What is the whole “gluten free” craze all about?

What is the whole “gluten free” craze all about?

We have been seeing more and more people switch to gluten free diets and seeing bigger variety of gluten free products coming up in the market, gluten has been linked to lots of health concerns, digestive issues, autoimmune conditions, autism, depression, inflammation, you name it.

It makes me wonder, since grains and especially wheat has been the foundation of many civilizations, it has been used to make porridge and bread centuries ago. Why is it suddenly causing so much trouble? What has changed? Is it the wheat? Is it how we process it? Or is it our bodies?

Let’s first get to know Gluten

Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye. Gluten gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keeps its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture. Gluten is used in cosmetics, hair products, and other dermatological preparations.

Gluten has always been there, and people have been always depending on it as part of their diets. Something must have gone wrong along the way.

What has changed?

The way we grow it, the way we process it and the way we eat and the amount we eat it.

 Industrialized grain milling

•     we separated the component parts removing the bran, germ, shorts, and produce fine pure white flour at low cost, by this removing all the nutrients, vitamins, protein and minerals.

•     It stores perfectly for long times without risk of getting pests, no wonder the pests know there is nothing for them in there.

•      A very high glycemic index meaning It raises your blood lever a lot faster and thus contributes to weight gain, diabetes and inflammation which are linked to heart disease and arthritis to name some.

•      Also that rapid rise is sugar, followed by a rapid drop in sugar causes addiction that will make you hungrier for sugar and carbs to fix that drop, and the cycle goes on forever.

•      Some of the nutrients that were removed with the bran and germ are added in the “enriching” process, where iron and synthetic B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid are added back in. Other agents are added to the dough which keeps the bread fresh and pliable for a longer period of time.

 Hybridized wheat 

• In the 1950s a movement called the “Green Revolution” changed the wheat that we always knew. Scientists started cross-breeding wheat to make it hardier, shorter, and better-growing.

•      species of semi-dwarf wheat was introduced, together with complimenting fertilizers and pesticides, increased yield. Another result of the hybridizations is that gluten levels increased in the new wheat, a good thing for making tall, fluffy breads that last longer.

•    In 2003 Clearfield wheat was introduced, which is tolerant to the herbicide “Beyond” .

•   They proudly proclaim that the wheat is not the product of genetic engineering, but of “enhanced traditional plant breeding” methods.

• The technique is called “chemical mutagenesis”. Using a highly toxic chemical – sodium azide – as well as gamma and x-ray radiation. Clearfield is now supplied in 20 varieties and nearly a million acres are planted with it in the US and Canada.

• The poison control people will tell you that if someone accidentally ingests sodium azide, you shouldn’t try to resuscitate the person because you could die, too, giving CPR. This is a highly toxic chemical. 

•  This hybridized wheat contains foreign proteins that aren't typically found in either the parent or the plant  some of which are difficult for us to properly digest.

   Processing

Traditionally bread was made with a slow rise sourdough method, using native yeast from the air to raise the dough. The long hours of rising allowed a lot of the gluten to be digested which makes it easier on our bodies.

Today’s bread is made with fast-rising yeast that has been cultured specially to raise bread dough faster and higher than any sourdough can, which in turn makes it more indigestible, not forgetting that it already has more gluten than its ancient versions to start with.

 Amount

We are eating wheat and wheat products more than ever before, bread, cookies, cakes, breaded chicken, meat loafs, cereals, crackers,..

Not to mention how many processed food contain gluten in them, from ketchup, soy sauce, salad dressings, sauces…

Are we really meant to be able to digest all that amount of processed, hyberdized, chemically sprayed gluten?

Our bodies

Last but not least our digestive systems are already compromised to start with, with all the toxins, pesticides, and especially antibiotics that we get through medications and through meat and chicken fed antibiotics, sugar, chemicals and additives in food, all compromise and weaken our immunity and our digestive health which makes it harder for our bodies to digest a complex proteins.

Antibiotic use and chemicals also causes “ leaky gut” where the intestinal wall is permeable and leaks undigested food particles into the blood stream, which cause a series of immune reactions against this foreign material.

