Can’t Sleep? Natural Sleep Remedies So You Can Fall Or Stay Asleep Tonight
An interesting question popped into my head today — Is a gluten free anti aging diet possible?
Thanks to my good friend Dr. Google, I came to find that I’m not the only person asking that question. In fact, the term “anti-aging” is attached to quite a lot of articles promoting a gluten-free diet. But as I read more and more of them, I felt misled.
In no general way is a gluten-free diet for those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or other autoimmune diseases anti-aging. And I’d like to show you why I believe that it might even be an age accelerator for some.
Gluten Free Anti Aging Diet: Here’s What You Need to Know
But first ask yourself…
How old do you feel?
And equally important — how old do you look?
If you’re wondering why I urge you to do this, it’s because the members of our gluten-free community don’t often feel as good as they believe they should. Though memories or ideas of what good health should look like help you know where you aren’t, these questions provide the basis to know where you currently are.
And before we go a step further, I want to challenge the notion that caring about “how old” you look only speaks to personal vanity. There’s so much more than can be gain from being honest about that question. Sure on some level, I am personally concerned about my outward appearance and holding on to my youthful years, but I also know from my own health ups and downs that how I look on the outside can give me some pretty darn good clues pointing to what’s going on on the inside.
Since many of my wonderful clients are in their 40s and 50s, I know how much they value feeling good, vibrant and youthful. Naturally priorities shift through the changing decades and reshape what’s most important — traveling with your spouse or girlfriends, keeping up with your kids or even young grandchildren, running a business or simply keeping up with your job — and yet your body isn’t cooperating.
But the word “youthful” doesn’t mean what you probably think it does. I’m not suggesting that we all go back in time and try to hang on to some ideal form from our early 20s. That’s just not realistic and I believe there’s much beauty found in the wisdom derived from life experience. To me, youthfulness is a state of mind and describes how you feel. I know folks many moons older than myself (in their 80s and even 90s) who have a youthful quality about how they look at and respond to life. But they also do what they can to take care of themselves (I know an 85 year old who still faithfully goes to Zumba a few times a week). There’s a glow in their skin and a liveliness still burning in their eyes.
So do we all have to have the body of a super-skinny 20-something to be youthful? Nope… not at all. And frankly, I feel better now with my health than I did when I was 20 and have no wish to go back. It’s my goal to feel the best I possibly can with spunk at any age.
It All Comes Back to Food
Though a gluten-free diet can take many forms, the most common version built off the Standard American version is a problem. I personally know how detrimental it can be since I developed adrenal fatigue (CLICK HERE to read about my story) a year after going gluten-free and watched my life go from delightful to depressing in the blink of an eye.
Convenience is not the best thing for your health and is actually one of the main reasons why a gluten-free diet may be an aging-accelerator. I know how exciting it can seem to “feel normal” and eat treats that make you feel less deprived than you already do, but unintended consequences can leave you feeling ragged, tired and not anything like the vibrant self you want to get back to.
Bottom line? We are what we eat, but we are also aged by what we do or do not eat. A glowing complexion and energy will be found in ways beyond the coffee pot and a gluten-free muffin. I don’t say this at all to judge anyone still struggling to figure out their gluten-free diet, but more to encourage you to think about the choices you make at your daily meals (and snacks).
Everything you eat is used as building blocks for rebuilding and re-patterning your body. Processed gluten-free food loaded with sugar and rancid vegetable oils don’t provide your body with the right nutrients it needs to operate at or look it’s best. I’d rather buy the right foods that keep me optimally fueled rather than rely on what I believe is a losing race with face serums, heavy makeup and energy drinks intended to maintain the appearance of a fading youth.
And the top aging-accelerators in the gluten-free diet are…
Unbalanced Blood Sugar
This can’t be said enough, but a diet based on starches like rice, corn, potato and tapioca wreak havoc on your blood sugar. I know pasta and breads are easy, but blood sugar spikes place a burden on your thyroid (and it just so happens that the incidence of thyroid problems is alarming in the gluten-free community).
Simply because you eat gluten-free does not alleviate you from the risks of diabetes nor cardiovascular disease.
