Alex Gellman

Natural Wellness and Integrated Healthcare

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Iridology – Iris Recognition for Systemic Health

March 10, 2023 By Alex Gellman

Here is a recap of my appearance on the “Ask Your Angels Talk Show” on BlogTV by Christine Francis, the host of the  “Ask Your Angels Talk Show.”

Iridology, aka Iridiagnosis, is a holistic approach to examining a patient’s systemic health.  Returning guest Alex Gellman, PhD., shares valuable insights on preventative care,  maximized vitality and overall well-being.

“Scientific, holistic and spiritual, Iridology is an assessment tool,” Alex tells us.  “It reflects the condition of your kidneys, back, neck and eyes.  It tells you hereditary patterns of your genetics.  For adopted children, it can show ‘unwanted pregnancy.  It can also display the severity of that pregnancy.  It shows significant stress on the mother when she was pregnant.  It also tells a great deal about the parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.  There is much value in that.”

“Dr. Ignatz Von Peczley, a young Hungarian doctor, discovered Iridology in 1861.  Finding an owl with a broken wing, Dr. Peczley took her home to nurse her back to health.  In doing so, he noticed the disappearance of the black marking in her eye.  Quite mystified by this, he kept intricate records of all his patient’s symptoms throughout his life.”

“Many years later, Dr. Peczley went to a conference in Milan where he met Dr. Gustav. They both were following the same markings and charts.  Today we utilize the same chart, only in more detail.”

 

The father of modern Iridology was Bernard Jensen.  Another gentleman, Denny Ray Johnson,  thought ‘Iridology is great, but there’s something wrong here.  These people are too obsessed with the physical.  There is more to life than the physical world.’  Denny, believing the eye revealed emotion, spirit and mind, created a new system.”

“Looking at your eyes, you see a blueprint for your life.  You can see your chakras, feelings, emotional gifts you were born with, personality, blockages, family relationships,  and the physical state of all body organs.”

“Iridology is read like a map. Colors reflect the complexity and intensity of the problem.   White and yellow are warnings.  Green and orange, the condition is becoming more acute.  Each case is unique depending on the marking; red, brown, and black are more chronic.  Markings (at different points ) shaped like diamonds, circles, dots, petals, jewels (specs on the eye) clarify a problem in a corresponding organ.”

“Denny Ray Johnson also created the “four personalities”.  We have the ‘humanitarian‘, devoting their lives to helping others. Often the humanitarians will not look after themselves.  In their quest to be there for others, they neglect themselves.  It’s not a healthy way to live.   The next category is ‘creative‘; all about creativity; very visual.  Living in the moment, creatives don’t respond well to timelines.  They’re not as analytical and detailed as they could be.  ‘Analytical‘ are all about detail, focus, and realizing goals.  They have strong leadership qualities.   The last one is a ‘catalyst‘.  This is a person who motivates others.  They never stop; they are always going.  They need to learn moderation.”

 

 

“This particular eye is a combination of all the above,” declares Alex.  “Whenever you see those big dots called ‘jewels‘, that indicates strong leadership and genius in the person’s intellectual capacity.  They have some creativity, a little bit of catalyst, and a little bit of humanitarian.  In their personality style, this person is very well rounded; analytical being the dominant personality trait.”

“The big rust-colored dot near the pupil shows a significant chronic problem with the uterus (for a woman) or prostrate (for a man).  The little lines at nine o’clock show the father’s nurturing qualities were poor.  Right below that, at approximately eight o’clock, we see a tiny little orange line representing the gallbladder.  The brown marking beside it is the liver.  The yellow/orange above the pupil is a sign of digestive problems, system acidity, candida, and yeast infestation.”

“The enzymes in the body are not being produced, compromising digestion.  That tiny, thin line at the top edge warns circulation is starting to close down.  There is a tremendous amount of inflammation in the body.  This person suffers from allergies; the white food groups; are wheat, sugar, milk, dairy, white rice and potatoes.  Significant markings at three o’clock reveal warnings concerning the thyroid or throat in general.  Information from the analysis is very in-depth.”

