To Gluten or Not to Gluten...

This topic has been on my mind a lot lately. Gluten-free products are becoming much more accessible, and for good reason. Apparently 1 in 126 children suffers from either a gluten allergy or Celiac disease. For adults it's 1 in every 111. With close to 15% of the world's population having some sort of gluten intolerance, it's no wonder the gluten-free market has really opened up. These gluten issues are really nothing new, they are just more commonly diagnosed today.

Often diagnosis of a gluten allergy or intolerance is diagnosed after several steps. First, some of the common symptoms must be present. If some are present and there's no other medical reason for it, then the patient is recommended to remove gluten from their diet for a few days or weeks to see if the symptoms subside. If they do the doctor may simply recommend removing gluten from his or her diet (or avoiding it as much as possible) or may call for further testing for confirmation. A blood test can be done to detect antibodies that suggest Celiac Disease. Damage and inflammation to the small intestine can also be detected via endoscopy to also confirm Celiac Disease.

Why the sudden interest in all this gluten nonsense? I myself possess several of the symptoms and think I may be gluten sensitive or have a gluten allergy. I'll spare you the details of my specific symptoms, and instead have shared a general list with you below.

Symptoms of a Gluten Allergy

• Upper repository tract problems
• Fatigue
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Mouth Ulcers
• Anemia
• Infertility
• Acne
• Weight Loss
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdominal Bloating
• Crohn's Disease
• Diverticulitis
• Depression
• Attention and Behavioral Problems
• Asthma
• Keratosis Pilaris
• Irritability
• Eczema
• Wheat-Dependent Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis

I did a 3 day trial- removing most gluten from my diet and my symptoms literally disappeared. Though I'm happy I may have found a solution to my stomach and skin problems, I'm also a little sad. Gluten is in some of my favorite foods!

First, beer has gluten. I'm not a big beer drinker, but I do really enjoy good beer. I like rich dark beers with lots of flavor and am known to jump at the opportunity to try a new micro brew or attend a beer festival. Luckily, most of the other alcoholic beverages I enjoy (wine, vodka and tequila) typically do not contain gluten.

For those of you that don't know, gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale. Because I eat healthy and run a lot, whole grains are a large part of my diet. I'm going to have to do a lot of learning quickly if I need to sub my whole grains for gluten-free versions.

I keep looking at Healthy Pancake Recipes on the Peanut Butter Fingers Blog and have been anxiously waiting to try most of them. I don't think any are gluten-free, so they may require some modifying.

During my many hours spent online researching all this gluten stuff, I did find a delicious looking recipe for Gluten Free French Toast Brownies. Click Here to check it out.

I think my next step is to discuss it with an actual doctor. Self diagnosis can only do so much plus gluten free alternatives are not cheap. If I'm going to be gluten free there better be good reason for it. This brings me to another point. Some believe that removing gluten will help with weight loss but there is no evidence to support this. Gluten is in a lot of cards, which really is the only correlation with weight loss. Removing gluten has only proven to be beneficial to those with gluten allergies (thought removing gluten certainly will not hurt you if you are not sensitive to gluten). I guess this means I have to find a primary care physician.... this could take a while.

Spending Money Wisely

I like to feel good about how I spend my money. Anyone that knows me well has heard me  say it a million times. I'd rather pay a mom-and-pop a little extra than pay a big chain. I'll spend the extra for organic free range chicken over chicken that was raised inhumanely and pumped with antibiotics and steroids. I work hard for my money so I spend it wisely. For me it's simple: I have to WANT to pay you, either because I agree with your business ethics, the way you make your products, the ingredients that go into your products, the things you do for your community... I put a lot of thought into it. I'm going to spend money on food, products and clothing anyway so why not spend it on things that are good for my community, my body, and my world? Sure I can buy the knock-off Thin Mint cookies at Walmart (a company I do not particularly like) but I'd MUCH rather bring a smile to my cousin Lia's face and buy 4 boxes of the authentic kind from her. So this is what I do and boy does it feel good.

This is not my cousin, by the way

Naturally, this means I will refuse to spend my money in certain places, like McDonald's for example. Hate is a very strong word, but I feel I can use it whole-heartedly here. McDonald's food is crap. There's a reason why you'll almost die if you eat it 3 times a day everyday (if you haven't seen Super Size Me I highly recommend it). With hardly any nutritional value there's very little attractiveness to their menu. But to make matters worse McDonald's is one of the few fast food chains that refuses to adopt a more humane way of slaughtering their chickens. I won't get into the gruesome details but I can tell you that their refusal of the more humane and cost effective method has successfully solidified my boycott. I won't even buy a soda there (I don't drink soda anyway, but you get my point). You can read more about it here: www.McCruelty.com

But enough about the companies I don't like. I think you get my point. That's why I am so excited I found a company I do like: Arbonne. Arbonne is a company that sells health and wellness products that are organic and vegan. They don't test on animals or use any animal products. The products are botanically based and incredibly healthy. Where you'll usually find harsh chemicals in over the counter products you will not find with Arbonne. Their products are better for you, your family and our world. Sounds incredible, right?

