Surviving In A Gluten Filled World: Health

Gfree-Dude goes cucumber with Avalon Organics body and shower gel

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Before I met Rachel, I never cared about what I ate or put on my body. Everything I grabbed or gravitated towards was whatever smelled the best or looked cool. I never cared about what was in it.
Rachel has completely changed the way I think about the products I use because of the lasting affect it can have on my body.

Rachel asked me to use this body wash stuff from Avalon Organics. Now granted, the second I saw "cucumber" on it, my first thought was NO THANK YOU! No dude wants to reek of cucumber. We want to smell like a forest or like we just came out from a battle, where we were saving a princess from impending doom.

Now that aside, most guys won't admit to using products, but I guess I have to since I'm reviewing this product.

Now honestly there's not much of a scent to this body gel, which for me, is a good and bad thing. I'm weird when it comes to smells. I enjoy something that stays with you throughout the day, but not too overpowering.

Now if you enjoy having everyone stare at you thinking you've doused yourself in cologne, then this isn't the product for you. The scent is light and comfortable. You aren't walking around announcing to the world you just took a shower. You are carefully telling everyone that you are clean and proud of it.

Confession time, I use a loofah sponge. Ugghh... I feel so exposed. Anywho, the gel lathers up decently and you don't have to use a lot which is nice.

I just found out from their website that you can use it in the bath too. HAHA I guess that makes sense, since it says that on the bottle. But I'm a man, and men don't take baths. Unless there are candles and soft music, but other than that. Just showers!

When I first stepped out of the shower I felt weird. It was weird smelling cucumber on me. Like I said, it wasn't overpowering, but as a dude, it was just weird.

But, like most shower gels, it gets the job done.

I've been using the product for over 2 months now because I'm too lazy to try anything else. Would I get this stuff again? Probably not. Just because I'm not a cucumber fan. I would like to try their other scents to see if there's something I would enjoy using.

- Croz

cosmetics

Gluten Free Skin Care Products - Jason Skin Care

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Am I the only one that fell in love with a new product line during Celiac Awareness Month back in May?!? I had the privilege of trying out both Avalon Organics hair and body washes and Jason skincare and hand soaps. While I was not a fan of Avalon Organics haircare (my insanely thick hair that my stylist comments on EVERY time I come in could have something to do with that), I fell in love with Jason's skincare. (Read my husband's review Avalon Organics here)

Jason launched their new line of certified gluten free personal care products a few months ago and they are rockin'! I was initially going to write this post two weeks in to using the products, but I wanted to give a more accurate review. Then life with a teething, growing one year old got in the way and now it's August.

BUT, I'm so glad I waited. And here's why. It's been almost four months and I am still using and loving these products! They're lasting forever!!

My two favorites are the face wash and face lotion.

My skin has never been more consistently clear as it's been since using these. Even through summertime heat and (tmi, gentlemen, sorry) my periods my skin had been clearer, which is saying something HUGE! I wash my face at night and then rise it off in the am before using the lotion. I've loved both! No greasy face throughout the day and clearer skin overall! Woohoo!!! I'm sold!

Now as far as the face scrub, I'm just not a big user of those, so I tried it out here and there but it's a bit abrasive for my sensitive skin. However, judging by their other products, I would imagine if you're a face scrub kind of person, you'd like this one.

So, there you have it, Jason skincare for the win! My skin has been clear, smooth, clean, and not irritated by any nasty, unknown ingredients.

And we've enjoyed the hand soap too. No foo-foo smell, which is a win for the hubby, and we don't mind using it on the little one since it's not full of nasty unknown stuff.

This gluten free line also has a shampoo and conditioner. Has anyone tried it? I'm curious if it could stand up to my uber thick hair?!

~ Rachel

crunchy

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Health

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cosmetics

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Health

Going Gluten Free-The Facts

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

I remember when I first began to wonder if I was allergic to gluten. I had been so sick for quite a few months (possibly unknowingly sick for years) and I just couldn't put my finger on what was wrong with me. After attributing my ailments to many different possibilities (but to no avail) I came across Celiac Disease. Let me rephrase that, my wonderful mother came across Celiac Disease, so I started trying the gluten free diet.