Action Step –> Focus meals more around real food. It sounds simple, but can get tricky when you don’t plan out your weekly meals or know what to do when eating out. If you’ve heard of the phrase “Eat the Rainbow”, then follow that cue. I personally try my darnedest to fill about 2/3 of my plate with vegetables and healthy lower glycemic starches like sweet potatoes.
Low Fiber
By eating packaged gluten-free food products with a fiber count less than 3 to 5 grams per serving, your body doesn’t have the fiber necessary to keep the digested waste moving along. And if you eat fewer veggies and fruit than you are products, you could be in for trouble. Fiber is an important part of the body’s digestive system to help remove waste and helps keep certain factors in check necessary for good metabolic health.
Action Step –> Firstly, look for products that have between 3 to 5 grams of fiber per serving.
Then spend 20 minutes a week making up a cut veggie snack tray that you can easily reach for whenever you need it. If you don’t have time to make your own dips, buy pre-made gluten-free hummus or guacamole (and even nut butter can be great in some instances). So swap out those rice crackers for carrot sticks or cucumber slices dipped in hummus or guacamole or maybe an apple with some almond butter.
Oxidative Stress
Ever heard of antioxidants? They combat oxidative stress in your body which contributes to inflammation and other malfunctions of your body. In essence, they help protect you from aging quickly.
This is a topic that’s been studied and we now know that a diet filled with high glycemic foods can increase your rate of oxidative stress and chronic illness as demonstrated in this 2012 study. Those high glycemic gluten-free starches mentioned above are just as bad as the non-GF versions.
Action Step –> Opt for an additional 1 or 2 servings of vegetables to crowd out gluten-free pasta. Adding steamed or sautéed veggies to your pasta is a great was to make it go further and enjoy the added antioxidants covered in pasta sauce (which is a great source of lycopene, another antioxidant).
Sugar, Sugar, Sugar
Any type of sugar you eat is broken down into it’s smallest sugar parts (monosaccharides to be exact). If you add sugar to everything you eat, down sodas with your meals, eat those 100 calorie snack packs during the day, or indulge your sweet tooth at every meal, you’re going to have a problem. This certainly is a part of the “High Glycemic” conversation, but sugar places big demands that you might not be happy to pay like bone loss in osteoporosis.
Sugar also feeds bad bacteria (which can upset your stomach, appear as acne on your face, degrade your teeth, etc). Again, not good.
And it creates oxidative stress along with aging your brain (check out the new book “Grain Brain” by neurologist David Perlmutter, MD for more on that topic) as Alzheimer’s in now being considered Type III Diabetes.
Action Step –> Learn how to figure out the amount of sugar you eat in a day by using my simple system (CLICK HERE to check it out).
Also combine the action steps above with saying bye-bye to high-glycemic, super sweet beverages like soda and juices. Even diet sodas have their large risk of issues (as 1 diet soda per week elevates your risk of diabetes by 33%). Instead pair water with fresh fruit and herbs to replenish your thirst.
What gluten-free foods do you think are aging you?
Hi Jennifer,
I have already enrolled in the course but would still like to enter the contest!
I have a very adhoc gluten free diet – to be honest it has not been till I found your site that even had any idea of all the dietary issues I have created by changing my diet in the first place. As you mentioned the new diet is quite possibly worse than my original diet!!
I am literally a Gluten Free Kindergarten Kid. I live in south west Wetsren Australia where we are only just starting to get a range of Gluten Free products – none of which I have found tasty, nutrtious or wanting to eat again. From reading your site information I am a huge sugar addict, by way of ignorance and misinformation.
I am so excited about your course as I feel it literally will set up my path for self healing and personal development. I am a single Mum with her own business and two children (who is 50 next March). I find myself so different from being that fit athlete for so much of my life to a tired, lethargic, withdrawn and bloated older woman! Physically I have never felt worse and I am ready to firstly educate myself beyond the limited resources of my geographical location and then get out and start sharing the resources and information I have found to others!!
Again Jennifer, thank you so much for creating this website and getting you much needed message out to all ares of the world!!
