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How to Deal with Gluten Intolerance in Children

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Gluten intolerance is an issue that adults have trouble coming to terms with. It is even more difficult when it happens to a child. Parents will have their hands full just making sure that their kid eats what he or she is supposed to and avoids the gluten based foods. The good thing here is that it is easier to inculcate good eating habits in children.

Adults, who have been eating gluten containing comfort foods for years, often face withdrawal symptoms and irritation at having to give up their favorite foods. In most cases, you will not have such issues with children. If you guide them properly when young and explain the importance of eating the right foods, they will grow up with these habits.

Gluten intolerance

The first step will be to get your child diagnosed by a qualified doctor to see if they are gluten sensitive or have celiac disease.

There are a few common symptoms that are often displayed by children who are gluten sensitive.

  • Constipation, cramping and a bloated stomach
  • Lethargy, irritability and restlessness
  • Unexplained rashes on the elbows and shoulder area
  • Abnormal stools that are watery or large
  • Delayed growth

 

If your child is gluten intolerant, it is imperative that you immediately start them on a gluten-free diet. Most children will not understand what gluten sensitivity is. You will need to approach the subject in a manner that does not make them feel different or inferior.

Initially, it would help if the parent preparing the food is able to make two different versions of the same food. One gluten version and one gluten-free one. In this way, it will look like everyone is eating the same food. Over time, your child will grow to understand that their body doesn’t assimilate gluten in the same way that others do.

However, in the transitioning phase, it’s best to keep most things constant and yet maintain a gluten-free diet for the gluten sensitive child.

As the child reaches school going age, it would help if the parents spoke to the teachers and school administrators about the child’s gluten intolerance so that there will be other adults who can keep a discreet yet watchful eye on what the child eats.

It is a wonderful idea to prepare food at home for your child to bring to school. Do explain the importance of eating gluten-free foods to them. They will face many temptations at school. Friends who may eat candy and chocolates, birthday parties that they may get invited to, school camps, etc.

The best way to ensure that your child sticks to the rules is to educate them well on the topic. In some cases, the child may secretly wish to disobey their parents just to fit in with their peers. However, the old saying applies here. A burnt child dreads fire. When your child doesn’t feel too good after what he or she ate, they will automatically avoid consuming gluten based foods.

Ultimately, there is no need to be overly worried. As long as you do your best to cater to your child’s needs, they will grow up understanding their situation and will live a gluten-free life.

Tips For Long Distance Running

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Are you shooting for your first long distance running event? For some long-time runners, training for such an event—5 kilometer, 10 kilometer, half marathon, or marathon—is not so much of a problem. For first-time distance runners, however, training is quite laborious and boring.

If you are currently undergoing training, the following tips can help you get by and prepare you for an experience as exciting as long distance running:

long distance

  1. Take some rest days between the trainings. Doing so will give your body ample time to recover energy and reestablish muscle stamina. Some runners have a week or two of rest in between days of hard workouts. For relatively easy workouts, they schedule at least one day-off.

  2. Mind your pace. Running long-distance is less about running fast, but is more about covering as many miles as you can. To be able to do this, you need to conserve your energy and run slow during the first few miles. Change your pace as you progress and approach the finish line.

  3. Work on improving your speed. Allot two to three days of fast running per week. There will be times, however, that your body won’t feel like working at a faster speed. Don’t push, as your body is trying to recover energy.

  4. Increase your mileage. Successful distance runners increase their mileage at a gradual pace. Some of them add two to three miles after every week of training, while others have an easier approach, only adding a few more strides at the end of every run. But because your body works differently, you can design or look for a training plan that can help you increase your mileage at a proper intensity.

  5. Put some diversity. To take the monotony out of your training, make sure to run different routes from time to time, run at different paces in a single session, and run at different paces on given days. The thing is, because running is most likely the same each day, you need to make it a little more exciting, something you always want to look forward to.

