Gluten-Free: Is it unhealthy?

Is eating a gluten-free diet unhealthy?  That depends – if you have Celiac’s Disease, eating gluten-free is healthy and is in most cases a necessity, as Celiac’s Disease is a genetic disorder that causes an intolerance to gluten.  There has been much hype from Hollywood that many movie stars are eating a gluten-free diet in an effort to lose weight.  If your eating gluten-free in an effort to lose weight and you don’t have a sensitivity to wheat or gluten, it is advisable that before you start any diet and/or make any changes to your eating habits you consult your physician and/or a nutritionist.  Nightline (an ABC New’s production) featured a segment on “Gluten-Free Diets” recently and accordingly to the feature, if you don’t have Celiac’s Disease, eating a gluten-free diet might not be healthy for you – Check out the video:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSJ-nrYETzs&feature=player_embedded]

Be it about losing weight or eating healthier, eating whole foods (clean foods) and reducing the amount of processed food is ultimately better.  Fresh fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and nutrients essential to our bodies and the closer food is to its natural state is obviously healthier for us.  When shopping for meats, make sure to purchase meats that are lean and organic if possible (grass-fed beef, free-range poultry).  If your going to include grains in your diet, make sure to eat foods that contain whole grains (there are many selections of bread and pasta’s that offer whole grains – Check with your local grocer or farmer’s market).  If you have concerns that you may have a sensitivity to gluten or wheat check with your physician about getting tested.

With the New Year approaching, we’re all making our New Year’s resolutions and losing weight is usually on the top of that list!  Remember to eat healthy whole foods, reduce the amount of processed foods and refined sugars from your diet and drink plenty of water.

This blog is not a substitute for professional medical advice.  None of the information in this blog post should therefore ever be interpreted as a recommendation to treat any particular disease or health ¬related condition, and you should always consult your medical professional (M.D.) about any health related concerns you might have. For severe or life-threatening conditions, please contact your physician or local emergency room.

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