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Five Tips to Survive Summer While You’re Gluten Free | Guest Blog by Jamie Costello

July 24, 2018 — Leave a comment

Summer is here and that means more time in the sun and less time in the comfort of your own gluten free safe kitchen. Eating out and eating with friends and family can be stressful enough without needing to worry about cross contamination and well meaning friends using the right ingredients.

Fortunately, Guest Blogger Jamie Costello offers plenty of handy tips for you to stay safe and still enjoy yourself while being gluten free.

#1. Use Small Talk As An Opportunity To Teach Your Guests

Gluten can conjure up many surprises and there’s plenty of points to consider about it. Where you can, maybe use the free-flowing conversation as a chance to teach your guests about being gluten-free. There are many foods out there that one may not consider as containing gluten but providing them with some information on what you can and can’t eat may help them when they host any future parties. For example, many people might not know that you can’t drink beer. This is because it contains malt which is a source barley, and barley, of course, contains gluten.

Tip #2: Offer To Host The Event

It’s understandable to be a bit hesitant to eat at someone’s else’s house. So, why not host the party yourself? If you’re in control of what happens in the kitchen then you’ll find it much easier to make sure that the food is safe for you to eat. There’s plenty of recipes available that can be made gluten-free whilst still enjoying the scrumptious taste of your favorite dinner party foods. There’s a range of dishes to choose from including corn on the cob, hamburgers and gluten-free pasta salad.

Tip#3: Suggest Ideas To The Dinner Party Host

All you’re trying to do is make sure that you’re safe at the dinner party and it’s understandable that exceptions need to be made. Make some minor requests to the dinner host so that you can be sure your food doesn’t come in contact with other foods. For example, a nifty trick is cooking food on foil rather than directly on BBQ grills or ask that the food is prepared separately from where the main food is being prepared. This way the food’s protected and you save the risk of it coming into contact with something else.

Tip#4: Bring Your Own Dish

If it’s not possible to host the event at your own house there are always other options available. Why not prepare your own dish at home and bring it to the party with you? This way you can still get involved with everyone else and are less likely to feel left out. Contact the host to find out what they’re planning to have on the menu and then prepare your own accordingly. You can choose to either do it for everyone else or just do it for yourself, it’s entirely up to you.

Tip #5: If You’re Unsure, Just Don’t Eat It!

If you ever have doubts about any food you’re looking to eat, just listen to your gut and don’t do it. The last thing you’d want is to fall sick from eating it, so save yourself the hassle.

Jamie Costello is a nutrition student based in Manchester. He writes about many topics ranging from health supplements to dietetics research. When Jamie’ isn’t studying he enjoy swimming and keeping up to date with the latest sport news.

 

Top 5 Best Hemp Protein Smoothies | Guest Recipe by Scott Reid

July 3, 2018 — Leave a comment

Hemp protein is the perfect ingredient for making healthy, vegan and gluten-free smoothies which can be enjoyed by anyone. Whether you are on a health boost or looking to make your diet more plant-based, adding hemp protein into your diet is a great starting point.

Hemp protein powder is created at the very end stage when hemp seeds are being processed. The seeds are pressed for oil, and the remainder of the seed left behind is then ground down into a kind of hemp flour.

This flour is then processed further to create hemp protein powder. Hemp seeds contain virtually all the amino acids which are found in meat and dairy making them a pure source of protein and a really good addition to any vegetarian or vegan diet.

The protein found in hemp seeds is also really easy to digest and for our bodies to absorb, making hemp protein powders a really great beneficial ingredient for any diet.

Hemp protein powder is perfect for adding to smoothies because it tastes good and can come in a number of different flavoured versions as well. Check out this one from Focus Performance for a very good flavoured option https://www.focusperformance.co.uk/products/hemp-protein

You can try them in a number of different types of smoothies so try out these five great recipes as a starting point:

Hemp Protein with Peanut Butter Smoothie

If you love chocolate and peanut butter then this is the perfect smoothie for you, with a combination of nutty and sweet flavours. Packed with goodness, flavours and energy, this smoothie makes a great breakfast, providing a powerful and energising start to the day.  

Ingredients

  • Eight tbsps. of chocolate flavoured hemp protein powder
  • Two tbsps. of peanut butter
  • Two chopped, frozen bananas
  • Two cups of almond milk
  • Ice

Directions

Put all of the ingredients apart from the ice, into your blender and blend well. If required, add more ice and blend again. If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, then you can remove the bananas and increase the ice content. It will be a more watery consistency but still tastes good.

Hemp Protein with Pear Smoothie

If you are a fan of green smoothies you will love this combination with the bitter flavours of spinach sweetened up by the pear and banana. Packed with vitamins and healthy nutrients, this smoothie will set you up for the day.