Gluten can sometimes cause an autoimmune reaction in the body like celiac disease or other auto immune conditions that are triggered with gluten, or just cause damage to the intestinal wall over the time that can cause all sorts of other health issues which is called “ gluten intolerance”. In this case the symptoms are hard to pinpoint and also the tests are not very reliable.

If you have " gluten intolerance" that was undiagnosed, it can cause damage to your intestinal wall causing it to be preamble, and thus leaks undigested food particles into the blood stream causing the immune system to react to it, the continuos stress on the immune system can cause havoc in the body.

 Health issues that can be related to “ gluten sensitivity” or “ gluten intolerance”:

Research estimates that 18 million Americans have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. That’s 6 times the amount of Americans who have celiac disease.

1.     Gastrointestinal effects: bloating, diarrhea and constipation

2. Mal-absorption of vitamins: If a person is gluten sensitive or intolerant, their stomach lining can no longer absorb essential nutrients from food. Low iron is a common indicator of gluten intolerance.

3. Skin rash

4. Migraines

5. Joint pain

7. Chronic fatigue

8. Fibromyalgia.

9. Depression and brain fog

How to know if you have gluten sensitivity?

•      Completely eliminate gluten for 3 weeks.

•     Write a food diary and write down how you feel every day, Notice if your symptoms were relieved.

•     Reintroduce gluten and notice any adverse reaction: headache, gas, mood swings, constipation, mood swings, anxiety.

     Gluten free grains 

     Quinoa

      Amaranth

      teff

      Rice

      Oats : Oats are inherently gluten-free, but are frequently contaminated with wheat during growing or processing. Several companies (Bob's Red Mill, Cream Hill Estates, GF Harvest (formerly Gluten Free Oats), and Avena Foods (Only Oats) are currently among those that offer pure, uncontaminated oats.

      Millet

      Sorghum

      Buckwheat

   

What are we eating? think twice before you conclude !!!

While people in the Middle East are fighting for their right to speak, choose and live, people in the USA are fighting for their right to know what is in their food, and to eat healthy clean food that won't harm their health and their kids health.And as different both ways of fighting are, they are both fighting for their freedom of choice,and their right to live. Both governments are killing their people in different ways for money and power.

The big food companies in the USA have managed to introduce lots of dangerous and unhealthy choices that serves no one but their profit and the dr. Office, and GMOs is one of few newly introduced food that hasn't been evaluated properly for safety.

We should have a choice to not be a part of this large scale GMO experiment that they are doing with our food, they are not only destroying our health, our soil, our bees, and our crops they are exporting it world wide, and it ll soon be impossible to remove these newly introduced toxins they put in our food and in our Environment. 

 

WHAT ARE WE EATING? When you eat a corn your most probably not suspecting that it has been modified in a lab, modified not look brighter or taste sweeter, it is modified to have an internal pesticide system!and to be resistant to a specific pesticide, which means you can spray it as much as you want. 

 
Is it safe?, no one knows but who cares, the USA doesn't require labeling GMOs, and most people are unaware of it anyway, eventually we will find out after making a big scientific experiment on US.







What are GMOs? 

 
GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. These experimental combinations of genes from different species cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

GMOs are made in a lab with scientists and not in nature with cross breading. 

 
Are they safe?  

 
the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. 

In more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs.

addition, allergy sufferers worry that, as genes are transferred between plants, allergenic proteins (from, say, peanuts or wheat) will pop up in unexpected places (like soy or sugar

To date most of the studies have been done on animals; worryingly, though, some of those studies link GM foods to altered metabolism, inflammation, kidney and liver malfunction, and reduced fertility. In one experiment, multiple generations of hamsters were fed a diet of GM soy; by the third generation, they were losing the ability to produce offspring, producing about half as many pups as the non-GM soy group. 


Independent research shows GMO foods and ingredients cause “serious health conditions such as the development of cancer tumors, infertility and birth defects.” 

 
Why do we need GMOs? 

 
Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

GMOs are created to be resistant to pesticides that the same company is selling to yield more profit, not to make the customer happier or the farmer wealthier.

What are the impacts of GMOs on the environment?

Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 15 times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs:’ which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons, GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture, and are developed and sold by the world’s biggest chemical companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown.