A window to the soul, Iridology alerts us to potential illness or disease prior to clinical evidence.   Life is a journey; we are travelers.  Tapping into hidden talents, positive strengths, and even weaknesses, Iridology is an actuality tool for life’s emergency kit.  Don’t leave home without it.

I thank Christine for having me as a guest on her show and look forward to future visits. You can find Christine’s blog at: http://www.askyourangeltalkshow.blogspot.ca/

 

 

Filed Under: Iridology Tagged With: explaining iridology, eyes and health, health diagnosis, holistic wellness, iris analysis, online wellness, wellness and eyes

Natural Healing & Healthy Living Topics

February 15, 2023 By Alex Gellman

THE HEAL YOURSELF TOPIC SERIES

SUCCEED AT WEIGHT LOSS—
ALL ABOUT DIETS AND WHICH IS BEST FOR YOU
Lifestyle and diet guidance to get you on track and keep you there—learn how to make weight loss work

EYES ARE THE WINDOW TO WELLNESS—
BETTER HEALTH WITH IRIDOLOGY
Learn key signposts to look for to assess your health and those close to you. Understand what your eyes can tell you. Pinpoint and resolve physical and emotional concerns.

SAVE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR HEART —
HEART DISEASE IS PREVENTABLE
Avoid heart disease in seven easy steps.  Learn how to live healthier, longer, and reduce your risk of heart disease (and stroke!). Save your life. (And your family’s and friends.) Take heart.

PREVENT (OR REVERSE!) DIABETES IN 5 EASY STEPS—SUGAR KILLS
FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO—
Easy lifestyle, diet, and nutrition steps you should know for the sake of your health. Learn how to manage your blood sugar and avoid health risks. Improve your life (and longevity stakes!).

HEAL YOURSELF AT THE  TABLE—EAT FOR WELLNESS & GOOD NUTRITION: ARTHRITIS/OSTEOARTHRITIS & FIBROMYALGIA

Fight chronic ailments with simple dietary change. Alex Gellman shares accepted trusted methods and her experience, nutrition, and diet remedies in a simple 5-step program.

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE—BE MINDFUL
MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS—
Improve your day-to-day and important outcomes with Simple Focus Meditations—learn how to be mindful and how it can benefit—from wellness and sleep to relationships and achievements.

CORPORATE AND ASSOCIATION WELLNESS —

Alexandra is an experienced coach, facilitator, practitioner, and presenter in natural health care with groups and organizations, and has appeared on major TV networks. Alexandra inspires individuals, through greater self-awareness to embrace healthier habits, overcome negative behaviours, and experience profound positive change. She is pleased to work with individuals in remote or in-person sessions (when feasible).  She also works with companies, groups, and organizations of all sizes and will be able to offer portable wellness workshops when lockdowns and restrictions on gatherings come to an end. From retirement homes or business associations to major corporations, Alex is always pleased to provide workshops and, if required, group or one-on-one coaching to help everyone on their journeys to wellness. Please contact Alex to discuss your needs/options or remote/or in-office sessions.

416 456 4357(HELP)

Filed Under: Goal Setting Tagged With: Natural Health, Wellness Workshops

I Can’t Believe It’s Gluten Free Carrot Cake

August 28, 2022 By Alex Gellman

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable canola oil
  • ¼ cup (175 ml) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (175 ml) packed brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups (500 ml) “Robin Hood Nutri Flour Blend” gluten free
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp (2 ml) salt
  • ½ tsp (2 ml) xanthan gum
  • 3 cups (750 ml, approx. 1 lb./454 g) grated carrots

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1 cup (250 ml) regular or low fat cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (50 ml) butter, softened
  • 4 cups (1L) icing sugar
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Tools

  • Dry measuring cup
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Measuring spoons
  • Grater
  • Hand held or stand electric mixer
  • Two 8’’ (22 cm) cake pans
  • Wire cooling rack

