Are you Gluten Free?

All l know is this...

...we were never eating gluten the way we do.

Wheat was traditionally (meaning several centuries ago) harvested in the Fall for Winter consumption. It was not eaten during Spring nor Summer and it was never eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It was never before sprayed with pesticides that ruin our intestines and traditionally it was soaked and sprouted.

Growing-up in Poland, the wheat or dark rye bread was a must for breakfast and supper, flour was used widely for majority of the dishes. Sprouted, or fermented bread (the darker, the better) was available in every store, especially peasant markets. People in the country side always made their own breads and circulated the starter culture among the households.

I know my grandparents ate like that too, with lots of meat and I mean lots of, a tradition interrupted the the World War II and socialism, which created a lack of everything, from meat to soap, to freedom. They all died young, in their fifties and sixties. That is young, way too young!

 

So far I have outlived my father by a year. He died at 46 from MS, an autoimmune condition linked to gluten sensitivity. 

Now what? - is the question I am often asked. I think it's time to revise the traditions, and like the beliefs that don't serve us, we need to toss some out and create new ones based on our bio-individuality.

I want to live, and live independently, healthy, able to move my joints, pain free. If that means I must adhere to a gluten free diet and strengthen my immunity, and therefore my digestive fire, than be it and that's what I have been doing for years now.

 

Trained by Dr. Tom O'Brian, I know going gluten free is one of the component necessary for regaining health, but without healing the gut and repairing the damage one might feel better on the outside, but have the fire going on inside.

My job is to help you put that fire down!
 

If you need support, head over to www.healandglow.com. Fill out the health form and let's see if we can work together on bringing your vitality back.

You know what that means!

No aches, no pains, joint flexibility, no bloating, gassiness, diarrhea, constipation, no chronic fatigue, no parasites, no Candida, no leaky gut, no migraines or "not-myself" feelings, no depression or black cloud over the head, no psychotropic drugs, no thyroid problems, no adrenal burnout or fatigue, no acid reflux, no....

Healthy gut = Quality Life and Overall Health

Wishing you health, wealth and beauty!

Your Family Health Coach Throughout all Your Life Stages

www.healandglow.com

Gluten Free Candy list plus more on specialty tests

I am not a big fan of Halloween...

...and the more I know about damaging effect of sugar on human body, especially when suffering from autoimmunity, the less attractive the entire concept is.

Anytime you deal with leaky gut, which is part of autoimmunity, you deal with the world of parasites, bugs, yeast overgrowth, and every time you consume sugar, you feed the bacteria contributing to its overgrowth.

It might be easier for an adult to consciously refrain from sugar consumption (or so we think) but it definitely is much harder with children.

For those of you with children who have gluten issues, here is a list prepared by Celiac.com of what's safe and what's not.

When examining gluten, do take into consideration accompanying sensitivities, like dairy, soy, corn (watch out for the corn syrup), artificial colors and flavors. Know your sensitivities, get tested to know for sure. Check out the Pediatric Wellness profile offered through ALCAT right here.

If possible, leave a handful of sweets for the child to enjoy, bringing the rest to school as part of give away program.

 

Wishing you health, wealth and beauty!

Your Family Health Coach Throughout all Your Life Stages

www.healandglow.com

Thinning hair, thinning eyebrows?

Feeling tired, sluggish and run down? Check your thyroid!

I am dedicating this newsletter to all who suffer from thyroid dysfunction. Sometimes that one thing that you hear can be lifesaving and awakening, like in the case of Hashimoto, the hyperactive thyroid. What you are unlikely to hear is that you MUST stay away from gluten.

  

Let's talk about LOW Thyroid. We have many silent epidemics now not only in this country, but all over the world. Vit. D deficiency, magnesium deficiency, sluggish thyroid. Why so? Why so many of my clients and close friends suffer unnecessarily? Why isn't it widely recognized? 

