Archive for March, 2010
Gluten Free Fitness And Wellness Podcast Episode 5-Gluten Free Food Expo and more!
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This week, Erin goes solo and talks about her latest outing to her local gluten free convention. Also, why a completely free event may not have been so beneficial to the more dedicated followers of gluten free trends, diets, and food products. Also discussed are some of the problems associated with dining out on a gluten free diet, how to keep your sanity, health and well being when recovering from injuries caused during exercise and fitness regimes. She reveals her technological shortcomings when it comes to facebook and asks listeners-would a facebook “fan page” be a helpful and fun place to hang out?
All this and more in the fifth installment of the Gluten Free Fitness and Wellness podcast!
Podcast: Play in new window
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Show Notes
-Discussion of SoFL CDF GF Food Expo Vendor list:
Per the CDF South Florida website:”We had over 1600+ people attend and had more than 60 gluten free tables.
www.cdfsouthflorida.org/images/FoodExpoFlyerFinal.pdf
Marlisa Brown, upcoming guest. Send your questions! Marlisa’s site Gluten Free Easy and her book Gluten-Free, Hassle Free: A Simple, Sane, Dietitian-Approved Program for Eating Your Way Back To Health
-Q-how to address eating out?
Triumph Dining Cards
www.triumphdining.com/products/gluten-free-dining-cards
-Q-what to do as an injured athlete?
Also-feedback requested! Should we have an active Gluten Free Fitness Facebook page? Leave your vote in the comments! Would it be a good spot as you spend a bunch of time on Facebook anyhow-or just one more annoying “fan page?” What’s your opinion? Leave a comment below or Click here to take survey. Thanks!
How I Was a Cheater at the Gluten Free Diet
Posted by: | CommentsYup, I was a cheater. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I cheated on the gluten free “test.”
How is this? What the heck do I mean?
I didn’t cheat in the sense you may be thinking. I didn’t, and don’t, eat any gluten foods. But I was cheater in the sense
that my “test” of going gluten free may have been easier than it was for some people.
Photo credit adamci
Here’s why:
-Prior to being diagnosed with celiac disease, I had over the years been moving more and more toward a diet of primarily
unprocessed whole foods. I was finding I had a love for exercise, and a desire to see where my drive and ability could take me from an athletic perspective. I was focusing more on body composition (fat vs muscle ratio-how you look and perform) and was educating myself on how food impacted how I looked and felt. So although at that point I was still ingesting gluten, I was not eating much at all of processed gluten foods like bread, pastas, etc.
-When I was diagnosed, my biggest challenge was learning hidden gluten sources. It wasn’t hard for me to give up bread and pasta because I had already minimized them. Going gluten free was simply one more step in my nutritional journey. I
stopped eating grocery store brand oatmeal, tried buckwheat and quinoa flakes (because GF oats were not widely available then) and increased my rice and potato intake, along with fruits and veggies. So yes-it was a change, but not a life-altering-OMG-this-changes-everything-and-requires-a-complete-overhaul moment.
So that’s how I was a cheater. I had it easier than many of you. I admit that. If you are starting from a more typical diet, which includes a good bit of bread, pasta, cereal, breaded stuff-it’s going to be a tougher transition. However, I think the fact that I cheated has given me perspective on how you can make the gluten free diet a healthier one, if you so choose. I am not saying that everyone needs to eat only naturally gluten free foods. If you choose to eat gluten free breads/pastas/etc that’s not a bad thing. If it’s working for you-you’re happy with your health and weight, absolutely have at it. But what I keep hearing are stories of people who have gained weight either before or after their diagnosis, or those who lost weight and want to regain it-but in a healthy manner. Also, the idea that the gluten free diet is expensive or lacking in nutrients-this is not necessarily the case. Like all things-it depends. Sure, it can be-but it doesn’t have to.
If you want to transition to a less processed and more nutrient dense (for the calories) version of the gluten free diet, don’t try to make wholesale changes. Take it one step at a time. Make the changes over time, and gradually. Give your brain and body time to get in sync, to get used to the new perspective and new food. You can totally do it. Give yourself permission to change, and start slowly.
There are many wonderful options out there now that are gluten free versions of ordinarily gluten foods. Also, there are an increasing number of health and nutrition conscious options-companies are beginning to use more whole grains and being aware of sugar content. These also weren’t widely available when I was diagnosed, so I guess I cheated there too. And my habits were built without these options. They are fabulous to have as an occasional treat though!
