Gluten or No Gluten?

Our over-processed foods have contributed to a high level of health concerns for many consumers, leading some people to seek out the best solution to make them feel better.

Let me start by sharing with you that I've baked monthly for a little girl with Celiac Disease, the inability to digest gluten. It almost killed her as a baby and greatly restricts what she can eat. Celiac is a serious disease, and I still cook for friends who cannot in any way, shape, or form consume gluten because of it.

Gluten-free has gone crazy in our country. We're very quick to jump on a trend without always looking at the whole picture. While it's a serious disease for those living with Celiac, overall, gluten is not the bad guy for those who don't have Celiac. Instead, the culprit is usually over-consumption of over-processed foods. Consuming too much of any one thing can very easily backfire and affect our body poorly. For example, if you consume too much alcohol, your liver suffers, and other serious side effects can occur.

If you consume an excessive amount of over-processed foods on a regular basis, then you're eventually going to cause various problems in your body derived from over-processed foods. Once you take these foods out of your diet and start eating nutrient-rich foods that support a healthier, better-functioning body, the most amazing things start to manifest: more energy, less bloating and fatigue, better sleep, possible weight loss...the list goes on. However, whole grains that contain gluten, when consumed in moderation, can also provide benefits to the whole of the body. In some cases, gluten does need to be avoided, but you can determine this with your doctor. When you eat foods that benefit the body, you'll be amazed of the amazingly wonderful side effects.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a commercial for any over-processed food item listing disclaimers of possible side effects with longterm use? Keeping it real, it isn't the occasional consumption that's the problem. It's the hour-by-hour consumption every day of our lives. Should we start a challenge here too? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Be Good,
Kathleen