Going Gluten Free, Benefits for Everyone

Digestive disorders such as Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, candida, food intolerances, allergies and autism are more and more common in today's society. The American food pyramid would have us believe that we should consume mostly pasta, cereal, bread, flour etc. This couldn't be further from the truth and guess who the pyramid was created by? Someone who was employed by Kellogg's, surprise surprise (thanks to my fabulous nutrition lecturer Leonie for this little insight).

Flour is literally glue in your digestive system, it has no nutritional value given it is stripped of all the vitamins and minerals during processing. It can lead to blood sugar problems as flour breaks down into glucose, constipation and literally FEEDS yeast and pathogens, it 'gums up' your insides and is a major contributor to all the aforementioned dis-eases. Unfortunately gluten intolerance or celiac disease is more and more common and even whole grains such as spelt, rye and oats can be a problem for these people, as well as those battling candida or a yeast infection. Fortunately there are a few wonderful products that you can use to overcome this situation. My personal favourite is quinoa, this grain, or really seed, is truly amazing. It is a complete protein, carrying all nine essential amino acids, is high in magnesium, essential for relaxing muscles and a variety of essential bodily functions, fantastic source of fiber (yes I am going there, you will poop better), it is also a good source of manganese and is an excellent antioxidant, removing free-radicals, aiding in the prevention of cancer and other dis-eases. PLEASE ENSURE YOU SOAK IT OVERNIGHT FIRST. This will ensure proper digestion and assimilation and get rid of any lectins which can be a problem.

Buckwheat, millet and amaranth are also excellent alternatives but to ensure proper digestion and assimilation it is an excellent idea to first soak these grains in some filtered water overnight or for the day before you cook them :) Going gluten free is NOT the end to eating wonderfully delicious meals, there are so many options and delicious things you can make that are full of nutrients and will leave you feeling vibrant and healthy, help digestion, constipation, acne, fatigue and even irritability. Give the gluten free way a go for a few weeks and let me know if you notice any changes.

I have also found these noodles called miracle noodles that are gluten and wheat free, I am NOT sure if they are acceptable for those of us who are salicylate intolerant but it's definitely worth checking out, here is the link :) http://www.miraclenoodle.com/default.aspx If you want to know more about the benefits of going gluten free visit these wonderful links-

http://bodyecology.com/articles/quinoa_benefits_guide.php#.UJIcMmfU2So
http://bodyecology.com/articles/risks_consuming_grains.php#.UJIUh2fU2So
http://www.westonaprice.org/making-it-practical/replacing-white-flour?qh=YTozOntpOjA7czo1OiJmbG91ciI7aToxO3M6NjoiZmxvdXJzIjtpOjI7czo3OiJmbG91cmVkIjt9

All the best on your gluten free journey to health and healing. Jessie.