Ingredients

  • One frozen banana
  • One chopped pear
  • One cupful of spinach
  • One tbsp. of ground almonds
  • Two scoops of hemp protein powder
  • One cup of water

Directions

Add all of the ingredients into the blender –as a quick tip put the spinach in last so it doesn’t get tangled around the blades. Blend until smooth and then serve.

Hemp Protein with Spirulina Smoothie

Renowned for its health benefits, spirulina works perfectly with hemp protein powder to create a tasty and incredibly healthy nutritious drink, for an extra boost.

Ingredients

  • One and a half cups of almond milk
  • One banana
  • One tbsp. of spirulina powder
  • Three tbsps. of hemp protein powder
  • One tsp. of maca powder

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients into a blender and blend well until smooth. Serve immediately over ice to taste.

Hemp Protein with Cacao Smoothie

Perfect for chocolate lovers, this smoothie combines cacao powder with the nutty flavour of almond milk and all the goodness of hemp protein powder, providing a sweet tasting energising smoothie.

Ingredients

  • One and a half cups of almond milk
  • One chopped pear
  • Two to four tbsps. of organic raw cacao powder
  • Three tbsps. of hemp protein powder

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately over ice to taste.

  1. Hemp Protein with Blueberry and Mango smoothie

For fruity fans, this smoothie recipe is perfect, with the unusual combination of mango and blueberries providing a tangy, tasty experience.

Ingredients

  • One and a half cups of almond milk
  • One cup of frozen blueberries
  • Half a cup of frozen mango
  • Three tbsps. of hemp protein powder
  • One tbsp. of coconut oil
  • One tbsp. of ground flax seeds

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately over ice to taste.

Hemp protein powder is packed full of goodness and is particularly beneficial for those on a vegan or vegetarian diet, as a great source of almost pure protein. Including it into tasty smoothie recipes is an easy and delicious way to include it into your daily diet.

Whether you opt for a peanut and chocolate rich smoothie or a lighter, fruitier version, you are sure to find a recipe to suit your taste buds. We have selected five classic choices here but you can combine any ingredients. Why not experiment and see what kinds of combinations you can come up with by trying out different fruit, vegetables and other flavours?

Scott is a sports and fitness writer and writes full time for Focus Performance. When not in front of his computer or spending time in the gym you can see him hanging out in his favorite coffee shop devouring the latest Stephen King novel.

Photo credit: Kitchen Nutiva //  The Healthy Family & Home

Debunking The 6 Most Common Arguments Against Veganism | Guest Post by David

June 23, 2017 — Leave a comment

There are many excuses people use to continue eating meat. For example, they may use the excuse “Vegans don’t get enough protein?” or “Vegans don’t actually live longer”. However, as you know, these arguments are weak and not backed by peer-reviewed research. In this post, we’re going to debunk the 6 most common arguments against veganism.

#1. Vegan Diets Are Dangerous For Children

Why it’s False: Many people think that vegan diets are somehow “dangerous” for children. Some even go as far as to say that vegan parents are bad for not feeding their children meat. However, there’s no evidence to support this myth. In fact, the American Dietetic Association has publicly stated that vegan diets are “nutritionally adequate” for any stage of life (including children and infants). Also, let’s not forget that that approximately 33% of children in the United States are overweight or obese. If more children were vegan, this number would likely be a lot lower.

#2: Vegan Diets Lack Protein

Why it’s False: The average adult needs a minimum of 45 grams of protein per day to stay healthy and maintain their muscle mass. Fortunately, vegan diets easily surpass this number. For example, look at the amount of protein in black beans. A single cup of black beans contains a whopping 39 grams of protein. That’s nearly all your recommended daily intake in a single serving of food. It’s incredibly easy to meet your protein needs on a vegan diet. Even foods like broccoli and bananas contain protein.

#3: Vegan Diets Lack Flavor and Variety

Why it’s False: Some people don’t want to go vegan because they don’t want to give up their favorite foods. They think that vegan diets are boring and lack flavor. But if you’re a vegan, you know that this is far from the truth! Today, vegan restaurants are more abundant than ever. There are also many YouTube channels dedicated to teaching people how to cook vegan meals. It’s a myth that vegan diets lack flavor and variety. To prove it, here’s a list of tasty vegan recipes without oil.

#4: Eating Vegan is Too Expensive

Why it’s False: Despite popular belief, being a vegan isn’t any more expensive than being a meat eater. If anything, it’s cheaper since you’re cutting out meat (which is one of the most expensive food items at grocery stores). The cheapest foods at grocery stores are vegan-friendly: rice, beans, oats, legumes, potatoes, etc. You can easily meet all your caloric and nutritional needs for as little as $5/day. Also, vegan directs indirectly save you money because you won’t spend as much on medical bills over the long run compared to the average meat eater.

