jessie Lagasse Swanson along with their very informative Lagasse Girls website.