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August 30, 2012 by elainefaw 2 Comments

How Do You Know If You Are Gluten Intolerant?

There are literally dozen, if not hundreds, of symptoms of gluten intolerance few of which are gastrointestinal related. My rule of thumb is if you have a chronic health problem of any sort, you need to rule out gluten intolerance. If you have an autoimmune disease of any sort, but especially if it’s Hashimoto’s, then you need to remove gluten, and possibly casein, from your diet. In my personal experience I have seen gluten intolerance cause problems with the skin, lungs, joints, digestion, brain and behavior, growth in children, and nutritional deficiencies (especially calcium and iron). That said, here is a list of symptoms related to gluten intolerance from www.glutenfreedom.net:

 

The most common symptoms of celiac disease include:

 

Fatigue

Addison’s disease

Gastrointestinal distress (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, reflux)

Headaches (including migraines)

Infertility

Mouth sores

Weight loss/gain

Inability to concentrate

Moodiness/depression

Amenorrhea/delayed menarche (menstrual cycles)

Bone/joint/muscle pain

Dental enamel hypoplasia

Short stature

Seizures

Tingling numbness in the legs

Symptoms also include:

 

Abnormal liver test

Addison’s disease

Alopecia

Anemia

Ataxia

Autoimmune hepatitis

Chronic abdominal pain

Chronic fatigue

Crohn’s disease

Dermatitis herpetiformis (a “sister” of celiac disease)

Down syndrome

Epilepsy

Family history of celiac disease

Gall bladder disease

Hyperthyroidism/hypothyroidism

Total IgA deficiency

Insulin-dependent diabetes (type 1)

Infertility/spontaneous abortions/low birth-weight babies

Iron deficiency

IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Malnutrition

Multiple sclerosis

Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Osteoporosis, osteopenia, osteomalacia

Pancreatic disorders

Pathologic fractures

Peripheral neuropathy

Primary biliary cirrhosis

Psoriasis

Recurrent stomatisits

Rheumatoid arthritis

Scherosing cholangitis

Sjogren syndrome

Systemic lupus

Turner syndrome

Ulcerative colitis

Vitiligo

MY FAVORITE BOOKS

 

There are now tons of books on gluten-free baking and living. I’ll just share my four favorite gluten-free books:

 

Garden of Eating, by Don Matesz and Rachel Albert-Matesz: This is an excellent book that is grain and dairy free, and emphasizes ample produce and pastured meats. I don’t agree with them on everything as they are salt-phobic, advocate low-fat eating and use powdered egg whites (gack!), but overall it’s a great resource. (www.planetarypress.net)

 

The Ice Dream Cookbook, by Rachel Albert-Matesz: To be honest, I haven’t made anything out of this dessert book since it was just released by the Garden of Eating author. It looks great however, as the recipes are dairy and gluten free, and use coconut milk, minimal natural sweeteners, and stevia. (www.planetarypress.net)

 

The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre, MS, CN: This is a little self-published gem I picked up after listening to Malterre deliver and excellent gluten-free presentation at the Naturopathic College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. His recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free, and very tasty. He has tofu recipes and tends toward vegetarianism, but the recipes I’ve tried so far make up for that. The bonus–I once called the published number to ask about modifying a recipe and got the author on the phone who was able to help me out while I was in the kitchen. (www.wholelifenutrition.net)

 

Sweet Alternatives, by Ariana Bundy: Ok, here I go recommending another dessert book. This book was written by a classically trained chef and the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free. She calls for only the most exquisite ingredients for these high-brow desserts. Sweet Alternatives is worth it for the gorgeous photos alone, and my children love to just sit and look at it. Another confession, I haven’t actually made of any of the recipes, but my friends who have loved them. (www.whitecap.ca)

 

Elaine Fawcett, NTP

 

 

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Filed Under: Guest Blog Tagged With: Addison's disease, Coeliac disease, Crohn's disease, Gluten-free diet, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Selective immunoglobulin A deficiency, Sjögren's syndrome, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook: Whole Foods Recipes for Personal and Planetary Health Second Edition

August 23, 2012 by YaakovLevine Leave a Comment

Nutritionally Speaking: Myths and Truths About Salt By: Yaakov Levine, NTP

Historically salt has played many roles in our societies other than making our kettle chips taste great. Covenants of Salt were what sealed agreements in Biblical times. The word salary comes from the practice in Roman times of using salt as payment for the soldiers. You have probably heard the phrase “he’s not worth his salt”, which was used to determine the value of slaves in ancient Greece. The mystics believed that salt had powers to prevent illness, and the Latin saying: “Nil sole et utilius” (there is nothing more useful than sun and salt) supports that belief. In my house my mother, who was born in Europe, would toss a bit of salt over her shoulder to bring us good fortune and health. This seems to still be working for her, as she will be 89 on her next birthday. Since salt has been considered very valuable through the ages, it is hard to grasp our society’s vilification of this important nutrient. Unprocessed salt, or the natural amounts found in unprocessed foods, are an integral part of the nutrient dense diets we promote.