  6. Have a running partner at certain points of your run. It’s okay to run solo, some runners even prefer it, but without someone to talk to the entire run, training gets impossibly boring. Try to catch up with someone, or agree to meet with a fellow runner halfway through the run. Of course, you have to be willing to change your pace to encourage small talks.

  7. Listen to music. Long distance running is a mental activity as much as it is a physical challenge, so you need to get motivated and inspired to keep your body moving. Music does it well by keeping your mind off the physical discomforts of running and relaxing your mental state. During a run, bring an mp3 player with you and load it up with inspirational or your favorite music. Make sure your player has enough battery life to last the entire run.

  8. Bring energy foods with you. Not only will they pump up your energy level, they also will give you something else to do other than running. It is also wise to have water or energy drink to keep you hydrated during your training for long distance running.

 

Benefits of Whey Protein

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Whether you are young or old, age will never be an issue for obtaining the benefits of whey protein. This building block is considered to be highly valuable in the role of a nutritional plan to assist in improvement and maintenance of human body. In the market today, protein isolate has the purest form of protein compared to concentrate that contains about five to six percent of lactose. Whey protein is a natural nutrient containing essential amino acids that will enhance external physical appearance.

In physical performance, there is unmistakably an abundant harvest of the benefits from whey protein. Identified as the “Gold Standard,” this building block has been one of the ultimate partners of professional athletes who are working hard to have great biceps, firm abdomen and strong muscles, among others. Not only has the aftermath been observed, there were also studies that have proven the effects. Those who are seriously involved in sports are actually consuming at least 25 grams of this natural nutrient on a daily basis.

benefits

One of the benefits of whey protein is being able to acquire Branded Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s). BCAA’s are metabolized immediately to the tissues and are the first ones to be exhausted during vigorous periods of profuse sweating. When the building block will be in tandem with the BCAA’s, worn out levels of tilted cell membranes will be stocked up for the purpose of rebuilding and repairing.

In weight management, there are several benefits of whey protein that will also facilitate in avoiding the cancer and diabetes as well as complications in the heart. Since time immemorial, diet has always played a necessary role in programs that will look after the body mass. Frequent digestion of the building block will then create a positive impact because the natural nutrient is already in the uncontaminated kind with no traces of carbohydrates or fat.

According to the research done by physician Donald Layman, who also happens to be a professor in University of Illinois (UI), leucine is among the benefits in whey protein which can stir up the loss of unwanted calories. The building block also stabilizes the level of blood glucose by keeping the process of absorption very slow. This is then the reason why a person will not be able to feel much hunger because the insulin has already reduced and makes the burning of fat much simpler.

Tips to Dining Out If You Are Gluten Intolerant

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One of the biggest problems that gluten sensitive people have is being able to eat outside. This problem affects their social life and they may prefer to avoid social gatherings just so that they don’t seem to be a party pooper. The idea of inconveniencing others just because they are gluten intolerant seems selfish.

Over time, this will take a toll on them mentally and they may become depressed that life has handed them a bad hand, which undoubtedly it has. Nevertheless, this is a problem that can be dealt with relatively easily.

gluten

Firstly, the gluten intolerant person needs to find a few good restaurants where the service staff will be amiable to the customer’s requests. Most good restaurants will do their best to please the customer. If you’re gluten sensitive, you must be unequivocal and tell the restaurant about your diet.

It may seem like you’re very demanding. This is not the case. You’re not a pompous ass blowing hot air and making ridiculous demands just to feel self-important. You actually have a health issue that needs a special diet. Do explain this to the waiter or whoever takes your order.

It is always best to scout a few restaurants in your area beforehand and see if they will be able to whip up a gluten-free meal for you. In this way, you will be prepared and so will the restaurant. You should also inform them beforehand if you plan on having a meal there so that they are ready.

