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Is Gluten the Culprit of YOUR Health Problem?

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How can eating gluten create health problems in so many parts of our body?

 

This is a question I get asked a lot during coaching, and the answer can get quite complex.

In this week’s video I explain very simply how eating something like gluten (in breads, pasta, pizza, etc) can not only give you digestive problems such as bloating and IBS, it could be the culprit for many problems in your body, including but not limited to:

  • Bloating
  • Diarrhea and/or constipation
  • IBS and abdominal pain
  • Malnutrition/Failure to thrive
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Celiac disease
  • Hair loss
  • Chronic Fatigue/ME
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Memory loss
  • Thyroid disorders, eg hypothyroidism, hashimoto’s disease
  • Skin disorders, eg eczma, psoriasis, rosacea
  • Joint pain and arthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • Lupus
  • Water retention

That’s quite a list, huh! So, how can so many different symptoms possibly be related to eating gluten?

 

The problem begins in your gut, or your lower intestine to be precise.

Because gluten is not easily digested, these proteins damage the wall of your intestine – where your body absorbs nutrients from your food.
Over time, the millions of tiny protrusions called Villi that absorb nutrients become damaged and the surface area available for absorption reduces.

This means that even if you are eating nutrient-rich foods, your gut may not be able to take up those nutrients and convert them into energy and other functions such as body maintenance and repair.

Gluten proteins also damage the ‘barrier’ between your intestine and what lies behind it – your bloodstream and immune system.
This is commonly called Leaky Gut Syndrome, because your gut literally has holes in it that leaks particles of food past where they should be!

Once gluten particles get into your bloodstream, they are free to roam wherever your blood takes them. They’re on the trip of a lifetime with an access-all-areas ticket!
But in the meantime, your immune system is on to them, uh huh… sounds like your body’s home guard are going to save the day, right? Um, not exactly…

One of the first actions your immune system takes is to attach an enzyme to the gluten proteins in a bid to neutralise the threat.
The problem with this response is that the enzyme your body sends to jump on the gluten and grapple it to the ground, is the same type of enzyme that is also present in countless cells and organs of your body!

When your immune system sends the troops in to attack gluten, it assumes that the enzyme now attached to it is also part of the problem (I feel bad for this enzyme – Tissue Transglutaminase or Ttg – it got mixed up in the wrong crowd and it’s guilty by association!).

This means your immune system thinks that wherever it comes across this enzyme, it should attack.

It may detect this enzyme in your brain, joints, thyroid, liver, heart, skin… are you seeing the potential scope of the problem?

This is where auto-immune diseases take hold: your immune system attacks your own body’s cells because it thinks they are the enemy.

When your own body begins to attack itself, that’s bad news… but there are ways to bring peace to your body.

  1. The first step is to literally stop feeding the problem.
    Quitting gluten can be tough when we find it in most of everyday foods. But it is essential to find out if it really is the culprit. I help my clients navigate this challenge without feeling confused or denied.
  2. The second step is to heal the damage.
    The leaks in your gut and your compromised absorption in your intestine CAN be healed. And until you close that unauthorised access AND get the most nutrition from your food, your body can’t even think about dealing with the war happening elsewhere in your organs.
  3. The third step is to take care of your wacko immune army and re-educate those trigger-happy soldiers to stop attacking the good guys!

If this unconventional biology lesson has set off some alarm bells for you and YOUR random symptoms, that is actually GREAT NEWS!
Because you can start the healing process.

Is Your Body Battling Gluten?
Book a Free Session with me to find out and take action!

If you want to start the amnesty process with your body, I am offering free sessions to three lucky readers in the next week where we can create an action plan for your first steps to peace in your body.

If you have questions about your symptoms or the information here, please leave a comment and I’ll help you with answers.

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Make Your Heart Happy With This Luscious Smoothie

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An unhealthy heart is an unhappy heart

An unhealthy heart is an unhappy heart

If your heart could write you a letter this Valentine’s, would it be loving or leaving you?

Many of us take our heart for granted.
Like any long term relationship, it’s easy to become complacent.