 

What is salt? Sodium and chloride ions combine to make up the chemical composition of salt. Sodium chloride is present in ocean water, and makes up 75% of the “salt” in seawater. In our bodies sodium chloride (salt) teams up with potassium which is our body’s primary intra-cellular mineral. Sodium is found mostly in extra-cellular tissues. When these nutrients are in balance we have the correct amount of fluids in all of our body’s cells. This also correlates with the balance of fluids making up our blood volume. If we have a high salt/low potassium diet we increase the blood volume and as a result our blood pressure may be elevated. Our kidneys are able to remove excess salt as part of our body’s balancing mechanism. The chlorides in salt assist the body to produce hydrochloric acid and activate enzymes needed to digest carbohydrates.

 

In an article citing various studies on salt use and its affect on blood pressure, Dr. Paul J. Rosch of the American Institute of Stress points out that the population that is affected by higher sodium diet is usually those considered to be obese. According to Dr. Rosch the statistics are often skewed when the participants of the studies are in various states of health and obesity. When he separated out the study participants with normal weight the increase in sodium intake did not necessarily increase blood pressure or hypertension. According to Rosch the researchers in the Intersalt study of 48 groups failed to include some key information. He noted that some of the groups studied had less stress, less obesity, and ate less processed foods. Those groups were healthier and their results were not included in the study findings.

 

Rosch suggests that the “mined” statistics are reminiscent of Ancel Keys Seven Country study. Keys used data from seven countries of the 15 studied to demonstrate the connection between cholesterol from animal fat and its link to coronary heart disease. If Keys had looked at the other eight countries studied the results would have been the opposite. A major criticism is that Ancel Keys had chosen to study only the countries where saturated fats and the incidence of heart disease where high. He ignored other countries that ate a similar diet but had low rates of heart disease.

 

In his book, Staying Healthy with Nutrition, Dr. Elson Haas, states that “Where natural foods are the only sources of sodium, there is almost no hypertension. These foods contain more potassium, which is found in high amounts in plant cells as well as in human cells”. In his section on salt he talks about the controversy around salt intake and its effect on blood pressure. Dr. Haas suggests that some researchers believe the key to controlling blood pressure and hypertension is controlling the potassium-to-sodium ratios. The processed foods most of us eat are generally higher in sodium, and lower in potassium.

 

Dr. Haas suggests limiting the following high salt foods: salt from the shaker (in cooking and at the table), smoked and salted meats, most Chinese restaurant foods (contain soy sauce and MSG), brine soaked foods (pickles, olives and sauerkraut), canned and instant soups, processed cheeses, and other processed foods. The salt used in most of these foods is usually refined and may contain harmful additives such as aluminum compounds to keep the salt dry. Haas suggests we regularly include sea vegetables in our diets. They are “constantly bathed in the mineral-rich ocean water” and are particularly rich in iodine, calcium, potassium and iron.

 

In Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon points out that, “sun dried sea salt contains traces of marine life that provide organic forms of iodine”. She refers to studies that show that this form of organic iodine remains in the body’s tissues longer than iodide salts. Fallon suggests we all use sea salt sun-dried in grey colored clay lined vats that is sold as Celtic Salt. The Celtic salt is rich in the trace minerals and electrolytes our bodies need. On hot sunny days, instead of drinking electrolyte drinks, I will add a pinch of good quality sea salt to my water bottle which helps to keep my electrolytes in balance.

 

As nutritional therapists we promote eating foods that are less processed and foods with fewer ingredients. One of those ingredients in our processed foods is the refined salt which can upset our sodium/potassium balance. On a simple diet of healthy fats, organic fruits/vegetables, free range meats, whole grains, and raw dairy our bodies will be able to have the correct balance of the important electrolytes sodium and potassium. As a general rule I suggest we do not eat foods that our grand-parents would not recognize. Add regular exercise, and plenty of pure water and the result is better health and vitality.

 

Yaakov Levine, NTP

 

 

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Filed Under: Blog, Guest Blog Tagged With: Ancel Keys, Haas, nutrition, Rosch, Salt, Sodium chloride, United States, Weston A. Price Foundation

August 16, 2012 by Bev-Harts Leave a Comment

Educate Yourself About the Food You Eat By: Beverly Hartsfield, BS, NTP

Most of the nutritional ideas floating around out there in our culture are misleading due to marketing ploys and studies that don’t stand the test of time. Just because they claim it promotes health, doesn’t mean it’s true. There’s nothing like real unprocessed whole food, prepared properly, that the body can recognize with all its innate co-factors intact. Let’s turn “conventional” thought about food upside-down!

 

Sugar and Disease. Our bodies were not designed to eat sugar. Diabetes is now rampant in our culture and is creating a health crisis in our country. Did you know that cancer cells are detected by how much glucose they consume? They need sugar to survive!

