Category: Uncategorized

As some of you remember really well, it was a huge undertaking to get gluten-free labeling regulations passed by the FDA. Although they were due out in 2008, they didn’t see the light of day until public pressure and a big cake happened in 2014.

There are more than a few problems with the regulations, but a big one is that they’re simply not adequately enforced. So, Tricia Thompson of Gluten-free Watchdog and local g-free superstar, Kaki Schmidt put together a formal petition to the FDA to have the existing rules enforced.

WRITE TO THE FDA AND LET THEM KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE YOU CARE ABOUT! The bigger the response, the more likely that the gluten-free community will get the changes we’re asking for.

The link to comment is here. Although the comment period is open until 2018, the sooner people write in, the better the chance of a result.

Please keep your comments focused on the request of the petition, which is facial misbranding of gluten-free products. Facial misbranding is when an item is marked gluten-free, but contains an ingredient not permitted under FDA’s gluten-free ruling, such as barley malt or barley malt extract, or wheat that isn’t specifically marked as specially treated wheat starch, etc.

Our request is that the FDA provide a mechanism for easy, online reporting of these problems, and warning letters to the manufacturer within 30 days.

Please don’t comment more broadly on larger issues that affect the gluten-free community, like labeling of oats, restaurants, etc. because those aren’t the subject of the petition, and ideally we tackle one problem at a time.

Quick takes:

• Worried about g-free people in Houston? Consider donating money or supplies: https://www.nationalceliac.org/ and http://celiaccommunity.org/2017/hurricane-relief/
• And get your own pantry stocked with shelf-stable gluten-free foods for a natural disaster. It can happen anywhere, and it never hurts to be prepared.
• Want g-free breakfast options for back to school? Here are some great options.
• Want to learn more about mindful eating? Catch a livestream of me on Sept 15^th. The link will be up here soon!

Harris Whole Health offers individual sessions and group classes to help people eat healthier and feel better! Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, promoting great health and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals. For an appointment with Cheryl Harris, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, please click here, email or call 571-271-8742.

Gluten-free beer
Mindful eating class
New low FODMAP products at Wegmans!

Happy sort-of-Springtime! In honor of St. Paddy’s day, let’s chat about gluten-free beers.

There have been gluten-free beers on the market for quite a few years, and they’re made from non-gluten containing grains like sorghum or rice. But there was a huge fuss and a lot of excitement when manufacturers announced that they had figured out how to make a beer with barley, and then go through a special process to remove the gluten fragments in order to make it safe for people with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. They even tested these special “gluten-removed” beers with state-of-the art testing equipment, and they came up clean.

Sounds spiffy, but here’s where it gets fuzzy, even if you haven’t had a few. The normal tests for gluten are generally not designed for fermented foods like beer. During fermentation, some of the strands of protein are broken down into their parts, also known as amino acids. The ultimate goal here is to figure out if the amino acid sequences that are toxic to people with Celiac are still present in the beer. The essence of the debate is not if the tests give the answer of zero, but whether the tests are actually looking at something meaningful, and can accurately assess the presence of these harmful fragments.

A new small 2017 study done by the Gluten Intolerance Group showed that 1/3 of the blood samples of people with Celiac disease may still bind inappropriately to the protein fragments to the barley fragments.

The powers that be in the U.S. and Canada still have doubts on the safety of these gluten-removed beers. The U.S. head honchos in charge of booze, also known as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, have required disclaimers such as: “Product fermented from grains containing gluten and [processed or treated or crafted] to remove gluten. The gluten content of this product cannot be verified, and this product may contain gluten;” or “This product was distilled from grains containing gluten, which removed some or all of the gluten. The gluten content of this product cannot be verified, and this product may contain gluten.” They released a statement in that specifically states the beers can’t currently be labeled gluten-free without the disclaimers, because it’s confusing and misleading to consumers.

So … I know many people see these beers and assume they’re safe. Until or unless we find out otherwise, I do encourage my gluten-free clients to steer clear of the “gluten-removed” beers, and instead choose other alcohol or beer from non-gluten containing grains. There are a bunch of truly, 100 percent gluten-free beers on the market, including Redbridge, Bard, New Grist, Green’s, New Planet and more. Locally, Total Wine seems to be the best spot to get a good selection.

And stay tuned! Studies are ongoing.

