It’s not that I have celiac disease and can’t tolerate any gluten. I feel fortunate that my body isn’t sensitive to that degree. However, years of eczema, especially as a teen and young adult, have made me hip to the reality that avoiding wheat makes a big difference with my skin.  Can I eat some? Yes, but when I’m truly being careful about what I put into my body, it’s reflected in clearer skin. 

I was excited when I recently came across a fantastic gluten-free resource, Living Without Magazine.  This magazine and website is geared toward people with allergies and food sensitivities so it’s broader then just gluten-free issues. In fact, there are ample resources and recipes for people who are dairy-free, soy-free or have food allergies to things like nuts and seafood.

I was initially drawn to a recipe I saw for gluten-free turkey noodle soup.  I haven’t made it yet but it looked so good that I’m going to add it to my meal plan for next week.  It looks warming (fresh ginger root), flavorful (lemongrass) and healthy (I love anything with kale!), not to mention perfect for a snowy winter day like today (just wish I already had the ingredients).

In checking out the site, there are a host of gluten-free recipes and resources. Many of the recipes for baked good are probably things I would never make because they have far too much refined sugar (I like to keep it to a minimum and only use natural sweeteners) and just aren’t clean eating versions.  But I definitely got some great ideas for soups and other gluten-free recipes that I would give a spin.  You may also want to take a look at the gluten-free quick start guide that they have on their website.

What’s your favorite gluten-free resource? What do you do to build gluten-free foods into your diet that can still make cooking and eating simple and fun?

Here’s how I know. The last several weeks I’ve been detoxing. If you’ve read some of my posts over the last three weeks, you know that I did a raw food juice cleanse for 5 days that was absolutely fabulous.  Afterward, I felt refreshed and lighter both physically and emotionally. Coming out of the cleanse, I’ve been focused on eating the cleanest diet I can – no wheat, no dairy, no sugar, only small amounts of high quality meat, lots of raw fruits and vegetables as well as some cooked. Interestingly, it hasn’t been hard. I’m a meal planning guru and with some forethought, it’s gone quite smoothly.

What I’ve loved is that I haven’t been craving anything, especially sugar. There’s something about breaking that addiction that makes all the difference in how you feel — simply put, it’s totally freeing.  And because wheat and dairy doesn’t agree with me either and contribute to periodic flare ups of eczema (especially the wheat), that’s on my banned list too.

We decided to forego a Superbowl party specifically so we could avoid eating a lot of junk and having pizza didn’t seem so bad, in a relative sense.  And because Bruce has been on a serious mission to banish sugar from his diet (he loves it but allows himself a small treat every three weeks — a great strategy for him), and since there’s a whole host of things I’m not eating, missing the party was a great way for us to stay on track.

Except for that pizza of course.  But here’s the thing: the pizza was so heavy I could barely sleep even though I’d digested it hours before.  And when I woke up today, I was totally congested — itchy eyes, runny nose — and seriously bloated and tired. And because I haven’t been eating these things, it was all the more noticeable that these foods just don’t make me feel good. I certainly knew it before, but this was one of those really big “aha” moments — I totally got it.

In the end, my experiment with the pizza was all about tuning into my body and trusting it to lead me in the right direction.  As much as I like pizza, it’s not worth the discomfort and side effects.  But tuning in gave me great insight into my body and what I do and don’t need.

Are you a food sleuth? Are there certain foods that make you feel your best or worse? When was the last time you listened to your body for wisdom and what did you learn? Please share your thoughts below.

I’m particularly allergic to trees, pollen, dust, ragweed and mold. Even worse, I’m allergic to cats and I just love cats! Anyway, I was outside last week, on a gorgeous day for about an hour and when I came inside I couldn’t stop sneezing. I spent the next several hours rubbing my eyes, blowing my nose and feeling totally congested. What a total disappointment on such a lovely day.

I’ve had a hunch for sometime, however, that what we eat has an impact on our allergies. It’s a simple fact that some foods cause congestion – dairy products, wheat, fried foods, meat and sugar, just to name a few. And their are other foods that are much more cleansing – especially raw fruits and vegetables.

Have you noticed a difference in your allergies when you consistently eating more healthfully than not? I personally can feel the difference when I stay away from refined foods and just concentrate on simple, whole foods. I came across an article about natural cures for allergies by Dr. Ben Kim that’s really interesting and informative. In the article he mentions the importance of both a healthy diet and a strong immune system. He also advocates for the use of acupressure, a technique similar to acupuncture but without the needles. Take a look and let me know what you think.

What do you to treat seasonal allergies and how effective is it?