According to The Wall Street Journal, “Insecticide sales are surging after years of decline, as American farmers plant more corn and a genetic modification designed to protect the crop from pests has started to lose its effectiveness.” 

 
High-Risk Crops  

Alfalfa (first planting 2011) 

Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop) 

Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)

Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011) 

Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres) 

Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011) 

Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010) 

Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)

Common Ingredients Derived from GMO Risk Crops

Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethanol, Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”), High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate, Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Yeast Products.

How to avoid GMOs?


Buy USDA Organic.
Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal
Buy brands that are sourced to be free of GMOs such as Trader Joe's labeled foods or Whole Foods Market's 365 Daily Value labeled foods. 
Since most corn and soy are GMO, choose organic or a brand that sources their items to be free of GMOs when you eat these foods. This includes sweet corn, corn tortillas, corn oil, corn chips, tofu, edamame, soy milk, and baby formula.
Instead of canola, corn, soy, or cottonseed, choose extra virgin olive oil, organic canola oil (cold pressed), or safflower oil.
Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are another source of GMOs. 
Most Hawaiian papaya and some yellow crookneck squash, zucchini, and are all genetically modified. Buy these foods organic. 
most processed food like cereals and cookies contain GMO ingredients in some form or anther

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/health-risks

Feed your soul to satisfy your hunger

Primary food

Health is not just about the food you put in your mouth, health is about what you feed your soul, you nourish yourself with your relationships, your career, your physical activity and spirituality….a healthy body needs a healthy mind.

Remember when you were a kid and you used to play outside for hours not thinking about food, your mother would call you for lunch and you would be begging to stay a little longer, you were satisfied with your primary food, you didn’t need to stuff your mouth up to feel full, that’s where we want to be, we want to be fed by the energy and passion in our life rather than food.

We get hungry for fun, love, success, excitement, spirituality, and adventure, If we don’t satisfy our primary needs we will be looking for other ways to feed our hunger like chocolate and burgers, and weight gain is only one of the consequences.

If you’re in an abusive relationship, a career that you hate, or lacking spiritual aspect of life, eating all the greens and fruits that you can will not make you healthy, happy and satisfied. You need to address your primary issues first.

1-      Relationships

Negative relationships can drain you out, leaving you tired and anxious, reduce the time you spend with people who impact you negatively and who have a bad influence on how you feel about yourself, fill your life with positive people who can make your face shine with a smile, who pushes you forward and loves you for who you are, never allow yourself to be abused emotionally, your feelings come first.

Find the amount of love and social life that is just right for you, some people feels the need for lots of friends and some feel better with just two or three and having lots of alone time, experiment with what works for you.

2-      Career

“Choose a job you love, or learn to love your job”

We spend most of our day at work; more than the time we spend with our loved ones, but opposing to be being very picky with who we relate too we can get stuck in a career for years that we really dislike.

We put lots of effort and energy and time in our work, and it impacts us back by leaving us feeling self-fulfilled, motivated, and happy or drained, angry and frustrated.

Find the work that you love:

 get a piece of paper and write down everything you would love doing including hobbies, activities…

Start putting job titles for these things, list all the possible jobs .

Try to round them down to three or less

 Start taking the needed steps to take your dream job into reality, keep working for it, You will be your best at what you love.

If you can’t reach your dream job, learn to love your work:

 Get a piece of paper and write down everything you love and hate about your job

 Appreciate the things you love

Work on changing the things you hate, let’s say it’s the salary or the day structure, put your effort in changing that.

 improve your work environment, organize your desk, put some nice flowers, be near people that impact you positively, avoid draining relationships at work and avoid conflicts, have your own touch can leave you feeling happier and more satisfied at work.

3-      Physical activity

This is one neglected important aspect in a healthy body and mind, it’s not just about losing weight, our bodies need to be active to thrive, it helps your bodies’ chemistry to be in balance, it helps your body be strong, it helps your self-confidence,  it improves your mood and energy throughout the day, and it helps you relax.

Make sure you give your body a chance every day to get active, you don’t need to go to the gym or get the latest equipment just a small walk or taking the stairs will do the trick.

The challenge is to find the type of exercise that you enjoy the most, you are more willing to stick to it, and also think what time of the day is best for you, some people have more energy in the morning some in the evening, choose what works best for you there is no wrong or right way just a matter of personal preference.

