Eating to Live: Water the Driving Force

“Water is the driving force of nature”

 Leonardo da Vinci

I do what most people probably do first thing in the morning-I head to the bathroom. While sitting on the throne, I begin my day by rehydrating with a 10 ounce glass of water. I drink it slowly and allow my body to soak up its goodness, but this is not how I always felt about drinking water. I had my first bladder infection over thirty years ago. My doctor told me I should consider drinking more water. Up until this point I really didn't care for water and never gave a thought to how much I drank during the day. After the painful bladder infection I was determined to start a new water habit.

We have all heard at one time or another that we need to drink 8 glasses of water a day, but what size of glass? I found a glass refers to 8 ounces. So I began trying to work 64 ounces of water into my day. I decided I should start with a glass of water first thing each morning, because I read that after sleeping 7 or 8 hours we begin the day dehydrated. That was an easy habit to get into-10 ounces down, 54 to go! I worked in an office with a ladies restroom down the hall. By the second day of my hourly trips to the bathroom, Gloria, the secretary, popped her head out of her office and asked me if I was feeling okay. I told her what I was doing and she pointed to her desk. There sat a tall bottle of water. She mentioned my body would get used to drinking water after two weeks and I would not be making so many trips to the restroom. She also mentioned she always had water with her, kept track of how much she was consuming, and that she wrapped up her water drinking before 7 or 8 pm so she wasn't up all night. The next day I had a bottle of water sitting on my desk and it followed me throughout my day. Gloria was right, after about two weeks I no longer made hourly trips to the ladies restroom.

By drinking water on a regular basis I started noticing a number of improvements over a short period of time:

• My skin, hair, and nails were not as dry.
• My face looked revitalized.
• I slept better at night.
• I carried less water weight-go figure! But the fact is, drinking water flushes toxins out of the body.
• My body physically felt better-almost as if I finally had what my body needed!
• I felt more refreshed.
• I got extremely thirsty if I was behind on my water intake, which was not something I noticed before my new water habit.

Interesting facts:

The body contains 55% to 78% water depending on your body size.

Our bodies can lose approximately 68 ounces of water through normal bodily functions. It just makes sense to replace what we lose each day.

Drinking alcohol, caffeinated beverages, or taking various prescription medications is dehydrating so you might consider drinking that much more water to offset the dehydrating effects.

Most people are in a state of dehydration which can lead to a number of health related issues. Because of that fact, we should all be aware of the following:
As part of the blood workups for physicals a CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel) is done. This test covers many different levels including Estimated GFR (kidney function). Recently, I have known more than a few people with a Stage 4 flag on their blood workup. Stage 4 indicates possible kidney disease and advises nephrology (kidney specialist) consult, Stage 5 is kidney failure. And, of course, their doctors told these patients they needed to see a kidney specialist. BUT, before seeing the nephrologist (which can take 6-8 weeks) and after sharing their concern with me, they began drinking 40-60 oz. of water a day for 6 weeks. They asked their regular doctor to recheck their eGFR, and they no longer needed to see the specialist! A one-off test does not make something wrong, and on my blood lab results for eGFR it states that a single determination is not considered diagnostic. Had these people gone to the nephrologist, it would have meant an appointment or two with more tests when all these people needed to do was drink more water, AND continue to drink water on a regular basis! Most general practitioners and internists are willing to work with you if you have a reasonable plan of action (if not then you are going to the wrong doctor). Obviously, if more eGFR testing shows Stage 4 it definitely is time to see the nephrologist.

Over the years they have told us how much water to drink, and they have told us we don’t need to drink as much water as they originally told us. Who knows? Like so many other things they say, we need to figure out what makes sense and works for us. All I know is I feel better when I am consuming around 60 ounces of water a day. I am a driving force in my life and it all starts first thing in the morning with a glass of water. How much water do you drink in a day? Are you willing to allow water to be a driving force for change in your life?

Michelle

Splash photo courtesy of Shawn Harquail

Eating to Live: Breakfast Salad

Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I do my best to start the day with a good meal. While I don’t always have a lot of time to spend on breakfast, it is important for me to start the day off right. Past breakfast posts have been about museli in Investing in Breakfast, beet smoothies in Smoothie Nirvana, and gluten free orange/flaxseed muffins in Changing Course. Today it's my breakfast salad. In an attempt to reduce my carbs, eating just two eggs on a plate without toast cradeling the eggs was unappetizing to look at. Even the eggs looked bored! So one morning I tossed a bunch of salad greens on the plate, topped them with eggs and my breakfast salad was born.