Directions

  1. Cake: preheat oven to 350 0F (1800). Grease two 8’’ (23 cm) cake pans
  2. Beat oil and sugars together in a large bowl of an electric mixer until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and xantan gum in a separate large bowl. Add flour mixture to egg mixture. Beat just until combined. Fold in carrots. Divide batter evenly in the prepared pans.
  4. Bake in preheated oven 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
  5. Cool in pans for 20 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely on wire cooling rack.
  6. Icing: Cream the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl of an electric mixer until combined. Add icing sugar, one cup (250 ml) at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add vanilla and continue beating until fluffy. Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk at a time to thin out icing if necessary.
  7. Assembly: Place one cake layer on serving dish. Spread icing. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top with remaining icing. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Filed Under: Recipes for Wellness Tagged With: carrot cake, gluten free, recipes

Self Talk Matters

August 2, 2022 By Alex Gellman

The only way to move forward and reach your goals or dreams is to do it yourself. If you’re stuck or lacking confidence, you might find it helpful to examine the voice within your head, which is always nattering at a low volume like a radio playing in the background. Does that radio station keep playing critical songs like “I’m a Failure,” “I’m a Fake,” and “I’m Lazy”? Maybe it’s time to change the station and realize how much you sabotage yourself with negative self-talk.

You looked in the mirror, and you gained five pounds> You needed to pull your tummy in to fasten your jeans this morning—not great – but not the end of the world either. Seize the opportunity to look inside for a greater understanding of why you might have overindulged. Did you seek solace in food and extra wine to deal with deep pain around _________________(fill in the blank – a breakup, parent’s divorce, pandemic, job loss, etc.)

Painful losses are a fact of life, but our culture is uncomfortable with expressions of grief. We divert our focus to indulging—perhaps food, gambling, drugs, alcohol, and even self-harm. These are all expressions of the deep pain we carry and our attempt not to be present or to escape facing reality.

What if, going forward, you created a hotshot lawyer or counselor to rebut all the horrible things you tell yourself? Imagine this lawyer/counselor advising:  “Yes, you gained five pounds as a coping tool to deal with your loss, but you are now learning other tools to help you cope with the sadness, pain, or discomfort these events caused you.”

Give “your” lawyer/counselor a name and trust him or her to look after you and protect you from that internal voice that undermines you in so many of your endeavors. It’s a way to move forward into wellness.

 

 

Filed Under: Sustainable Weight Loss Tagged With: emotions eating

The Rule of Three and Better Health

May 2, 2022 By Alex Gellman

 

three healthy women

MAKE THREE CHANGES AND IMPROVE YOUR LIFE—

Everywhere we turn today, we encounter guidelines and tips for improving fitness, increasing energy, fighting fat, how to live longer, etc., including here or in my newsletters. We can’t watch TV or explore online without coming across ways to get more healthy, wealthy, and wise. If you’re interested but feeling a little overwhelmed or not sure where to start, a good way to get a new lifestyle plan off the ground is to apply the rule of three.

Plan to isolate THREE things you will do to embrace greater health. This helps make your progress manageable and ultimately successful.
Pick three from the suggestions listed below. Let me know which three are on your list. Alex

  1. Give up for three to five days every week foods that are not so good for you. These may be acid, gluten, and yeasty foods, such as fried, rich dairy products, carbonated sugar or diet beverages, beef and pork, gluten breads (including all whole wheat, multi-grain bread, sugar in all forms), and alcoholic beverages. Eat less of these types of foods because they can create inflammation and a predisposition to a more acidic milieu in the body that predisposes the body to illness and weakened immune and digestive systems.
  2. Incorporate new healthy food into your daily food plan, such as healthier dairy products (yogurt, goat cheese, cottage cheese, rice cheese products, and kefir), more fish, poultry, gluten-free grains (millet, quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, ezekiel, and buckwheat), and gluten-reduced products (rye, kamut, and spelt). The suggested foods will reduce inflammation, improve elimination, and reduce bloating. You’ll also have increased energy and an improved emotional state.
  3. Increase your exercise regime or if you do not workout, introduce a gentle exercise – perhaps 20 minutes twice a week.
  4. Take 30 minutes every week to explore creativity such as music, art, writing, or any other form of personal expression.
  5. Practice mindfulness – “be in the moment” by taking time to be still and at peace. Fifteen minutes of meditation will facilitate this state.
  6. Reach out and open your heart to somebody or volunteer at a charity. This process helps others and lightens any emotional pain you may have.

