Fall gives us so much more than pumpkin spice lattes. It delivers a bounty of delicious, gut-healthy fruits and vegetables! Here are five that are in season now and are excellent for your gut. Leeks Leeks are an incredibly rich source of prebiotics, which are the types of fiber that feed the beneficial bacteria in…
All posts in Gut Health
Can gluten affect your hormones and fertility?
The short answer is yes. If you’re a woman with celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), gluten can have a significant impact on your hormones and fertility. Even though the majority of people with celiac are women, the connection between women’s health issues and gluten is frequently overlooked. Here’s what you need to know about…
The Ultimate Guide to Fiber & How it Affects Gut Health
Did you know that we aren’t able to break down or directly use fiber? That’s right, fiber is entirely food for the trillions of microbes in our gut, called our gut microbiome! They eat the fiber, and make by-products called short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that, among many benefits, are incredibly anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive. That…
When your labs are “normal”… but you don’t feel normal
Have you ever been to the doctor and gotten your labs run, just to be told everything is “normal”? Maybe it was on in your journey toward getting a diagnosis when doctors were testing for everything BUT celiac (ask me how I know!). Or maybe you’ve been gluten-free for awhile now but have lingering digestive…
What is leaky gut and why does it matter?
What is leaky gut? Our gut is one of our first lines of defense and acts as a barrier between the inside and outside world. Leaky gut, otherwise known as intestinal permeability, is essentially when your gut barrier is breached. Normally, the gut lining is one of the body’s first lines of defense, and the…
Are wheatgrass and barley grass safe on a gluten-free diet?
Wheatgrass and barley grass powders are showing up in many products, from drink mixes to protein powders to snack bars. They’re high in vitamins and minerals, can have blood sugar balancing effects, and may be immune-supportive based on the high chlorophyll content. But are they safe for those on a gluten-free diet? Wheat and barley…
What causes celiac disease?
Have you ever wondered what caused your celiac disease? After all, how can you have a happy and healthy relationship with gluten for years before it suddenly turns on you? Currently, there are 4 major elements that the medical literature suggests as necessary to ignite the autoimmune disease : Genetics, environmental triggers, intestinal permeability (known…
How do I know if I have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (gluten intolerance)?
One of the most common questions I come across is, “how do I know if I have non-celiac gluten-sensitivity (NCGS)?” While celiac disease is estimated to account for about 1% of the population, NCGS is estimated to affect 6%. Celiac is a genetic autoimmune disease, while NCGS is a food sensitivity, meaning that each condition…
Warming Squash and Fennel Curry
In the midst of winter, we start running lower on produce that’s actually in season and good-looking. Winter squash, however, are still going strong this time of year! It’s hard to pick a favorite way to use winter squash, but in my Top 5 would probably be curries. How about you? This Squash and Fennel…
How Probiotics Work (and a tip to optimize probiotic use!)
Did you know that in most cases probiotics don’t take up permanent residence in our gut? That’s right, they act more like house guests that come and go. That means the benefits of probiotics only last as long as we’re actually using them! If this isn’t how you pictured it working, hopefully the little visual…