From what I have observed and what you have told me, the issues of health as it relates to weight management (whether weight loss or weight gain) are big issues in the celiac/gluten intolerant community. I Heck, these are big issues in the population overall. This is the first in what will be at least a 4 part series of posts (I reserve the right to make it longer) on food, weight, celiac disease and the gluten free diet. Please leave comments below and weigh in (pun intended-really bad pun, but intended) with your thoughts.
Have you found weight to be an issue? What challenges do you face in managing your weight?
If you haven’t already, check out my free (gluten free!) nutrition guide for a taste (wow, I’m killing the bad puns today!) of my overall nutrition perspective.
Speak up!
Walk, Type, and Burn Calories-Seriously.
Posted by: | CommentsRemember the old “pat your head and rub your belly” trick?
Try it again, now, just for fun. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Now try it, but rub your belly slowly. Don’t think about it too much, just let your hand move. Got easier to pat your head, didn’t it?
I promise you I have a point.
When you are doing something that comes easily, or is second nature, it’s much easier to do something else at the same time.
So file that away for a sec.
Now-think about the amount of time you spend sitting in a day. Sitting in your car, sitting in front of the computer, sitting at work, sitting watching TV. That’s a lot of butt time. Now, the majority of us have been walking for many moons. So it’s an activity that comes as second nature and you don’t really have to think about it.
How great to combine walking with the excessive butt time?
Way back when I started this blog in August, I wrote about the SurfShelf. Of course, no one was reading this then, (except maybe my family) so this may be news
I use the Surfshelf on my treadmill regularly, mostly catching up on my Google Reader (ing.)
Yesterday I opened up the April copy of Fitness magazine and saw a big write up on the TrekDesk. This is a super-deluxe version of the SurfShelf and basically gives you an entire desk space to work with. It’s also more expensive, but given the space differential understandable. (I also found this post on DIY Treadmill Desks which gives a very affordable option if yer handy.)
Here’s the upshot-you can type, talk, surf, do all “generally sitting” tasks with walking about 2 mph, approximately. Depending on your size, this could net you about 50-100 extra calories burned per hour. Over a 8hr day, that’s 400 to 800 calories. That’s significant. Even on the low end, if you changed nothing else, you could lose about a pound every two weeks. While doing other stuff!
Obviously this could be difficult to implement in an office setting. If you work at home, give one of these options a thought. You can even watch Hulu of your shows and keep moving!
If I were in charge, I’d put these in all offices where people are currently in cubicles. Treadmills all around. Imagine the good that could come-better health, improved body composition, potentially lowered health care costs, improved productivity and job satisfaction….
Alas, I am not in charge. Yet. 
If you are interested in buying one of these products and go thru one of the links provided here, I would earn a small percentage which can go toward my blog and podcast costs, and I thank you. If not, please just consider how you can minimize “on yer butt” time. Even if just by a little bit.
************In other news…….
I was a guest poster on Gluten Free is Life this week. Read here about the full extent of my nerdiness.
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution starts this week.
Leave a comment at the probiotics post to be entered to win a free month supply of Align! Entries will close a week from today, 3/31/10.
Say Hello to My Little Friend-Probiotics and Gut Health
Posted by: | CommentsProbiotics. A popular word for sure right now. Looking around in the grocery store it seems like the healthy bacteria are being added to everything from yogurt to cottage cheese to coffee. (Kidding about that last one. Although given how much I love coffee, I’m not opposed to the idea.)
Probiotics by definition:
Probiotic: A microbe that protects its host and prevents disease. (Per Medterms.com)
Probiotics are found naturally in the gut (stomach/intestines.) With antibiotic use, and sometimes with dysfunction of the
gut (such as celiac disease) the balance of this “good bacteria” can be disrupted, and cause intestinal distress such as diarrhea. These little suckers can be a bit fragile, and not all of them can be ingested orally (eaten/swallowed) and survive into the digestive tract.
Image credit:Central Nebraska Medical clinic
There are many different strains of probiotics. If you think about antibiotics-there are lots of different prescriptions that we have seen or heard of over the years, right? Similarly, there are a number of different probiotics. Thousands, in fact.
However-there are only a handful of these thousand that have been researched upon and shown to be effective. Within the handful of effective ones, they may only be effective for certain conditions. So just ingesting a product with “probiotics” doesn’t necessarily give you any benefit. It depends on why you are taking them, and the strain of bacteria that is in the product. Unfortunately, the labeling for these products is often unclear.
