I spent Thanksgiving week eating a lot of food I normally do not eat..mainly wheat. Lots of stuffing, gourmet breads, pumpkin pie and lots of yummy more. The payback was quite clear and apparent though. I immediately began blowing my nose like crazy and started to feel a little sluggish. I have been tested over and over for celiac disease but I always come out with normal labs, however, I know my body does not digest wheat/gluten properly.

There are 100s of fantastic gluten-free blogs and websites out there to help all or any of you to begin taking gluten products out of your diet. It really is not that difficult..it basically goes back to a whole foods diet - veggies, fruits, meats and legumes. Usually people do not believe me when I suggest that gluten may be affecting their health. I ask people to test it out by  eliminating all grains ( except for rice) for at least 2 weeks ( 6 would be ideal) and then have a “party day” eating grains all day long and observing their bodies for 24 to 72 hours. Most people are very surprised to see the results.

Ok, back to gluten-free living during the holidays. Here is a wonderful blog, gluten-free girl and the chef, and they have recently posted a recipe for holiday cookies ( who can resist the holiday cookie!). Here is another blog for gluten-free recipes and one for raw foods.

Happy Holidays!

I have always loved chocolate but it wasn’t until my time working at a Swiss hotel in Boston in my late teens, that I truly found an appreciation for good quality dark chocolate.

Since my time working and spending summers in Switzerland, I only eat the good stuff, so yes I am a complete and true chocolate snob. And I have no problem being called that either. Over the years, I have been very happy to read about all the benefits of eating dark chocolate ( so now there were no excuses to my daily indulgences - it is good for me!) Dark chocolate ( with cocoa content of at least 65 or more %)  is full of flavonids which may help in reducing blood pressure, antioxidants to fight off those free radicals and plus many more healthy benefits.

I am not giving you all permission to eat a pound of chocolate, but what I am suggesting is that you might want to indulge in a small piece of rich dark chocolate during the holidays ( and maybe carry it through the new year!). At the moment, I am quite enjoying the brand called, Chocolove. I go for the simple - no nuts or berries. Perfectly yummy!

Be well,

With school just around the corner, I thought it would be a great time to introduce my new discovery, Jonesy’s Allergy Cards.

An allergy card is a custom card created for your child with their name, birth date, allergies, EpiPen directions and your contact information.

To me, they seem quite essential if your child has any type of allergies from food to bees.

Jonesy offers 2 types of cards, one for a restaurant and one for play dates, that will escort your child wherever they are going.  Jonesy will help design a perfect card that fits your child’s own specific needs.

Please pass this information on to anyone you may know who has a child with allergies. It is really an inexpensive way to inform people about your child’s needs.

Be well,

PS Jonesy designs an array of beautiful cards (they do custom work as well), so take a minute and check out her site

The HBDs are at it again! At it in the kitchen that is! This month Merrin ( with the help of Pearl) are making one of their favourite snacks ~ Mochi. It is an easy snack, can be healthy ( depending on what you decide to stuff it with) and is gluten free ( I love that!)

So please go check them out on my site on the Healthy Kids page. Just click on the recipe card!

And watch for them next month as they ventured int a local restaurant to create something really fun and creative!

Be well,

I decided to go off all grains before getting pregnant with my second daughter.  I did this for about three months but when I returned home for the holidays I indulged in all the goodies my sister’s had made and I felt horrible - stuffy and tired the whole trip.  I realized that I had been feeling that way my whole life and that gluten products must have been playing a role in that!

Gluten is a wheat protein found in most grains. It is very difficult to digest and for some people it can cause celiac disease. This disease causes a disruption in the lining of the intestines, which increases permeability. This permeability allows other grain and milk proteins to cross over which causes an immune reaction.
Milk products seem to be on radar for food allergies and sensitivities but I actually find that gluten poses just as much a threat to our bodies. I have seen people complain of fatigue, foggy minds, hyperactive kids, sinus infections, and constipation who when removed all gluten from their diet noticed dramatic changes.

I suggest to people to commit themselves to a time period that they can really commit to eliminating gluten from their diet (so you need to be honest with yourself!). Ideally 6 weeks but even after 1 week people can see a difference. For this time period, do not eat any grains (some brown rice is ok). On your last day, have a party and eat grains all day and note how you feel. You may not have realized that you felt bad before, and then after eating a normal daily load of grains your body will show you. You can try this with any foods. To me, it gives a much more accurate view of how your body responds to foods (versus a food allergy test

This blog, gluten free Mommy, is a great place to go for recipes and support on a gluten free life.

Be well,