 

Filed Under: Wellness / Lifestyle Coaching

New Online Multi-Faith Services

January 3, 2022 By Alex Gellman

Are your spiritual needs being met by your current religious practices?

Do you question the relevance of certain religious observances when it comes to expressing your faith? Are you feeling “dogged by dogma,” even though you know some ancient traditions survive because they tap universal truths still relevant today?

If you and your family are interested in a path that features sincere, non-judgmental dialogue addressing spiritual life in the modern age, then look no farther – Universal Oneness United Faith Canada offers non-traditional multi-faith services online. Please check uoufc.org for updates to the schedule.

These services include participation by the congregation and provide a forum for meaningful spiritual connection in a supportive setting.

We promote tolerance and understanding and also welcome all sexual orientations.

 

The interfaith path to spiritual living may be just what you need to revitalize your faith and put a fresh spark in your heart.

We embrace people of all faiths, and even those of no faith, certain that this journey will create more light in our world. Join us for our regular Sabbath services each Friday. Please contact to register and so we can send you the link!

 

For more information visit: www.uoufc.org

Phone: 416-929-LOVE (5683)

Filed Under: UOUFC

Manifestations Focus Workshops

December 16, 2021 By Alex Gellman Leave a Comment

THIS YEAR, GO BEYOND RESOLUTIONS—

We’ll be offering two remote workshops in January 2022 to help everyone get a head start on turning your New Year’s Resolutions into reality. In sessions lasting two-and-a-half hours, you’ll create a vision board and start the journey to achieve goals, intentions, and dreams. We’ll provide an E Workbook to help you define and select changes you’d like to make on a daily basis or long term before we start. The fee is $36 plus tax to participate, and we’ll send a link to connect (Microsoft Team). The dates are January 2 or January 8 from 2-4:30. Contact to register/payment arrangements.

Filed Under: Goal Setting, Wellness / Lifestyle Coaching

REDUCE YOUR STRESS! – with a Stress on Nutrition

July 17, 2021 By Alex Gellman

“Eat your vegetables!”

“Have fruit, not cookies!”

We all heard a version of these phrases from a parent or guardian when we were kids, and though we may have protested, even our child-size brain knew they had a point. Your mother’s main concern was that you thrive and grow into a healthy adult. And somehow, despite ignoring her advice whenever you could, you’re now a well rounded adult. Or are you just, well – a little too round? Are you nostalgic for childish things, now you’re an adult and facing real life stressors? Are you longing for the simple days when your big decision was an apple vs. cookies?

The fact is, that simple choice is still important and can impact all aspects of your life. Indeed, now we need the phyto nutrients and antioxidants found in fruits and veggies more than ever, to help fight adult-size stress and the free radical damage on our aging bodies.

Making the right food choices will give your body a fighting chance against premature aging and illness; The right food can contribute to a good night’s sleep and keep your intellect sharp all day by staving off low sugar “blues”; Identifying food sensitivities and avoiding those foods can aid weight loss and alleviate digestive problems. Proper food choices can help women sail through menopause, can help prevent chronic illness and cancer, stave off depression and obesity and even improve your sex life.

What Healthy Eating Can Do For You:

  • Increase energy and performance
  • promote a greater ability to concentrate
  • strengthen your immune system
  • enhance your libido
  • help reachyour ideal body weight
  • reverse signs of aging
  • improve self-esteem and confidence
  • create a more positive attitude about your liffe

Stress can contribute to wrong choices and generally wreak havoc, so it’s important to manage your stress. The first step towards management is to recognize there are different types of stress and different stress responses, and for every type of stress there are specific foods that can help you manage.  By following the food suggestions for different types of stress, you’ll find it easier to ignore the stress impulse to reach for ice cream and cookies or wine or whatever. That route hasn’t really worked for you in the past, so now it’s time to learn about food choices that do work.  (Please note that before making any changes in nutritional intake or life style choices you should mention it to your Doctor or Health Practitioner.)

