HEALTH & WELLNESS

Sounds simple but is it really?

There is so much information out there and it can become very confusing if you have not vetted your sources and you don't realize that a one size solution for everyone very seldom  works for you.

I have found it is easiest to start slowly (little-by-little) for the following reasons. 

Many people who are very ill often have trouble losing weight, become very reactive to a lot of foods and do not completely buy into the belief that foods can truly affect their body and health; especially with foods they have been eating all of their lives. 

In addition, some people are told they have to stop everything at once which might seem extreme to someone who is not committed to the process.

I believe that starting the process depends on the realization that every person is unique and therefore they will need to start the process in their own way. 

It is important to realize that it probably took you years to decades to  get to your present state of health and in all honesty it will probably take you months to years to make your way back to true health.

So don't look at the big picture. Start small and use baby steps. Do one thing a day to improve your health. And if you skip a day it is okay as long as the next day you try again.

Once you start feeling and seeing the difference there will be no holding you back.  :-)    

How do you know what to eat, when to eat and how to eat food when there are so many diets and differing opinions that are telling you that they are the best way to get healthy.

This is where vetting your sources and using your common sense really come into play. The first thing to remember is that we are all unique, so what works for one person may not work for another person. If they claim to help everyone with the same advice you may want to move on to the next choice.

I like to hear the same thing from at least three different sources. If an idea is solid there is usually more than one person suggesting that technique in some form. Herbs are a great example of this because they have numerous uses. You can use one herb by itself or you can combine different herbs to create another option. 

What's important is that it will get you thinking about herbs. Now it is imperative to realize that you now need to do your research. For instance, some herbs cannot be used with certain medical conditions. (They may make your condition worse.) Some herbs can have interactions with other herbs so you need to know what your are taking, the dosage and the time frame. 

It is okay if it takes time to figure this out. It is also helpful if you have a health care professional that you trust, to run by any ideas and questions you may have from your research. This way you will know if you are on the right track and will not cause yourself any harm. 

Once you discover certain things you think may work for you; a sense of excitement will come over you and you may want to start testing immediately. But this is where you need to remember to take it slow and go step-by-step.

If you try to change more than one thing at a time (and something is still wrong) you will not know what worked and what did not work. As a result, it will take you even longer because you will have to remove everything you did and start all over again. This is why it is imperative to slow down and make one change at a time.

I feel the most important thing to know is that it takes time to heal. You will hear people say they healed in six months to a year; and they may have, but how long did it take them to get ill and what stage were they at before they sought help? Everything is relative. Maybe it took you three decades to finally find the right person to help you on your journey. If that is the case it may take 1-3 years to complete your healing.

It doesn't matter how long it takes you to heal because you will feel the small wins along the way. You will notice when you can get out of bed. You will notice when your hair stops falling out. You will notice when your brain fog goes away. You will notice when your brain is connecting properly for the first time in years. You will notice and therefore you will have hope!!!

No matter how bad you get don't give up!!!  It wasn't until the third time my body shut down that I finally found the right doctor and Chinese Medicine. You have to keep your hope alive. You have to believe that you will get well. You have to persevere because it only takes one second for your life to change and when that time comes you will be so happy you never gave up hope!!!   

GLUTEN – Family of storage proteins found in the seeds of many kinds of grass / grains. (Main = Wheat – Also in Rye / Hordein in Barley / Avenins in Oats) The new forms of gluten are not the same as the ancient grains. 

Gluten is indigestible to any human being – Some people feel it greatly / some a little / some not at all – But that doesn’t mean it isn’t harming you

GLUTEN SENSITIVITY - Stems from the mass consumption of grains

WARNINGS - A single gluten exposure can cause symptoms that last for 3 months (And in some cases up to 6 months)

Not all grains contain gluten, but even gluten-free grains contain phytic acid, a protective coating that’s difficult for the body to breakdown and digest, resulting in inflammation in the digestive tract. (Soaking grains will help in reducing the amount of phytic acid.) 

Rice and corn are called gluten free but they process the grains using an industrial enzyme in processing to make thins stickier (MTG / microbial transglutaminase) 

 Always look at the ingredients because gluten is sometimes found in the most unusual foods and products. 

Barley
Bouillon Cubes
Caramel Color or Flavoring
Cheese (Red)

Cleaning Supplies
Commercial Chocolate Milk

Condiments

Cosmetics
Curry Powder

Dish Soap
Flavored Instant Coffee or Tea
Food Colorings
Gelatin Starch

Gum Base (Chewing Gum)
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Majority of Grains such as Spelt / Wheat / Rye / Barley
Meats - Preservatives Processed (Sausages / Hot Dogs / Bologna)
Malt
Marshmallows

Medications
Modified Food Starch
Monosodium Glutamate

Most Packaged and Boxed Foods

Non-Dairy Creamers
Packaged Rice Mixes
Grain Alcohol (Beer / Ale / Rye / Scotch / Bourbon / Grain Vodka)
Pudding
Salad Dressing

Sauces
Soy Sauce
Spices and Spice Mixtures
Textured Vegetable Protein

Toothpaste
Vegetable Starch

Vitamins
Wheat
White / Malt Vinegar
Nearly All Restaurant Food

Good News - Since gluten sensitivity has become so common (especially with some people that have autoimmune diseases) more foods and products are eliminating the use of gluten. 

Amaranth

Buckwheat

Corn

Millet

Quinoa

Rice – Check warnings above

Sorghum

Tapioca

Autoimmune conditions calm down

Helps with detox and opens up your pathways

Increases gut permeability 

ADRENALS - Fatigue - Hormone Imbalances - Overwork

ARTHRITIS - Increase risk for development of Autoimmune Arthritis

AUTOIMMUNITY – Gluten has a connection to autoimmunity 

BRAIN - Anxiety - Brain Fog - Chemical Imbalances – Depression - Leaky Brain

DYSBIOSIS – Can lead to Leaky Gut 

ENERGY – Loss of Energy

FOOD INTOLERANCE'S – Creates food intolerance's - Sensitivity to Food

GUT DYSFUNCTION – Impact on Gut - Leaky Gut (Research shows a direct link between eating gluten and the development of leaky gut. This is because gluten increases zonulin production, which is a protein that breaks apart the tight junctions in your digestive tract.)

IMMUNE SYSTEM – Gluten is detrimental to the immune system – Can create a delayed response – Makes our immune system unable to recognize our own cells

INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE – Triggers an inflammatory immune response which allows zonulin to escape the intestinal lining

INTESTINES - Bloating - Constipation – Diarrhea - Gas
JOINT PAIN – Arthritis – Inflammation - Swelling

MOOD – Affects your mood

MUSCLE PAIN 

RESPIRATORY – Infections 

SKIN CONDITIONS – Acne - Eczema – Psoriasis - Rash

SINUS & MOUTH - Colds and Coughs
THYROID – Thyroid Dysfunction – Can increase thyroid antibodies – Can accelerate damage on the thyroid gland – Can lower Hormone Levels - Can cause Grave's Disease / Hasimoto’s  

It mimics a lot of different molecules inside the body and mistakes human tissue for certain foods so it starts to destroy the human tissue (cerebellum / thyroid / heart / various organs)

Creates and elevates antibodies which fight your own tissue 

Inherently inflammatory – Damaging to the lining of the gut – Feed the wrong type of bacteria in the gut 

Genetic Testing is the best way to test for gluten to see if your body sees it as a foreign invader - You either have the gene or you don't and if you have the gene your body will react to gluten

Test for gluten – HLA-DQ / HLADQ gene – HLA-B27 / HLAB27 genes

Close to 1,000 different forms of gluten and most labs check for 13