Best wishes
Sue Beeson
I discovered I am gluten intolerant about 5 years ago, after being very sick for many years. My Dr.’s would never figure out what was wrong with me and I thought I had cancer, until I read some articles about people with the same symptoms, bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, brain fog etc… Once going Gluten Free, I started feeling better. I had energy. I could think clearly. And best of all I lost 45 lbs. Then this past year, I went through some challenges with my job and a change of administration. I was very stressed out and began eating chocolate. My sugar addition became very strong and now I can’t seem to kick it. I have gained back 15 lbs. and feel slow again, even though I am still eating gluten free. I want to get back to feeling good and energetic again, but unfortunately I was laid off 2 months ago and am now also looking for a job. I hope you can pick me as I know this will help me to get back on track and overcome my sugar addiction!
Thank you for all you do. I love your newsletters and your videos!
Perri
I am turning 60 in October. We travel a lot for work so gluten free goes out the door along with any other helpful eating for a week or more at a time. When home I have organic gardens and good food and am mostly gluten-free. Mostly that is the key word. I love sourdough french bread…I was raised on it and desserts. My favorite dessert is cinnamon rolls loaded with cinnamon and cookies are up there too! For the past couple of years I have had digestive issues (serious ones) and they are thinking of taking out my gall bladder in the next couple of weeks as I cannot eat with out going into pain. I am overweight by 30 pounds but in decent shape as I do construction work (build geodesic greenhouse domes). I have always had an abundant amount of energy more than most people but that has changed. I want the quality of the rest of my life it to be healthy, vibrant, energy filled like the first 60 years.
Hello Jennifer,
Two years ago I found out I was gluten intolerant. At that same visit I was told I was a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen! the natural doc I was seeing took me off all gluten, dairy and sugar. In 3 short months my blood work had completely turned around. I still have to take thyroid meds and be careful with sugar because I was borderline diabetic. I was able to add dairy and small amounts of sugar back into my diet. My 2 year anniversary just past in August, I am not feeling well and have a sneaking suspicion if I were to be able to get blood work done it would not be good. We have moved away from the doctor I went to see, and I feel lost. We moved for a job my husband had been offered but two weeks after arriving were told that the job was no longer available do to budget cuts. I have searched out Natural Doc’s in my area even spoken to a couple to no avail, there cost are out of reach. To make matters a bit tougher I have two of the pickiest sugar addicted eaters in the world living with me! (husband & daughter) I have to be very carful what I buy at the grocery store because of the budget, it has to be something we will all eat. I feel as though I am caught in a whirlpool being sucked down and can’t get out. I would love to be apart of your sugar cleanse, the only way is to win a spot. Thank you for considering me.
I have been struggling with a gluten free lifestyle. My husband is gluten intolerant but won’t make the necessary changes and I’m always tempted I to eating badly with him. I give in occasionally and more so that I’ve been off my feet for the year. My emotional distress needs an outlet and good is it. I cave way too often. But I still continue to keep it simple and try to maintain some health structures that I’ve implemented. I am trying to get back out there and am being fooled professionally for my physical ailments but need more help on the nutritional side. I love ice cream (homemade without sugar or cream) and peanut butter cups. I’m also a freak for French fries 🙁 I’m looking forward to feeling the way I should! Energetic, feeling and looking healthier, no more bowel issues…so many more things that I know will happen once we stick to a program we both like and can stick to.
What your current gluten-free diet is like…
I am currently in the process of trying to get away from the processed gluten-free foods that I hoarded when I first found out that I have celiac so my current diet is a combination of gluten-free cereals, snack bars, cookies, etc. and lunch and dinner consist of “real food” that my wife and I prepare (i.e., grilled talapia with brown rice and grilled veggies).
Why you are such a big sugar addict…
I grew up rarely being told what I could and couldn’t have to eat and all I ever saw my dad do was eat donuts, cookies, cake, etc. This has stuck with me all my life and I’ve struggled severely with a sugar addiction. I have become very disappointed with myself because I am having such a hard time developing the will to just cut out the junk. I’m not one to go out of my way for food, but when I get an itch for sugar I’ll go to great lengths for just one treat. I can’t say exactly why, which is most likely why I’m looking for the solution.
What your go-to gluten-free treats are…
GF Chex Apple/Cinnamon, GF pasta, Katz/Udi’s breads and cakes, Cave Man Cookies, Glenny’s Greek Yogurt Bars, and So Delicious Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk frozen yogurt are the biggest culprits.
And lastly (and most importantly) — How do you intend to feel when you’re done breaking your sugar addiction with the Cleanse?
