Are You Eating Gluten-free Bread?

With all the concerns about wheat these days, many people are turning to gluten-free bread. Gluten is one of the proteins in wheat. It helps make bread dough elastic, and gives bread a light soft texture, instead of the heavy, chewier texture of whole grain breads.

What is it about bread that is so hard to give up? Toasted, snuggling up to sandwich ingredients, or slathered with butter, bread is a comfort food for many of us.

Modern commercial wheat has been genetically modified, laced with pesticides and stripped of nutrients. Even people who are not allergic to gluten, or to wheat, are turning to other flour choices for bread and crackers.

It is also possible to have sensitivity to other grains, or to grains in general. If eating grains in the form of bread, pasta, or crackers causes bloating, gas, constipation, indigestion, or changes in your stool, consider that your body may not do well on grains. Buckwheat, wild rice, and quinoa are not grains, and are good substitutes. One cup of quinoa contains 222 calories, 39 grams carb, 8 grams protein and 3 grams fat. It also has some vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy food. But the carb content means you should limit serving size. It is a better choice than rice for carbs and protein. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/10352/2

In order to mimic the light soft texture of standard American bread, manufacturers have turned to ingredients like tapioca starch and potato starch. Tapioca is a root and was often used to make a pudding in the past. It is the high starch content of gluten-free breads which can sabotage blood sugar and cause weight gain. Starch is metabolized like sugar, so can spike and drop blood sugar just like cake. Udi’s Gluten-free Bread has tapioca and potato starch as the first ingredients. For 140 calories (2 slices) you get 22 grams of carbohydrate. My personal favorite is Food for Life Gluten-free Bread. The first ingredient is rice flour, and it has safflower oil instead of canola oil. Two slices are 110 calories.

There are other healthy choices, especially if you bake at home. Gluten-free flours from Bob’s Red Mill or Pamela’s, coconut flour and nut flours have less starch and higher protein generally. They will not mimic soft white bread, but they can be used for cookies, baked goods and crackers. Here is an easy recipe to try. http://theprettybee.com/2013/10/easy-gluten-free-cracker-recipe.html

If you are trying to lose weight, the best thing is to break the bread habit completely, and that can take some time. It really calls for some creative solutions to drop out the sandwich and toast habit. Bread and flour products are very filling, so your body may try to tell you that you are hungry, even if you have had plenty of calories. Add some more healthy fat to your diet, and that will help satisfy your appetite. You can also eat veggies in bulk, maybe with some healthy dip, like guacamole or hummus. Sliced jicama, celery, and cucumber can be used as dippers or carriers for things normally eaten with bread, such as tuna salad or nut butters.

How to know how much bread, pasta and starchy carbs you can eat? If you can eat starches without gaining inches or weight, your activity level and metabolism can handle the starch. If you are at all over-weight, you are eating beyond your body’s metabolic needs. Even if you are eating “whole grain” wheat and bread, you may be getting too much starch that turns to sugar. Ezekiel bread is still too high in carb content for many, if not most. Our activity levels just do not support high grain diets these days. The nutrition benefits are not balanced by any weight-gain that signifies a sugar metabolism problem.

If you are concerned about your gluten tolerance, come in for a blood spot test that will identify your true food sensitivities. You may be surprised by the foods that your body can’t tolerate that you may not have suspected.

For a detox or blood sugar program that helps break the bread/starch habit, come see us or call the office. 818-562-1400.

It has been said that man does not live by bread alone, and you can prove it to yourself by breaking the bread habit.

10 Hacks For a Slimmer, Merrier Holiday

1.     Choose your treat before the feast.

Decide which type of treat you want to indulge in before each festivity. Choose breads or desserts, for example, but not both. For most people the starch in bread metabolizes like cake, so choosing one or the other prevents a double helping of sugar.

2.     Load up on the healthy stuff when you first arrive at a party. Take the edge off your appetite with the crudité, vegetable dips, olives and other low calorie snacks. Cheese and nuts, although healthy, quickly pile on calories.