Mindful eating class:
Want to see how eating mindfully can help your health? Join me March 25th @11am for an hour-long workshop in Fairfax, an learn some simple strategies to get started. Register here.

Calling all nutrition pros: I’m teaching on Food Allergies & the new 2017 guidelines for food introduction on March 14th from 3:30-5pm. More info here, and to sign up see Dietitian Central.

Are you on a low FODMAP diet? As some of you know entirely too well, FODMAPs may cause digestive upset in people with IBS and IBD. Good news! FODY foods just launched a line at some DMV Wegman’s stores. This is garlic and onion-free salsas, BBQ sauces, bars, and more. However, my store list includes Alexandria, Woodbridge, Leesburg, and others in MD, PA and NY, but no Fairfax.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. She helps people with a range of dietary issues, including Celiac Disease, GI issues, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great! Email or call 571-271-8742.

• Winter Weather & Emergency Preparedness
• News/Valentine’s Candy Link/Recipe

I recognize it’s been a mild winter, and boy am I grateful, especially when I think back to last year! I realized I haven’t done a newsletter on winter weather/emergency preparedness in 5 years, so it’s about time.

It’s always a good idea to make sure you have week’s supply of gluten-free food for emergencies. The time to get ready isn’t the few days before when everyone and their mother is at the grocery store and the stores are a zoo. And, of course, in the case of a natural disaster or weather issue, it will likely be difficult to find gluten-free options at shelters or from food banks, like we saw with Hurricane Sandy years back.

Do you have a 3-5 day day food supply as FEMA recommends? And what if you had to make it 2 weeks? I’d have enough food for 5 days because I have latent squirrel genes, but 2 weeks would be pushing it.

So here are some ideas. Some require hot water or a manual can opener.

Ready to go meals: (all are available online and locally, too)

• GoPicnic has a variety of easy, ready to eat options
• Tasty bite: a variety of bean dishes in pouches. Marked gluten-free
• St. Dafour has some ready to eat meals.

These require heating:

• Gluten-free emergency kit

Gluten-free meal-ish replacements:

• Canned beans Eden Foods Beans
  Eden is tested for gluten and BPA free, too)
• Canned chicken
• Canned salmon (bonus for ones with a pull top lid! Trader Joe’s has easy open ones, too)
• Canned tuna
• Canned soups and stews (a few brands that label as gluten-free are options from Progresso labeled g-free, Amy’s Soup labeled g-free, Pacific foods, Dinty Moore Beef Stew or select Dinty Moore microwavable cups)<–these are all pretty easy to find at local grocery stores.
• Dr. Mc Dougall’s has some “just add water” gf soups
• Canned veggies: canned tomatoes, corn, green beans.
• Jarred veggies: roasted red peppers, pickled veggies including pickles
• Condiments, ideally in little packages of mustard, mayo, etc.
• Jerky bars like Epic (complete disclosure–I really enjoy the turkey bars, but some of the other flavors…not so much)
• UHT (shelf stable) milk
  or milk alternatives
• Nut Butters or squeeze packs

Starches:

• Cold cereal—So many to choose from!
• Just hot add water G-free oatmeal packs
• Ready to eat rice, wild rice and quinoa packets, such as Trader Joe’s, etc. Caution on Uncle Ben’s—some contain wheat.

Snacks: I’ve got a gluten-free snack list with bars here, with other “snacky stuff”

Sanity savers:

• Gluten-free chocolate
• Cookies—consider stashing a 2 pack of a gluten-free brand, like Pamela’s, Enjoy Life, etc.
• Hot cocoa
• Tea
• Wine

DOUBLE CHECK THAT EVERYTHING IS GLUTEN-FREE!

It’s also worthwhile to think about

• water
• medications
• food for your furry, feathered or finned friends
• other necessities.

A camp stove, matches, a sterno, generator, etc. will come in handy, too. For other, more general preparedness resources please see the FEMA website.

I also keep an “emergency pack” of Larabars, Epic bars and nut butters in the trunk of my car for when I’ve forgotten or dropped my lunch. It’s rarely needed, but comes in handy for sure!