We forget to appreciate our heart and how much it does for us day in, day out.

We may neglect its needs, take more than we give back and not consider what would happen if one day it decided it was fed up of being treated that way!

 

Some of us ignore the warning signs of our own heart’s heartbreak…

  • It feels our stress so it beats really fast sometimes and makes us panic.
  • It’s struggling to cope with our food and lifestyle choices so it raises our blood pressure.
  • It feels overworked and clogged up and so we feel breathless and lacking energy.

We may secretly worry that our heart will suddenly pack up and leave! Oh but wait, it can’t leave! We have all the exits covered! So let’s just push that feeling down and leave it for another day…

Or maybe we could spend a little time with our loyal and loving heart and reap the benefits?
You know, one of those equal, loving relationships where both sides are happy – the kind that we all want ;-)

On the day dedicated to all things heart-shaped, how about showing your real heart some love?

Sound good?

Here is a quick and easy way to show your heart some real love this Valentine’s, and I guarantee your heart will love you right back for it!

Heart Healthy Smoothie Recipe

Happy Heart Beet Smoothie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These ingredients are proven to support your heart’s healthy function. Put them all together and you have a recipe for perfect heart love:

  • Beets – contain Betaine, a key nutrient for regulating inflammation and homocysteine levels in the cardio vascular system.
  • Dark-skinned Berries – Your body loves the antioxidants and polyphenols that berries are rich in. Your heart will love how these regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, making its job of pumping that good stuff around so much easier.
  • Spinach – Packed with antioxidant vitamins and minerals, spinach is a strong ally in preventing oxidative conditions of the blood vessels and arteries such as atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. It also contains certain peptides that can help lower blood pressure by inhibiting a specific, harmful enzyme (Angiotensin).
  • Avocado – Think fat is bad for your heart? Think again! Research shows that inflammation, oxidation and even healthy cholesterol levels are all improved by consuming avocados. Their essential fatty acids are, well, essential for heart health.
  • Chia Seeds – Another rich, plant-based source of Omega3 fatty acids along with antioxidants and fibre to support healthy heart function. These little seeds pack a very big punch!
  • Raw Cacao – The raw and unadulterated ingredient in chocolate is bursting with antioxidants, flavanols and minerals that can improve blood flow, reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad type) and strengthen artery walls.
  • Dates – These dried fruits are a great way to add sweetness without spiking your blood sugar. The high fibre content helps regulate both blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and their potassium can help lower blood pressure.
  • Nut/Seed Milk – Choose an organic brand of your favourite nut or seed milk to thin out your smoothie and you will benefit from a plethora of nutrients such as polyunsaturated fats and vitamin that are essential for heart health. It’s also an easy way to reduce your dairy intake and increase nutrient diversity in your diet.

Happy Heart-Beet Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1 small beet, peeled and chopped
  • 2 handfuls berries –  choose your own combination of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc
  • 1 handful spinach
  • ½ – 1 Avocado, de-stoned and peeled
  • 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds, soaked in 3 Tbsp of water until they ‘gel’
  • 1 Tablespoon Raw Cacao Powder – optional but recommended (because who doesn’t love chocolate?!)
  • 3-5 dates, de-stoned
  • Nut/Seed Milk – my personal favourites are almond milk and hemp seed milk

Make the Magic

  1. If you have a jug blender, simply add all the ingredients with a little of your chosen milk. Pulse and blend until smooth, adding extra milk to your desired consistency.
  2. If you only have a hand/stick blender, you can still make this but it will take a little more effort to blend down. Chop the beetroot into small pieces to aid this process and add ingredients gradually if necessary.

Even if you don’t have any heart health concerns, this recipe will show your body’s hardest working muscle just how much you appreciate it!
And if you have any family history of heart, blood or cholesterol problems, this smoothie is delicious insurance against any future ills.

So tell me, do you worry about your heart, appreciate it or never think about it?
Will you be showing your heart some extra love this Valentine’s?
Please like and share this article with anyone you know who may benefit and let’s spread some cardio love!

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