What is stress? ABOUT.COM ON GOOGLE STATES: Definition: Stress is the body’s reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or anxious.  Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or “stressor”. Therefore stress is multifaceted and can lead to frustration, or anger, or nervousness, or sadness, or anxiety or all of the above.

Different Types of Stressors and Foods that Fight Back:

Stress that threatens safety• Threats on your life, losing your home, losing your job, losing your partner or parents, a serious car accident, a court sentence, etc.

Unfortunately, we have all been touched by one, or several of these episodes. Some folks go through life unaffected. How do they do it ? You may have noticed that some days you handle everything thrown your way with ease and good nature, and other times the smallest incident can send you over the edge. Yes, certain foods rich in B vitamins can help you maintain equilibrium. Swiss chard is one such power house. It’s full of minerals and B vitamins that help handle stress, and a one cup serving has only 35 calories. This wonder product from nature has the potential to reduce blood pressure, and cholesterol. It also delivers antioxidants that help fight free radical damage that leads to premature aging and illness.

Serving Suggestion: steam Swiss chard lightly and serve drizzled with cold pressed olive oil and pressed garlic. A sprig of parsley after will clear the garlic breath. Parlsey also supports kidneys and helps release built up acids and fluids. When we are under stress we often hold on to more water and experience edema type symptoms.  Drinking a brew of parsley tea boiled in water will help relieve these symptoms. Other benefits of parsley:• neutralizes carcinogens in cigarette smoke and and BBQ’d food• boosts energy in spite of stress because it has magnesium and calcium • helps sleep because it has tryptophan,  an amino acid well know for its role in inducing relaxation and sleep (think: turkey dinner).

Stress that brings us self-doubt

• Criticism about your work or not feeling accepted by others.

However this only applies if the person already has self-doubt about their abilities. If the foundation is strong the criticism will be like water off a duck’s back.

Fennel builds inner confidence through its aromatic constituents. Where there is stress and self-doubt, the stomach and digestive process will be affected. Fennel will calm that down. If your stomach is stable you will find the strength within your abdominal core muscles to eliminate the self-doubt and take a stand. Fennel is a great appetite suppressant due to its high content of anethol volatile oil. This substance tells the brain you are full and you may find yourself feeling satisfied with less food. In addition, fennel boosts the immune system to help overcome infections and help reduce inflammatory conditions. Serving Suggestion: Make yourself a raw fennel, beets, apple and kale salad. Sliver all thinly by hand or in a food processor. Dress with a generous dressing of lemon juice, flax oil and a dash of cumin.  Apples also have a multitude of health benefits – eating just two apples a day can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Beets support the liver and skin cleansing.

Stress that registers as disappointment and unmet expectations

• When we feel our loved one or loved ones shun us or turn their back on us, or our romantic partner leaves us.

We need to look within and examine our expectations. Most of the time the romantic and emotional expectations are unrealistic and the disappointment can only happen if your expectations are not realistic.

Example: I deal with a woman who dreams of her husband coming home for dinner.I ask her if he has ever come home for dinner in 15 years. She says, “No”. But she continues to live in her delusion dream that things will change and he will show up for dinner. Every night she sits at the dinner table until he rolls in around 1 to 3 in the morning. She leads with her unhappiness by living in a world of delusion.

You are aghast at this ridiculous example. You would be surprised how many people continue to believe the lies they tell themselves to keep themselves safe in dead end jobs and relationships. I often see the other side of the coin too; There are people who only anticipate struggle, disappointment and problems. When good fortune comes to these people they are astonished and are waiting for the good thing to go sour and/or they begin to sabotage the situation to fulfill their belief that life is a struggle and wishes do not come true.

Emotional disappointments trigger a response that lowers immunity and often result in respiratory sysmtoms such as the flu, colds or other bronchial problems. Therefore, if your stressors are focused around emotional disappointments, it’s necessary to support the respiratory system. If you are experiencing this, eliminate all dairy products until the illness phase passes and add ginger and turmeric to your diet.  Ginger acts a stimulant to improve circulation, it supports the inner lining of the digestive track, and helps overcome respiratory problems. Ginger is also a potent anti-inflammtory that helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis.

