The Gluten-Free Craze

My new gluten-free LOVE!
(uncompensated LOVE)

Today is Day 4 of Gluten-free.  So far, so good.

Why? You may ask.  As a non-fan of jumping on the bandwagon, why go gluten-free?  It's just a fad, right?  Well, maybe, maybe not.  There is a lot of discussion and so-called scientific evidence to support both sides of the argument around gluten-free.  

So I decided to be my own guinea pig.  

So here is what I've found thus far:

• I have no trouble finding gluten-free foods that I love
• I miss my morning whole-grain toast just a little, but yummy gluten-free granola makes up for it
• Day 3- "stuff" in my head that has been there a long time seems to be breaking up.  That's good, right?
• Adding my daily Fiberwise is a good idea (which I've been a little lax on these 3 days.  That's how I know.)

My goal is to feel better.  Thyroid disease is kind of kicking my butt and traditional diet and exercise, yoga, changing/adjusting meds and other stuff doesn't seem to be making a difference.  So this is the next thing on the list.  I plan to stick with it initially for 1 week (half-way there) and see if it is a positive change.  After that, we'll see.

What is your experience with gluten-free?  Does it work for you?  I'd love to hear your responses.


10/22/13 - Update:  Today is Day 9.  Yep, I went past my initial 7 days.  I have to say that days 6 & 7 were particularly rough with some serious mood swings/depression.  I had pretty much decided by the morning of day 7 that I would give up my little experiment for now, as I really wanted to go back to "normal" eating.  However, on Monday morning (day 8) I was feeling good and, miracle of miracles, the scale moved down a couple pounds.  Now, I don't attribute this to gluten-free as much as to a severe calorie reduction.  I find I am relying on my gluten free bars and shakes for the bulk of my nutrition, since it's a little more effort to find and eat gluten free.  I plan to do another post in the near future with a better checklist of my experiences to help you decide whether this is for you or not.  For now, it's one day at a time.

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Summer Living by Dr. Linda Khoshaba

I love the doctors at www.MyIntegrativeHealth.com.  Today, Dr. Khoshaba shares some tips to make the summer a little healthier and refreshing!

Enjoy!  Kim


Summer is finally here, time for some fun in the sun!   Here are 3 summer tips to help you prepare and have a successful and safe summer.

Summer Sweats
With the temperature rising, making sure you are getting adequate hydration is the top priority to keeping your body fluid in balance.  Appropriate water intake consists of drinking at least half your body weight in ounces and more for every hour of physical activity.  When you perspire, the content mostly consists of water and to lesser extent, minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. It is essential that not only water be replaced, but also making sure that your electrolyte replacement is sufficient.  Electroyltes are responsible for balancing pH levels (blood acidity) and regulating muscle function.   Common electrolyte replacements are drinks such as Gatorade, however, be watchful with the sugar content hidden in these drinks.  Instead, consider adding ones such as Emergen- C or Endurolytes Fizz that do not contain refined sugars and additives.

Simple Summer Sweets
Ice pops can be refreshing but be cautious of sugar content! You can make ice treats without over indulging in calories.  Cut up some pieces of fruit such as peaches, kiwi, strawberries and grapes then you can add some water and fill up a popsicle tray then freeze. Another thirst quencher is to make some old fashion lemonade; all you need to do is cut 5 lemons in half, squeeze and then add to a pitcher of water and ice! Not only will this keep you hydrated, it is amazingly low in calories!

Summer Skin Care
Skin is the largest organ in our body.  Before jumping into your swimsuit, think about how you can protect it!  SPF, Sun Protection Factor, is a rating that measures the amount of time it takes to form sunburn on unprotected skin.  However, this factor only measures UVB rays (short rays), not UVA rays (long rays). UVA rays penetrate deeper layers of skin and UVB rays penetrate the skin more superficially.  It is important to protect yourself from both forms of ultra violet radiation as they both can increase your risk of premature aging, wrinkles and skin cancers.  Here is what you can do to protect yourself from sun damage:

• Try to hang out in the shade especially between hours of 10am to 4pm. 
• Choosing your outdoor clothing wisely can reduce your risk as well.  For example, there are clothes that designed to reflect UV light reducing skin exposure. 
• The color of your clothes can impact how much radiation you are absorbing, brighter and dark colored clothes reflect more UV than light pastel colored clothes.
• Avoid tanning booths
• Look for a sunscreen with SPF over 15 and has protection from both UVA and UVB rays

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(c) 2013- Integrative Health Care, PC

Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you use the following information along with the article:

Dr. Linda Khoshaba received her Doctorate from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine.  Her main areas of focus include women's health, pediatric medicine, diabetes management, and prolotherapy.  She completed her Master's Degree in Health Promotion and Public Health where she focused mainly on patient self management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.  She attended the University of Western Ontario, Canada where she was awarded an Honors Degree in Health Sciences. 
Dr. Khoshaba can be reached at www.MyIntegrativeHealth.com and 480-657-0003.

Mindful Eating

It was a breath of fresh air running across an article this morning that discusses Mindful Eating and the pitfalls of the "good or bad" food mentality that is found in many diet plans. Michelle May MD does a great job of explaining the different approaches and perhaps why so many of our plans are derailed and don't, ultimately, give us the desired outcomes.

