Just reading the title seems to throw me for a tail spin.  Gluten free Thanksgiving?  Is that even necessary?  After doing a lot of research I am realizing it is completely necessary. 

80% of Americans have a wheat and/or gluten sensitivity and don't even know it.  Many of the symptoms that people go through on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis can be rooted to this little culprit called gluten.  I remember hearing it over and over again over the past couple of years, "I have celiac disease" or "I just found out I have a wheat and gluten sensitivity." 

After hearing it over and over again,  I began to ponder, "what happened?"  How come all of a sudden so many people were coming down with this health challenge? Did something change in the wheat and gluten?  Or did we change?

Rest.  Now that is a word that is definite the opposite of how we think in today's society.  Usually go, go faster, can you do it quicker is more the world we live in.  We live in such a fast paced society sometimes it is so hard to slow down. 

For years, if I would have a day off I would fill it with other things to do that seemed to make my free time work.  Go here, run over there was definitely me.  Running around like I was on this extreme mission to get all this stuff done that I thought was necessary.   I still remember the first time I really took a day off.  It was actually one of the hardest things to do.  I was amazed at how guilty I felt in doing nothing.  I remember thinking, "you are just wasting the day away or you are missing out" were just two of the many things that would go through my head.

Did you know that if your immune system is weak you are more susceptible to illness during major weather fluctuations? Here are some tips to keep your immune system in peak shape:

1. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.  One of the most important things you can do is eat fruit when it is in season.  So if it’s summertime have peaches, nectarines and strawberries, etc.  Always choose organic. 

2. Eat plenty of lean protein.  Chicken breast, turkey and bison are some of the best.

3. Make sure to get some quality fats in your meals.  It is an absolute myth that fat makes you fat.  Your body needs a certain amount of fat for fuel, so make sure you give it what it needs.

Is a person’s weight really a reliable indicator of overallhealth?

Some medical research is showing that it isn’t. Last week areport in The Archives of Internal Medicine compared weight andcardiovascular risk factors among a representative sample of more than 5,400adults. Half of the overweight people and one-third of obese people in thestudy were “metabolically healthy.” That means that many overweight and obeseadults may have healthy levels of “good” cholesterol, blood pressure, and bloodglucose.

At the same time, about one out of four slim people in the studyactually had at least two cardiovascular risk factors typically associated withobesity.

Being overweight or obese is definitely linked with numeroushealth problems. Nonetheless, researchers found the proportion of overweightand obese people who are metabolically healthy surprising.

Breve lattes, chicken enchiladas, banana cream cheesecake.  What do you do when your list of favorite foods looks like mine?  How is dieting even possible?  I know for me those two questions had taken me many years to answer.  One word that rings synonymous to my dieting journey is "gradual".  I had to take gradual steps to get where I am today.

I remember when my favorite vise was vanilla lattes.  Every afternoon Monday through Thursday I had that liquid dessert  on my mind.  When I found out how many calories were in just one pump of vanilla (20 calories of pure sugar!!!) I knew it was time to scale back.  One thing I know about myself is that I am very calculated in the changes I make to my diet.  I was shocked when I found out my medium latte had 4 pumps of syrup in it!  That's an extra 80 calories.

Healthy pH is 6.0-7.5.  Do you know where you are on the scale?  If you don’t know what it is, you need to.

Test Your Body's Acidity or Alkalinity with pH Strips
It is recommended that you test your pH levels to determine if your body's pH needs immediate attention. By using pH test strips (Litmus Paper), you can determine your pH factor quickly and easily in the privacy of your own home. The best time to test your pH is about one hour before a meal and two hours after a meal.

Foods: are they Acid or Alkaline-forming?
Note that a food's acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end-products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so lemons are alkaline-forming in the body.

Last week I stepped out of my door for my morning run and I heard a familiar small voice say, "today you are going to run up the hill".  I immediately discarded the words I just heard, thinking it is impossible.  I realized as I threw that thought away that I totally believed that there was no way I could ever run up this hill. 

This hill to me looked so big from the bottom up.  It was like trying to run up a huge mountain in my mind.  I know to the next person that would look at this hill and say, "That hill?  Oh, I can fly up that no problem". 

So I started off on my run as I rounded the corner I was flying down the hill.  It was amazing and exhilarating.  The wind blowing across my face as I bolted down the hill.  I got to the spot where I turn around to go back and I heard again, "you will run up the hill today.

Is this scenario a familiar one? Monday through Thursday, you eat well, track your calories and exercise regularly. But come Friday night, these healthy habits tend to get brushed aside and before you know it, anything goes until Monday morning.Many struggle with the weekends, so you're not alone. It is, however, possible to enjoy your time off and stay on track with your goals. Let's take a look at some common issues and possible resolutions to make Saturday and Sunday work for you:

1. Lack of structure

• Plan meals for the weekends if you are going to be at home.

2. Increased social gatherings

• continue reading

Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:

(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness.   My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)

1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)

This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.

2. BHA and BHT

Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods.

Here’s how to find out if you are: Avoid all grains (except rice) for a period of four days.  On Day 5, consume whole wheat bread, whole wheat cereal or whole wheat pancakes for two meals, and note any reactions.  If you are sensitive to gluten, you might notice stomach pain, cramping, or bloating the following day as an outward symptom of gluten intolerance.  If you are sensitive to wheat you may also experience a headache, runny nose, or congestion.  If you test for wheat and gluten and no reactions occur, then it should be safe to assume you can consume whole grains occasionally as part of your carbohydrate intake. Wheat and other gluten-containing grains are often consumed regularly, and this can lead to food allergies and weight gain.  Millions of Americans may be allergic to wheat and/or gluten in the wheat.  Pasta is one of the favorite foods of the high-carb dieter.  In my opinion, it is also one of the most allergenic and fattening foods on this planet.