Giving up gluten

I lost my FitBit charger last week. Don't ask me how, I have NO Idea!

But as a result I have not been able to keep track of my daily steps.

And this has actually been an eye opener! I know that I have done less steps per day since I lost my charger.
How do I now keep myself accountable if I don't know how many steps I have done?!

And last week I was still waking up early but instead of journaling I was catching up on training videos that I hadn't had time to watch the previous day.
Do you know, I found it really difficult to get up and out of bed this morning to start my journaling. 

Isn't it interesting how it is SO easy to backslide? 

So for me it is a new week, new leaf and I have decided to drop gluten for a couple of weeks. No toast, no rusks, no treats at Tuesday Tots (that will be a toughie), no pizza on Thursday and no pasta....

Keep up with how I am doing by joining me over in the Facebook Group - - ->

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Let's talk about G l u t e n.

Gluten is a group of proteins found in grains. Wheat, barley, rye, spelt all contain gluten.

There are 2 main proteins in gluten – glutenin & gliadin.

Gluten can impact your digestion because it damages the small finger-like protrusions in your small intestines.

The Microvilli. (remember them from Biology?)

Gluten can also make your gut more permeable.

Since the gut is only 1 cell thick this is quite critical.

When your gut is permeable then it can lead to leaky gut, food intolerances, immune problems, inflammation and not being able to absorb nutrients from the food that you are eating.

Nor will you be able to make vitamin B12. 

Symptoms of gluten intolerance include –
brain fog, joint pain and digestive issues like bloating and gas.

Alternatives to Gluten

• Switch pasta for zucchini pasta, butternut pasta or rice pasta
• Instead of tortilla try large leaves of cos lettuce
• Swap wheat flour for ground almonds, physillum husk or coconut flour
• Try quinoa (keenwah) instead of couscous
• Switch your pizza bases for aubergine slices or Portobello mushrooms
• Beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, millet

Gluten is EVERYWHERE so read labels carefully!

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Recipes

Alternative to a hamburger bun

1. Brown mushrooms/ braai mushrooms
2. Tomato, sliced
3. Crushed garlic
4. Olive oil

Place a teaspoon tip of crushed garlic int he centre of each brown/braai mushroom
Place a slice of tomato on top
Drizzle olive oil and season with salt, pepper and spices
Grill for 5 - 7 minutes
Top with a hamburger patty and garnish with more tomato slices, cheese and coriander leaves

Try this, ditch that
Now although oats do not contain gluten they are usually processed in a factory where wheat, barley and other grains containing gluten have been processed.
 
Try this as an alternative to oats -
Warm Quinoa Breakfast
Serves 2

1. ½ cup quinoa
2. 1 cup water or 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup dairy or non dairy milk (almond/coconut)

 
Bring to boil and  cook  for 15 minutes.
Add  2tbsp of raisins or chopped apricots 5 minute before the end of cooking and a dash of cinnamon
Serve with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil stirred through.
Make extra  and eat on another day simply by adding non dairy milk to the quinoa and heating through.

If you'd like Simple Supper recipes then reply to this email and I'll send them to you.

It's good to change things up in the kitchen, it's so easy to get stuck in a rut.