#5: It’s Impossible to Build Muscle on a Vegan Diet

Why it’s False: Patrik Baboumian is a German strongman competitor who holds various records in powerlifting. And guess what? His diet is 100% plant-based. This automatically debunks the notion that vegans can’t build muscle. If you consume protein-rich foods like beans, oats, and brown rice, you can build just as much muscle as someone who eats meat. You could even argue that building muscle on a vegan diet is healthier since you’re avoiding dangerous saturated fat and cholesterol.

#6: Vegan Diets Lack Calcium

Why it’s False: The final myth that we’re going to debunk is the myth that vegans don’t get enough calcium. Today’s society has an unhealthy obsession with cow’s milk. They believe that cow’s milk is the best and only source of calcium. But if you look at your options objectively, you’ll see that cow’s milk is a poor source of calcium. For example, a single cup of cow’s milk contains about 300 milligrams of calcium (of which only 30% is absorbed by the body). A single cup of almond milk contains 50% more calcium and has the added benefit of containing no saturated fat or cholesterol. Obviously, if you want to be healthy, vegan calcium sources are the way to go.

Conclusion

As you can see, all the major arguments against veganism aren’t backed any real evidence. There are thousands of peer-reviewed, evidence-based research papers showing how vegan diets are healthier than animal-based diets in every way. The next time a meat eater presents one of these arguments to you, politely refer them to this article.

Is Celiac Disease A Disability ? | QA with Alicia

January 14, 2016 — 2 Comments

Have you ever eaten at P.F. Chang’s? Did you notice that their gluten free foods cost more than other menu items? Maybe not, because gluten free foods always cost more than “regular” foods. One woman noticed. She’s suing the restaurant chain for discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is her argument that Celiac disease is a disability and therefore charging customers who choose gluten free items more for their meal breaks that law. The case hasn’t been decided yet, but it did get me thinking. Is Celiac disease a disability? Should Celiac disease be treated as a disability?

I don’t know if there’s an answer. It’s treated as a disability under the ADA in the sense that your employer must provide you additional bathroom breaks if necessary and make sure there’s gluten free meals at work events if you have Celiac disease. Also, they can’t use a Celiac diagnosis as a reason to not hire or to terminate you. It is even possible to get disability payments for inability to work because of Celiac. In some respects this is a good thing. You and I know that if we didn’t have gluten free options at work luncheons that would make being a part of work culture difficult if not impossible. If you get glutened and your system is on the fritz bathroom breaks are quite necessary. It’s nice to know that your employer must provide them.

There’s a small caveat to the fact you can get disability payments for Celiac disease. Generally, this only applies to the time before your diagnosis, because when you switch to a gluten free diet the symptoms disappear. This is what has me questioning whether Celiac disease and other food allergies truly constitute disabilities. When I hear the word disability I think of people with illnesses such as Rheumatoid Arthritis who may be in too much pain to work or someone with diabetes who lost a leg. I think of lots of different things. I’m sure you do too. All of those people can’t make their disability vanish by following a special diet like you can when you have Celiac. Is celiac a real disability whereby public companies have to provide Celiac patients with equitable food options? Should every restaurant be forced to carry gluten free items like all public places are required to have handicapped parking spaces? I’m not sure what I think about this case or the general idea of food allergies and Celiac being a disability. What do you think?

Let us know in the comments.

Alicia is a super mom, wife, competitive athlete, and freelance writer. Find out more about her everyday adventures by liking her on Facebook.

Say How You Feel…With No Hesitation by Willie Mae Gearing.

January 12, 2016 — 1 Comment

In my life I have always spoken my truths. It has been both a blessing and a curse. In the business world, we were told to speak your mind. It was something management said but it wasn’t necessarily what they meant.It is my belief that, everything that happens in life is for a reason and if you don’t learn from it you will continue the cycle. When my dad died, his death prompted me to look at my life and make bold life changing decisions. If it had not been for his death I never would have gone back to school. Dad was my safety net. Continue reading

The World In Your Gut by Alicia

November 19, 2015 — Leave a comment

It’s easy to indulge in the why me syndrome when you have Celiac disease. Personally, I very much like the why me question. It makes my life feel a little more theatrical, dramatic. Being that the most interesting things I’ve done today was drop the dog off at the groomer and go grocery shopping I could use a little melodrama in my life. But, the why me for celiac is actually a really interesting scientific question. Why do some people get Celiac disease and others don’t? Maybe you don’t know that only 5% of people with the gene for Celiac actually go on to develop the disease. Something else besides genetics is going on here. Continue reading

Change Always Means No Cookies | Part II by Alicia

November 4, 2015 — Leave a comment

I’m back with Part II of my Change Always Means No Cookies or 8 Tips to Effect Lasting Changes in Your Life. We left off at #4 so click the next page to peruse the rest.

Photo credit: Forbes

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