It couldn’t be easier – I grab a handful of tender mixed greens, spinach, and whatever else I have floating around the kitchen that sounds good. My favorite ingredients on the greens are tomato, avocado, and green onion. I drizzle a bit of olive oil, add a dash of salt and pepper, and two fried eggs. You heard me right – fried eggs. I’ve added hard boiled eggs if I’ve had them, prepared poached eggs, but I prefer eggs fried in a slight amount of butter or a drizzle of olive oil – and voila, a lovely, quick and easy breakfast that stays with me until lunchtime. Other toppings I enjoy are: a sprinkle of flax meal, grated cheeses such as manchego, feta, Cheddar, parmesan, crumbled bacon, dried cranberries or raisins, leftover steamed veggies, even sliced fruit and nuts. With this salad you can not only have a great breakfast, but lunch or light dinner, too. Let your imagination run wild - if it tastes good, chances are it will only enhance your salad.

With all the traveling I do, starting my day with a health-filled breakfast is not only important for the day ahead but for my overall health. Since we are not on vacation, but choose this nomadic lifestyle, we can't eat like we are on vacation! As the Italians say, buon appetito! – Have a good meal!

Michelle

Salad photo courtesy of the DaMClark's

Eating to Live: Smoothie Nirvana

Beet smoothie photo initially published on Facebook.

Since eating well is a key to feeling well, smoothies have long been in my morning repertoire. Back in the 1960s I didn’t feel like eating breakfast prior to leaving for elementary school in the morning. And my mom didn't want me to start my day on an empty stomach, so she came up with what she called a protein shake for me in the morning. I’ve been drinking protein shakes, now called smoothies, off and on ever since. I don’t need fancy-dancy juicers to eat whole vegetables and fruit. I’ve been there, tried that, and decided if I ran a blender long enough on the liquefy setting, I could create smooth and delicious blends of goodness without the cleanup of a fancy-dancy juicer.

Here’s my absolutely delicious beet smoothie recipe...
Roast beets: Simply wash and scrub beets (no need to mess with peeling them), remove beet green tops leaving a couple inches of stems, trim root, and rub beets with olive oil. Place beets in foil and seal up. Bake 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow beets to continue to steam in foil. Remove foil, pop off stem tops, cool, and refrigerate until ready to enjoy. Roasting beets in this way allows the natural sugars to release for maximum sweetness. If you're in a hurry, microwave a beet as you would cook a whole potato. 

1. ½ medium cooked beet
2. ½-1 banana (I use this as the basis for most smoothies as it acts as a thickener)
3. 6-8 oz. yogurt (fruit flavored or plain)
4. 1 c. carrot juice
5. 1 kale leaf rib removed (these days I always add kale or a handful of spinach in all my smoothies, and no you don’t taste whatever green goodness you tossed in)
6. 3 strawberries (any berries or no berries necessary in this concoction)
7. Cinnamon (I use cinnamon whenever I can but you decide how much)
8. 1 slice orange rind (I freeze orange, lemon, and lime rinds in 1/2 inch slices to use in beverages, and the intense flavors are wonderful in a smoothie)
9. Mint leaves or basil or both
10. After blending, stir in ground flax meal if you feel you would like more fiber
11. Sit down, put your feet up, and enjoy smoothie nirvana!

You can throw almost anything you love to eat into a smoothie. Just toss in whatever you have on hand. You don’t need a recipe. You can concoct your own delicious goodness in a glass like a mad scientist and reap the rewards of good health and nutrition. So, what does this beet smoothie taste like? First of all, it doesn't taste like beets or kale, as a matter of fact it tastes like I had thrown in heaps of raspberries and strawberries. Let's just say I deemed it the best smoothie ever! Yum!

Michelle

Beet smoothie photo courtesy of damclark's family photos

Eating to Live: Craving Kale

This spring we traveled to Asheville, North Carolina. The manager of the B & B we were staying at suggested we try Posana Cafe for dinner. She mentioned how incredibly wonderful the food was, it was a gluten free restaurant, and she now craves their kale salad and must have it on a regular basis. While we aren’t gluten free, I find restaurants fully committed to being gluten free usually have wonderful, fresh, and novel approaches to the food they serve. So, off we went to Posana.

