Gluten Free With Tiffany

Through my wellness journey, I have evolved my diet into what is considered “Paleo”.   Paleo is short for the Paleolithic Diet, or Caveman diet, or sometimes called “Primal”.  Through my research and self education, I’ve concluded it to be the most common sense and natural concept of proper food consumption for humans.  The benefits of a Paleo type diet are backed up with miles of scientific evidence.  What is even more persuading than the science, are the incredible amount of testimonials from good looking, healthy people, who prior to going Paleo were sick, fat, depressed Americans. Thankfully via websites and people who have a passion to share health with others, these people have turned from their politically correct SAD (Standard American Diet) to a real food, Paleo diet, and aren’t looking back or missing a darn thing!

Initially, I had the misconception, like many others, that the Paleo “rules” were very restrictive, and left out important nutrients.  Through the last couple years of living about 80% Paleo, I realize that my opinion regarding the “restrictiveness” of Paleo has now completely transformed into quite the opposite.  I don’t have enough meals in a year to eat all amazing food and recipes I have planned out! I’ve experienced such an amazing elevation of my health and life in so many ways, that now I realize it is the American Diet that has obviously been what was REALLY restricting me from true health. The SAD food I was putting into my body had kept me from feeling far from my 100%!  But don’t take my word for it! Do your due dilligence, research, learn, and try it for yourself.

The more you learn about Paleo, the more questions you will have about getting it right.  The reality is, that every persons “Paleo Diet” looks completely different. 

You might need more sweet potatoes and root veggies if you are very athletic.  You many need more protein than him.  Find what works with your body, your lifestyle, and your goals. Your body is and will be always changing, so continue to assess your needs.  Your hormonal response to food will change, you may be really hungry often at first, then eventually feel happy and content with 2 meals per day. Listen to your body.

So, without further ado… here are the Paleo Basics YOU need know and try it out for yourself.

The NO’s:  What to AVOID on the Paleo Diet

Grains: WHEAT! (Duh) and even gluten-free grains like rice, quinoa, and corn (yes a grain) are no good!

Beans and Legumes: includes peanuts, garbanzo beans, lentils, peas, etc.

Soy: *some fermented soy may be considered safe in small doses- but don’t play around until you got this Paleo diet thing down

Refined Sugars: includes artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup

Vegetable Oils: Canola, Safflower, Rapeseed, Soy

Dairy: for sure no milk! You’re not a baby cow are you? Do you want to grow nice and big and wide? If so, keep drinking milk! Cheese is dairy.  (Eggs are NOT Dairy, they are wonderful) *sometimes dairy is included in “Primal” diets, by definition. Do you tolerate it? Leave it out for 30 days, and test it back in to truly see if you do.

Processed food: obvious, but needs to be stated.  Real food doesn’t come in boxes, bags, or foil.

The Paleo type of diet is focused on nourishing the body.  That requires us to eat real, whole foods, the way nature intended us to eat.  Stick with this concept for even 30 days and I guarantee you’ll experience something amazing in your health!

The YES List:

Meat: from animals that lived the way nature intended them to live: Grass-fed, free range organic poultry, wild caught fish and game meats.

Vegetables: lots of these, organic is always best.  Include roots and tubers, but load up on the greens.

Fruit: occasionally, unless you have a serious fat loss goal.

Fats: Good Quality Please! Fatty fish, Grass-fed meats, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil… nuts and seeds in moderation.  Again- quality is what we are looking for.

Saturated Fat is ESSENTIAL to your survival, this is liberating once you have permission to snack on a steak and realize it’s good for you!

I’ll follow up this brief intro to Paleo post with FAQ’s about the Paleo Diet, including Cholesterol, Why no grains, and why fat is so good for us.  Please post any questions here that I can answer for you!

Interested in learning more about the Paleo Diet?

Mark Sisson, Author of The Primal Blueprint, has a great cookbook (and book) to get you started: Primal Blueprint Cookbook on Amazon

My absolute favorite educational Paleo cookbook I require for all of my clients: Practical Paleo, by Diane Sanfilippo

Have burning questions that will only be appeased by scientific proof? Check out L Ac Chris Kresser:  https://chriskresser.com/

Podcasts- search: Underground Wellness, Balanced Bites, Everyday Paleo

Shredded Brussels Sprout, Onion & Fennel Sauté

Anytime of the year, this side dish sounds down right crave-able! It’s especially decorous for the holidays since preparation is simple, can be done ahead, and easily doubled.

Your grumpy Uncle Gordon and little picky Penny just might request a second serving of veggies this year

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon chopped
• 1 Fennel bulb thinly sliced (use a mandolin)
• 1 lb brussels sprouts shredded
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 1/4 cup (or more!) sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
• Herb mix of your choice (I used Costco’s organic 21 seasonings)
• S & P to taste
• Optional: toasted walnuts or sliced almonds on top

Instructions

1. Wash and shred your brussels sprouts. I just cut mine in half and then sliced them a few times. Feel free to shred as you see fit, or purchase shredded at Trader Joe’s.
2. Using a mandolin, or by hand, slice the fennel thin, and cut in half
3. In a big skillet, fry chopped bacon pieces (I cut mine up with some scissors) over medium-high heat.
4. When the bacon is fried to your liking (I love mine crispy), set aside on  plate with a paper towel to absorb grease. Save the Bacon Fat for cooking…
5. Add the onions and fennel and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they release aroma.
6. Add brussels sprouts to the pan and stir to coat with the bacon fat.  Season with salt and pepper and turn the heat the medium low for about 3 minutes.
7. Add herbs and spices to your liking (I like lots!)
8. If desired for a softer textured dish, add in approximately ½ cup chicken stock and cover until tender.
9. Mix in bacon and serve warm!