I need to stop for a moment and encourage (kinda more demand here!) that you get the proper testing before attempting a gluten free diet. I've said before that my doctor at the time I self-diagnosed (I later got the biopsy for confirmation) was without much knowledge regarding a gluten allergy. Had I known then what I know now I would have asked for the proper testing. So please, make your first step and ASK to get the blood test and biopsy before attempting to go gluten free.

Now back to the beginning of my gluten free journey. I was at SUCH a loss as far as knowledge and understanding of this new diet (as many of you are) and it just seemed so unbelievably overwhelming that I didn't know where to begin.

If this sounds like any of you, keep reading!

I found a wonderful article from Better Nutrition magazine that covers some pressing questions about going gluten free, what it is, and what to expect.

The article was written by Melissa Diane Smith, a nutritionist and author who specializes in personalizing the gluten-free diet! Love it...hopefully I can meet her one day and pick her brain! (Don't worry, if this happens I'll report back what I learned to all of you!).

So here's the Q & A she provided. Info taken from Better Nutrition's website.

Just The Facts

Melissa Diane Smith

Answers to your most pressing questions about gluten

We're a few years into the “gluten-free” revolution in this country, yet many people still don't understand the basics about celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and the ins and outs of going gluten free.

To give us the answers, we posed commonly asked gluten-related questions to columnist Melissa Diane Smith—a leading nutritionist and author of Going Against the Grain and Gluten Free Throughout the Year—who has been counseling people on the gluten-free diet for more than 10 years.

Q. What’s the best way to know if someone should eat gluten free?

A. The first step is to get a blood test that measures levels of antibodies associated with celiac disease. If that test comes out positive, you have your answer, and you should schedule follow-up tests to learn more about your condition.

Far too often, however, the blood test comes out negative, and doctors mistakenly tell people that they can keep eating gluten. But recent research clearly shows that people can be sensitive to gluten without having full-blown celiac disease. This sensitivity causes uncomfortable symptoms and affects six or seven times the number of people who have celiac disease—and likely more than that. The best test that we currently have for gluten sensitivity is a simple gluten elimination diet. If your symptoms improve after two or three months of not eating gluten, it's best to continue on a more permanent gluten-free diet.

Q. What is the difference between celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity?

A. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks both gluten and the small intestine, causing internal damage. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity can cause similar symptoms, but it's not an autoimmune issue, so it doesn't lead to the gut damage that characterizes celiac disease. Symptoms can run the gamut from expected gastrointestinal issues to problems such as anemia, bone disease, depression, fatigue, migraines, and so on.

In either condition, the immune system, our defense against “invaders,” reacts to gluten. With celiac disease, the adaptive immune system also reacts, setting off the autoimmune process.

Q. What are the biggest mistakes people make eating gluten and not realizing it?

A. The biggest mistakes are based on misconceptions—for example, thinking spelt, kamut, or regular commercial oats are free of gluten. They aren't. Spelt and kamut are close wheat relatives that both contain gluten, and most oats in this country contain gluten due to cross-contamination from being stored, shipped, or processed in places where wheat is also present.

To completely avoid gluten, seek out certified gluten-free oats. Be aware, though, that while some people with celiac disease don't have any problems with gluten-free oats, others experience more frequent diarrhea or severe constipation.

Q. Are there any health problems that people run into by going gluten free?

A. Yes. The biggest problem by far is gaining unwanted, unhealthy weight. The unhealthy weight in turn leads to other health problems.

There’s a perception that gluten-free always equals healthy. It doesn’t, especially if you eat processed gluten-free foods loaded with refined sweeteners, flours, and oils—low-nutrient, high-calorie ingredients—or genetically modified foods such as non-organic corn or soy.

In my latest book Gluten Free Throughout the Year, I explain that for all the good a gluten-free diet can do, it can do just as much harm if you go about it the wrong way, which many people do without realizing it. You can easily correct the problemby emphasizing fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet and being more selective about the packaged gluten-free foods that you buy.