Lactobacillus acidophilus is a common probiotic. According to MayoClinic.com, “Lactobacillus acidophilus is generally considered to be beneficial because it produces vitamin K, lactase, and anti-microbial substances such as acidolin, acidolphilin, lactocidin, and bacteriocin. Multiple human trials report benefits of L. acidophilus for bacterial vaginosis. Other medicinal uses of L. acidophilus are not sufficiently studied to form clear conclusions. .” It’s normally found in yogurt, and the lactose reduced milk. (Lactaid brand ’round these parts.) A strain of Lactobacillus is also found in the supplement Cuturelle.
Another probiotic group known as Bifidobacteria (one of these strains is the one in the Activia yogurt-long live Jamie Curtis and her healthy bowels.) One of the methods of action is to slow the transit time of material through the intestines-again, reducing diarrhea.
The strain in Activia was produced specifically by Dannon and is known as Bifidus Regularis. As an aside, Dannon settled a class action lawsuit late in 2009 and has since altered the label claims.
Another strain of Bifidobacterium is bifidus infantis. This is the probiotic found in the product Align. Align is gluten free.
The Bifidobacterium probiotic strain appears to have real promise for those with intestinal disorders, including celiac disease and IBS.
-Bifidobacterium appears to reduce the permeability of the intestinal walls in response to gliadin. This is especially of interest to those of us with celiac disease as the probiotic can help reduce gliadin’s (protein in gluten) damage to the intestines.
-Recommendations were made at the Yale University Workshop in 2008 by a panel of 12 regarding the use of probiotics. Unfortunately, this paper is not available for free access (like so many I want to see,) but a summary from the NY Times stated “a panel of 12 experts concluded that there was strong evidence that several probiotic strains could reduce diarrhea, including that associated with antibiotic use. Several studies have also suggested that certain probiotics may be useful for irritable bowel syndrome, with the strongest recommendation for Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, the probiotic in the Procter & Gamble supplement Align. (Two members of the panel had ties to Procter & Gamble; three others had ties to other companies that sell probiotics.)” Important to note that there is financial benefit there. That doesn’t mean their opinion should be discounted, it’s just something to be aware of.
Of course, if you have any questions, please contact your physician before starting probiotic use. They are GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA, but individuals with immunodeficiency or active bowel infection are not recommended to use probiotics.
Align was kind enough to send me samples to try, and a month’s supply for one lucky reader! I used Align for a month, and can say I did not notice a difference. However, I am not a fair subject as I was already taking another brand of probiotic. Align also offers a money back guarantee if you are dissatisfied after trying it. That’s pretty impressive.
Align can be found pretty much anywhere-I saw it at Target and Publix.
If you’d like to win a free month supply of Align, leave a comment below and tell me what your biggest obstacle is to eating healthfully (if you have one), and/or your experience with probiotics. Winner will be randomly selected.
You can get another chance in the virtual hat if you re-tweet this post for my Twitter buddies.
For my free nutrition guideline, click here, or if you missed Gluten Free and Fit 101 check it out here.
Good luck!
Additional references:
Bifidobacterium strains suppress in vitro the pro-inflammatory milieu triggered by the large intestinal microbiota of coeliac patients
Dietary Supplementation with Probiotics may be Beneficial in Celiac Disease
Not Really a Recipe-London Broil AKA Top Round-the Gluten Free Fit Edition
Posted by: | CommentsYou may say to yourself-”Self-I thought London Broil was a method of cooking, not a cut of meat.”
I’m right there with ya.
Being a mostly health conscious person concerned about getting the most nutrition for my caloric buck, I like to learn about food. And I like to eat. And I like to eat food that is both good for me, and tastes good. The two are not mutually exclusive, despite what you may have heard. Promise.
Photo credit: julosstock
According to recipetips.com, “Although the top round steak is flavorful and a bit more tender than other round cuts, it should still be marinated first if it is to be grilled or broiled. It is sometimes referred to as a London Broil, which is also a name given to a flank steak.”
Top round is a lean cut of beef, and is also fairly inexpensive. I use it a lot. I actually consider top round to be separate from flank steak, despite what recipetips and others call it. Flank in these here parts is a little more expensive, and to me, a little more flavorful and tender. I’ll tell you about my favorite way to cook flank steak in another post.
For now-the london broil AKA top round. As per Wikipedia (is there any other source of information-really?) “London broil is a North American beef-based food dish usually made by broiling or grilling marinated flank or round steak and then cutting it against the grain into thin strips…Although many American butchers will label a cut of meat “London broil”, the term does not refer to a specific cut.”
And yet-there are cuts of meat at the butcher labeled London Broil, no?