Serving Suggestions: • Use shredded or diced in stir fries• boil in water to make a tea• add to your juicer when making juice• remove core and seed of an apple, stuff it with ginger and bake• add to salad dressing with sesame oil• use in marinades and sauces

Stress that irritates and feels like conflict

• When you are in a situation where another person is pushing you to change or go in a  direction that is not familiar to you or is distasteful, or you find yourself in an argument or direct conflict.

Often conflict can be an internal argument. You find yourself endlessly mulling over things, weighing the pros and cons of a situation –  such as whether to stay in a marriage or leave the marriage.

If your stress response is to express irritation or anger, then you need liver support. For this, look to artichokes and fresh lemons and limes.

Cooking an artichoke is simple, even thought I meet many people who are intimidated at the thought and don’t know where to begin.

It’s easy – just steam for 45 minutes with a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary. (Reserve the cooking water! This important step will be explained further on). To serve the steamed artichoke, remove the leaves on by one and dip the bottom of the leaf in hummus or a light mixture of cold pressed virgin olive oil, fresh rosemary  and fresh lemon juice, pressed garlic and dry mustard.  When you  get to the center there is a round area with thistles in the middle. Cut out the thistle area and you have now reached the heart of the artichoke. This part is regarded as a culinary delicacy – fill with your favorite dressing and enjoy.  While this is a pleasurable experience for the palate that helps the liver, to amp up the detox, drink 2 cups of the water reserved from steaming the artichoke. You may find it bitter but it, along with rosemary, an aromatic herb, cleanses and supports phase 1 and phase 2 of the liver detoxification process. You can add lemon to the mixture.

Stress that frustrates

• Sitting in traffic that is going nowhere for hours

• Waiting to resolve a court case that is taking years.

• You feel helpless waiting for things to resolve themselves

The common component that leads to stress in all the above examples is the self-talk that results after the event. That self-talk will become our reality.

For instance, when we feel criticized at work we may tell ourselves, “Yep, I am an idiot, just like mom always said.” And then it’s all down hill from there.

The solution to the slippery slope is to become aware of the TRIGGER that sets off the negative and destructive and usually untrue, internal message. Recognizing the trigger will help you pause for an honest moment and hopefully reassess that knee-jerk reaction and substitute it for a more reasoned outlook, such as “everyone makes mistakes” and/or “what different/better approach will help avoid a repeat?”

The food to help stress that frustrates is romaine lettuce – often overlooked as old hat but a great contributor to your well being.

Romaine lettuce is another good energy booster on stressful days – a salad a day will keep the stress bugs away!

Romaine lettuce delivers, since it has high doses of chromium. This mineral helps keep blood sugar stable. If you are experiencing a blood sugar roller coaster you will be significantly more affected by the slightest stressors. Romains also contains B1, B2 and tryptophan which help the nervous system deal with stress. Include hemp hearts, raw sunflower seeds and sesame seeds in a salad to boost healthy essential fatty acids. (Remember, toasted or sugared nuts hinder the benefit of the nuts.)

Stress over uncertainty of the future

• Results in fear

The food for fear is celery.

Plain old garden variety celery is often over-stepped for more glamourous and trendy vegetables, but celery is a real star. Check out what celery offers:

  • High roughage, low calories
  • Helps process carbohydrates
  • Alkaline, so protects against high acid and purifies blood
  • greener stalks contain more vitamin A and celery helps stabilize blood sugar and aids with diabetes
  • Contains B vitamins plus sodium, potassium and magnesium
  • regarded as a fountain of youth product
  • helps keep body limber and muscles from stiffness and aching
  • arteries, muscles and joints harden with too much calcium – sodium keeps calcium levels in check
  • eat the leaves! – they are high in potassium sodium and sulphur

Food Tips in General

• Eat five small meals a day, each consisting of a protein, healthy carbohydrate and healthy fat

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables• 30 minutes of exercise or movement each day

• Healthy nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

• Fish three times a week

• Lemon and warm water at wake up

• Filtered water – 12 to 14 glasses per day

Now is the time to start taking preventative steps that will lead to reversing the biological clock of life.

