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Hey All,
Recently I have encountered several people, either in my meetings or out in the world in casual conversation, who have complained to me about a variety of ailments. Most commonly I hear about abdominal distress, and also lots of joint pain and arthritis-like symptoms. Now I am not a doctor and in the past I would have sympathized and wished I could help. But through the research I have been doing on diet-related illnesses I am coming to see that there very likely is a link between what they are eating and what they are feeling. I am specifically referring to gluten intolerance.
Prior to all the reading I have done on this I would have never ever known the scope of illnesses relating to it, or how many people are affected. If you are like most people you probably have scoffed at all the hoopla around this and continued eating your Cheerios or bagels and ignored the discomfort. But because our diets have gone heavier and heavier in the carbohydrate direction in the past many years, more and more people are feeling the pain, as it were, and not knowing what is going on. And the problem is you go to your doctor and your doctor prescribes a pill. Doctors are minimally aware of this so will rarely steer you towards changing your diet.
So what is gluten? Gluten is a protein composite, meaning it is a substance made up of several different proteins, in wheat and related grains in the family of grassy grains or cereal grains. These grains include barley, bulgur wheat, durum, einkorn, farro, graham, kamut, rye, semolina, and spelt. Gluten comes from the endosperm within the seeds of these cereal grains. When mixed with water these proteins create the chewiness associated with breads, cookies, etc. The food industry uses gluten, and wheat gluten in particular, in many ways because it is so easy and inexpensive to isolate gluten from starches. As it is a concentrated protein and an absorbent substance, gluten is often used as a food additive, a protein supplement or even as a food by itself. Meat substitutes, also known as imitation meat or wheat meat, are often composed of concentrated gluten. For example, seitan is mostly concentrated wheat gluten.
Perhaps most insidiously, gluten's capacity to bind and provide thickness makes it common in flavorings and sauces. This is why gluten exists in many more food products than just the obvious baked products. Soy sauce, barbecue sauce, and hundreds of other products contain it.
Besides abdominal issues, which I will not detail here, but you know if you have them, gluten intolerance can cause headaches and migraines, hair loss, arthritis-like symptoms, bone density loss, fatigue, lactose intolerance, numbness and tingling in hands and feet, rashes, and is also associated with autism (many autistic individuals are gluten intolerant). It can cause unexplained weight loss, AND WEIGHT GAIN! And I am only listing some of the symptoms. If you want the full list please contact me and I am happy to send it. If you think about it, many millions of people have obvious allergies to grasses. It would make sense that we could have internal as well as external symptoms.
So if you have anything like this going on and doctors have no idea why, but send you home with a prescription maybe it is time to consider the alternative. Give up gluten.
Okay, I know this sounds extreme, but truth is the options of gluten free foods out there has grown exponentially. When once you had to be inventive beyond belief to do without, today there are whole sections in grocery stores of gluten-free products, many of which are delicious. There are also jillions of recipes out there as well. I will be mentioning a great site I found in the recipes section of the newsletter.
But just like any change we have to want to do it. It is odd how we simply suffer through the discomfort rather than make change. Sadly often things have to get intolerable before we are willing to give this a try. And even then we do it kicking and screaming (figuratively of course).
Maybe this week, if you are willing to experiment, get rid of a few real trigger foods which might be a part of the problem, and buy a few of these alternative products. Or better yet, get creative and cook some gluten free meals. It is much easier than you think. Why live with the nagging day after day discomfort and pain? Why not see if your diet could be the cause? It couldn't hurt to try, and it might be just what you need to really get healthy AND happy!
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So speaking of healthy and happy...here we have a way to find both. My meetings are designed to guide you towards the healthiest food choices and shift your attitude to one of excitement and joy at finally understanding what it means to be a truly healthy eater and exerciser.
I have also begun weigh-ins for those of you who feel a number is motivation towards action. My scale is the type those of you who go to Weight Watchers will recognize, calibrated and ready to give you an accurate reading.THIS IS COMPLETELY OPTIONAL, and I do not discourage or endorse it. I believe each of us has a relationship to those numbers which either helps or discourages us, and you know yourself what feels right.
And, if you have never been to one of my meetings here's an offer you (hopefully) cannot refuse: YOUR FIRST MEETING IS FREE! How can you lose?
MEETING DATES/TIMES/TOPICS:
The week of June 3rd: FRUITS AND VEGES It is a great time of year to explore what is possible to do with the produce which is coming into the markets and farmers markets. I will be bringing in samples of things you might not have tried and are curious about, and also giving you some yummy recipes which focus on these fantastic foods.
MONDAY 5:30pm This meeting will cover last week's topic: LEARNING THE BASIC PLAN, since last week was a holiday. The week of June 10th: HEALTHY GRAINS
Like the topic mentioned above, we will explore another essential food group: healthy grains. Ever eaten quinoa? How about brown rice pasta? Barley? Bulgar? I will be sampling many different grains and pastas and make a few of them into great dishes to see their versatility.
