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2.04.2013
Q&A: Is This lil' G causing Big Trouble?
Hey Player Players!
Now whether you were rooting for the 49ers or Ravens - or you were just partaking in Super Bowl madness for the beer, pizza and mini taquitos - you might be hurting from post-game stomach pains. There's a good chance that a lil' g-thang might be causing that rumbling in your tummy... which brings me to today's post:It's Q-to-the-A Time!
This week's question comes from Irma! She aks:
What’s with gluten? I know what it is, but is it
something that’s worth eliminating from my diet or can I just consume in
moderation?
Ah yes. Gluten. Lots of buzz and confusion
surrounding this little protein. To eat or not to eat it - that seems to be the
question on lots of people’s minds. Lemme try to shed some light on this sticky
topic...
Gluten (Latin for “glue”) is a protein that’s found
in wheat products as well as foods processed from other grains like barley,
rye, spelt, kamut, oat, triticale, semolina, pumpernickel and farro. Some people may be sensitive to gluten while
others can be severely allergic or intolerant. And some people have no problem
with it at all. But for those that do, symptoms can be
wide-ranging and varied.
For people who can’t properly digest gluten and
yet have been eating these grains for years, there’s a good chance that their
digestive system is damaged. Gluten can cause tears in the intestinal lining,
which then leads to malabsorption of nutrients like carbohydrates, fat,
protein, vitamins and minerals (er... das not good). This condition is called
Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease that can manifest in different ways for
different people. Symptoms may range from diarrhea and constipation to chronic
fatigue and depression. You can test for Celiac disease through blood tests and
biopsy.
Keep in mind that while Celiac Disease is a
serious condition and should be not be taken lightly, it’s a fairly small
percentage of the population. There is, however, a large population of people
that are sensitive to gluten but aren’t full blown celiacs. These people
would also benefit greatly from a gluten-free diet.
If you’re reading this suspecting you have a
sensitivity or Celiac Disease and are all like
“GREAT. MY SYSTEM’S ALL JACKED
UP AND I’M DOOMED A LIFE OF MALABSORPTION AND NO PIZZA!?!”
... I’m here to tell
you that there IS life after gluten. Here are some tips to get you on track!
1. First of all, our bodies are awesome
self-healing machines - but they need the right support and environment to do
what they gotta do. That’s where a gluten free diet can help significantly.
When you take out the gluten from your diet, you’re giving your digestive
system a huge break to finally start healing and absorbing the nutrients that
you need!
2. Check out Gluten Free Diet by
Shelley Case and Wheat Belly by William
Davis to get the lowdown on
all things wheat ‘n gluten. They provide a wealth of info and insight, and will
def be great resources if you’re looking to cut the stuff out.
3. YOU HAVE OPTIONS. Lots of them. Besides foods
like vegetables, fruits, and meat (um, that covers a lot right there!), there’s
also rice, buckwheat, teff, amaranth, quinoa, and corn that you can put on your
safe list.
For a person who’s gluten intolerant, going
gluten free can be life changing.
Here are some awesome gluten free resources and
options to check out:
websites/blogs
www.celiac.com
www.glutenfreediet.ca
Gluten Intolerance Group
www.glutenfreepassport.com
Celiac Chicks
Whole Life Nutrition
products
Breads:
Food for Life
Whole Foods (the store) gluten free bakery
Organic corn tortillas
products
Breads:
Food for Life
Whole Foods (the store) gluten free bakery
Organic corn tortillas
Flours/mixes:
Bob’s Red Mill
Pasta:
Tinkyada (rice pasta - LOVE this brand)
Ancient Harvest
In my humble opinion, we could all use a little
less gluten in our diets. But remember, life is NOT about deprivation - so get
out there, explore and experiment! You just might find that a life sans gluten
is just the thing you’ve been needing.
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