You may also Google online for celiac friendly restaurants that are in your area. If there are, well you’re pretty much set. You can go there with your buddies and while they eat gluten foods, you’ll have gluten-free dishes to choose from too. Everybody goes home happy.

It is worth noting that you should always inform the wait staff about the possibilities of cross-contamination. This will reduce any chances of it occurring.

If you’re suddenly caught in a situation where your family or friends suddenly decide to go for a meal at a restaurant that you’re not familiar with, don’t panic.

The same rules apply. Choose a dish that is mostly made up of natural ingredients such as meat, seafood, poultry, fresh vegetables, etc. You can make a special request to season your food naturally using olive or coconut oil, spices, etc. They should leave out the artificial seasonings and sauces.

If they can make you a tasty dish without any artificial flavoring, you will surely be able to have a gluten-free meal. Of course, you won’t be able to eat the fried chicken that has been coated with bread crumbs, but you won’t be sitting there starving either.

Focus on what you can eat instead of what you can’t.

At the end of the day, it’s all about your mindset. There is no doubt that being gluten intolerant is a pain in the neck but are you going to let it dictate your level of happiness?

Of course not. There are thousands of people who lead gluten-free lives and are perfectly happy. Take the inconveniences and little sorrows in your stride. You are bigger than any negative consequence that gluten can cause you.

 

The Best Time to Take Whey Protein

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Since the discovery of whey protein as a primary supplement to help in the development of body muscle, a lot of health buffs can’t seem to get enough of their own supply. Everyone seems to be scampering to get his or her whey protein supplements, especially athletes and body builders who are naturally in dire need of building muscle mass.

Although protein can be derived in common food groups such as fish, milk, eggs, cheese and beef, increasing intake on such food will also mean an increase in weight, which a lot of people would want to avoid at all cost.

whey protein

Luckily enough, there are whey protein isolates that enables people to increase the protein levels in the body without having to hoard on protein rich food products. Since people who engage in strenuous physical activities and exercises are literally tearing their muscles down and rebuilding them, it is important that they should have adequate supply of whey protein in the body. The best time to take whey protein would greatly vary from one person to another, largely depending on the person’s diet. However, here are three of the best times to take whey protein and ensure maximum efficacy:

Right After Every Workout – since whey protein has large amounts of amino acids, it is highly critical to take higher amounts at this point because the human body undergoes into the cycle of recovery and growth right after a full body workout.

First Thing in the Morning – this is the best time to take whey protein since the protein levels are down after long periods of sleep.

Before Bedtime – taking whey protein supplement right before sleeping would significantly prevent the breakdown of protein that would naturally occur during sleep. If you are not entirely focused on building muscle, the protein breakdown would be fine. But if you’re goal is to build muscle mass, you would naturally want to lessen the protein loss in you body. Hence, it is the best time to take whey protein in order to slow down your protein metabolism while asleep.

However, it is important to note that like everything else, too much consumption of whey protein can be detrimental to the human body. As the saying goes, too much of a good thing can be bad. To ensure that your intake is properly absorbed in the body, you have to know when the best time to take whey protein is. You don’t need to increase your consumption of whey protein but instead concentrate more on making sure that the protein you take will not go to waste.

How to be Gluten-free while on a Tight Budget

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Going on a gluten-free diet is an extreme lifestyle change. It is by no means easy. You will not be able to consume the foods that you love. Any food that contains gluten or traces of it is out of the question.

Many gluten sensitive people suffer withdrawal symptoms and many quit the gluten-free diet because of the sacrifices that are required. They’d rather put up with the discomforts of gluten intolerance than give up their comfort foods. This should never be the case because in the long run, the toll on their health and well-being will be heavy.

gluten

Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, you realize that most gluten-free products that are sold are much more expensive than the normal products. This is due to the extra processing time required to remove the gluten. Of course, there is also the issue of economies of scale.

