Are You Gluten Free?

It can be a challenge for those of us who are just learning that they have an allergy to wheat or discovering that they have celiac disease. What about those folks who have no idea why they feel so horrible all the time. Maybe they are gluten intolerant, but how will you know? 

So what is Gluten and how do you know you have a problem? Gluten  is a protein found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye. Gluten gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture. Gluten may also be found in some cosmetics, hair products, and other dermatological preparations.

Human beings cannot digest the gluten protein completely, and in one to five percent of folks , the protein creates a toxic effect on the body and it's immune system. The body defends itself as it is attacked by the gluten protein and in turn damages the lining of the small intestine and other organs in the body. Once the intestinal lining is attacked it eventually over time becomes compromised resulting in malabsorption of nutrients. When the body cannot feed it's cells, disease and malfunction start to take it's place.

Next you may develop another autoimmune disease such as, rheumatoid arthritis, where the joints are attacked. MS, where the nervous system is attacked and or Diabetes, involving the pancreas.  There are many more.

This is pretty serious. Not to be taken lightly either. Your body attacks it's own tissue and you start to feel horrible.  I am lucky to be alive and well. I had been suffering for several years with an unknown wheat allergy. I am truly grateful to the doctor who referred me to a specialist two and a half years ago. My body is still healing and I am giving it all the best I can. I have also found a whole food approach which helps tremendously by adding organic nutrition into my daily dietary regime.

If you are suffering from Digestive, Neurological, Skeletal, Hormonal or Immune Symptoms, you will want to take this self test from Doctor Oz.
www.doctoroz.com/videos/gluten-sensitivity-self-test

Traveling and Gluten Free?
Here is a  free App for your iPhone & Android:
www.GlutenFreeTravelSite.com

I hope that you have found some simple help here. I know all of this can be so confusing when you are in your initial discovery of this diagnosis. I wish you well on your journey towards better health. Don't give up, have faith, and Do Not Cheat on this diet, your body will thank you for it. 

Check back for more information and resources. I will be sharing all my favorite gluten free food finds with you in my next article. Thanks for reading!

I encourage you to get in touch with me so we can talk about some of the things that have worked for me and some of the things that have worked for others that I know. Wishing you success!
 

Your Wellness Advocate,

Deana Hodell, LMT

+1.401.523.4275

Chronic Muscular Pain And How To Enter The Exclusion Zone!

I can remember days of chronic fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, chronic muscular pain and tension headaches. Can anyone relate? These days were uneventful and not fun for myself or my family. I spent countless miserable days wishing for a way to feel better, and I tried many things. Massage Therapy, Meditation, Yoga, Trips to the Doctor. This was getting scary. Things started to become 10 fold after the birth of my daughter. Then one day my primary DO , told me to go and see an ENT (Ear, nose , throat ) specialist for the swollen lymph glands in my neck. It was at this visit where I received a blood test to see what I may be allergic to. The final verdict came to WHEAT AKA Gluten! It's in everything, what was I going to do? No one advised me to change my diet either. What did this mean? I started to do my research and decided to enter the exclusion zone.

On my journey I learned that adverse reactions to certain foods and drinks are responsible for much of the pain and discomfort I was feeling.  Did you know that headaches, constipation, vomiting, fatigue, agitation, skin irritations, diarrhea,  joint pain, muscle pain, palpitations and anxiety are some of the symptoms related to the reactions that certain foods can provoke?

So here are the culprits you may want to try excluding: Wheat, dairy, sugar, artificial sweeteners, chocolate, alcohol and caffeine.  If you suffer from chronic pain, you may benefit from conducting a food exclusion experiment.  You will want to try one at a time and keep a food journal close by to record your experiences.  Keep in mind that you may experience withdrawal symptoms which include, flu- like symptoms, anxiety, muscle and joint pain and restlessness for a few days. It can take up to five days for a food that produces a reaction to stop producing it's symptoms. But do not worry , this will pass and drinking water throughout the day should help flush out these toxins from the body.

How I found relief? Eliminating wheat and including a Natural, Synergistic Super Food 
that contains 22 amino acids, trace minerals, vitamins and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), into my dietary plan. This has had a tremendous effect on my lifestyle and my ability to continue doing all the things I enjoy. I have more energy, better sleep, no more anxiety, no pain and my tension headaches are gone. I am feeling great, and will never go a day without this diet or my Laminine.

I hope you may have found a solution to your problem. For more info you may want to research the oligoantigenic diet and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

I wish you well on your journey towards better health. 

  

I encourage you to get in touch with me so we can talk about some of the things that have worked for me and some of the things that have worked for others that I know. Wishing you success!

Your Wellness Advocate,

 Deana Hodell, LMT

 +1.401.523.4275

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How To Increase Physical and Mental Strength!

Do you know what your body really needs to increase physical and mental strength?  I didn't! When I was tired I would reach for another coffee and maybe a sweet to go with it. I can remember the days when I stopped at Wendy's for some fast food , because I was too tired to go home and make something to eat.  I remember the horrible mood swings, the muscle pain and depression that I suffered from.  I am glad to say good rid-dens to these horrible feelings.

What happens if we continue this lifestyle. After a while the body says, "I am not happy and if you keep pushing me, you are going to pay for it the hard way."  So what happened to me? I got sick! Yup, that is what happened. I learned the hard way because I was unaware of any other way. So the research and the doctor visits began. To make a long story short, I found out that I was gluten intolerant with a wheat allergy. This is where paying attention to my diet and lifestyle came into play. If I didn't take care of my body, where was I going to live?

How can you help yourself to feel better? Would you change your diet and exercise more?

Besides eating a healthy diet and exercise, there are so many other things we need to give ourselves on a daily basis which aid in our physical performance. For some of us , physical performance may be just the ability to walk or get up the stairs. For others it may be more than that, like going to the gym for a workout or running a 5K. You get it , right? You don't have to be an Olympic champion to partake in the opportunity to increase your physical and mental strength.

Our bodies need a unique blend of Amino Acids. I recommend a product called Smooth Vitality made of complete plant proteins which contain all essential and non-essential amino acids, including Branch Chain Amino Acids that are higher than any other plant-based protein. Smooth Vitality creates a feeling of satiety (fullness), is high in antioxidants, improves cardiovascular function, increases good cholesterol, decreases bad cholesterol, and is a great energy source!

Green Organics' Smooth Vitality is the next generation in plant-based protein - an easily digestible, nutrient-dense superfood, perfect for those who want to be ultra-healthy and fit.


  “Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”  ~John F. Kennedy

I encourage you to get in touch with me so we can talk about some of the things that have worked for me and some of the things that have worked for others that I know.

Wishing you success,

Deana Hodell
+ 401-523-4275