I have a difficult time maintaining composure whenever a client, student or friend share with me their latest diet plan.  I have yet to meet a person face-to-face who has had AND maintained weightloss success through a "diet."  Yet, we continue this cycle of moving from one diet to the next, looking for the magic combination of foods and exercise that will make us look good, never mind our health.

I encourage you to read the article, New Shades of Grey and share your thoughts.

What is your experience?  

Roaring Fork Wellness: Navigating The Wide Range of Care Options

For my local friends.... Here's an upcoming event that is well worth your while:

You know there are other options out there for your self-care and wellness lifestyle.... but how do you find them and how do you choose?  At this local event, a wide variety of wellness practitioners, including yours truly, will be there to discuss your options, answer your questions and provide information to help you take charge of your wellness journey.  Hope to see you there!

It's coming to Glenwood Springs, CO on Saturday, April 27, 2013.  Follow the link below to get further details.

Roaring Fork Wellness: Navigating The Wide Range of Care Options: When it comes to health and wellness,  how do you navigate the wide range of choices for your care? Mark your calendar for : Saturd...

Yoga for YOU

Ever thought about adding yoga to your life? Perhaps you've tried it and found those "pretzel-like" poses awkward and uncomfortable or just didn't connect with the teacher or the other students. Perhaps you've been turned off from even trying yoga for those same reasons.

If you want to live a life in wellness and vitality, yoga may be worth a second look. You also may find support for your back pain, carpal tunnel, osteoarthritis, ADD, anxiety, heart disease, depression, IBS, menopause and so many other conditions. The research is in and science says yoga is beneficial to our bodies, minds and spirits. This article from IDEAfit sums up the research nicely.

It doesn't have to be uncomfortable. There are many styles and teachers of yoga. Look for one that is a good fit for you. Check the research to find out what style may be best for your body and what's going on with you. You can find everything from chair yoga to therapeutic yoga, flow yoga to hot yoga. I prefer (and teach) in the style of viniyoga.

Below you'll find a video featuring Gary Kraftsow of the American Viniyoga Institute discussing Yoga and Health Care.  Mr. Kraftsow has teamed up with government and health care agencies to bring yoga into the healthcare community.

Yoga can be adapted for just about any person that would like to try it.  Find a teacher who is willing to work with you in beginning your yoga journey.  If you are new to yoga, I do recommend you start with a local teacher.  Once you have the basic mechanics down and know the appropriate modifications, there are plenty of online videos and DVDs available to utilize at your convenience, in the privacy of your home.

If I can help in your yoga journey, please email me: kimhenrie@vitalityforlife.com or call 970-930-1242.

 

Roaring Fork Wellness: 101 FITNESS & HEALTH TIPS, REMINDERS and MOTIVATIO...

This is a worth repeating.... Happy New Year's Resolutions!

Roaring Fork Wellness: 101 FITNESS & HEALTH TIPS, REMINDERS and MOTIVATIO...: 101 FITNESS & HEALTH TIPS, REMINDERS and MOTIVATIONS  These fitness tips were written during 2009 and 2010 while working as a perso...

Creating a Life

I'm so proud of us.

Randy and I ALMOST went snowshoeing yesterday. That is a step forward.

We have been so busy doing the "right" things, working hard, building business, that we have set aside the business of living in many ways.

We've lived in ski country since 1997. Neither of us have an aversion to skiing, in fact, we'd both like to. BUT, we have set it aside every ski season since 1997 as not enough time and/or money to invest. What a waste! We spent that time/money on work and business.

So this weekend we discussed skiing or snowshoeing and settled on snow shoeing for Sunday. We packed snacks and lunches and got things together. Unfortunately, mother nature didn't agree and it was rather nasty outside.... so we have decided to try again next weekend. However, we ventured out to the local shops and looked at snowshoes, shopped for new winter boots for me and did the homework on just where we will take our rented snowshoes next weekend. So... it's a work in progress, a step in the right direction.

I'm really excited to try it!

****Birthday Special**** ****Birthday Special****

Tomorrow is my birthday. Nevermind which one. It just is.

So to celebrate, I'd like to invite 4 new customers to my wellness business and I'll pick up the tab. Yep. That $29 new account fee, I'll cover it. PLUS we'll give you $100 in free products within your first 6 months and 10% back in free products after that.

It's a GIVING EXTRAVAGANZA!

It's ONLY AVAILABLE to the first 4 who take advantage of my offer and only through 10pm MTN, September 30, 2010.

So don't delay. 4 is not a big number.... it's very small. It goes quick.

Email me at khenrie@iglide.net for the details.

Cake anyone?

Oh the Pressure!

You know, it's not that I don't have things to say, or even that I don't know how to say them.... it's just.....when will I get an uninterrupted minute to organize my thoughts?

Fact is, business is moving so fast.... it's almost paralyzing. I just want the world to stop so I can gather my thoughts and then move on. (Remember how they used to do that in cartoons?) Where is that pill and how do I get it?

My "You Are Being Silly, But I Love You Anyway" Look