3.     Volunteer to bring a dessert and make it sugar-free by using stevia or xylitol. That way you can enjoy a good helping of something sweet without blowing your diet. And you may be surprised how many people enjoy your dessert and ask for the recipe. Here are some recipes made with stevia. http://www.yummly.com/recipes/stevia-desserts  Another sugar-free suggestion is to serve berries with whipped cream sweetened with Stevia instead of the usual pies or cakes. You can use some English Toffee Stevia to give the cream a more Holiday feel. Sweetleaf carries a dozen flavors of liquid stevia and has many recipes to try.

4.     Try using coconut flour or nut flours instead of wheat for your holiday baking. These grain-free substitutes are higher in protein and lower in carbs. And you may start a new Holiday tradition. Here are other suggestions for making healthier cookies. http://www.cbsnews.com/media/healthier-holiday-cookies/

5.     Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have. Pace yourself, set your drink down, switch to a bubbly water with lemon. Alcohol metabolizes like sugar, and it is toxic for the liver. A clear head and engaged mind makes you a more interesting party guest!  Milk Thistle before and after indulging will help you avoid a hang-over. We have the best in our Livco from MediHerb.

6.     Avoid chocolate when you are enjoying other rich, fatty foods. Chocolate is particularly difficult for the liver/gall bladder to process. If you suffer from any kind of migraines or headaches, try eliminating chocolate and see if the headaches subside. Even the best dark chocolate may cause headaches for some people. Chocolate may be particularly aggravating right before the menstrual period. Try taking extra magnesium at that time.

7.     Get family and friends active with games and walks and activities that keep people away from too much food or alcohol. Americans gain an average of 7 pounds at Christmas and many don’t lose it throughout the year.

8.     Don’t skip meals just because you are busy. Plan ahead so that you keep your blood sugar stable by including protein and fat in every meal and eating every few hours. Decide that you don’t have to sample every cookie that is offered or indulge in the treats around the office. Keep a supply of fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks around so that you aren’t starving when the parties start. You can also make pots of soup to enjoy for a filling treat to take to the office or enjoy when you come home tired.

9.     Indulge yourself in other ways than goodies and food treats during the Holidays. Get a massage. Ask for one for a gift or treat yourself. Enjoy herbal teas. Try Slippery Elm tea to soothe the tummy and Licorice tea to support the adrenals. Indulge your senses with essential oils. Peppermint essential oil is a wonderful pick-me-up in the morning or before a night out. Eucalyptus essential oil eases breathing and congestion. Lavender is a classic for relaxation and sleep. Essential oils can be used simply by putting a few drops on a hanky and breathing the scent. Children love them. You can also mix a few drops with a carrier oil like coconut and rubbing on temples or chest.

10. On the days between celebrations eat a simple diet with lots of salad, protein of choice, and dressings of good oil and lemon or vinegar. Give your digestion and your pancreas a break and stick to a Paleo regime.  Look at your calendar ahead of time and decide which days you will stick to a healthy plan. Write it down so you don’t forget.

Don't forget your supplements during the Holidays, especially if you are traveling. We can mail to you if you don't have time to come to the office. If you are stressed, try our wonderful herbal line that is sure to calm and soothe in just a few minutes. Enjoy this Holiday Season, with all its blessings.

Food Allergies-Hiding in Plain Sight?

How do you know if you have a Food allergy? The classic symptoms of hives, or your throat closing, up are pretty rare. But food sensitivities and intolerances may be making your life miserable and ruining your health, even when you are trying to eat healthy.

Symptoms of food sensitivities and intolerances include difficulty losing weight, brain fog, bloating and digestive issues, depression, anxiety, irritability and mood swings, skin rashes, acne and dark circles under eyes, frequent colds and congestion, rheumatoid arthritis and joint pain. See what Dr. Oz has to say http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/could-have-hidden-food-allergy

Traditional food allergy testing often suggested a laundry list of 25-30 food issues, or none at all, and did not seem like a workable solution. The new lab test we are using reveals only 2-4 true long-term foods to avoid. As I wrote in my last blog, I found out that I have a sensitivity to egg yolk, something I never suspected. I was eating eggs all the time, while eliminating dairy and wheat. I am not planning to add wheat back into my diet, since these days most wheat is compromised and I do well on a low-carb diet. But at least I know that I am not allergic to it.