  

What are some of the signs of LOW Thyroid function?

  

• Mood issue (from ups and downs to major depression- 20% of people!)
• Constipation
• Coldness and achiness
• Weight gain, no matter how well you eat
• Memory loss
• Brain fog
• Cognitive decline, even Alzheimer’s disease
• Cold feet and a need for socks in bed
• Thinning outer third of your eyebrows
• Thinning hair

 Actually the thinning hair is due to the thyroid affecting the functioning of other sex hormones: progresterone, pregnenolone and cortisol. These other hormones can impact hair loss, and we know that 30% of women at age 30 have hair loss, as do 50% of women age 50! 

And since cholesterol is so important in production of those other hormones, “you might need to improve your thyroid as a function of working with cholesterol rather then being in a mad rush to start a statin” – Dr. Sara Gottfried, The Hormone Cure bestselling author. 

If you suffer from mild to moderate depression it could be an indication to have your thyroid thoroughly examined by a doctor. It is scientifically proven that mild to moderate depression is not successfully treated by antidepressants. It is only the severe depression that has been effectively treated with some of the SSRI like Prozac, Zoloft and Paxils. 

My approach is to try to find the ROOT Cause of anything – sluggish thyroid, poor mood, weakness, lack of joy, stubborn weight and I would like to awaken this investigative approach in you. 

What are some of the most common causes of a slow thyroid? 

• Autoimmune Thyroditis, also known as Hashimoto’s Thyroditis, where your autoimmune system is attacking your thyroid (get off the gluten NOW, don’t add oil to the fire!) 
• Stress (sounds familiar?)
• Environment – exposure to endocrine disruptors (fluoride in your toothpaste, BPA in your plastic, teflon coating of your non-stick pan) 
• Goiters – swelling of the thyroid gland 
• Genetics – if your parent has thyroid issues, chances are you too might have it
• Cancer treatments
• Lack of Vitamin D (it is actually a hormone not a vitamin). In the functional medicine world the optimal levels are between 75-90 units, not 30, but they need to be tested, as fat soluble vitamins do not leave the body like water soluble ones (it is hard to overdose on Vitamin C…) and you do not want to have too much. Ask your doctor for 25 Hydroxy test and check several times during the year if low. 
• Diet – certain foods, like the cruciferous vegetables so good for your estrogen balance, can sometimes slow down your thyroid, especially if they are raw. Exercise moderation! It is not about having a kale smoothie with every meal. It is about ensuring you have a variety of colors, raw and cooked throughout the day, not getting stuck on one and in big quantities.
• Gluten sensitivity or intolerance – Celiac and sensitivity to gluten triples your risk of having low thyroid function! But also the reverse is often true – people with low Thyroid function should be tested for Celiac or gluten sensitivity. Removing gluten reverses the thyroid problems.

What are the solutions for low thyroid? 

• Lifestyle tweaks
• Filling in nutrition gaps – copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, D, iron.
• Botanicals - schedule a session with me to get Dr. Gottfried approved recommendations.
• Removing heavy metals, especially mercury
• Taking it easy with soy, which can sometimes slow down your thyroid (just stay away from processed soy, go for small amounts of fermented, the way it is supposed to be eaten)
• Sometimes, and only if lifestyle changes and botanicals have failed, a bio-identical hormonal therapy in small doses and according to dr. Sara Gottfried for a brief amount of time

The lifestyle tweaks you need to undertake while being properly guided make you discover a lot about yourself. You might realize you suffer from food sensitivities, adrenal fatigue, thyroid malfunctions. You might discover higher calling, the purpose of your life (that’s from removing all that clutter) and the points of dissatisfaction. 

I strongly encourage you to take this small, yet very important step towards feeling better! Schedule a Digestive Breakthrough session with me to see how we can work together on restoring your digestion and boosting your immunity using the holistic approach and testing. Please fill out the contact form right here.

Wishing you health,
Joanna