News & Recipes:

• Valentine’s day candy list
  here, updated for 2017
• This month’s issue of Gluten Free Living shares my tips on Mindful Eating on a gluten-free diet.
• Need a delicious dip for Superbowl Sunday, or any day, really? Salsa-Mole, a cross between salsa and guac is one of my very favorites.
• Gluten Free Watchdog issued a warning on Tenera Teff for gluten contamination. So if that’s a brand you use, stop.
• This time of year, we simply can’t get enough vitamin D from the sun. Do make sure you’re supplementing appropriately.

Did I miss one of your favorites? Email me. I love how many more options we’ve got now.

Wishing you a safe and warm Wintertime!

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA.  She helps people with a range of dietary issues, including Celiac Disease, GI issues, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

It’s that time of year where we resolve to start exercising, eating right, drinking more water and using more recycled bags to the store. I’m sure many of you have set resolutions or even goals. But it’s also the time of year where we start to realize making changes is easier than finding a way to make those changes stick. As a nutritionist and coach, I’ve seen such a range of experiences in my clients, and here are a few things I’d encourage you to consider.

1. Why is this super-wonderful new habit really important to you now?

Knowing your motivation is a powerful thing, and can help you build in structure to stay focused on what you value most. When I see clients, one my first questions is what they’re hoping to accomplish. When the answer is “Because Dr. So and so says so” it’s a big red flag and we have to dig deeper and develop personally meaningful goals.

2. What is your baseline?

Often we don’t have a good sense of our current habits. Many people report eating veggies every day or only occasionally going on a Starbucks run, but when they record their food for a few weeks, it becomes clear that the reality is quite a bit different. I definitely recommend keeping track of food, exercise or other habits, either on pen and paper, on a website like www.sparkpeople.com or www.nutritiondata.com or on an app like My Fitness Pal or Lose it. In fact, tracking your food is one of the top recommendations from the National Weight Control registry.

3. How much are you eating?

We live in a super-sized culture, and almost all of us fall prey to the ginormous sizes we see all around us. Studies show that everything from portion sizes to plates to colors or even names of food dramatically change our intake, and often small tweaks can significantly change our behaviors. If you haven’t read Brian Wansink’s Mindless Eating, it’s a fantastic read with a nice mix of research and easy tools to incorporate in your daily routine

4. Are you paying attention when you eat?

I know it may sound silly, but most of us live pretty distracted lives. If we’re not paying attention to our life, we’re missing out on the fun! It’s easy to eat while checking email, watching TV, or even driving, and that cuts down on our awareness of portion and on our enjoyment of food. When we’re eating mindfully, we’re much more aware of hunger and fullness, and it’s much easier to stop eating because we’re full than because we’re only allowed a certain amount. Additionally, mindfulness has a huge range of health benefits, from improving depression, to blood pressure, to immunity to diabetes and much more. I’ve got a lot of the research on the benefits of mindful eating here.

5. How’s your stress level?

It’s rare I find that people start craving cauliflower under stress. Yes, some people lose weight when they’re stressed, both most people gain. More importantly most of us have a harder time keeping healthy habits together when stressed. Maybe that’s not getting enough sleep, eating too much sugar, too much alcohol, working too hard…the list goes on. Make sure to plan in enough movement, adequate sleep, hydration, stress management, connection, sunshine (even if that’s just through a light box) , sources of fun and joy into your life. Fortunately, I have a furry friend who reminds me when I’m working too hard.

6. Do you have support? Generally, healthy habits take a village. It’s easier to get up on those cold, dark mornings when you’re meeting a friend or you’ve got a four-legged friend who wants to go for a run. It’s critical to build support for yourself, either in person or online for a sense of accountability.

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year,

Cheryl

Wow, December is flying by at warp speed. It’s so easy to get swept away sometimes in the holiday swirl.

For many people, the holiday season is one of the most challenging times to be gluten-free. Food is everywhere, and there’s lots of temptation. And, of course, it’s necessary to reinvent lots of old family traditions.I’ve highlighted some of my favorite tips for staying SANE and gluten-free here from Simply Gluten-Free Magazine. 

So…onto the food, right? Some of us aren’t all about mixing 5 different gluten-free flours and whipping out the xantham gum. I’ve collected a list of NATURALLY gluten-free desserts over the years—tried and true recipes that aren’t specialty cooking, but just happen to be marvelously gluten-free.