Since my surgery last fall, my pipes (as I refer to my newly connected Crohn’s free intestinal zone) are working the best they have in years. I am eating foods I had long ago given up, and trying foods I have never eaten like kale. While kale has been around gardens and local grocery stores for years, it's the cool kids food of the moment. With the fact there are more interesting ways of serving kale than ever before, and the health benefits of eating it regularly are nothing short of amazing, I now add kale to my morning smoothies in small amounts and slice it sliver thin to add to salads. But I have never had a fully kale salad as I was unsure about all that fiber and how it would move through my pipes. Since I found the craving of kale comment rather interesting, I thought I better try this Posana salad. So I did, and now I crave Posana’s kale salad, too.

I found the recipe for the crave worthy salad on-line and can eat it whenever the mood strikes.  I know - how can anyone crave the rather firm, hard to digest kale with a slight cabbage flavor? All I can say is the executive chef at Posana knows food and knows how to do magic with kale. Since I have prepared the recipe almost weekly since our visit to Posana, I understand how the flavors work. First off, remove the hard center rib from each leaf, slice kale very thin and chop-chop to incredibly small pieces. Then, with your hands, massage olive oil and fresh lemon into the green chopped mixture. This process breaks down the firm kale leaves, imparts a light lemon flavor, and since you have had your hands in the mix - helps you become one with your kale! The addition of Manchego (a firm, nutty tasting Spanish cheese), and toasted pumpkin seeds (I use toasted sliced almonds) is just what the green glob of kale needs to override any residual cabbage flavor. The pièce de rèsistance is the addition of dried black currants. Their intense raisin flavor along with their natural sweetness finish this kale salad in a remarkable, but crave worthy way.

What’s this kale craze, or should I say kale kraze, all about? Consider kale a super food loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, iron, a great source of fiber, and, wait for it, protein! Wow, I know, right? I’m sure you are all quite excited over the possibility of kale in your life right now; okay, maybe not so much. But I just bet you will change your mind on kale when you try the Posana kale salad. Come on; be a cool kid and click the hyperlink to the recipe noted here. If you are ever in Asheville, stop by Posana Cafe and tell them hi for me! One last thing, you may be interested to know National Kale Day is October 7, 2015; party on!

Glowing kale courtesy of deedavee easyflow

Eating to Live: Investing in Breakfast

Who has time to even think about breakfast?

While traveling in Europe last year, I was reminded of the creamy, crunchy goodness of muesli. It is a Swiss/German creation containing a combination of uncooked rolled oatmeal, with various nuts, seeds, fruits (dried, fresh, or canned), and yogurt. In many European countries you can find a big bowl of it on breakfast tables, or you may find a selection of various ingredients in order for you to make your own concoction.

Once we were home from Europe, I changed my smoothie routine and started making muesli. It’s as simple as taking ready-made granola and dumping in a lot of *yogurt. Since the mixture is going to grab the moisture of the yogurt, I make sure it is somewhat creamy prior to refrigeration. I can also add 100% fruit juice, milk or other liquid to increase the creaminess. I am transported to Europe with each bite I take; and it seems to be just the right balance of protein, as I do not feel the need to eat anything else until lunch.

Eating muesli got me thinking about making my own granola, like I did back in the hippy-dippy days of the 1970’s. I am now hooked on creating various granola mixes. With the yummy goodness of my homemade granola, if I am not having a smoothie or muesli, some mornings I layer granola and fruit with the yogurt like a parfait.

Mom was right! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It recharges your brain and your body, so this is not a meal to be missed or taken lightly. Breakfast isn’t just about a bowl of cereal with milk splashed on it, or a quick stop at the drive-thru. There are many good reasons one should eat a balanced breakfast, but we’ve heard them all before. Let’s suffice it to say, most of us need to eat more protein in the morning. Eating a balanced breakfast is part of a healthy lifestyle. A home blended smoothie, muesli, or granola parfait is my way of investing in the day ahead by investing in breakfast first. All three of these ideas for a well-balanced breakfast are simple to make and take if I am plowing full steam ahead into the morning.

