Activated charcoal has been trending for some time now, and many take it after being glutened, but does it actually work? Activated charcoal has its time and place, but after gluten exposure isn’t really one of them. It’s useful for binding toxins, but has not been shown to effectively bind gluten protein. While it won’t…
Recipes & Blog
How to Fix a Nutrient Deficiency
Nutrient deficiencies are very common on a gluten-free diet regardless if you have celiac, gluten-sensitivity, or are gluten-free for another health reason. Depending on the vitamin or mineral and its specific roles, correcting a deficiency could support your… Digestive function Metabolism Thyroid Energy levels Bones Cognition and brain function Hormone production Immunity Tissue repair If…
Do food sensitivity blood tests work?
If you’ve been curious about food sensitivities, you’ve probably found many options while searching online. There’s everything from blood tests to hair and fingernail analysis to facial thermography. The most popular in recent years has been IgG blood tests. This is a test used commonly by functional medicine practitioners, and people are now able to…
Basic Chia Pudding
Recently I wrote about 15 ways to increase fiber on a gluten-free diet, and one of them was to snack on chia pudding. Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and FIBER. You can throw them in smoothies or baked goods, or mix them together with a milk of choice to make chia…
Prebiotics for Gut Health
Prebiotics are just a fancy name for certain types of fiber that our gut microbes love to eat. The technical term for the way our microbes process these fibers is called fermentation. Note that prebiotics are not the same as probiotics, which refer to the live microorganisms that we ingest either via supplements or fermented…
15 Ways to Increase Fiber on a Gluten-Free Diet
Gluten-free diets are notoriously low in fiber. Many gluten-free products, especially packaged items such as crackers, breads, baked goods, and flours tend to be lower in fiber than their gluten-containing alternatives. Fiber feeds our gut microbes, who turn around to keep our gut lining healthy, balance our immune system, and decrease inflammation. Fiber also helps…
Gut-Friendly, Immuni-Tea
Is there anything better than cozying up to a cup of hot tea in winter? I view it as one of the most comforting things on a cold day, and it’s also a great opportunity to bring more herbs into our lives. In my opinion, herbs are one of the most underrated powerhouses for our…
Tips for Low Iron Levels (plus a high-iron recipe)
Celiacs, especially when newly diagnosed, are very prone to nutrient deficiencies due to how gluten causes damage to the small intestine (where nutrient absorption SHOULD occur). Iron is one of the most common. In fact, unexplained iron deficiency anemia is a major sign of celiac disease and often a clue that helps people get screened…
Why to Test for Celiac BEFORE Going Gluten-Free
Maybe your digestion’s been on the rocks lately or you’ve been seeing signs of inflammation, such as joint pain or skin issues. One of the first pieces of advice that a quick Internet search will give you is to go gluten-free. But before you put the bread down, please get tested for celiac disease FIRST.…
5 Reasons I Don’t Recommend Juice Cleanses
The hallmark of most “cleanses” or “detoxes” out there is…restriction. Juice cleansing, where you drink nothing but juice, fits perfectly into this. Although the word “detox” has been co-opted in many cases simply to sell ways of dieting, your body actually does have very real detoxification pathways. Ironically, these pathways actually need MORE nutrients to…
Tips to Prevent Travel Constipation
Digestion thrives off of routine, so travel can throw anyone’s gut out of whack. Below you’ll find food and lifestyle tips to prevent travel-related constipation. There are several supplement-related strategies as well, but those are usually a bit more personalized. Also, if you haven’t already picked up my 10 Tips for Gluten-Free Travel guide, it’s…