"I'm so happy about being healthy!!! It makes me want to jump!"
This photo IS me, by the way, thanks to Walter Barrera Photography

I just bought a bunch of stuff and am eager to give it a try. I'm most excited about their acne line. The last year has been a struggle for me with my skin. I think it's a combination of my hormones and just sweating more (yea-I workout). I tried Pro Active for about 2 months and it didn't clear up. I've also tried Neutrogena Skin ID, Clean and Clear, and countless others. I've heard great things about the Arbonne acne line and can't wait to try it.

I'm also going to start using their body products, shampoo and makeup. I've already used their protein powder (a wonderful gift from my sister-in-law) and am very excited to try their all natural energy supplements before my workouts.

I plan to review all of these products once I've had the opportunity to use them. I ordered them yesterday so I should be able to write on them by this time next week. When I was completing my order online yesterday I was happy to be giving my money to a company with the same values as me. Like I said, it feels good.

If you're interested in trying any of the products please let me know. I can get discounts for you or let you try some of my samples first. To browse their online catalogue just visit their website. You'll need some info from me before purchasing so please don't hesitate to reach out.

12 Week Wellness Challenge

We've all had those weekends when we've partied a little too hard and swear off drinking and smoking for a while. Well, I did not have one of those weekends, as a matter of fact I've been sick all weekend and haven't done too much of anything (which explains my frequent blogging). This challenge, on the other hand, was suggested my some of my friends/running buddies. We spend a lot of time together doing the right things for our bodies, so why not commit to a 12-week challenge together?

The next 12 weeks will be alcohol and cigarette free, with a focus on working out and eating healthy. I'm in the mindset of clean, clean, clean! Not only will I flush out all the chemicals and toxins I've built up during the holiday season, I'll also be avoiding empty calories, dehydration, and missed morning workouts. There's no doubt it will be amazing for my body, but another driving force behind this challenge is that it will be healthy for my mind and my relationship.

My workouts will be more productive, my runs will be better, my mind will be clearer, and I'll be prepared for my upcoming races! Challenges motivate me and I'm already feeling pumped!

I'm sure I'll blog/journal a bit more over the next 12 weeks. I've found that documenting my progress works well for me and keeps me on track. Tomorrow is day #1. Wish me luck!

The Impossible is Often the Untried

I remember the day I decided I wanted to be a runner. I was 18 and in my freshman year in college. I desperately did not want to be one of the women to succumb to the "freshman 15." Because all of my previous ways of staying in shape were through sports (mostly cheerleading and dance), I didn't really know how to workout efficiently. I tried a few classes at the gym on campus, but mostly I just ran. What started out as a 2-mile morning run on the indoor track quickly turned into 3 miles, then, 4 and eventually five. I'd run at school, I'd run after work with my mom....I just loved to run. The problem was I never pushed myself. I was comfortable doing 5 miles and it seemed to impress others. I'd follow up every run with 30 minutes of abs and stretching.

Now, almost 10 years later, I realize that although I may have been doing a great job caring for my heart with all the cardio, by leaving out strengthening exercises I hadn't been caring for the rest of my body. Additionally, I've learned that doing workouts at the right time of day is critical to building lean muscle and burning fat. I am finally learning and am fitter than ever.

Notice that I say FITTER and not THINNER. I certainly was thinner when all I did was run run run. But now I have shape. I have muscle. I am strong. I have a body that I am proud. That pride and strength translates into confidence which helps me physically, emotionally, professionally and personally.



For example, I'll start the day with a 3 mile run on the golf course in my neigborhood. It's a beautiful and safe route and I love starting my day this way. At the end of my run I may do 20 lunges, 20 burpees, 15 pushes, 50 bicycle crunches and a few minutes of stretching. This early morning workout is what we Tone It Up members call our Booty Call :) We get moving first thing to jump start our metabolism.

After work (I work a full 8 to 10 hours daily) I'll head to the gym to complete one of the Tone it Up workouts. Yesterday I did the below routine:



I followed it up by an intense 30 minutes of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) to burn as much fat as possible. By the time I was done I was exhausted. 15-20 minutes of stretching and I was on my way home, with nothing but refueling on my mind (aka dinner).



I've also learned how to set goals for myself to keep me going. Last weekend I ran a 10K. It was my goal to place. I wanted a medal. Sure enough I came in 2nd place overall for women!! I could have pushed it harder and therefore have set my goals higher. Today I began training for my first half marathon.

I found out about a group of people in the area also training and ran with them for the first time this morning. I'm used to running alone and was surprised at how easy it is to run further and push harder when you're running with others. Before I knew it we soared past my comfort-zone (6 miles) and completed 9.12 miles! I was amazed and proud. I'm eager to see how far I can go next saturday and so thankful for finding my new running buddies to motivate me :)

I've found most of my inspiration through the Tone it Up community. Katrina and Karena, our trainers, motivate hundreds, if not thousands, of women everyday. They keep us involved, excited and make getting toned a group activity. Their meal plan is incredible and has taught me a lot about healthy eating. Finding these two online has positively affected my life more than I can describe. I don't think I'd have the confidence to try a half marathon if I hadn't already been training with these two, building my strength and endurance.

I will keep you posted on my progress. Until then, remember that it's only impossible if you don't try it. Lace up those running shoes and hit the pavement. You may surprise yourself ;)