Anyhow-semantics. Just know that although London Broil technically is a pan-frying and strip-cutting preparation method, you sometimes see it as meat-which is round or flank steak.
Who cares, how do you eat it, right?
The other day I saw what looked like an awesome recipe at EatingWell.com. London Broil with Cherry Balsamic Sauce. All things I like. I’m in.
From EatingWell.com :
Ingredients
* 1/3 cup dry red wine
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
* 2 tablespoons cherry preserves (I had a jar of strawberry open-so that’s what I used)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1 1/2 pounds London broil, trimmed (see Ingredient note)
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
* 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 teaspoons butter
Preparation
1. Whisk wine, vinegar, cherry preserves, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place meat in a shallow glass dish. Pour the marinade over the meat and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning several times, for at least 20 minutes or up to 8 hours. (Yeah-I let it marinade for 2 days-it’s been my experience longer is better for this cut of beef. YMMV)
2. Remove the meat from the marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan; add shallot and set aside. Brush a ridged grill pan (see Tip) or heavy skillet with oil; heat over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness, or until it reaches desired doneness. (It may appear that the meat is burning but don’t worry, it will form a pleasant crust.) (I put it under the broiler-12 minutes per side) Transfer the meat to a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes.
3. While the meat is cooking, bring the marinade to a boil; cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat; add butter and whisk until melted.
4. Slice the meat thinly against the grain. Add any juices on the cutting board to the sauce. Serve the meat with the sauce.
Nutrition
Per serving: 216 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 41 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 260 mg sodium; 429 mg potassium.
Yeah buddy! This is the picture from Eating Well-I was so hungry I forgot to take one of mine.
I’ve had leftovers of this beef on top of salads, and it’s really flavorful and tasty. The balsamic marinade ties it in well with a balsamic dressing-whisk together some dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar, and you have a simple, low fat, no-unpronoucable ingredient salad dressing.
For information on how this food (among many others!) can fit into a healthy and gluten free eating plan, click here.
What’s your favorite way to prepare round steak? Share in the comments below!
GFF and Wellness Podcast 4- Part 3 of 3- Interview With Shelly Stuart Gluten Free RN
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In the final part of this three part interview, Erin talks to Registered Nurse and celiac, Shelly Stuart. They discuss the gluten filled and gluten free food alternatives,why gluten free processed foods aren’t always the best option, and they also talk about their hopes for the future regarding celiac testing and living a healthy, gluten free life.
So If you have been following the episodes so far then you don’t want to miss this final chapter of the Shelly Stuart interview. If you haven’t, why not take a listen to the previous podcasts for even more useful information from this well versed and extremely knowledgeable individual.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Show Notes
Gluten Free Fitness and Wellness Podcast-Episode 4. Part 3 of 3 with Gluten Free RN Shelly Stuart
In this podcast we discuss several approaches to eating in a gluten free diet, the potential nutritional pitfalls and benefits. We also discuss and debunk the idea that eating gluten free has to be expensive.
Links:
Gluten Free Food-Does it Have to be Expensive?
Nutritional Deficiencies in the Gluten Free Diet
Peter Bronski “I’m Deficient, You’re Deficient, We’re all Deficient”
Shelly Case’s Book: Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide- Expanded and Revised Edition
-Prepare ahead for healthy gluten free eating success
http://www.glutenfreefitness.com/preparing-ahead-for-healthy-gluten-free-eating-success/
http://www.glutenfreefitness.com/eating-more-for-less-deconstruction-and-comparison-of-two-eating-styles/
More from Shelly:
In the podcast, I mentioned that I feel better eating grain-free. This
is likely due to a sensitivity or food intolerance to some of the
gluten-free (GF) grains. Testing for food sensitivities and allergies
(through a naturopathic physician or allergist) may help to identify
which grains are causing a reaction, so that I’m not needlessly
avoiding safe foods. If you think you may be having a reaction to some
GF grains, consider screening for allergies and sensitivities to
clarify which grains may be responsible for your symptoms.
I encourage everyone to have their symptoms thoroughly investigated by
their MD and specialists before implementing a therapeutic diet or
making any changes. As well, I recommend waiting until CD/gluten
sensitivity testing is complete before initiating a gluten-free diet
because it may create a false negative. Consult your MD, Registered
Dietitian, or other medical specialists involved in your care to
determine if nutrient supplements should be taken and to identify
appropriate dosages for you. Toxicities can occur with over
supplementation and this can lead to permanent damage. A Registered
Dietitian can also provide guidance to ensure all nutritional needs
are met.