It’s never too late! Find out how stress is affecting you. Take the stress test at http://www.wellnessguru.com/stress_questionnaire.html

This blog post originally was printed in the The Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario Newsletter:  “Connections”, Summer 2012,  Volume 15, Issue 4

 

Filed Under: Motivational Speaking, Recipes for Wellness

Gluten Intolerance—When Cereals Make You Ill

July 17, 2021 By Alex Gellman

The number of people who are intolerant of bread, pizza, or pasta is growing all the time.

More of us seem to be exhibiting an intolerance reaction to the storage protein gluten, which is primarily found in native cereal types, and are therefore subject to the chronic condition known as celiac disease. Others may suffer from gluten sensitivity—the range of symptoms and signs may explain the popularity of gluten-free diets. The complaint can manifest itself in the form of bloating, constipation, diarrhea, an irritable colon, chronic inflammatory intestinal illness, inflammatory skin diseases, joint pain, tiredness, depression, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, or  headaches.

About Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is one of the autoimmune diseases and may emerge at any age. It tends to be passed on within families and, once it has made its appearance, continues throughout the sufferer’s life. The pathology is extremely complex. According to an international cohort study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the causes of celiac disease can be found both at the level of genetic predisposition and in environmental influences. Thus more than a quarter of the examined children who possessed a variant of the immunity gene HLA had, by their fifth year, developed autoantibodies that point to the development of a celiac disorder. However, the risk of the emergence of these antibodies was very different in the various countries that participated in the study, thus suggesting that environmental factors play a significant role.

 

Fresh organic vegetables and fruit.

 

Patterns of development –In its “classical” or “typical” form, celiac disease develops during childhood, usually a few months after the introduction of food that contains gluten. Typical symptoms include chronic diarrhea combined with clinical signs of malabsorption, leading to weight loss, loss of appetite and protruding belly.

In the case of mono- or oligosymptomatic celiac disease, sufferers are affected by only one or more symptoms such as an iron deficiency or osteoporosis.

So-called silent or asymptomatic celiac disease, usually revealed by screening studies or a chance diagnosis, is relatively frequent. There are no symptoms or the symptoms are only weak. Even though people with silent celiac disease feel no discomfort, their physical and intellectual capabilities may improve following the introduction of a gluten-free diet.

The rare form of the disease known as atypical celiac disease is characterized primarily by uncharacteristic extraintestinal complaints. Even though typical serological and histological changes can be detected, this clinical pattern is rarely considered in differential diagnostic studies. However, because sufferers respond well to a gluten-free diet, greater attention should be paid to atypical celiac disease.

Treatment of Atypical Celiac Disease

– In the journal Nature Chemistry, the researchers presented a highly promising new method which makes it possible to protect therapeutic enzymes in the digestive tract against destruction and effectively stabilize these. To do this, they coupled polymers to enzymes and showed for the first time in living organisms that this can enable enzymes in the stomach and small intestine to remain active for much longer.

The idea of helping people who cannot tolerate particular dietary components by administering certain enzymes goes back a long way. So far, however, attempts to use enzyme therapy have generally failed due to the specific conditions found in the digestive apparatus. This is because this is designed for the efficient splitting of all proteins into their respective components – even in the case of helpful enzymes. As a result, normal enzymes in the digestive tract become inactive, and consequently useless, within just a few minutes.

Thanks to the protection given by the polymers used, it is now possible to stabilize enzymes for up to three hours. The polymer used is characterized, among other things, by the fact that it adheres particularly well to the mucous membrane of the stomach and small intestine. As a result, the enzymes also stay exactly where they are needed for longer.

Even though this is basic research involving experiments that have so far been limited to studies in animals, and despite the fact that the market readiness of a corresponding drug still lies far in the future, the researchers consider the initial results to be extremely promising. They believe that therapeutic enzymes will, in the future, be used to treat food intolerances, and in particular celiac disease, for which no treatments have been available in the past. Thus, in the future, therapeutic enzymes that have been stabilized by means of polymer protection could break down the gluten present in food into harmless fragments before it releases its damaging effects.