Who has time for breakfast? You do! You will find countless recipes for smoothies, muesli and granola on the Internet to help get you started. A change is in the air for your morning routine. Before you know it, you will be concocting your own breakfast goodness. WARNING: While eating muesli, don’t be surprised if you think you are sitting in a grassy meadow surrounded by huge snow topped mountains. You may even be able to hear cowbells in the distance.

*I prefer low or no fat Greek style yogurt as it contains less fat and more protein.
Swiss Miss photo courtesy of the Clark family album.

Eating to Live: Avocados, Coconut and Flaxseed

It has been nearly a year since I last reported on my never-ending food journey. With science, being what it is today, there are many reports of eat this, not that; only to find, years later, you should eat that, not this! What’s a person to do? I, for one, am trying to eat as healthy as I can on a regular basis while still enjoying those things that are not actually considered healthy on a not so regular basis⎯white chocolate chip, macadamia nut cookies anyone?

Without going into an exhaustive explanation about saturated and unsaturated fats, and the average American diet consisting of an overabundance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids, and that this imbalance contributes to inflammation in our bodies, you just might be interested in the following: 

Avocados
I have always loved avocados, but considered them to be a high caloric food, so imagine my surprise when I found they had gotten a bad rap. Yes, high in calories, but mostly heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and avocados are considered a nutrient-dense food! Knowing this, I eat avocados on a regular basis now, and because I only ate them occasionally in the past, I have some catching up to do.

Coconuts
I’ve heard about the wonders of coconut oil for many years, but once again was looking at its high caloric content and stayed away from it. It wasn’t until the last few years, when coconut products seemed to be popping up everywhere, that I started to investigate coconut oil more thoroughly. Let’s just suffice it to say, I am successfully using coconut oil, when baking, in place of butter or shortening in recipes. While it is still a saturated fat like butter and shortening, it has a low Omega-6 content, and antioxidant properties that help fight inflammation. Does this mean I should be eating more Mounds bars?

Note: Coconut oil is a solid with the consistency of a firm vegetable shortening. We have been taught, over the years, that all fat solids are considered saturated and therefore bad for us. Science may be proving that some saturated fats are actually good for us, as may be the case with coconut.

Flaxseed
When I tried a gluten free diet a few years ago, I came to know and love ground flaxseed. I sprinkle it on many foods and eat it by the spoonful. Since I do not eat a lot of fish and am probably low on my Omega-3’s, eating ground flaxseed not only adds more fiber to my diet, but also adds the necessary Omega-3’s. The flavor is surprisingly nutty and you will find it is a great fiber addition to smoothies along with the noted coconut oil and avocado above.

I rather enjoy this never-ending food journey of mine. It helps me explore foods and improves on a healthy approach to living. This in turn helps to move me forward in a positive direction. But, don’t be so shocked the next time you see me eating a basket of fish and chips, something I love. I just make sure I don’t enjoy this basket of goodness often. Also, it has to be the very best, not just any old basket of fish and chips. Oh, and the best⎯panko breaded.

Laughing photo courtesy of nosha.

Eating to Live: Changing Course

Last year I began a journey that led me to explore food combining, gluten free (GF) and juicing in order to help my gut feel better while Crohn’s disease, or as I refer to it⎯Little Monster, reared its ugly head. For a time, all these dietary lifestyle changes seemed to work very well for me, smooth sailing⎯until the wind died and I needed to change course. After seven months, I was losing too much weight for my small frame (due to eating less starch) plus I began having the same digestive distress (cramping/constipation) I had prior to this dietary journey.

It all came down to this⎯current medication protocol and dietary changes were not working for me, and I could not afford to lose any more weight. The next step on the Crohn’s journey was a new medication protocol, and as my gastroenterologist put it, “Just EAT!” At this writing, the new meds seem to be working and I have indeed gained back the weight I lost.

As one does when sailing into new regions of life, I have continued to hold onto a few elements from last years dietary journey:

• I add carrot juice and a handful of spinach to my morning smoothies⎯great for digestion.
• I’ve cut down on the amount of starch I eat and sometimes choose to eat a starch that is gluten free.
• I found the most amazing and healthful GF cranberry/orange muffins at my local grocer. After Googling recipes with similar ingredients, and many attempts at tweaking various recipes, I came up with my own wonderful version.

