Get Rid of Gluten

If your kids have energy problems, stomach aches or other physical problems then consider getting rid of the gluten in their diet. Gluten can also make an otherwise healthy kid obese.

Gluten is also not great for moms either. It can cause cravings, colitis and belly blot Gluten is, in fact the source of most ongoing digestive problems causing everything from gas to bloating to irritable bowel syndrome. Just cutting out gluten has been known to make the body healthier within days.

Gluten is the key component in most types of bread, and it’s found in a number of grains—namely wheat, rye, and barley. It is part protein, part starch or carbohydrate.

We generally think of gluten as being only in bread and pasta, but in fact it is now widely used in processed foods, with negative consequences to many people’s overall health. It’s important to check labels and read ingredients carefully.

Other names for gluten include: modified food starch (though this sometimes refers to corn on a food label), hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, textured vegetable protein, and, of course, wheat.

The rule of thumb is that the more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is that these ingredients will show up on the labels.

Gluten is often present in:
• Bagels
• Beer
• Bread and bread rolls
• Cake
• Cookies
• Couscous
• Crackers
• Deli meats (which are heavily processed)
• Flour, including wheat, spelt, semolina, and rye
• Muffins
• Noodles
• Pancakes
• Pasta
• Pizza Sauces (often thickened with flour)

There are gluten-free versions of these products available made from beans, rice, corn, nuts, soy, and potatoes.

Gluten is not a naturally occurring protein in the human body. In fact, some researchers call gluten protein a toxin.

How could something that we eat so much of be classified as a toxin? Some studies suggest that gluten damages the small intestine and allows food proteins to be released into the body, and the immune system then interprets these proteins as invasive and goes into high gear to defend itself.

In other words, you get an overblown immune response. This kind of immune response can possibly contribute to or mimic diseases like lupus, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

Problems with digesting gluten can also cause headaches, asthma, skin rashes and hives, weight gain and/or loss, bloating, fatigue, and behavioral problems such as depression.

At the most harmful end of the spectrum is celiac disease. Commonly thought of as an allergy, it is actually an immune-system response to gluten.

Gluten can be hard to avoid. Just do the best you can!

Parenting Tips
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The Benefits of Juicing Carrots

As a mom who does not always cook for their kids like I should I get concerned my kids get enough of the vitamins that they need. They say “eating a carrot every day is like signing a life insurance policy” and that is because they are so healthy for you. When you drink carrot juice every day it is not only like taking a huge preventative measure to prevent any illness from happening in the future it can also cure some diseased conditions you have, or at least alleviate their symptoms. Drinking carrot juice has also been able reverse chronic conditions (like night blindness) and is known for making people look more youthful in general.

The high nutritional content of carrot expediently rushing into your bloodstream to feed your cells can give you an immediate burst of energy. n. It is a natural “upper” that encourages you to be bright, vital and active.

Carrot juice is tasty and combines nicely with a number of other nutritious fruits and vegetables such as juices such as apples, celery, spinach, tomatoes, basil, pineapples, mango, papaya and many others. It is the ultimate “foundation juice” to which other juices can be added.

All carrots are beneficial for your health however there can be some subtle differences in nutrition between varieties. For instance a dark purple heirloom carrot can contain the same powerful antioxidants as blueberries. A white carrot may have much less beta-carotene in it then an orange one but it may have more potassium.

It is also to your benefit to buy organic carrots as they will contain fewer pesticides than other types. Be sure to choose fruits that are firm and not too pitted or limp. Dehydrated, old looking vegetables might still have some nutrition in them but they will not really yield much juice.

Before you juice a carrot be sure to clean it well…You can buy special fruit and vegetable soap that helps get this residue off your fruit as well. Just remember to scrub them well before you cut them up and juice them.

Choose a quality brand of juicer that does not jump across the counter when fed carrot chunks. The best way to juice them is to cut them into finger length chunks and then use the hopper to push them through the hopper.

If you find tepid carrot juice unappetizing you can always serve it over ice. Another tip is to put it in the juice freezer or even blend the resulting juice with some ice. If you want the fresh carrot juice to taste a little bit spicier you can add a touch of curry powder, pepper and sea salt.

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