Sunday, November 15, 2009

Allergies

Hey Ya'll!

Alrighty, I'm sure you've heard of allergies. People are allergic to all sorts of things- foods, plants, pollutants, fabrics, etc. What is an allergy? An allergy is an immune reaction wherein your body essentially rejects something it finds harmful. The symptoms range from itchy eyes to stomach pains, headaches, severe illness, closing of the throat, etc. There's also different types of antibody reactions, which then create different allergic reactions.

Why are allergies important? Besides the physical discomfort exposure to allergens can create, there are more serious physiological and psychological affects.

When your body is in immune response it shuts down or limits many of its metabolic functions. It almost goes into a "preserve" mode wherein it limits functions in order to protect the body and use energy in for the immune defense. This is taxing on the body and limits effective digestion, metabolism, and other bodily functions. It is extremely difficult to lose weight in the presence of allergic exposure because 1) the body is in the immune defense mode and 2) the body retains fluid to help protect itself from the allergen.

This immune response leads into many psychological problems and has been linked with learning disabilities, depression, and even schizophrenia. The link between emotional problems and allergen exposure should not be over looked. Many studies show an intrinsic link and you should take heed. This can especially be useful for a child suffering from learning disabilities. Instead of putting the child on mind-altering (and chemistry - hormone altering which has devastating affects long term) their allergies must be tested.


I personally had my allergies tested through Austin Wellness Clinic here in Austin, Texas. I worked with Dr. Vince Bellonzi. Here is an exerpt from his website: "There are two types of reactions: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) reaction, and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) reaction. IgE reactions are more immediate and generally occur minutes or hours after a food is ingested. These are also more obvious reactions often resulting in swelling, rash, and in severe cases, asphyxiation. On the other hand, IgG reactions are more difficult to detect, with the effects occurring subtly, sometimes for days after the food is ingested. These allergies can only be determined by the difficult process of eliminating suspected foods, or by advanced testing." www.Austinwellnessclinic.com (It should be noted that I am not accepting any endorsement, matter fact, Dr. Bellonzi doesn't know I'm writing this).

The long and short of it is that more and more studies are revealing the link between impaired mental and physical health to allergies. Find yourself a health professional who can test for both types (or go to two different professionals) if you or someone you know is having physical and/or mental problems and be amazed at what you find- it's life changing.

Best in Health,
Jades

Friday, November 13, 2009

I'm a Vlogger!

Hey Ya'll!

Drum roll please, guess what- I'm on Utube! Yeah, how exciting is this? You can find me at lifewithjades.

My channel is going to reflect my life, interest, career endeavors, and Optimal Health journey.

I am not just losing weight, I've done that before, I can do that. Now I'm changing my life and achieving Optimal Health. I'm releasing pounds, increasing muscle, handling my sugar sensitivity and food allergies, and creating a lifestyle wherein I excel.

My gluten and casein free diet is going well. I've had a few slips and definitely feel the difference. The terrible feeling I have afterwards is definitely motivating to stay on track. Not to mention the weight gain eating something I'm allergic to causes- it creates major water retention and makes for frustration.

Optimal Health- to me that means I will have confidence in how I look and not use my weight to stop me. I will be able to pursue anything I desire (acting/ modeling/ being an athlete/ physical rigorous adventure type activities/ wearing a bikini/ living in a way I' m proud of) and not have an excuse to be "afraid of my light". Optimal Health, to me, means Radiance.

ML,
Jades

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Gluten Intolerance; Say What?

Hi Ya'll,

How's your week going? Mine is going really great so far. Let me catch you up to speed.

I got the results back from the allergy test and it revealed some very interesting things. As previously mentioned, the culprits- almonds, beets, wheat, goat and cow milk, cheese, pineapple, zucchini, brewer and baker's yeast, and also gluten intolerance.

First off, gluten-gluten-gluten. Turns out gluten and I are not friends. First question, what exactly is gluten? Gluten is the protein in many grains, such as wheat, barley, spelt, etc. It is the sticky stuff that is a binding agent and thus used in a lot of baking, sietan, etc. I've done some research and found it also is found in lots of baked goods, sand which meats, ice cream, candy, vegan foods, etc. Moral of the story is you really have to check out labels to ensure it isn't hiding somewhere in there.

I have cut out my allergic foods for the past week and the difference already is amazing. I experienced immediate increase energy, clarity, lessening of cravings and appetite, and weight loss. The difference in my overall attitude was amazing. I was "slipped" some gluten on accident Halloween night (nutritional yeast in a potato) and at the next morning woke up with a pounding headache, itchy skin/ eyes/ nose, and major lethargy. There were also some beets in a salad I had, and again, experienced my throat swelling, itchiness, and moodiness. So, the allergy thing is true- and it's making a big difference in how I'm feeling, my weight loss, my mood, and overall happiness.

I'm really happy to have done these tests and looking forward to continual research into gluten and casein free lifestyle. I'm really onto something here, and with patience and understanding finding the correct lifestyle for myself.

This week I've concentrated on positive reinforcement as well. I'm making positive affirmations and really focusing on what I want, who I want around me to help me get there, and the exact steps I am taking- and need to take to accomplish those goals.

Happy Week!
ML,
Jades