Renovating Healthcare

If you’re fairly healthy and don’t need to take prescription medications on a regular basis, you end up spending money on a health plan that doesn’t do much for you, save cover you in case of an accident. Wouldn’t you like to benefit more from some of that money you are spending?

Well, if you are like Vishen’s smart and healthy crew, you look for innovative ways to make the current healthcare system work for you until more massive change can occur.

Here is one idea we like:
Tax-deferred savings accounts for medical expenses. They can be paired with a full medical-care plan or a limited medical-care plan that covers catastrophic illness and injuries. These tax-deferred medical savings accounts are ideal for both the employer and employee who are proactive about their health and seek out wellness services that are not always covered by insurance, such as naturopathic care and acupuncture.

Think healthy.
Vishen

Pastries: What’s the big deal?

Gluten-free and Vegan Cupcakes, Sweetpea Baking, Portland, OR
Originally uploaded by cakespy

You walk into work and are faced with a foray of pastries and doughnuts for breakfast. You wonder, “Why is it again that my naturopathic doctor advised me to avoid wheat? Hmmm, I don’t really recall any specific reason. I’ll just have a doughnut now and save one for later and take 2 home with me for tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, lunch is a sandwich and dinner is pizza, both organic, of course. 90% of your diet is wheat. And you CRAVE it!

Here’s why:
It’s a MOOD-ALTERING FOOD. You are addicted to it because it stimulates opioid receptors. It affects your brain chemistry.

So, your mood shifts easily and your sometimes not sure why. When you're feeling low you reach for a muffin and suddenly you feel better again, for a little while. But the cycle repeats itself over again, as with any addictive substance. And this whole time, you had no idea that these episodes of feeling dull or lazy had anything to do with what you were eating. So, you start paying close attention and you notice a few other things...

You feel tired or cranky a few hours after meals, or maybe more often than that.

You are gassy and bloated, but you think to yourself, “That’s normal, isn’t it?”

You have a hard time waking up the next morning, and every morning, now that you think of it.

Hmmm, all of these things could be related to wheat? Then you start to wonder if you would be a completely different person if you didn’t have wheat in your diet or if you just ate less of it than you do now.

Yep. Smart one, you are.

Even people who don’t have Celiac Disease are affected by wheat and gluten. In fact, most people feel better when they avoid it or eat it less frequently. The only way to find out if you are one of those people is to do a gluten-free trial-run – around 1 month is optimal. Then, have a “party” with you and your pastry friends and wait 3 days to see how you feel.

So this little blurb is the seed. I plant this idea in your brain: Be mindful of what you eat and how it makes you feel.

Stay tuned for more info about those opioid receptors and why they matter.

Liz
Vishen Health Guru

PART 2 - Pastries: What’s the big deal?

Ok, let’s revisit those opioid receptors for a hot-minute. For those of us doing the gluten-free trial, keep in mind that because eating gluten alters brain chemistry, so does not eating gluten. What that means - withdrawal phase. Just like withdrawal from other opioid-like substances (heroin, morphine), gluten elimination will induce cravings and might make you feel a bit off-kilter for a few days. But you probably already knew that. Hopefully, you aren’t manhandling a baked good as you read this and are able to pat yourself on the back for resisting that last temptation. Keep up the good work! It DOES get easier. If you’ve already slipped, no worries. Just start again.

In addition to the aspect of brain chemistry, there are other ways that gluten affects your body. Check out this article for a more detailed description about gluten and how it is related to depression, autism, ADHD, autoimmune disease and skin complaints.

http://www.purelydelicious.net/PDmarch2007Gluten.pdf

If you need ideas for those pesky cravings, rest assured that gluten-alternatives abound! Ask your local grocer what ideas they have. Some of my faves are Trader Joe’s Gluten-free Chocolate Walnut Cookies (of course beware the sugar factor), Angeline’s Bread, and Mary’s Gone Crackers. And remember, there is a BIG world of healthy and tasty foods out there, like: mango, asparagus, portabella mushrooms, quinoa, wild rice, salmon, coconut milk, sunflower seed butter, beets, walnuts, pine nuts, basil, garlic, lamb, buffalo, kale, berries, legumes - to name a few. Go grab a basketful already! A few of you have asked for recipes, so I’ll do my best to throw some easy, yummy ones up on here soon. In the meantime, check out the gluten-free blogs that I have linked.

Eat well!
Liz
Vishen Health Guru

P.S. Just for kicks, I found this sweet Feist video, "MUSHABOOM", on Gluten-free NYC's blog. Have a peek if you've got a minute. The bread in the video is OBVIOUSLY gluten-free. Enjoy!