IMPORTANT NOTE...THERE IS NO SEBASTOPOL MEETING FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH. I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN.
ACTIVITY GUEST INSTRUCTORS:
Wednesday, June 6th
4:30pm
Lomitas Schoolhouse
2421 Lomitas Ave Santa Rosa
RAULY DUENAS DEMO-ING ZUMBA
 We had to postpone last week's demo but I am so excited to have my favorite Zumba instructor finally showing off his stuff. Rauly is an astonishing dancer. He teaches Zumba and also hip hop, and his style is unique and hypnotic. He is a favorite with the Mark West School district where he has taught dance to hundreds of kids and this summer he will be teaching a dance summer camp for kids at Lomitas Schoolhouse. He is known for his incredible skills in robotic-like moves. Check out his Human Toy video:
9:30am Lomitas Schoolhouse 2421 Lomitas Ave Santa Rosa
CARLOS SILVA DEMO-ING BODY DEJA-VU
 Another totally fantastic instructor is demo-ing for us this week. Carlos Silva's Body Deja Vu workout at Annadel Fitness simply fills me with joy. He combines a little Latin, a little hip hop, a little bellydance, a little Irish stepdance, and a whole lot of other high energy fun fun stuff. His workout is mostly non or low-impact, though he does do a little bouncy moves, and definitely gets your heart pumping. But most of his moves are dance-y and easy. You have to come check him out!
www.BodyDejaVu.com
Monday June 11th 5:30pm
275 E Spain St Sonoma
DAWN THEILEN DEMO-ING PILATES
 Dawn Theilen CPT has been teaching fitness for over 16 years. She specializes in personal training, but also teaches TRX, Pilates, Body sculpting, Spinning, running and prenatal. Currently through her business, Dawn of Health (www.dawnofhealth.org), she has personal training clientele and also teaches TRX at En-er-gy and The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa in the town of Sonoma. She recently completed the Diva Half marathon and Mermaid 10K with her clients and is training for the Hit the Road Jack 10K in June. She is also part of a YouTube blog called Project Muffin Top which is a 90 day fitness challenge embarked on by her client. Having experienced a great illness for a few years she writes of her voyage and the nutrition changes that helped save her life. She has articles published at www.divinecaroline.com. Her love of fitness shines through in her training style and her motto for success is that in order to be successful in your
fitness goals you have to change your lifestyle. Tuesday, June 12th, 9:30am Lomitas Schoolhouse 2421 Lomitas Ave Santa Rosa RUTH TAYLOR DEMOING ZUMBA
Ruth holds a diverse background and experience in stage performances with ethnic, folk, and hula dancing. Ruth has been teaching Zumba since 2008 and continues to shares the LOVE of ZUMBA to her dedicated ZUMBA enthusiasts. Ruth is excited to be a part of the Lomitas-Schoolhouse staff to impart that energy and share her love for Zumba! Her philosophy in life is to broaden your horizons and always explore new "fitness" adventures! Tuesdays at 7:00pm and Saturdays at 10:45am at Lomitas-Schoolhouse.
On a personal note: I took Ruth's class and really enjoyed it. She is gentler than some other Zumba instructors, and ideal for those who are looking for a lighter workout.
CURRENT MEETING SCHEDULE:
MONDAYS 5:30 PM
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
LOMITAS SCHOOLHOUSE
2421 LOMITAS AVE SANTA ROSA
WEDNESDAYS 9:30 AM
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
275 E SPAIN ST SONOMA
WEDNESDAYS 4:30 PM
LOMITAS SCHOOLHOUSE
2421 LOMITAS AVE SANTA ROSA
FRIDAYS 9:30 AM
SEBASTOPOL CENTER FOR THE ARTS
6780 DEPOT ST SEBASTOPOL
$10 / per meeting. Hope to see you at a meeting!
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RECIPES FOR THIS ISSUE
So I have discovered an interesting website. Despite the name, Chocolate Covered Katie, she has lots of non chocolate and non dessert recipes. She also calls it a blog, rather than a website...Not sure I know the difference, but boy some of her recipes are delicious, and are very oriented toward vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc. so usually quite healthy. Even in some of the seemingly more fattening combinations she comes in at the lower end of the numbers because of the things not in the recipes (flour, butter, etc). You'll just have to see for yourself. I have tweaked a few of her's to make my own versions, including the cake I had in the last newsletter. Here is a yummy recipe and a link to her site:
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/
And I am publishing a fish recipe so easy and that I absolutely love. I make this often...
My website recipe page will be updated soon! Here is the link.
CLICK HERE FOR MY WEBSITE RECIPE PAGE
CREAMY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE
Ingredients
CRUST:
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup raw cashews (or almonds, walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts)
1/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/16 tsp salt
scant 1/4 cup pitted dates (4 small dates)
Instructions for Crust
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and using wax paper flatten into 9" baking pan.
