Gluten-Free, Paleo-ish Fruit Tart
When Going Gluten Free Doesn’t Solve Your Problem
You’ve Tried Gluten-Free But Are Still Suffering
As much as we want to villainize gluten and blame all our issues on this pesky protein, there are many underlying issues that contribute to your health woes that set the stage for gluten’s potential damaging effects. These poor health effects can impact far more than just your belly. Gluten intolerance can affect the thyroid, brain, pancreas, hormones, joints, and pretty much any function in the body.
In your intestines, your inner tube, there are tiny gaps called tight junctions. These tight junctions have a role of keeping a balance of water, nutrients, and electrolytes within the gut tube and surrounding blood circulation. These tight junctions also regulate the trafficking of environmental antigens across these tiny channels. An antigen is something potentially attacked by your immune system. Antigens could be bacteria and virus but also chemicals, pollens, pet dander, etc.
A tiny little protein, called Zonulin, is the main signaling component to regulate the opening and closing of these tight junctions. The body doesn’t make or do stupid stuff. Zonulin is essential for you to digest and absorb nutrients. The delicate balance is that when nutrients are present, the gates can open. When a bacteria is present, the gates should close. If a bacteria or virus has gotten this far, it has already by passed other defenses like your skin, your respiratory system, and is now coming down the gut associated lymph tissue pipe line.
Your gut is lined with a mucous membrane that has a role of defending you without you knowing. This gut lining favors an anti-inflammatory environment. Imagine if you felt EVERY little attack against EVERY little antigen that our bodies face every day. We would never get any sleep, you would never make it to work, and our bodies would be so drained, that this would be the instant end to professional sports as we know it.
Your body isn’t stupid. It knows exactly what to do when we provide it with what it requires and avoid what is harmful. Your symptoms is just your body’s way of telling you there is a problem and buying you enough time to create a solution.
Z-Z-Z-Zonulin.
The problem with tight junctions is that 2 of the most powerful zonulin stimulating substances are gluten and small intestine containing bacteria. You may know the later as SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
Gluten Free Fail
Walk down the aisle of any grocery store and labels that brag about being ‘Gluten-Free’ will smack you in the face. When this started, I thought it was awesome since we are a 95% gluten-free household.
Now I think it’s getting absolutely ridiculous. For one, produce and other whole foods that would never contain gluten are now being marketed as gluten-free. Have you seen the gluten-free apples? They are so much better than the apples that contain gluten. This just preys on the ignorant and I think this marketing is deceitful.
And for those anti-GMO labeling people, adding that ‘gluten free’ tag on the packaging didn’t raise the price at all. Stop spreading your genetically altered crap that adding GMO labels to packaging is going to raise prices for consumers. How many of your products already tote the labels of ‘all natural,’ ‘low-fat,’ and ‘low-calorie’ without increasing pricing?
Another reason is that products that are being marketed as gluten-free contain so many other ingredients and chemicals that if you looked at the ingredient list, gluten would be the least of your worries. Again, the marketers have won because someone sees the gluten-free claim and then ignores all the other chemicals.
One of those ‘other’ ingredients is sugar. The next time you see something gluten-free in a box, count how many ingredients that include sugar. Most often those ingredients end in –ose. These products get loaded up with sugar to make them taste half way edible. Pixie Sticks are technically gluten-free, eat up.
This is why I have seen many people gain weight by going gluten-free.
Third, the FDA’s standard of Gluten Free isn’t really gluten-free. The food must contain 20 or fewer parts per million. The problem is that even at these small doses, the body can mount a reaction. Just look at vaccines. The antigen (the virus) is often diluted to less than 20 parts per million and the body still has a reaction to produce antibodies. Don’t get caught thinking that such small amounts have no affect on the body.
Butternut Squash Soup…so creamy without the cream.
This is one of our favorite recipes, especially on cold winter days. We were made this recipe by our friend Becky when our youngest was born.
Butternut Squash Soup…so creamy without the cream.
About 90 minutes prep/cook time.
Ingredients:
1. Coconut Oil (enough to cook veggies and coat squash)
2. 1 Medium butternut squash, halved lengthwise, de-seeded.
3. Salt and Pepper to taste
4. 1 Medium onion, chopped
5. 2 stalks celery, chopped
6. 2 carrots, chopped
7. 2 garlic cloves, minced (or more if you like garlic)
8. 6 cups chicken broth or veggie broth, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven 400 degrees.
Oil sliced surface of squash with coconut oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
Roast squash for about 45 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool so you don’t burn your hands when scooping out contents. Scoop out squash from the shell and put aside.
In large pot over medium-high heat, add coconut oil, celery, onion, carrot, and season with a pinch of salt. Saute until tender (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the squash and stir.
Add 4 cups of broth and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low and cover and simmer until soft (about 30 minutes).
Remove from heat and puree with blender.
Add additional broth to get desired consistency.