The gluten-free food market is much smaller than the market for normal food. So, everything gluten-free is produced at a higher cost which needs to be borne by those who are already suffering from gluten tolerance. Life is not fair indeed. Yet, we must roll with the blows and make the best of a bad situation.

There are several ways you can cut your costs when living a gluten-free lifestyle. This article will offer you a few tips. You can discover more ways as you go along.
First and foremost, a gluten-free diet should only be adopted by those who are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant. It is not a trend or “healthy” choice. The gluten-free diet is not like the Atkins, paleo or Mediterranean diet. It is not healthier. It’s a solution to a health problem. If your body can handle gluten, you really need not be forking out money for gluten-free foods.

Since there are a wide variety of symptoms associated with gluten sensitivity, it would be best to go to a doctor and get a blood test done to confirm that you’re gluten sensitive. Just because you’re feeling bloated and lethargic for a few days in a row, it doesn’t mean you’re gluten sensitive.

You need to get a positive confirmation before committing to the gluten-free lifestyle. You doctor is the best person to consult.

If you are indeed gluten intolerant and you’re the only one in your family who is, don’t automatically assume that everyone in the family needs to go on a gluten-free diet. Of course, you will need to segregate your food and utensils but that’s about as far as you should go.

Making everyone in your family go on a gluten-free diet will skyrocket the food budget and not to mention, cause unnecessary hassle and irritation to the rest.

There are many foods that are gluten-free. In fact, the best and healthiest foods are gluten-free. Dairy, meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, vegetables, fruits, rice, quinoa, etc. are all foods that have no gluten. If you adopt the Mediterranean diet and keep it gluten-free, you will have tasty food at a decent budget. It doesn’t get better than that.

Another thing you can do is make your own premade gluten-free products. There are many premade gluten-free baking mixes sold in the market. Most are relatively costly. You could buy the ingredients separately and make your own mix at a fraction of the price. It will be cheaper and most probably, healthier.

Buying in bulk will also cut your costs. Contact the supplier and cut out the middleman. Find out if any of your neighbors or friends are on a gluten-free diet. A few people ordering the same items at the same time could definitely get a good price from the suppliers.

These are just some of the ways you can keep your costs low. The fact of the matter is that most gluten-free products are unnecessary if you learnt how to eat and season your food naturally.

Pick up tips on paleo cooking and Mediterranean style cooking. Using natural ingredients to flavor mouth-watering dishes. Once you know what to do, you may be able to spend even less than a normal person would on food. It’s all a matter of being well-informed and making wise decisions.

Smart Ways To Prevent Running Injuries

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Incurring running injuries can pass as one of the greatest nightmares of many runners, which is why it is very important for every runner to be extra cautious down the road.

Many factors contribute to the runner’s tendency to get injured; still, there are many ways to prevent running injuries. Here are some:

running

  1. Commit yourself to a warm-up. The general rule in any type of workout: Warm-up before you go. Doing so gives you a chance to prepare your body for the oncoming work and prevents the likelihood of injuries. Before a run, loosen up your legs, walk for some minutes, then do some stretching. Similarly, cooling down at the end of the run is important to reduce muscle pain. Do this by closing your workout with brisk walking or slow running. Then, do stretches.

  2. Avoid overtraining. The surest way to incur injuries is to overtrain and overwork your body. Sadly, many runners, in an attempt to increase their mileage and intensity just too soon, pushes their body beyond its capability and so put their selves at a great risk of injury. Two things you need to remember. One, weekly mileage increase shouldn’t be more than 10%. Two, speed buildup is a gradual process. Next time you feel like going farther and faster, ask if your body is capable of the demands, then let sound judgment overtake you.

  3. Take some breaks. This is especially important if you feel soreness in your muscles or are overly tired. A day or two of missed run is better than subjecting your already fatigued body to a possibility of injury. Listen to your body well and take note of pain, or any other hint, that tries to communicate it is not up for the challenge.