WARNING: the following muffins are very good for you and you may just find yourself craving them because they taste so incredible. Even if you don't know a jib from a jibe when it comes to sailing, we all must learn to change course from time to time. It's what we pick up along the way as we sail through life that is most important. Bon appétit!

Photo courtesy of martinak15

Eating to Live: Lifestyle Changes

My recent foray into dietary changes to improve my health has come down to what one would call lifestyle changes:

Food Combining

Gluten-Free

Juicing

I’ve been asked quite a few questions about my recent lifestyle changes and I thought I would share them with you?


How much work is it?
I think it all comes down to planning. The more you can plan for buying what you need and setting time aside to clean veggies, for example, the likelihood of this process working out for you. When the work becomes a habit and a way of life it ceases to be work.

Do I cook a different meal for my husband?
I would not subject anyone to major dietary changes unless they were motivated personally. Yes, I’ll mix starches with proteins for Dennis, but I only eat one or the other with a side of vegetables.

Am I losing weight with these dietary changes?
Gluten free does not mean low calories. I can see where people may lose weight initially by simply steering clear of anything with gluten, but there can be more calories in the GF foods out there so read the labels! With food combining you can easily lose weight because you are eating healthier. As for me, I do not need to lose weight, so it is a challenge with all the dietary lifestyle changes I have made to maintain my weight.

Is it difficult for me to grocery shop?
Not really. I have never been one to eat prepared foods much. But there are a lot of things due to the gluten-free aspect I miss. I guess you could say I am still in the mourning phase.

Since I love to cook and bake, has this been a difficult transition?
Yes. The food combining can have its shortfalls but overall it is fairly easy to do. The gluten-free is another animal altogether. If I decide that GF is something I will do long term, I will eventually get into the recipe end of it and start finding good substitutes for the foods I love to cook and bake. For me, this is all part of character building. Over the years I have given up many foods I love, but I learn to move on and get over the loss.

What are the most important aspects of making lifestyle changes?
To know better is to do better AND never forget patience is a virtue! If I decide to step outside the boundaries I have set, once in awhile, it’s okay. Although, it is probably not a good idea to continually step outside those boundaries because then you forget you had boundaries in the first place.

"The truth of the matter is that there's nothing you can't accomplish if:

• You clearly decide what it is that you're absolutely committed to achieving,
• You're willing to take massive action,
• You notice what's working or not, and
• You continue your approach until you achieve what you want using whatever life gives you along the way."

Anthony Robbins

I am feeling better and am having no digestive issues as long as I watch what I eat. Other than the naturopath suggesting I try gluten free, these lifestyle changes are my attempts to correct an unhealthy imbalance. These are not changes any of my conventional doctors suggested. There is so much you can do on your own to take back your health⎯you are the person in control of your life and of what goes into your mouth⎯YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! You have no one else to blame. If I can make these changes, so can you my dears. I won’t tell you that it will be easy, but the benefits are worth it. Take back your life⎯you know you want to. Start small or jump right in⎯whatever works for you. The choice is yours. The question is⎯are you willing to take massive action?

© Copyright 2011 Michelle Clark

Eating to Live: Eat Your Veggies

So far I have talked about food combining and gluten-free living. All choices I have made in order to relieve my digestive distress. At this writing I have been food combining for 8 weeks and gluten-free for 6. Both dietary changes stress the importance of eating fruits and vegetables.

Eating raw fruits and vegetables generally causes problems for my digestive system, but now I need to somehow consume more vegetables and fruit than I have ever considered. Two weeks into the gluten-free diet, I was still having occasional digestive problems. While eating breakfast one morning, a thought came to mind⎯what if I juiced the vegetables or fruits? Wouldn’t that make it easier for my gut to move the food on down the line, and perhaps the wonderful power of vegetables would aid in healing any inflammation I might have.

I really feel like I am on to something with this vegetable madness⎯and get this, I even have a juicer! Yes, I just never used it. It was given to us when my husband, Dennis, had cancer. What was I waiting for? I pulled out our many books on juicing and began reading that very morning. Yes, I even had books on the subject⎯all of this right under my very nose. The books I had even covered juicing recipes specifically for many ailments including, wait for it⎯Crohn’s! The next morning I went grocery shopping, list in hand.