Disclaimer: http://celiacnurse.com/disclaimer/
References
1. Shelly Case, Registered Dietition. Gluten-Free Diet. Case Nutrition
Consulting Inc., 2008. http://www.glutenfreediet.ca/
2. Suzanne Simpson, RD. The Celiac Disease Center, Chicago, USA.
Video 1: http://www.youtube.com/user/CeliacDiseaseCenter#p/c/E4747F2C9D008E6D/6/ZVE9cupzFZo
Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/user/CeliacDiseaseCenter#p/c/E4747F2C9D008E6D/7/PwpsxeTCqhE
Video 3: http://www.youtube.com/user/CeliacDiseaseCenter#p/c/E4747F2C9D008E6D/8/R2PG1yWeXRQ
3. Gibney MJ, Vorster HH, Kok FJ. Introduction to Human Nutrition.
Blackwell Publishing 2002.
4. Gibney MJ, Marinos E, Olle L, Dowsett J. Clinical Nutrition.
Blackwell Publishing 2005.
5. Brune M, Rossander L, Hallberg L (August 1989). “Iron absorption
and phenolic compounds: importance of different phenolic structures”.
Eur J Clin Nutr 43 (8): 547–57.
6. Afsana K, Shiga K, Ishizuka S, Hara H (1 November 2003). “Ingestion
of an Indigestible saccharide, difructose anhydride III, partially
prevents the tannic acid-induced suppression of iron absorption in
rats”. J. Nutr. 133 (11): 3553–60.
7. Hurrell RF, Reddy M, Cook JD (April 1999). “Inhibition of non-haem
iron absorption in man by polyphenolic-containing beverages”. Br. J.
Nutr. 81 (4): 289–95.
8. Elvin-Lewis, Memory P. F.; Lewis, Walter Hepworth (1977). Medical
botany: plants affecting man’s health. New York: Wiley.
9. No Gluten, No Problem. Blog: http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com
I’m Deficient, You’re Deficient, We’re All Deficient?
Part 1: http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/2009/11/im-deficient-youre-deficient-were-all.html
Part 2: http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/2009/11/im-deficient-youre-deficient-were-all_04.html
10. Hallert C, Grant C, Grehn S, Grännö C, Hultén S, Midhagen G, Ström
M, Svensson H, Valdimarsson T. Evidence of poor vitamin status in
coeliac patients on a gluten-free diet for 10 years. Aliment Pharmacol
Ther. 2002 Jul;16(7):1333-9.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12144584
11. Jefferson Adams. Full Gut Recovery Rare in Adult Celiac Disease
Despite Gluten-free Diet. www.celiac.com
http://www.celiac.com/articles/21835/1/Full-Gut-Recovery-Rare-in-Adult-Celiac-Disease-Despite-Gluten-free-Diet/Page1.html
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution-let’s make a positive change
Posted by: | CommentsJamie Oliver is a chef from the UK who originally came on the scene with the “Naked Chef” TV show.
No, he wasn’t naked.
The “naked” name referred to his method and philosophy in cooking-that food didn’t have to have a bunch of crazy ingredients or use fancy items in prep. That great food could be made very simply.
This is a maxim that I follow as well. Especially when eating gluten free-there’s really no need to go crazy. Choose flavorful, fresh, as-high-quality-as-you-can ingredients, choose the naturally gluten free ones, prepare them simply, using herbs/spices for flavor (as I go over in Eating Healthfully and Flavorfully Gluten Free) and enjoy. No complications.
Jamie has done several TV shows since then, and has a new show that will begin airing on ABC March 26th at 9PM.
Jamie’s new show is called Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.
Jamie travels to Huntington, West Virginia. This city was recently named “The Unhealthiest City in America.” He goes with a mission to educate and improve health and quality of life. His experiences will be documented on the show. You can also check out the trailer here. My DVR is set to record the series.
More importantly, it’s about changing the mindset and expectations of America as a whole. Unfortunately, the country is stuck in a habit of thinking that eating poorly is normal. That food is supposed to come in a box or a bag, and for some reason that it’s OK to eat neon colored “fruit.”
It’s up to us to be the beacon of change.
Jamie has a petition on his site. Please take a look, read the information, and make an educated decision. Everything you put in your mouth, and on your families plates, affects their health and their life.
And that’s not an exaggeration.
Click the icon below to check it out and get involved. Whether you agree or disagree, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment and start the conversation. For more of my perspective on healthy gluten free eating, click here.