  4. Use good shoes. You know you need to replace your shoes when they have reached around 300 to 400 miles. By then, their shock absorption has degraded and their soles have worn-out, leaving them unsafe for running.

  5. Keep from concrete surfaces. Not only are they hard, they also are not very good shock absorber. Instead, run on dirt or grass trails, or somewhere there is a soft surface. This will put less pressure on your legs. Also, avoid running up and downhill to prevent stressing your feet.

  6. Do cross-training activities. The purpose of cross-training is to develop and strengthen your running muscles through other physical means such as swimming, biking, and hiking. It is best to incorporate cross-training activities in your running program at least once a week. Remember, however, that cross-training activities are supposed to improve your stamina and not to stress your body out and leave you with less energy for running.

  7. Observe rehabilitation measures should you suspect any injury. Doing so will prevent injury complications and speed up the recovery process. You can do a massage and cold therapy to ease a minor injury. For more serious cases, consult with a doctor immediately. To further prevent running injuries, do not resume to running unless you are fully recovered.

 

Whey Protein Problems

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A quick recap on our biology lesson would tell us that the amino acids are the building blocks of protein. This is a long established fact that almost everyone would readily bring to mind. Next to water, protein makes up the large fraction of the human body, critically needed in the growth and development of nails, muscles, hair, among other body parts. Hence, it is quite important to maintain the proper amount of protein in the body.

Up until recently, whey protein was discovered to contain the highest percentage of protein levels and can easily be absorbed in the body. This is especially great news among athletes and body builders who are working tirelessly to build muscle mass.

protein

This created quite a sensation, with almost everyone grabbing his or her own whey protein supplement. However, there are some people who are quite skeptical about the efficacy of whey protein, and have raised serious health concerns with regards to the possible whey protein problems that could arise.

Aside from building muscle mass, they are a host of benefits that can be derived directly from the increased consumption of whey problem. Its instant popularity prompted health enthusiasts to cast doubts, and bring up whey problem problems and health complications that could be attributed to an increase in the protein levels in the body. Some of the whey protein problems that have been brought up are ailments in the kidney and liver.

It is said that by increasing the ingestion of whey protein, it would put unnecessary strain on the organs of elimination such as the kidney and the liver. Claims have been made that an individual will actually unknowingly put extra force on his kidney to do extra work to excrete the excess proteins that the body will not need.

However, most of the cited whey protein problems are largely unfounded and have been dispelled by health experts. Studies conducted over the years have proven that there are no direct relations to any kidney or liver ailments in the increased intake of whey protein. Nevertheless, despite the category dismissal of the whey protein problems that were mostly rumors and misconceptions, experts are still reminding everyone to take within the normal required protein daily dietary recommendations.

Even though many have extolled the virtues and benefits of whey protein, like any other things in life any excess can be detrimental in the long run. That is why whey protein supplements are a much better options to ensure that you are within the daily protein limit.

How Do I Make My Kitchen Gluten-free?

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This is an excellent question. It shows that you are aware of cross-contamination and how gluten ingredients may accidentally end up in your gluten-free food. Food storage and preparation is one of the key components in ensuring that the food you consume has no gluten in it.

Since most food preparation is done in the kitchen, making it gluten-free is essential. If you live alone, you will be able to keep it gluten-free quite easily. If there are other family members in the same household, you will need to explain to them the importance of keeping the kitchen gluten-free.

gluten-free

There will be rules to abide by and any errors that may occur will affect the gluten intolerant person’s health. Since a family’s health is at stake, most family members will walk on eggshells when it comes to complying. Even then, mistakes may happen. So, you will need to be watchful and alert.

The first two things you will need to do are elimination and segregation. You will eliminate any gluten containing products in your kitchen. Give away your flours, baking supplies, etc. Any flours and baking ingredients you use should be gluten-free. If you are living alone, you can eliminate every single gluten containing product in your entire house.