I have now been juicing for the past month. I love it. I feel like I am drinking some sort of secret healing elixir. I have never, never eaten so many vegetables. At this writing I am juicing once or twice a day. It’s easy for me to go through five pounds or more of carrots within a week! I keep looking in the mirror to see if I am turning orange yet!

Unless you are a vegetarian, most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables⎯period. Juicing provides a rather simple way for us to EAT OUR VEGGIES! Here are a few tips to keep in mind...

1. How does juicing work with food combining and gluten-free?
First off ⎯veggies and fruit do not contain gluten, and what I am reading about juicing correlates very nicely with the food combining. Veggie juices combine well with protein OR starch⎯remember I cannot mix protein AND starch when food combining. I’ll sit down to a meal of protein OR gluten-free starch, vegetables AND a veggie drink.  My body doesn’t know what to do with all the goodness I am sending it⎯well actually I hope it does know what to do with it!

2. What about the mess of cleaning all the vegetables AND the juicer?
I never thought of juicing other than it would be a pain to mess with. Yes, you need to clean all the fruits and veggies and clean out the juicer, but I have found it much easier to clean all my veggies once a week and clean out the juicer once a day. No biggie!!! It’s kind of like I had one of those V8 moments⎯why didn’t I think of that before! The easier you can make it, the more you will do it.


3. Your mother always said, chew your food!
Because you are drinking vegetables, it is important not to drink the mixture rapidly. It is best to sip and allow the enzymes in your mouth to set the whole digestive process into play. It is even a good idea to actually chew it a bit as you sip. I understand this is really important to anyone drinking nutritious smoothies or other healthy drinks. The lack of chewing does not release the appropriate enzymes, which may lead to digestive distress. When enjoying my juice, I sit down as if I were having a meal whether it is a meal or not. I sip my juice and sip a bit of water to help the fiber move on its merry way.

4. Chlorophyll Cocktail:

My go-to gut drink is five carrots, a large handful of spinach, a couple stems of parsley and one celery stalk. If I choose to sweeten it up a bit I’ll add one apple⎯yum! Even Popeye would be proud.

Crohn’s or no Crohn’s, I am feeding my body with amazing nutrients. This is another gift that has been given to me via Crohn’s. Humans are funny animals, we don’t necessarily do what is best for us unless there is a problem⎯and even then we don’t do what is best. I am thinking juicing is something we should just do, problem or not. The world would be a better place for it…there I go⎯visualizing world peas⎯I know⎯corny⎯see I can't get veggies off my mind.

Are you feeding your body the way you should? Think of one small thing you know you should do, know you can do and just do it! And hey, YAY for you!

© Copyright 2011 Michelle Clark

Eating to Live: Gluten Free

Two weeks ago I began sharing some insight as to the new path I am on in response to my digestive problems, and how much better I have been feeling by food combining. Today I will update you on the second change I have made⎯wheat free/gluten free. I can’t believe I am going down this path as I was tested for wheat allergies and have none, so why bother since it obviously was not a problem for me. Ah yes⎯living to eat again! I’ve watched a dear friend, Jean, struggle with gluten free to get on top of her celiac disease, an autoimmune condition. Celiac's  must stay away from gluten or anything containing wheat, barley and rye…and now look⎯here I am trying the same thing. So what's up?

Who persuaded me to try wheat free?
Five weeks ago I had my first appointment with a naturopathic doctor. I have heard of this particular doctor for a few years and know a number of people who have been helped when conventional medicine was not working for them. One of the things suggested was eating wheat free due to the fact many people with intestinal problems, while not celiac or allergic, are sensitive to wheat/gluten.

What is gluten?
A protein present in many grains, especially wheat. It is responsible for the elastic texture of dough and the light, soft texture in baked goods. It is also used as a starch, binder and filler in many processed foods.

Why does it seem more people are having a problem with gluten?
"A new study in the journal BMC Medicine may shed some light on why. It shows gluten can set off a distinct reaction in the intestines and the immune system, even in people who don't have celiac disease...Although much remains unknown, it is clear that gluten can trigger an immune response like an enemy invader...People aren't born with this. Something triggers it...One possible culprit: Agricultural changes to wheat that have boosted its protein content." The Wall Street Journal, 3/15/2011, Health & Wellness section, by Melinda Beck, Clues to Gluten Sensitivity.