Remember, these foods are only GF if you use GF ingredients. And as always, check labels to avoid surprises. A surprising number of chocolates contain traces of gluten, including Lindt, Ghiradelli, Godiva and many of the Trader Joe’s options. I’ve got lists of chocolates listed gluten-free here and here.

There’s a range of allergy-friendly, grain-free, low sugar and completely decadent options, but there are enough options to choose from that you can surely find something that works for your lifestyle/food restrictions that you and your family can enjoy together.

• Baked apples
• Candied orange peel (DF, EF, SF, NF)
• Caramelized bananas or Bananas Foster
• Candy canes! Dipped in (dairy free) chocolate or plain (DF, EF, NF)
• Chocolate bark (DF, EF)
• Chocolate mousse (NF)
• Christmas pudding/plum pudding
• Crème brulee (NF)
• Cheesecake-use any gf cookie crumbs for the crust, or do a crustless cheesecake (NF)
• Chocolates: make your own with a mold or buy
• Chocolate covered: strawberries, cherries, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc. (can be DF or NF)
• Clementines (DF, EF, NF) Of course, they’re more festive when dipped in chocolate.
• Clementine cake (DF)
• Custard (NF)
• Dessert soufflé
• Dried fruit (DF, EF, NF)
• Divinity (DF, NF)
• Flan
• Flourless tortes
• Fondue, using chocolate and a variety of fruit and GF cookies (DF*, EF, NF)
• Fruit crisp (any gf flour or quinoa flakes for topping) (DF, EF)
• Fruit and whipped cream (EF, SF, NF)
• Fudge (EF)
• Gelato
• Hard candies (DF*, NF*)
• Hot chocolate (EF, NF)
• Ice cream/frozen yogurt (check labels, especially for malt!)
• Jello (DF, EF, NF)
• Macaroons
• Mango with sticky rice (DF, EF, NF)
• Marshmallows (DF, NF)
• Meringue cookies (DF, SF, NF)
• Marzipan (some say glucose derived from wheat, so beware)
• Nut or seed brittle (DF*, EF)
• Panna Cotta (EF)
• Pavlova (meringue cake) (DF)
• Peanut butter cookies (DF) or a nut free, sunbutter cookies
• Poached pears (DF, EF, SF, NF)
• Popcorn clusters or caramel corn (EF)
• Popcorn cake (EF)
• Pralines,<–this version is dairy free (EF)
• Pumpkin seeds (DF, EF, SF, NF)
• Pudding
• Pudding pie with almond or cookie crumble crust
• Rice pudding ( EF, NF)
• Rice krispie bars using puffed rice (EF)
• Roasted chestnuts. (DF, EF, SF) Not quite dessert, but an amazingly seasonal yummy snack.
• Sorbet (DF, EF)
• Toffee (EF)
• Truffles (EF)
• Watermelon (DF, SF, EF, NF)
• Zabaglione

dairy free (DF), egg free (EF) and soy free (SF), NF (nut free) *=check labels

Not that these are healthy by any stretch of the imagination, BUT Martha Stewart has a slideshow and recipes of 40 holiday candies, all of which (at a quick glance) are GF. Of course, you need to make sure the chocolate is GF, be mindful of cross contamination, etc. but this is an easy way to keep traditions without venturing into specialty flours and unfamiliar territory.

My personal favorites? My Bittersweet Chestnut Fudge and my Vegan Pralines.

Oh, right, and there’s holiday food, too. I’ve got a G-Free Turkey and Ham list.

More recipes from around the web:

• A roundup of 2016 gluten-free favorites on GFE & Gluten-free Homemaker
• The Dec 2016 issue of Simply Gluten-Free  is online and in stores. It has many beautiful recipes!
• 25 Christmas cookies from Only Taste Matters
• 20 Gluten-Free recipes from The Kitchn
• Jules Shepard hosts a g-free cookie swap, where you can get a ton of ideas, or enter to win prizes. Or you can just ogle the pictures. 😉
•  50 gluten-free & grain free holiday desserts from Gormande
• Iris of the Daily Dietribe has a list of 30 g-free cookies
• G-Free Kid has a PDF of holiday favorites
• Some Paleo Christmas treats from Paleo Parents
• Gluten Free Girl and the Chef has a great selection of cookies
• A gargantuan Home for the Holidays from GFE and many  others
• Simply Sugar and Gluten Free Christmas recipes
• 25 days of Christmas from Gluten Free Easily 2010
• Celiac Family’s Favorites
• Gluten Free Merry Christmas from the Whole Gang
• Gluten and Dairy free Holiday tips from Gluten Free Goddess
• Christmas Cookie Roundup (from my cookie exchange)
• Christmas cookie roundup from Ginger Lemon Girl & I’d also recommend her GF 101 Cooking e-book!
• A roundup from Elana’s Pantry

Wishing you a peaceful season!