4-      Spirituality

‘A higher power, whether rooted in a religion, nature, or some kind of unknown essence”

Connect yourself to a power that is larger than you and your own problems and interests.

Spirituality is different for every person; it could be religious acts, prayer, walking in nature, sitting by the beach, meditating, deep breathing or going yoga…

Quite the busy mind, relax the body with what you believe is the best way for you, find a way to let go of your worries and connect to a higher state.

Feeding a toddler

Children are growing and developing their body and mind, if they lack the necessary nutrition we are compromising their developing brains, muscles, organs and all the body functions.

It is so clear now that most kids behavioral issues are related directly to their diet, so basically while you’re making your child’s breakfast think will this make him ready for today’s challenges? Will this make his mind functioning well and help him be smart or daydreaming, his emotions stable or bursting in mood swings and angers, his strength and energy going or he will crash down after a while…?

Giving our children processed junk food that are full of sugar and that are lacking all the necessary nutirents instead of fruits, vegetables, unprocessed sources of protein and real food does no good for anyone other than the big food industry and the pharmaceutical companies.

Two simple rules for kid’s food:

1- Avoid sugar

 It is a toxic substance that leads to all kinds of disease from diabetes to cancer, the number one cause of obesity, and qualifies as an addictive drug, It robs the body of its own vitamins and minerals just  to digest it, it contains no benefit what so ever…it is also linked to most behavioral issues in kids.

2- Avoid processed food

 Only feed your kids food that is minimally processed and that resembles the way it looks like in nature.

Wheat vs boxed cereals

Apples vs applesauce

Turkey vs smoked turkey

Potatoes vs French fries

Sound simple, but I know it is not, tell that to most people and take them to the grocery store and their heads will spin.

No sugar, No processed food what can we eat?!!

Protein:

• Home cooked chicken, meat. Fish, eggs, and all sorts of beans, seeds and nuts 
• Non processed dairy and plain youghurt 

Carbohydrates:

• Home cooked grains ( whole wheat kernels, oats, quinoa, millet, brown rice)
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes....
• Bread has to be 100% whole wheat free of preservatives, sugars, corn syrup and a long list of unknown ingredients. 
• All cereal boxes are highly processed and full of sugar and shouldn’t be eaten as a daily basis .

Vegetables:

• This evil word should make up about 50% of your kids diet
• They should get all the rainbow colors, each has a differ benefit.
• You can't go wrong here, unlimited amounts.
• The phytonutrients’ that make the color of fruits and vegetables are what makes your body fight infections, viruses, and even cancers, without them your body is so weak, and harmful viruses Can turn into dangerous invaders.your child's immune system depends on having enough phytonutrients only found in plant food.

Fruits:

• Kids looooove fruits, but we tend to neglect it, and think they won’t be satisfied unless we give them desserts.
• If you ask most children about their favorite food it is usually a fruit, they satisfy their sweet tooth and they know it’s good for them and gives them more energy than a chocolate bar.
• Just make it available and accessible.

Nuts and seed:

• Make your own nut butters, just grind some roasted peanuts or almonds with 1 tsp of honey and you got a healthy spread.
• Look at the ingredients of the peanut butter you buy if I has more than one ingredient ( penut ) don't buy it.
• Give them some raw nuts and seeds to chew on

When it comes to kids you have to be creative and the food has to taste good

These are my personal favorite recipes:

Ideas for breakfast:

Pancake:

Ingredients

• 2 small bananas mashed
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup oat flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour or almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Flaxseeds, chia seeds or any kind of seeds
• 1 Tsp pure ground vanilla beans
• Raw honey

Instructions

1.        Blend all the ingredients in a blender

2.        Heat a pan over medium-low heat, lightly oil the surface with oil.

3.        Once the surface of the pan is hot enough, pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan. Let the pancake cook  until bubbles begin to form around the edges of the cake.

4.        flip it with a spatula and cook for another 90 seconds or so, until golden brown on both sides. You may need to adjust the heat up or down at this point.