 

Studies done on indigenous tribes eating native diets revealed that when they introduced sugar and white flour into their diets, disease and deformity began to occur. Each generation deteriorated. Sugars include honey, molasses, corn syrup, organic cane sugar, maple syrup, fructose, etc., all natural sweeteners except for Stevia. (See “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” by Weston A. Price)

 

Corn syrup is one of the worst offenders and is found in most processed foods. Modern breakfast cereals contain very little nutrition because it has been refined out, the wheat germ removed, turning it into a carbohydrate that quickly breaks down into sugar inside the body. Juices are mainly concentrated sugar and cause dehydration. Instead, eat fruit or vegetables that are less sweet, in their whole form, in small amounts with all their natural fiber intact i.e., berries, kiwi, cucumber.

 

Chips and other processed foods are also high in refined carbohydrates and contain preservatives that are addicting, so that you can’t eat just one, literally. The bottom line is that all carbohydrates break down into sugar in the body, but the refined ones do it faster providing less nutrition than unrefined ones, so choose carefully! Try to combine them with fat and protein to slow the process even more.

 

Hypoglycemia reflects sugar handling problems. The adrenals, pancreas, and liver are all involved in sugar metabolism. Eating sugar stresses the body, depletes vitamins, creates loss of muscle tone, insulin resistance and diabetes leading to high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer and other chronic illness. Pancreatic exhaustion from a diet high in sugar is known to be a precursor for digestive disorders, leading to disease.

 

When the body gets overwhelmed by too much sugar and is unable to find places to store it, the excess turns into dangerous free radicals that attack the inside of the blood vessels creating a need for cholesterol to repair it. As more sugar is consumed, the damage inside the blood vessels builds up and more cholesterol is deposited until the vessel becomes clogged. It’s a natural healing process that’s been overwhelmed due to too much sugar in the diet. Cholesterol isn’t the enemy, sugar is and you can control that very easily.

 

What is a Healthy Fat? A high protein/fat, low refined carbohydrate diet is much better suited for the body. Protein from meat is important because vegetable protein does not contain the full range of amino acids that the body requires for its biochemical processes. Without fat, the body cannot absorb protein, vitamins, make hormones or control inflammation!

 

Most vegetable oils are delicate and should never be used at high heats. These oils are not the best to cook with because heat damages them and turns them into free radicals (in the human body, oxidized free radicals are believed to cause tissue damage at the cellular level — harming our DNA, mitochondria and cell membranes). Go to this link for more information on safer fats for cooking: http://www.ntptalk.com/articles/safer-fats-for-cooking-part-2.php

 

Transfats can actually lower your good cholesterol and raise your bad cholesterol. They’re also referred to as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Most processed foods and restaurant fare contain transfats that cause weight gain and form plaque in the arteries. Transfats also prevent the proper assimilation of good fats.

 

“A transfat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil–a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats. Transfat can be found in vegetable shortenings, margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Trans fat, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for coronary heart disease”. -Quote from the FDA

 

Unrefined virgin coconut oil is great for cooking. It’s a healthy saturated fat that the body won’t store and is less likely to become damaged in the cooking process. It has anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic properties and helps to fight infection. Just rub some on your next cut, cover with a bandaid and you’ll see what I mean.

 

Saturated Fat. “Bad saturated fat” is a term that “threw the baby out with the bathwater”. It came from a study that was done on vegetable oil transfats not saturated animal or coconut fats. Saturated fat is naturally more stable and can be used for cooking on medium heat without the risk of turning it into a transfat. Our bodies can utilize saturated fat to our advantage. (See article, “The Oiling of America” by Mary Enig at www.westonaprice.org)

 

Always cook meat on low-medium heat because high heat damages the fats in meat too. Buy breads without flax seeds or nuts because they contain delicate fats that can become transfats when exposed to the heat used in the baking process.

 

A Word About Soy. Lastly, when it comes to soy, think again. Soy is virtually indigestible and contains goitrogens that suppress thyroid function. In Japan, soy is consumed in very small quantities, and is usually fermented. Japanese diets also contain lots of iodine-containing foods like shellfish and kelp that balance soy’s thyroid suppressing action. Whenever we take a single food out of any other culture’s diet we should consider the whole of what they eat because the results will not be the same.

 

Educate yourself about the food you eat. You can enhance your quality of life dramatically. I recommend a cookbook called “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon to learn more about properly preparing your food. It’s full of facts and information that will change the way you eat forever!

 

Filed Under: Guest Blog

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DISCLAIMER: The content shared on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Statements/products discussed have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult your health care practitioner before making changes to your current diet or before beginning any herbal or vitamin supplement regimen or exercise program. Although Kellie Hill is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, the author(s) at The Right Plan are not licensed medical professionals, nor do they claim to be. They are not here to diagnose or provide medical advice to any reader.Affiliate Disclosure • Terms and Conditions© 2019 The Right Plan Nutrition Counseling & Kellie Hill Nutrition • Custom Web Design by Paradux Media Group