Updated September 2019

When I look through my archive of gluten-free breakfast posts, I’m always surprised at how short this list was years ago. Now there’s a range of packaged options in addition to the naturally gluten-free options.

For many people, summertime is filled with cook outs, picnics, outdoor adventures and travel. With a little planning, you can make sure to have fun and take care of your health, too.

Picnics and cookouts tend to work well for a gluten-free diet. Most grilled foods, like 100% beef or turkey burgers,skewers of shrimp (watch the marinade!) hot dogs, chicken breasts, etc. are gluten-free in the regular grocery store, so you can coordinate with your host and ask about any marinades, or just bring your own food to grill. For vegetarians, grilled Portabella mushrooms, red peppers (my favorite) and veggie skewers work well. If your host is grilling buns, marinated meat, or anything else ‘glutenous’ in the same area, bring along aluminum foil to wrap your food and keep it safe from cross contamination. Just bring along your own bun, or in a pinch, use a lettuce leaf as a wrapper. It helps to carry a few little packets of condiments, in case there aren’t squeeze bottles of mayo or mustard. Green salads, fruit salads and watermelon are usually on the menu, and don’t forget grilled corn on the cob as a yummy treat!  Quinoa salads are wonderful in this weather, and are getting more popular. Ice cream, popsicles and frozen fruit bars are usually gluten-free, though it’s important to check the label because there are exceptions, like Fudgesicles, that contain barley malt. Since these events are often potlucks, it’s easy to bring along a safe dish that you’ll enjoy.

As for other summer gatherings, the general rules are to bring a dish you can safely eat and enjoy, bring clean utensils just for your dish, serve yourself first, scout out naturally gluten-free options (corn on the cob, watermelon, salad) but be on the look out for sources of cross-contamination. If all else fails, having a back up option like a gluten-free bar is a good idea.

Or, if you’re at home or entertaining, experiment with grilled fruit, like grilled mango, peaches or pineapple for a gourmet and simply elegant gluten-free treat!

Book Review:
Carol of Simply…Gluten-Free put out a cookbook, Simply Gluten Free 5 Ingredient Cookbook: Fast, Fresh & Simple! 15-Minute Recipes. I’ve been having fun with it. First of all, the pictures are amazing, and there are pictures for every single recipe. Part of what I like is that all the recipes are pretty simple dishes that happen to be gluten-free and most are the kinds of things I like to make. Many are dairy/soy/grain/sugar free, and there aren’t a ton of gluten-free flours used.  I’ve worked on the Simply Gluten-Free Magazine, Carol’s mag for years, so I know Carol’s work, and I was excited even before I got the cookbook! I have a review of three of the recipes and cookbook giveaway here. 

Interesting articles:

• Medscape did a neat review on Celiac and gluten sensitivity and neurological dysfunction. You may need to set up a free account to read it.
• A new study showed changes in bacteria are common in people with Chronic Fatigue.Syndrome. The hope is that this may be a path to an eventual treatment, including food as a way to alter symptoms.
• Gluten-Free Watchdog has done testing on the gluten levels in probiotics. I can’t legally post the data here because there’s an effort to publish the data, but some common probiotics are higher than ideal and one was really high. If you’re interested to find out where yours fits, consider joining GFW.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA.  She helps people with a range of dietary issues, including Celiac Disease, GI issues, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

Happy almost Springtime! Since March is flying by at, this is a short and sweet rundown of news & research:

• Join me Weds March 18^th 2-4pm EST for a live webinar through Dietitian Central on a Gluten-Free and Healthy Diet. We’ll be talking about arsenic, nutritional deficiencies, g-free grains, grain-free diets and the latest research on long-term health on a gluten-free diet. Courses are always interactive and we’ll be covering lots of interesting info.
• Paleo or no-go? Here’s a roundup of research on the Paleo diet.
• A new study shows that monitoring the growth of children can often be a good indicator of Celiac disease and could accurately predict it over 80% of the time.
• …and another 2015 study shows that gluten-sensitivity is a real phenomenon.
• We all hear about probiotics or good bacteria. New studies shows they may even affect risk of diabetes and the risk of food allergies in infants.
• Polysorbate 80? Carboxymethylcellulose? No, these don’t have gluten, but these common ingredients and may lead to an increased risk of Crohn’s or Ulcerative colitis.
• If you’re local to the DC metro area, consider checking out the new GF cooking classes at Wildfire to support the Children’s National Medical Celiac program.
• And Passover is just around the corner! I’ve got an article in the March/April issue of Simply Gluten-Free Magazine on gluten-free Passover options and expanded gluten-free options for the rest of the g-free community, as well, since many Passover options are naturally gluten-free.

Harris Whole Health offers individual sessions, family sessions and group classes to help people eat healthier and feel better! Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals. For an appointment with Cheryl Harris, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, please click here, email or call 571-271-8742

• Spread a little sunshine
• Chocolate love
• News

Spread a little sunshine this winter…All about Vitamin D

In the winter months, most of us aren’t getting much sunlight. It’s still dark when we leave our houses and often dark by the time we get home. When we go outside, we’re usually bundled up from head to toe. Not only does this tend to affect mood, but we also depend on sunlight as a source of Vitamin D. Even if someone were to go out dancing in the snow in a bathing suit in the winter months, in many areas it’s still impossible to get all of the vitamin D needed for good health. Skin pigmentation, age, sunscreen, and geographic location all play a role in determining how much vitamin D the body produces from sunlight.

When people think of vitamin D deficiency, they tend to think of rickets, or the bowed legs seen in children. Actually, the problem is much more widespread and affects most systems in the body. Researchers are increasingly learning that most people have Vitamin D levels are below the ideal, and this seems even more common in people avoiding gluten for various reasons. Recent studies are reinforcing the importance of vitamin D, showing that deficiency can cause joint pain and bone weakness, and lower vitamin D levels are linked to higher rates of cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, increased fall rates, lowered immune function, depression and more.

Vitamin D is especially important to people with Celiac disease, gluten intolerance and people following a gluten free/casein free (GFCF diet). Celiac disease often causes great damage to the small intestine, and the small intestine is where our bodies absorb vitamin D. Osteoporosis and osteopenia are frequently seen in Celiac patients, and Vitamin D is an essential component to both calcium absorption and the formation of healthy bones. Additionally, untreated Celiac disease also may lead to fat malabsorbtion, and vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin.

Fortified milk and milk products are one of the few commonly eaten food sources of vitamin D. However, usually eating those foods alone isn’t enough to do the trick, and many gluten free folks are lactose intolerant, or avoid dairy products due to following a gluten free, casein free (GFCF) diet. The NIH just released a statement about a study showing that autistic boys tend to have thinner bones.So regardless of why you are GF, it is important to speak to your doctor and have your vitamin D levels tested.

There are several ways to get vitamin D in the winter months:

• Eat vitamin D rich foods: fortified dairy, cod liver oil or other fatty fish, are good sources. For vegetarians or vegans, there are small amounts found in eggs, or some in mushrooms exposed to UV light.
• Take vitamin D3 supplements: Many doctors recommend high doses of vitamin D initially to normalize vitamin levels in people who are deficient, but since Vitamin D is fat soluble and stored in the body, at some point it is possible to get an excess. Most people have vitamin D levels in the 20-30 range, and you don’t hit a risk of toxicity until the 100+ range, so that’s usually not an issue.
• Take a vacation to somewhere warm and sunny: totally self explanatory, and my personal favorite way of getting vitamin D. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to sunbathe all day. Experts say that 15-20 minutes of sun in most warm areas 3-4 times a week is usually all that is needed. However, this does differ by season and latitude.

Chocolate love:

I love chocolate. So, for the sake of research, I tried a range of gluten-dairy-soy free chocolate bars and rated them. Yes, I had help, and I’ve been working my way through them since last May.

Here are a few of my favorite gluten and dairy free chocolate recipes:

Chocolate Egg Cream: This old fashioned drink is really easy to make and it’s delicious. Although it’s called an egg cream, it’s actually vegan.