Guest Blog-Kim Bouldin from Gluten Free is Life
Posted by: | CommentsHi guys! My name is Kim and I write a blog on gluten-free living called Gluten-free is Life. Erin asked if I would do a guest post and I was thrilled and honored to write one. I have been gluten-free for a little over 4 years now.
Kim and her daughter, Hannah
I am currently training for my first full marathon. I ran my first half marathon last October and learned a lot about nutrition and fueling and some of the unique obstacles that come along with following the gluten-free diet. I believe that every obstacle is only as big as you make it out to be. Where there is a will to get over an obstacle, there is a way to get over it. There are just as many protein-filled foods out there to fuel a gluten-free athlete as there are to fuel any other athlete – it is all about creativity.
Now that I am really ramping up my training, I have to pay close attention to the foods that I am putting into my body. I have to make every calorie count. For those that know me, I do have a sweet tooth. I have to limit some of those treats now so that I have room for those nutrient dense foods that will carry me through my runs, especially the long ones. Some of the protein-rich foods that I include in my diet are:
Egg whites
Lean chicken
Lean turkey
Salmon
Lean red meat (filet mignon)
Beans (garbanzo &black beans are my favorites)
Nut butters (almond butter has a special place in my heart)
Greek yogurt
Quinoa (Erin’s note-this is a combo of carbs and protein, but is unique in that for a carb source it is unusually high in protein)
Buckwheat
Millet
Cheese
Nuts
Tuna
All of the above foods are naturally gluten-free.
For carbohydrates, I include:
Oatmeal (Bob’s Red Mill or Lara’s by Cream Hill Estates)
Brown rice
Breads made from whole grain gluten-free flours
Brown rice cakes
Gluten-free cereals (Barbara’s Multigrain Puffins, Mesa Sunrise Flakes)
Blueberries
Strawberries
Apples
Pears
Grapes
Dried Fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, figs, apricots)
Bananas
Corn Tortillas
Squash (acorn, butternut, kabocha, spaghetti)
Peas
Potatoes (baked sweet or regular)
I make up most of my diet from the foods listed above & fill in where necessary. I have been playing around with different foods for my pre-run fuel. Some of my favorites have been:
Zing Bars (love the protein in these)
Rice Cakes w/ Almond Butter
Banana w/ Almond Butter
Blueberry Muffins from Purely Elizabeth
I don’t like to run with a lot of food in my stomach, so this has been something I have really been experimenting with. While I like bananas, they make my stomach feel the fullest of all the options I listed above, so I have only been using that if I have no other options.
For refueling, I try to grab a re-hydration drink of some sort. I have been experimenting with coconut water & it seems to work well & doesn’t make me feel queasy like Gatorade does. I will be reviewing some coconut water later this month on my blog. Once I get the drink in, I reach for protein and some carbs, but mainly protein. I usually go with a 1 egg/3 egg white frittata made with spinach & tomatoes. I add in some Frank’s Red Hot to spice it up. (Erin’s note-LOVE Franks’! Favorite hot sauce by a long run!) I will also have rice cakes with almond butter & fruit spread on the side. I have been toying with some protein shakes, but haven’t found one that I love yet. The You Bar Shakes were good, but they are dairy based. I don’t do well with a lot of dairy or soy, so that makes it tough. I have yet to try the rice protein shakes. They are next on my list.
One of the biggest challenges I have had to overcome is eating after my long runs to get enough calories in. I know this sounds silly to some, but I have no appetite after my long runs. I have to break all the “rules” with listening to my body’s hunger cues, because they are just not there on days when I run 8+ miles. I literally watch the clock to make sure I am getting some kind of food in every 3 hours or so. I try to eat smaller meals on these days so I don’t feel “stuffed” and then in turn, sick. These are the days that I really need to make every calorie count by getting the best nutritional bang for my buck. I snack on dried fruit a lot on long run days – calorie dense &can be an excellent source of fiber, nutrients, antioxidants and complex carbohydrates. I love adding dried fruit &walnuts or almonds to my salads. I have found that eating “by-the-clock” on long run days works well for me. It helps me keep my energy up through the day and not feel like I was run over by a bus the following day.
I am entering week 9 of marathon training now. I have a half marathon race coming up on March 21, 2010 that I am using as a training run. I am running this race to help raise money for the March of Dimes and a couple of NICUs in the Atlanta area. Only 10 more weeks until my first marathon! Wish me luck!
Erin’s note: GO KIM!
Kim was previously profiled here as a Gluten Free Athlete. She gives many great reviews and advice for families with children living gluten free at Gluten Free is Life.