Where does one find gluten-free (GF) products?
Fortunately, gluten-free products are showing up at your local grocer. There is even a store dedicated to gluten-free not far from my home. BUT, many gluten-free products are not created equal. Until recently, living gluten-free has been difficult. I watched Jean try product after product, recipe after recipe trying to find food she liked well enough to eat. I am happy to report there are some rather decent gluten-free substitutes showing up every day and Jean is pointing the way. With more and more stores carrying gluten free, obviously GF products are being embraced by a growing number of people who are finding they just feel better gluten-free.

When does one start eating gluten-free?
There is nothing like the present. I started out cold turkey as they say. It was simple. Just don’t eat anything with gluten. Right! Do you know how many food products may contain gluten? Two weeks later the cravings hit! Off to the store to start trying GF products for the types of food I was missing⎯pasta, bread and something sweet like cookies or muffins. While these products have helped stave off cravings, and I am able to eat corn and rice products since they do not contain gluten, I still need to figure out how to get the right balance of carbohydrates back into my diet.

How do you know if gluten-free is right for you?
If you are having gas, bloating, intestinal cramping, acid reflux or other forms of digestive distress⎯what are you waiting for? Get the conversation started. I previously mentioned talking with Jean, but I also found the person who owns the local gluten-free store is also GF and so is the health food department manager of the local grocery store. Talk to real people who can guide you to the better tasting foods and then dive in. I previously mentioned food combining as outlined by Sherry Brescia from Great Taste No Pain, but she also has a website for gluten free food combining, Great Taste No Gluten. It can’t hurt and once again, may just help improve intestinal distress. If you are one of the many people with gut issues, don’t let gluten stand in your way.

As for Jean, she has been GF for four years and counting. Her health has improved exponentially! As for me, I will continue GF for a time and will see what happens when I introduce gluten back into my diet. I am thinking of my body as my own personal scientific research project; after all, I am eating to live. It is possible, since I do not have celiac disease or a wheat allergy, I could have gluten on occasion or in small amounts. We shall see, so stay tuned…

I am using momentum to move forward in my life and will continue to make choices and changes until I find what is right for me. How about you? Are you making the right choices and do you have the guts to make the changes necessary to live your best life?

© Copyright 2011 Michelle Clark

Eating to Live: Food Combining

Today⎯I feel great. Feeling good has been somewhat difficult in recent months so great is amazing. I mentioned I was on a new path recently, in response to my digestive issues, in an article about dropping the anger . Today will be the start of a series of three articles outlining what dietary changes seem to be making a difference for me⎯a BIG difference. These changes may even help you should you suffer from gas, bloating, intestinal cramps, acid reflux or other forms of digestive distress.

What is food combining?
A way of eating foods so they do not work against each other and cause pain. Proponents believe different food groups are digested optimally when eaten in the following combinations:

• Proteins and starches should be eaten at separate meals
• Proteins may be eaten with vegetables
• Starches may be eaten with vegetables
• Fruits should be eaten alone

I was introduced recently to Jerry, who suffers from chronic colitis. He has had a very difficult time over the last few years trying to determine what he could eat without causing pain. During the last year he started food combining and feels great! He told me he had followed the plan as outlined by Sherry Brescia in, Great Taste No Pain. I examined her website as well as other sites on the subject. I felt it couldn’t hurt me if I pay attention to eating a well balanced diet. Within the first 48 hours I noticed a significant difference after eating⎯NO GAS!

I’ve now been testing this food combining theory for the past 6 weeks and am happy to report that it seems to help. I am still trying to figure out the nuances, but I didn’t want to bog myself down with too much all at once. Most of what I was reading on the subject had the same basic principles as outlined above. What gets a bit confusing is how much time to allow between the different food groups. I am making my food combining efforts my own and will determine what works for me.

Over the years I have made various changes to my diet in order to find a balance living with a chronic digestive disease. I love food, I love GREAT food and I love to craft it into amazing meals. I’ve held back on doing more drastic changes because I was holding onto being able to eat the way I eat for as long as I could⎯in other words, I was living to eat. At this time, I am exploring the fundamentals of eating to live. If Jerry could give it a go, so could I. Change can be difficult if you let it, no matter what the change is. It is my choice and I have now chosen to change. I am in control. I am the driving force in my life.

How about you? Can you change? Can you be in control? What or who is the driving force in your life?
© Copyright 2011 Michelle Clark