Amazing Chocolates or Hazelnut Buttercups. These MYO chocolates are delicious, and pretty easy to make, too.

 

 

 

 

 

Tuxedoed Strawberries Fruit in tasty formal ware. What’s not to love?

 

Chocolate Raspberry Pie Yes, there’s a secret ingredient, but don’t let that scare you. Bloggers at the Washingtonian tried it and gave it a thumbs up!

News:

• WebMD shared some of my tips for managing weight and hypothyroidism
• Children’s National Medical Center in DC has a really neat set of gluten-free cooking classes in March, and of course, it’s raising funds for a great cause.
• Gluten-free foods with wheat? Yep, really. It’s been done in Europe for years, but never caught on in the U.S. Dr. Schär is launching a new line, so we’ll see if people are willing to buy those products now.
• A new meta-analysis study links Celiac with fertility problems (you may need to sign up for free to read the Medscape article)

Harris Whole Health offers individual sessions and group classes to help people eat healthier and feel better! Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals. For an appointment with Cheryl Harris, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, please click here, email or call 571-271-8742

Hopefully you’re all staying warm and cozy this December. It’s always a busy time for everyone, so here’s some good stuff for surviving and thriving this holiday season.

Wintertime generally means cold, and to me that means soup. Whenever I can, I make my own–I adore chicken and turkey  soup, and I love my Red Lentil Dal, Creamy Veggie Soup, Sniffle Stew…the list is endless!

Canned soup is a also great fallback. Here’s a list of soups that avoid BPA. BPA is an additive in many can liners, and research has indicated there are potential links between BPA blood pressure, weight, PCOS and/or endocrine conditions.

Of course, December is famous for reasons other than soup. For most people, mindless munching is also a huge part of the season, so here are my top 5 holiday mindless eating tips:

1. Survey your options: Research shows that people at a normal weight are more likely to survey all of their options, then hone in on what they most enjoy. Otherwise, we have much more of a tendency to keep going back. Standing further from the buffet, facing away from the food and engaging in something else fun (conversation, dancing, photography) also can be a help.
2. Surround yourself with what you want to see. Remember all that talk about a see-food and eat it diet? Make sure you’re seeing the foods you want to be eating. Put seasonal fruits such as grapefruits, mangos and my personal favorites, pomegranates, on the counter or in your refrigerator where they are easy to grab. Bonus points for putting them at eye level!
3. Choose the special foods: If you can’t live without mint fudge, then plan to have a piece or two! Skip on the “filler” foods you can have every day, like chips and dip or even booze.
4. Limit alcohol. I know that’s not always the easiest sell, but sometimes it’s helpful to consider which you’d enjoy more, that truffle or that 2^nd glass of wine. Not only is alcohol empty calories that slow your metabolism, but it can be harder to make good choices after you’ve had a few. It can help to set a target before you go. WaPo included some of my tips for reducing excess last year.
5. Keep the evidence: Out of sight, out of mind, right? If you don’t keep the wrappers or plate, it’s easier to conveniently forget how many mini plates you’ve already munched through.

And…why not plan ahead for a healthier January? One of my colleagues is running a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction series in Annandale and Vienna. MBSR has a lot of research for helping improve mood and a variety of medical conditions, such as depression, stress, anxiety, IBS, IBD and more. IT’s a 8-week educational group that teaches mindfulness meditation as a health intervention. Created by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD., in 1979, MBSR offers participants the possibility to develop a different relationship to stress resulting from chronic stress, illness and psychological illnesses. Research outcomes have demonstrated positive improvements in physical and psychological symptoms, as well as changes in health attitudes and behaviors.

MBSR uses mindful movement, meditation, group discussion, and inquiry to teach students how to use mindfulness to relate differently to stress. The course teaches practical ways to integrate mindfulness into daily life and build and sustain a personal mindfulness practice.

Interested? Contact Mary VanDevanter, at mvandevanter@verizon.net or call 703-370-6525, ext. 3.

Wishing you a warm and wonderful holiday season, and a happy New Year!

Harris Whole Health offers individual sessions, family sessions and group classes to help people eat healthier and feel better! Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals. For an appointment with Cheryl Harris, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, please click here, email or call 571-271-8742.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, see www.harriswholehealth.com