Not Really a Recipe-Gluten Free High Protein “Pancake”
Posted by: | CommentsEveryone has some things that they do so regularly, and with so little thought, that they seem like second nature.
For most of us, driving is one of those things. When we first started driving, it was really challenging, and seemed so overwhelming. After a while, it gets easier, you can turn on the radio. Then you can hold a conversation with a passenger. Eventually, you can apply eye makeup, eat, and talk on the phone all while driving. (Kidding! Totally kdding, and I do not recommend nor condone that. Although I have seen it done. I live in South Florida, remember.)
Eating healthfully and gluten free has become that way for me. I had a bit of an edge, with my fitness background I had already been eating mostly whole unprocessed food, and cutting out gluten was just an additional step. So sometimes I forget that things that seem “normal” to me are a bit foreign to others.
Case in point. My friend Kim, over at Gluten Free is Life. Kim has an awesome handle on nutrition. Last week we were on Twitter (I’ve been so impressed with the people I’ve met and information I’ve gotten on Twitter-you can find me over there @ErinElberson) and she was asking about gluten free pancakes. Well, even before I was diagnosed celiac I’ve been making “pancakes” with oats and egg whites. The only change is now I use certified gluten free oats. It makes a high fiber, high protein breakfast. And it can be very portable.
Kim took the idea and ran with it. She even posted a photo of her beautiful pancake, which I am going to steal and post here. She is a much better food photographer than I am.
See how good she is!
So here’s the “recipe” and variations:
-1:1 ratio of egg whites and oats. 1 serving is approximately .5 cups of egg whites (like in the cartons at the grocery, or I go thru a bunch of them so I use Egg Whites International) affiliate link-if you decide to order thru that link I’ll receive a small percent.
If you use eggs it will be about 4-5 egg whites or 3 ish whole eggs.
-Combine together-if you like a chunky texture you can just whisk ‘em, or you can blend them up if you like a smoother consistency. Mine vary-depends on hunger and laziness quotient.
-I add a little cinnamon, stevia, and vanilla. Sometimes some cacoa/cocoa powder. Many times I’ll also add a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseed for a little texture and healthy fats. Sliced almonds would be yum. Kim took it up a notch and spread almond butter on hers. Mmmm….almond butter…..
-You can add some fresh or frozen fruit. Kim topped hers with fresh berries. I always have frozen blueberries on hand, so those often get tossed in. Right now strawberry season has begun here. This makes me very, very happy, and means there will be a lot of strawberries eaten.
I like mine sweet, but you can also make them savory. Someone on Twitter was mentioning smoked salmon the other day-chop some up, throw it in with some spices, spread a little farmers or cream cheese on top-how’s that for a savory pancake? Anna also had the idea of making it into a wrap of sorts-that’d work!
The macronutrient and calorie breakdown for the basic 1 serving recipe is as follows:
-Approximately 200 calories:24 grams of carbohydrate of which 3 are fiber, 18 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat.
These are also highly portable. Cook em up, cut em up and toss em in a container. Heck, you could even put it in a zip top bag if you had to. These can be eaten warm or cold, and taste good either way. They’re not stinky on planes. It’s a win-win.
Enjoy! Check out Kim’s beauteous interpretation here.
If you haven’t, check out the Gluten Free and Fit basics for a good starting point here. And, for more information on gluten free nutrition, click here.
Let me know what variations you like in the comments!
Non Celiac Athletes Going Gluten Free-Is there a Performance Benefit? Part 2
Posted by: | CommentsIn Part 1, we reviewed some mainstream and popular athletes who had gone the gluten-free route. The experiences that they shared showed a perceived improvement in performance on a gluten free diet. These athletes were not diagnosed with celiac disease. So, what gives?
There are several potential reasons why the athletes may have in fact shown improved performance. These are essentially educated guesses, as we don’t really KNOW.
The sciency reasons:
1-The athletes were undiagnosed, but had celiac disease.
The statistics for celiac disease, and the numbers of undiagnosed, stagger me every time. Approximately 1% of the population (in the US, Canada and Europe) is estimated to have celiac disease. Here’s the kicker-95% of those are undiagnosed.
It’s very feasible that some of these athletes have been walking around with celiac disease and didn’t know it. Put them on a gluten free diet and all kinds of magic happens. We’ll talk about the magic in a bit.
2-The athletes were gluten sensitive.