At present, the only safe way to respond to celiac disease is to adopt a strict, life-long gluten-free diet. This means that cereals that contain gluten – such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, emmer and khorasan wheat – as well as the produts made from them, have to be avoided.

What is more, gluten is also often used in the manufacture of ready-made food products because it possesses many positive properties that are valued by the food industry: it acts as an emulsifier, binds water, stabilizes and is also a good carrier for flavorings. As a result, it can be found, for example, in ready-made soups, tinned fish, cold meats, processed cheese, tomato ketchup or even chocolate. It is therefore vital that celiac sufferers read the ingredients of any ready-made food products they consume.

We constantly read that oats can be used unproblematically as part of a gluten-free diet. In fact, oats contain considerably less gluten than wheat, and studies in Scandinavia have shown that some celiac sufferers are able to tolerate oat products. However, a special type of oats was used for these studies.

The average mixed diet consumed by a healthy person contains approximately 13 g of gluten per day and one slice of bread (40 g) contains some 2.5 g of gluten. The consumption of just 50 – 100 mg of gluten per day can damage the mucous membranes of celiac patients.

Despite the considerable restrictions in the choice of foods available, a gluten-free diet can be tasty and varied. This is because many foodstuffs are naturally gluten-free. For example, fruit, vegetables, potatoes, rice, meat and fish contain no gluten. Milk and dairy products, eggs, nuts and seeds, as well as vegetable oils can also be eaten without any misgivings.

Alternatives to gluten-bearing cereals can be found in the form of the pseudocereals such as millet, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, or by turning to dishes involving rice, corn, potatoes, sweet chestnuts, chickpea flour and soya.

When baking, it is often possible to use grated nuts or almonds instead of flour.

A strict gluten-free diet improves well-being, usually in two to four weeks.

by Silvia Bürkle

Metabolic Balance®

Sources:

  1. Fuhrmann G., Grotzky A., Lukic R.,: Sustained gastrointestinal activity of dendronized polymer-enzyme conjugates. Nature Chemistry (June 2013)
  2. Henker J, Laass M, Baretton G et al. (2008) Fallstricke bei der Zöliakiediagnostik. Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie 46: 675 -680
  3. Hartmann P (2009) Glutenfreie Ernährung in der Praxis. OM & Ernährung 128: 11-12
  4. Krieger T (2009) Zöliakie Update – Deamidierte Gliadin-Antikörper verbessern die Diagnostik. Med Welt 60: 83-86
  5. Deutsche Zöliakie Gesellschaft (published by) DZG Medizin. 5. Fully revised and extended edition (2010)
  6. Caspary WF (2008) Gluten-Vorkommen und Toxizität bei Zöliakie. Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie 46: 675-680

 

 

Filed Under: Recipes for Wellness, Sustainable Weight Loss Tagged With: Autoimmune disease, Celiac Disease, Gluten

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alex-gellman Alex Gellman HOM, PHD

HOM, PhD, Homeopath, Holistic Nutritionist, and Iridologist with a PhD in Integrative Medicine, Alex has effectively facilitated the health and wellness of patients since 1981.

She is a certified facilitator of MBTi (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) that she uses in coaching to improve lines of communication.

She has presented at conferences and at the University of Toronto Research Symposium on the results of a successful 6-month study on the effects of those suffering from Fibromyalgia.

The author of three lifestyle wellness manuals, Alex also created the stress age biological assessment featured in the Wall Street Journal. She has appeared on a variety of health and wellness television shows and has hosted wellness retreats in Sedona and Niagara


 David Gellman Rabbi - DAVID GELLMAN

Over 30 years of experience in transforming the lives of individuals, families, and corporations, as a spiritual leader, Rabbi, Accountant and Registered Behavioral Coach.

Rabbi Gellman holds ongoing workshops to offer guidance in achieving a life balance and in making spirituality a principle part of life.

His teaching style combines a wealth of knowledge with coaching skills to ignite people to achieve their dreams.

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