I have a feeling it is going to revolutionize my entire way of life and ultimately I crave the feeling of not being held in bondage to sugar cravings that cause me to stock up and hide treats out of embarrassment.
Congrats Eric! You’ve been picked as the winner of the Cleanse! I’ll be in touch soon with all your log in details. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here and please stay in touch!
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I’m totally pumped and ready to go! I can’t wait to see how this changed my life!
Congrats Eric! I relate to your story because your dad sounds exactly how my mother was. But I believe in you; you are worth it and you can kick sugar to the curb! Best of luck to you in the course and beyond 🙂
Hi Jennifer (and Heather). I have been Gluten-Free for over six months now, and have noticed vast improvements in how I feel but I’m not feeling a hundred percent better. My tummy feels better, but I feel completely zapped of energy.
Like many others suffering with the terrible G.I. symptoms of celiac, it was easy for me to give up the glutenous foods. But I also had an additional motivator because I have another healtg condition that I knew would also improve. I do realize that eating sugar makes these things worse, but still (sadly)consume it. My gluten-free diet is basically very plain foods including meats, lots of vegetables, nuts, somewhat limited fruit, rice, potatoes, oils, almond milk, and GF bread. My indulgences (go-to treats) unfortunately are ice cream, almond butter sandwiches on store bought Udi’s GF bread, and trail mix (nuts/dried fruit). Once or twice per month, I have a whole large GF chocolate bar, but if I kept them in the house, I’d eat them daily! I think the reason I fall prey to sugary foods is, when I was growing up I was never ever allowed to have any sweets. But it’s time for me to step up and admit sugary items are having a toxic effect in my system (mind/body), and are sabotaging my health just as much as gluten was prior to my GF diet.
After the GF Sugar Cleanse, I would feel whole and free! I could accept myself enough to make the proper choices to nourish my body and spirit all the time. Hopefully I can have a different outlook toward sugar –like the one I have toward gluten. Where its not even an option!
My current gluten-free diet is pretty good. Veggies, proteins and good fats make up the bulk of my diet, with a piece of GF toast with my Sunday morning brunch.
However, as a pre-diabetic, rapidly moving towards diabetic, I cann’t get my inner sugar-holic in check. I sneak candy at home, visit the work candy jar more times than I can count, will add extra sweetner to my tea, end up with the jelly spoon in my mouth… I feel disgusted with myself, but it’s almost like I have an alien entity in my body that is controlling me! I understand that I am literally killing myself, but the struggle to get off sugar is killing me as well!
Current GF treats are anything small, sugary and quickly eaten. I feel like a criminal squirrel… hiding my stashes around and stuffing them down as quickly as I can!
If I could break my addiction with the sugar cleanse… I can only imagine how amazing I’d feel! No more uncontrollable sugar cravings and urges. No more uncontrollable blood sugar swings. No more sitting in a cold sweat becuase a) I might be found out eating something I shouldn’t and b) my sugar is all out of wack! I’d feel at peace and more like my normal self before all this craziness started!
Today I celebrae my third year of being gluten free
And dairy free. Unfortunately, I am still a sugar crackhead. Addicted doesnt begin to describe it! I am trying to heal my gut, so I have been juicing fresh vegetables every morning. I have done well on this program, and have lost 70lbs. I have been able to discontinue 3 antihypertensives, an anti cholesterol med, an anxiolytic, 2 antidepression meds, a pain med for fibromyalgia, and insulin…but now I need to go to the next step which is ditching sugar. I love GF pretzels, GF chips and GF brownies and cookies. Ugh! One thong I know, and that is this is a true addiction, and not something I can do by myself. I think that if I were able to do it, I already would have. This is about more than willpower!I want to have more energy, and to go through my days without craving the legal drug that I know will harm my body. Thanks for considering me for your contest!
Hi Jennifer,
I do not yet eat gluten free, but have been interested in finding out more about it. While I like healthy whole foods, I often find myself sneaking in the processed snacks and sugar too. I am a cookie addict! And, sadly, I keep trying and trying to give up soda, but cannot seem to stick to it. What makes this even more difficult is that I am trying to feed myself along with my husband and children who do not like veggies or healthy food much. Rather than fight over food, I give in to their likes rather than making two meals and/or fighting every meal with the kids to eat. Eating badly just leads me back to the sugary and processed snacks. It’s a bad habit I’d like to break!