We all have days where chocolate is calling our name! The luscious indulgence served in cake-form is usually off limits for those of us with Gluten Intolerance or Celiac Disease.
This recipe is quite decadent and incredibly easy to make! It freezes well, so you can prepare ahead of time for parties or surprise guests. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Flourless Chocolate Cake- always…Gluten Free!
8 oz Bittersweet Chocolate- finely chopped (I use TJ’s 62% bar)
8 oz unsalted butter, at room temp
1 ¼ cups sugar
4 eggs
5 tablespoons gf cornstarch
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (or any liqueur- triple sec, Frangelico,
Amaretto, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or use glass or stainless steel
bowl on top of pot of hot water) Whisking until smooth. Cool and add
the butter.
-Using an electric mixer, stir together the sugar and eggs and whip
until thick.
-Reduce the speed and add the chocolate. Stir in the cornstarch and
Grand Marnier (or amaretto my fav!).
-Spread the batter into a sprayed 9-inch pan, (or spring form pan)
bottom-lined with parchment paper.
-Place the pan in a larger roasting type pan place the pans in the
middle of the oven.
Fill the larger pan with water about 1/3 up the sides.
Bake until the cake is crusty on top but a skewer inserted in the
middle will have a moist crumb (approx 1 hour).
Remove and cool for 1 hour. Unmold on to a flat plate and remove
the paper. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder.
*This is fantastic served with raspberry sauce, coffee ice cream, or
a butterscotch sauce: (brown sugar, white sugar, thinned with
cream on heat in pan)
Raspberry Sauce:
Ingredients

2 pints raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

Combine raspberries and sugar in a saucepan. Cook until raspberries are broken down, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain to eliminate seeds. You can add cornstarch to thicken if desired.

What are gluten intolerance symptoms? Are people with gluten intolerance just fussy eaters with a new excuse for their picky food habits?
Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 25% of the US population. These statistics are likely to be similar in Western countries with similar health issues and dietary patterns. Are you one of these people? How do you recognize gluten intolerance symptoms?

First of all let’s identify the difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is an immune reaction, a severe sudden onset allergic reaction, to the protein called gluten. This is commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. While celiac disease is initially an auto-immune disorder, it is also a disease of mal-absorbtion, because essential nutrients are not absorbed. Therefore one of the most devastating symptoms of long-term undiagnosed celiac disease is malnutrition.

Gluten intolerance often has a slower onset than celiac disease, and may be hard to diagnose due to the broad range of symptoms and causes.

If you imagine a continuum of gluten intolerance symptoms, celiac disease is usually at the most extreme end with immediate autoimmune reactions. Some people with celiac disease may not have symptoms, but internally mal-absorbtion and malnutrition can erode health over many years. Both celiac disease and gluten intolerance can be exacerbated by emotional stress, infection, surgery, pregnancy and childbirth. Every individual with some level of gluten intolerance or allergy may experience different shades of symptoms, hence the challenge for medical practitioners to diagnose.

So what are the specific symptoms of gluten intolerance and
celiac disease?

• Weight loss or weight gain
• Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorbtion e.g. low iron levels
• Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
• Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)
• Aching joints
• Depression
• Eczema
• Head aches
• Exhaustion
• Irritability and behavioral changes
• Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage
• Cramps, tingling and numbness
• Slow infant and child growth
• Decline in dental health

Undiagnosed for long periods of time, food intolerances have been found to contribute to diabetes, bowel cancer, anemia and osteoporosis.

Why are gluten intolerance symptoms so varied?

It is still a bit of a mystery; gluten intolerance and allergies affect adults and children in a variety of ways, but we do know that the less stress the better.
Anecdotal evidence suggests emotional trauma and stress play a large role in worsening of symptoms. Some studies have shown that there is a lower chance of developing celiac disease, the longer a baby is breastfed; the later they started eating gluten containing foods and the less gluten containing foods they ate. However completely avoiding gluten through pregnancy and in a child’s younger years may also increase allergic reaction, as the developing digestive system does not recognize the substance at all. Perhaps a moderate approach is best when preventing celiac disease, especially if there is a genetic predisposition. Mother might reduce but not eliminate gluten foods when pregnant, breastfeed for a longer than average period, and introduce low gluten grains as first foods for baby.

How to diagnose celiac disease and gluten intolerance?

Until recently it was challenging to diagnose celiac disease because the symptoms are varied and similar to other diseases. For example, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue, iron deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal infections can all have similar symptoms. In fact there may be a cross over between gluten intolerance and some of these illnesses; an individual may have a combination of issues worsened by unsuitable food choices.
Now doctors test for raised levels of certain auto-antibodies in their blood. These antibodies are produced when the body senses a dangerous intruder allergen, like gluten. If the results indicate an allergy to gluten the doctor may perform a small intestine biopsy. This will reveal the damage to the villi in the small intestine. It is important to eat an ordinary diet including gluten, before being tested.  If you are interested in testing, please contact me for a great referral source.