5.        Serve the pancakes immediately with some raw honey and fresh fruit

More pancake recipes:

Garbanzo pancake:

•  1/3 cup mashed banana(about a medium-sized banana)
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpea beans
• 2 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4-1/3 cup water

Squash pancake:

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup butternut squash, roasted and mashed
• 2/3 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•  

 serve it with raw honey and their favorite fresh fruit.

French toast :

Ingredients:

• 1 slice of Whole wheat toast (free of sugar and preservatives)
• 1 egg
• Raw honey

Instructions:

• Whisk one egg
• Dip the toast in the egg on both sides until fully absorbent
• Heat a pan and lighly oil it
• Cook the toast on both sides
• Serve with some raw honey and some fruit on the side
• Optional: you can add some cinnamon, and vanilla to the eggs

Veggie omelets cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• Any of your kids favorite veggies, broccoli spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, etc
• Eggs
• Your choice of cheese

Instructions:

• In a pan cook down your veggies of choice
• Whisk some eggs
• Oil a cupcake pan
• Mix the eggs, and the veggies and pour them in your pan
• Sprinkle some cheese
• Bake until puffed and golden
•  

Homemade cereal:

Ingredients:

• Your choice of Whole grains ( whole oat grouts, whole wheat kernels, quinoa, millet ..etc)
• Raw honey
  

Instructions:

• Soak the grains that you like to use for a few hourse
• Spill the soaking water and add new water
• Boil for about 30 minutes or until cooked
• Wash it with cold water and strain it to avoid clumping
• Serve it with cold or warm milk and some raw honey
• You can add vanilla, cinnamon or nuts for extra flavor
• You can make a big batch and leave it in your fridge for about a week

Yoghurt 

Ingredients:

• Oats
• plain yoghurt
• Fresh cut up fruit
• Flaxseed
• Raw honey

Instructions:

• Put some yoghurt on a plate
• Top it with oats, flaxseeds, their favorite fruit and some raw honey if they insist

On the go snacks:

1.       Fruits : apple slices, strawberries, bananas
2.       Vegetables: baby carrots, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, slices of bell peppers
3.        Homemade granola bars: mix 1 cup oats, some dates or dried fruits, 2 bananas, 1 egg, vanilla , some seeds (flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds), some raisins and spread a thin layer on a tray and bake in oven until golden
   
4.       Sandwiches: use whole wheat bread and always have some sort of fresh produce inside like avocado and cheese, lettuce with cream cheese, cucumbers and white cheese, peanut butter (natural no sugars or additives) and banana, chicken salad with finely cut celery.
   
5.        Baked sweet potatoes ( you can bake it in oven with skin on leave it to cool and just grab on the go )
6. 
   
7.       Nuts, seeds and dried fruits

1.  Lunch and dinner:

• Kids tend to link simple food rather than complicated recipes.
•  
• Put the right portions for them and experiment with the kinds of veggies they like and be consistent and firm on them eating the food. They are most likely going to try.
•  
• You can also get creative by letting them dip their veggies in peanut butter, yoghurt, cream cheese …
•  
• If they are very resistant, you can start by making a reward system for very picky eaters, the child has to eat the good food first to get his preferred food or toy or game. In severe cases you might have to do this spoon by spoon, one spoon veggie one spoon of his favorite junkie, if you try to suddenly introduce a big plate of a food your child hates it won’t work, once he accepts a small piece reward him back and slowly increase the portions. And if he doesn’t eat the good food please don’t give him the reward.
•  
• If he refuses, then you have chosen the wrong reward, choose something they really care about.
• Let them watch TV and stop their favorite movie until they take a bite.
•  
• Do whatever it takes in the beginning to let them take these first few bites and then gradually you got to ease out of the reward system, but just get them used to the idea and taste of eating greens. 
• If you allow your child to win on the food issues, you have lost on many other issues…

 Food portions

1-       Fill ½ their plate with vegetables:

Steam up broccoli, carrots, cauliflower which ever their favorite veggie is

        Put some raw vegetables too, cucumbers, carrots, or lettuce

2-       Fill ¼ of their plate with protein

Home cooked chicken, meat, fish, or beans

3-       Fill ¼ of their plate with Carbs

Wholegrain rice, wholegrain pasta, quinoa, potatoes…