If you have family members, you will need to segregate your food from theirs. You will need separate containers to keep foods such as butter, jams, etc. It would be an excellent idea to use different utensils and store them in a separate place too.

All this might seem like a hassle and it is. Yet, it’s the only way to ensure that gluten doesn’t accidentally get into your diet.

Get a toaster just for gluten-free bread. This is not an area to compromise regardless of your budget constraints. Grills, toasters, etc. that are used to prepare gluten containing foods will always have remnants left behind. Since you can’t wash a toaster thoroughly, there is absolutely no way to toast gluten-free bread and keep it in pristine gluten-free condition if other family members are using the same toaster to toast their normal bread

The crumbs from the normal bread will definitely end up on your gluten-free bread. If you eat it, you might as well be eating normal bread because the cross-contamination will be negating any attempts at living a gluten-free lifestyle.

Get different pots, pans, chopping boards, bread boards, etc. for your food preparation. You may think that you can use the same pots and pans as long as you wash them thoroughly. What many people don’t realize is that over time, there are scratches and little dents in the pots and pans. No matter how well you wash them; there will be some residue in these miniscule cracks. There will be gluten containing residue which will end up in your gluten-free food if you’re using the same pots and pans to whip up your meals. The same applies to cutting boards, bread boards, etc.

Initially, it may all seem troublesome and even a little expensive since you will have to have two sets of utensils, toasters, etc. However, once all is settled and you have your own items, you’ll not have any other issues as far as food preparation or cross-contamination goes. Put in the initial effort and expense. Over time, you will reap dividends many times over.

 

The Right Start: Running Tips For Beginners

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Running is an enjoyable, low-maintenance sport that it is no surprise many are enticed to get into it. Many beginning runners, however, initially find running somewhat injurious and exhausting and so give up. Truth is, it can be, especially if the novice runners have not been properly educated.

To get the most out of running, it is important that every beginning runner knows everything about the sport and is prepared enough for it. Following are some running tips for beginners that will make an otherwise rigorous sport into a pleasurable activity.

running

  1. Consult with your physician. Remember that running is an intense physical activity and requires a great deal of your strength. Therefore, it is wise to ask your doctor if your body is up for the challenge. Your physician will consider your age, weight, fitness level, and special conditions (breathing or heart problems) to derive a sound decision. Having accurate information on your body will also help you in choosing a running program.

  2. Set attainable goals. Do you want to lose weight? Or lower your cholesterol level? Or join a marathon perhaps? Whatever your goals are, make sure to see them through. To keep you motivated, it is helpful to have a timeframe. If the goal, however, is not met at the appointed time, it’s okay. Don’t fret, but continue to try working on it. The key here is to avoid stressing yourself over a goal your body is not ready for.

  3. Have a running program. Three things you need to consider in selecting a running program: age, fitness level, and goals. These three will determine the distance you can handle. You have to realize, however, that as a beginning runner, you are not expected to run a mile. In fact, you won’t do much running at first. Especially if you are untrained, running a distance may make you an easy target for injuries. Run/walk program, which includes alternate walking and running for a particular time, is ideal for starters. As you progress week by week, you can increase the time for running and decrease the time for walking.

  4. Make a running log. Detailing all the basic information on your run, a running log will serve as a record of your progress. You can write the type of workout for the day, time, and distance. For instance, Day 1, you did a tempo run for 20 minutes, 3 kilometers. Day 2, you had long run for 45 minutes, 8 kilometers. If you want your log to be more detailed, you can also record your weight and pulse rate.

  5. Check your pace. This is perhaps the most important among the running tips for beginners. This is because many beginning runners injure themselves by breaking into fast running too soon. As a beginning runner, your goal is not speed, but increasing your running time. Maintain your running at a pace that enables you to keep a conversation; anything more than that is not advisable. When you go for slow, easy running, you are actually building your stamina, which will eventually enable you to run faster and longer distances.

 

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