Who's your BFF? Gluten: Friend or Foe?

Who's your BFF?  Do you hang out with them everyday? A few times per week? Or just once in while?  Whatever your response, I bet you hang out with gluten more than your beloved best friends, family and co-workers!  Wanna bet?   Here's another question:  What did you eat today?  Did it come from a package or was it "sandwiched" in between 2 slices of your favorite bread, rolled up in a wrap or slathered with a tangy sauce?  Maybe it was a bowl of your favorite cereal, or better yet - your daily vitamins and supplements.  If you read labels and know anything about food preparation then you know there is gluten galore in nearly everything we eat - particularly if it's processed.

If you're thinking "What the heck is gluten?", I'm sure you're in the majority.  Most people don't know what it is nor heard of it until recent years, but truly still don't "understand" it.  Gluten is a protein that is present in wheat, barley and rye.  It's not harmful unless someone is managing celiac disease.  Roughly 1% of the population is affected by the disease - which prevents them from digesting the protein.  Some of the symptoms include bloating, abdominal cramps, constipation, chronic fatigue and unexplained weight loss.  If celiac disease is not properly treated it can be fatal. 

Now, let's attempt to determine if gluten is your friend or foe.  I'll give you the broad strokes of the pros and cons and leave the rest of the investigative work up to you.  Here's what I do know:  According to the website www.knowswhy.com and the dozens of health practitioners I've studied say 40%  of the population is gluten sensitive.  And while people with a gluten sensitivity can consume wheat with gluten on occasion without any side effect, those with celiac disease have to avoid gluten completely.  Have you allowed gluten to become your BFF and is it now acting more like an enemy?  If so, it might be a good idea to reevaluate your relationship with this protein.

Here's the major reason why in my opinion, we should strive to eliminate or at least decrease our exposure to gluten.  It destroys our small intestine over time and could lead to a nasty condition caused leaky gut syndrome.  The small intestine turns food we eat into fuel. That fuel is used by our cells for nourishment.  So, if the small intestine is damaged, body will not get fed and a number of problems can develop.  Some of those include autoimmune diseases like asthma and arthritis, stress, Lupus, chronic pain, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), thyroid issues and a host of other maladies.

If you are one of my dedicated readers, you know I avoid getting too technical or medical.  And the issue of gluten intolerance/sensitivity is one of those topics that venture into those territories.  Therefore, without offering any medical advice, I will offer you my two cents.  If you have any chronic condition or experience any of the symptoms, an elimination diet could be a way to determine if gluten is your friend or foe.  Please, talk to your health care practitioner or seek the advice of a certified or licensed holistic/nutrition specialist who can help you navigate through this. There are many whole-food substitutions that can replace gluten in your diet and you won't miss it at all. 


Bob's Red Mill is one of my favorite product lines!!!

Take care and feel free to share your healthy and wealthy tips and questions in the blog comments section, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ritechoicenutrition or on twitter @AliciaBettes.


 

The Big Comeback! Did you miss me?

Wow, can you believe it's been over six months since my last post?  I can't.  But when I actually think about it, it feels like it's been a whole lot longer.  I have missed chiming in once a week - and a little more sometimes.  Honestly, there wasn't one day that I didn't think about sitting down and penning a post.  Unfortunately, I let life get in the way and then I got in my own way too.  These first few months of 2014 have been eye-opening, mind-boggling and life changing.  I don't know if words could ever capture the gamut of emotions I am experiencing at this time: disappointment, heartache, uncertainty, happiness, excitement, confident, positive, cautious, prayerful, mindful, sadness - are just a few of the twists and turns I have encountered.  But the glue that is all holding it together for me is FAITH.  I know things are going to work out the way the are supposed to because I have put in the work.  I continue to put in the work and I am not afraid to put in some more.  Pepper this with a lot of patience and it's the perfect recipe for SUCCESS!  I am just so excited to walk into what God has prepared for me.  I can feel my eyes swelling right now with tears of joy!  All of my heart's desires, my dreams, my family, my abundance of health, wealth, happiness, peace and most of all love  -- they are all mine!!!

I thank God for the countless blessings he allows to flow my way.  No matter how big or small.  And they are not all material either.  I praise and thank Him for the wonderful, insightful, encouraging, intelligent, savvy, beautiful, spiritual people He puts in my path.  If you are reading this, then you are a blessing to me as well.  Bet you didn't know that!?!??!  Well you are!  And don't you forget it!

As I close out today's post, I am reminded of these words Pastor Joel Osteen shared via social media yesterday:

"The enemy will tell you all the reasons you could never become what you were created to be. Don’t believe those lies. God has already arranged a comeback. There’s victory in your future!"

I believe it and receive it in Jesus' name!  Amen, Amen, Amen!

Healthy and Wealthy never felt so good!