Since eliminating egg yolk I do see a difference. It seemed to be causing some inflammation and digestive issues that were subtle but there. Despite appearances I gained weight pretty easily, and that seems to be shifting, too.

Wouldn’t you like to know, once and for all, what foods might be causing some of your symptoms?  Call now and book a free 15 minute consultation to come in and talk about the new lab test. The test takes only a minute to complete and we send the lab work to Europe for the most advanced food sensitivity testing available.

This test could change your life and your health. 818-562-1400.

Frustrated with Feeling Stressed, Nervous, or Restless?

If this applies to you, there may be something you can do, without taking medication that will only mask the symptoms.

The body was designed for quick responses to stress. Something threatening appears, and the body goes into hyper-drive to avoid the danger. When the danger passes, the body should return to a set point of relaxation.

But when you have constant stressors, from deadlines, traffic, interrupted sleep, toxins, sugar and junk food and the emotional ups and downs of relationships, some people are living in a tornado of constant stress. The body never has a chance to relax and reset.

The body cannot differentiate between physical stress (tigers and traffic) or emotional stress (break-ups and arguments). Stress is stress is stress and the response, particularly from the adrenal glands, is the same. Cortisol is produced and excess cortisol will cause that hyped-up feeling of nervousness and anxiety. It will also interfere with sleep, make you crave sugar and carbs.

Too much cortisol in your system over time ruins your figure and causes weight gain around the middle. It may also cause muscle-wasting when it continues on over-drive.

The liver also does not function well. A congested liver, over-burdened with toxins, will not work correctly, and that can make you feel worried and anxious.

When humans ate organ meats like liver, brains and hearts of animals, they got plenty of B vitamins that are vital for adrenal function. Barley and brown rice grains have B’s, but they are high carb and will cause weight gain if you are not active enough to burn off the starch that turns into sugar when grains are digested.

One solution is to add Nutritional Yeast to your diet. It has a pleasant nutty taste, and can be added to shakes, soups or mixed in sauces. Nutritional yeast is gluten-free, full of B vitamins including B12, contains iron and is a complete protein. Brewer's yeast is another type of nutritional yeast with B vitamins. It is a by-product of beer production, and not gluten-free.

You can buy Nutritional Yeast at a Health Food Store or online.

Using Nutritional Yeast will take some time to work.  If you feel that the stress and anxiety is really making life difficult, there is more you can do. For a faster recovery to ease your stress add in Standard Process Cataplex B and Cataplex G. Together these provide a whole spectrum of natural B’s that you will not find in any other supplement on the planet. Commercial B complex only has 5-6 B’s, but Nature makes a couple of dozen B vitamins. All of them work together to give your body what it needs to perform vital functions and a lack of even one of the B’s can inhibit body function. Over time this can develop into a broken system.

We often make the mistake of expecting our body to “run on empty”. We neglect the nutrients that are needed and then wonder why we feel terrible, or get sick. If you want your body to stop being a source of distraction, pain and frustration, first give it the food source nutrients that make it work properly. If you aren’t providing all the vital minerals, vitamins and proteins, you cannot be surprised when things begin to break down. There is a Cause and Effect factor here, just as there is with maintaining your car or your house.

So, many of your uncomfortable sensations may be helped by getting your body better and providing what the body needs to heal and repair.

Helping you sort this out is what we do. From exercises to relieve muscle tension to detoxification programs to assessments to determine what you need to get your body parts working correctly, Natural medicine is the answer to your frustrations about how your body is treating you. Call us and find out how to get your body to chill so you can get on with your life.

Warmly;

Anne

Anne Dunev, PhD, C.N. has over twenty years experience helping people feel better by finding the root cause of what is not working well in the body. Addressing that with the correct natural and nutritional medicine is her strength. By restoring the function of specific parts of the body, thousands of people are living happier, healthier lives. Her office is located in Burbank, CA. Reach us at 818-562-1400.