FILLING:
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 container firm tofu, drained and patted dry
2 T milk of choice
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract (or use another flavor, like peppermint)
1 T xylitol or sweetener of choice
Instructions for Filling
1) Melt chocolate chips in microwave or in double boiler
2) Put all ingredients, including melted chips in food processor.
3) Blend until smooth and creamy and pour into crust. Decorate as desired and refrigerate for several hours.
Serves 8
Calories: 189
Fat: 11.5 g
Sodium: 42 mg
Cholesterol: 4 mg
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 13 g
Protein: 7g
MAHI MAHI VERACRUZ
Ingredients: 12 oz fresh mahi mahi or other firm white fish (this is great with sea bass or sole) 1 cup salsa of choice 1/2 cup light grated jack or cheddar cheese 20 black or green olives, sliced Instructions
Heat over to 350.
Place fish in baking dish. Cover with salsa, cheese and olives.
Bake for 15 minutes. Check often as this takes a short time to cook and can overcook.
4 servings
Per serving Calories: 199
Total Fat: 8.4g
Sodium: 804 mg
Cholesterol: 50 mg
Carbohydrates: 5.9 g
Protein: 25g
Sugar:1.7g
Fiber: 1.6g
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YUMMY, EASY AND LEAN
COOKING CLASSES!
I hope those of you who were in the class this past weekend found it was fun, educational, and delicious. I just thought I'd put in a really early plug for my cooking series I will be doing beginning in September at Finley Center in Santa Rosa. Here is when and what I will be teaching...
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8TH 9AM -12: THE BASIC MEAL
This class will demonstrate a very basic food combination which can be altered to fit any diet, or ethnic orientation.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 27TH 9AM - 12: FRUITS AND VEGES
This class will teach the vast array of possibilities of using fruits and vegetables in cooking
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 10TH 9AM -12: HOLIDAY APPETIZERS AND SIDES
This class will focus on creating delicious light holiday fare
SATURDAY DECEMBER 8TH 9AM - 12: BAKING LIGHT
As the name implies, we will learn the secrets of making light and healthy sweet treats.
The Finley Center schedule will be out soon and you can sign up for these classes through them. Just thought I'd give you a sneak preview of what is coming down the pike. The class sizes are limited so if you are interested you can email me and I will put your name into a database to contact as soon as registration is open. janet@healthyhap.com
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SUGAR!!
I published these images several years ago but they were just sent to me again by Nancy in Sonoma and I thought they were worth a reprint...
Just a little visual to hit home how much sugar we consume each day...
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NOT JUST ANY BALLOON SCULPTURES
We've all seen the clown or magicians make the weiner dogs and the like out of balloons at a fair or festival. Well take a look at the outrageous reproductions done of classic works of art...all made with balloons! Larry Moss and Kelly Cheatle are the talented artists.
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The New Normal
This article shows the increase in standard portions over the years. Understanding the obesity epidemic becomes obvious looking at this.
click here
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BIKER CHICKS!!
Biker Chicks Rides Continue Throughout Summer
Ride June 10, July 22, and August 12 -- all rides begin at 2p.m.
Calling all women and girls who are ready to discover or rediscover a love of bicycling! Join Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Shirlee Zane: become a "Biker Chick!"
Sign up here for the June 10th Ride
(I am doing this ride!!)
June 10th Ride Details:
Meet at "The Fish" at Prince Gateway Park at 1:30 p.m.
We'll depart at 2:00 sharp.
This time, there will be two route options. Both groups will ride the Joe Rodota Trail to Sebastopol. One group will ride at an inclusive pace, take a break in Downtown Sebastopol, and then return (about 14 miles round trip). The other group will ride faster and continue on to Graton before returning (about 25 miles round trip).
Afterward, those who wish to do so will head to a downtown watering hole for food and drink (so bring your bike lock!).
If you would like to join "Biker Chicks," but don't have access to a bike, please email Sandra@BikeSonoma.org. Thanks to Getaway Adventures, we have a number of comfortable, hybrid bicycles available for "Biker Chicks." You must reserve your bike by June 6th at 5p.m. This is a great chance to try riding without committing to buying a bike (you'll be hooked, though!).
"Biker Chicks" will offer a fun, supportive, social atmosphere for every woman and girl who wants to ride. All you need is a bicycle, a full water bottle, a tire patch kit and spare tube, snacks and a helmet (required for those under 18, recommended for everybody); you don't need special clothing, just wear what you like and ride.
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WHAT A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL!!
Check out this brilliant flash mob marriage proposal! What creativity!
click here
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The Cost of Eating Healthy
It is a favorite excuse for many that it costs so much more to eat healthy than not. Read this article and see what you think.
click here
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LIFE COACHING
Besides these meetings most of you know I am a certified life coach. Although my the meetings incorporate life coaching on occasion, it is not the same as one on one help. If you are challenged in your life to make change: to really lose the weight, find that great job, have a fulfilling relationship, life coaching is a wonderful path towards manifesting your dreams.
I always do a free half hour sample session.Hope you'll check it out! EMAIL ME FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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