This is a bit of a can of worms. “Gluten sensitivity” is a big umbrella term that covers a bunch of stuff. Celiac disease falls under this umbrella. However, as we are learning, celiac disease as it is currently diagnosed only refers to damage to the small intestine, which is also referred to as gluten sensitive enteropathy. Gluten can cause damage to many other areas of the body, not just the gastrointestinal system (your guts, for easy reference:) Gluten sensitive neuropathy
(nervous system-brain and peripheral nerves) is recognized as being the most common. However, gluten can affect many other systems of the body, and for more information on the various conditions I recommend you check out Shelly Stuart’s incredibly thorough 12 part series at her Celiac Nurse blog, for which a link will be at the end of this post.
A study performed in Iceland back in 1992 showed that 25% of the randomly selected 200 participants (48) showed high levels of gliadin antibodies. Antibodies are produced when the body mounts an attack against the offending invader-in this case, gliadin, the a portion of the gluten protein. 14 of these 48 people also had gluten sensitive enteropathy, or what is commonly referred to as celiac disease-gluten sensitivity of the gut. 25% is a lot of people to show a form of gluten intolerance. I’ve heard varying numbers and statistics thrown around for gluten sensitivity, even as high as 70%. This is difficult to pin down though. Interestingly, a study published in the journal Gut in 2007 (frustratingly, I could not
access the free full text, but the summary only-luckily there was an article that covered it on celiac.com) showed all NON-CELIAC participants in the study showed an antibody response when challenged with gliadin. All of ‘em. Not some, all.
And that brings us to…
3-Eliminating gluten can have positive effects for all.
I’m going to preface this by saying that more research needs to be done, before the wheat growers association (I made that up, I don’t know that an organization by that name exists, but I’m sure there is one to that effect) comes and sues me. It is possible (how’s that for covering my butt) that wheat gliadin can cause intestinal permeability and immune system response in the intestines. Also, this permeability can cause additional damage to other areas of the body, including the nervous system. And given the research mentioned above, this may extend to everyone, not just those with diagnosed/undiagnosed celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It appears that there is a huge spectrum of tolerance to these wheat proteins-ranging from absolutely no apparent ill effects, on to celiac disease and related autoimmune disorders.
4-Improved absorption of nutrients all around!
If these athletes did have an undiagnosed gluten sensitive enteropathy, then it stands to reason that with eliminating gluten they were able to absorb more nutrition. More nutrition=feeling better=performing better. If it was a gluten sensitive neuropathy, they were able to think better. Thinking better=improved performance.
OK, enough science. You asleep yet?
Here’s the less technical reasons these athletes may have improved their performance.
1-Eliminating gluten meant eliminating a large number of processed foods.
Let’s be honest. Aside from hidden gluten, eating a gluten free diet does not have to be hard. Although I am grateful to the manufacturers for giving us gluten free options of processed food-there is just as much junk that’s gluten free as there is gluten full. Gluten free junk is still junk. Naturally gluten free foods are easy, can be inexpensive and highly nutritious. Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store, keep your diet primarily fruits, veggies, meats/fish, beans, nuts, eggs, potato and rice. Easy peasy. It also is inherently more nutrient dense than eating processed food-gluten free or not. More nutrients=more fuel to muscles and brain=higher performance.
2-Eating gluten free made them more aware of overall food quality.
Sometimes as athletes we just look at food as fuel. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But, we perform better with
higher quality fuel. Like a high performance car. Put in crap fuel, get crappy acceleration and knocks. With the added attention to eating gluten free, additional attention can be given to high quality food. This is exactly why I feel so strongly that celiac disease is a blessing in disguise. Built it reminder to eat well, should we choose to perceive it in that light. The athletes on the Garmin team (and now Radio Shack) are certainly receiving a very high nutrient density diet. These guys make their living performing, and their livelihood depends on them performing well.
So I have to say that yes, there can absolutely be a benefit to non celiac diagnosed athletes eating gluten free. Just like
in everything though, it depends on what you eat and how much-not just that it’s gluten free.
It will be interesting to see the press on the Radio Shack cycling team and the gluten free diet as the Tour de France gets closer. Lance’s return to the biggest race in cycling to sure to get a ton of coverage.
Please leave a comment below with your thoughts or experiences! For more of my nutritional ramblings (and some really great free information click here, and here for Gluten Free and Fit 101.)
Resources:
Gluten Intolerance Group on Gluten Sensitivity
US Department of Health and Human Service on Celiac Disease
Gluten Sensitivity via Wikipedia
Article review: Non-celiacs Show Interleukin 15 Production when Challenged with Gliadin Peptides
12 part series on Symptoms of Celiac Disease by Shelly Stuart