I would like to have more energy and not be turning to the junk food to get me through each day anymore. I’d also like to be setting a better example for my family, so that my kids do not grow up to have my and my husband’s sugar addiction.
Looking forward to learning more!
What your current gluten-free diet is like…
Hi, Jennifer & Heather!
My current gluten-free diet consists of primarily whole foods, such as raw (or cooked) vegetables and fruits, very little dairy (with the exception of goat cheese – my body seems to handle 1oz./day well!). I also drink nut-based milks like Almond, Flaxseed, Hemp. I incorporate different nuts, seeds in my diet/food recipes. And not just pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds, but also chia seeds, and whole + ground flaxseeds too! I love making veggie burgers from scratch, but also eat chicken, salmon, mahi mahi and other animal proteins. Olive oil plays an important part in my diet to keep my hair/skin/nails healthy and glowing! I try really hard to never eat ANYTHING processed or chemical. If I can’t pronounce the ingredient on the nutrition label, I won’t buy it. ☺ But that’s hard when it comes to g-free store bought cookies & ice cream, which are my VICES. ☺
Why you are such a big sugar addict…
Oh sugar… we have a love hate relationship. I eat clean 6 x wk, as outlined above, BUT still every night after dinner I crave something sweet unless I have fruit with my meal. And on my “cheat day,” usually a weekend, I can’t stay away from sugar!!! I end up eating so much (like a tub of gluten-free cookie dough, along with a pint of ice cream and dark chocolate, too) that I just feel so sluggish and awful. I don’t know why I always crave sugar so much. Stress from work maybe? It destroys my diet every time I give in… because like I said, I REALLY give in! Sugar is seriously a trigger food for me: once I take a bite, I can’t stop until the entire pint of ice cream is gone. I can’t leave any leftovers in the fridge. It’s terrible!
What your go-to gluten-free treats are…
SoCoconut Ice Cream. Philsbury g-free cookie dough. Udi’s cookies (all of them, haha), Pamela’s cookies, Enjoy Life chocolate and Amy’s Bunnies.
And lastly (and most importantly) — How do you intend to feel when you’re done breaking your sugar addiction with the Cleanse?
AMAZING! And realize how much energy and fantastic I feel when I don’t eat sugar… there’s no “crash and burn” feeling after-effect. I need to detox myself and kick this sugar habit once and for all, because I have tried and tried and tried so many times but it never sticks. I am willing to try anything to get rid of this addiction. Which is why I came here… I have faith in your site and your brand! So I’m really hoping your cleanse can do the trick. I just want to balance out my hormones the proper way so that I can live my healthy, g-free life without all the bad sugars that will lead to disease and diabetes of worse things later on in life!
Hi:
I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in Oct. 2008 and have been on the gluten free diet since that time. I have always been concerned about the unhealthy ingredients in most of the gluten free products. I was never a big bread eater but I love pasta. I shop at Whole Foods Markets and want to replace gluten free products with whole foods. I find when I eat fresh Whole Foods that I do feel better and think more clearly. I am a Pastor’s wife and have to attend many social events that include food. I find that often I feel deprived because I cannot and do not indulge in regular desserts but find myself going home and treating myself to gluten free dessert products or ice cream. I have learned that when I do this I naturally crave more and more. I love Udi’s products…brownies, muffins and bread. I am not much overweight but I would expect that following the sugar cleanse I would lose the stubborn belly bulge that I’ve had since my hysterectomy in 2010. I also would expect the carb/sugar cravings to cease to the point I would be better prepared to stay away from them and eat the fresh whole foods that heal the body. I would love to be able to have access to the healthy recipes that would be a part of the sugar cleanse training.
Thanks so much for considering me a candidate for the free spot.
Sincerely,
Debbie
Hi Jennifer, I am trying my best to go gluten free, my biggest weakness is enjoying
having something sweet at night after my dinner. I don’t crave sweets during the day,
just seems to be in the evening. I went from sweets to munching on fruit at night instead,
but I think I am eating too much fruit and feeling uncomfortable and sick! I can’t seem to do it. I have tried a lot of different things. I would so much love to do your cleanse, but I truly
can not afford it. If you have any other things I can do with some support that is not too
costly, I would love to try it! Thank you for this opportunity! Pat Hrehowsik