Gluten Free (not taste free) Pizza

Pizza is absolutely my favorite food. Growing up on the East Coast it was a staple in my diet. Friday night was pizza night. And during the Summer months, pizza was lunch...everyday! So when I found out I couldn't eat gluten (wheat) and cheese, my first thought was, "no pizza?" The year after I was diagnosed with food sensitivities, I continued to eat pizza. And I paid for it. Migraine headaches, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, vomiting...bad news bears.

For many years, I went without pizza (insert sad song here). Well, that's not entirely true. I ate "regular" pizza and umm, no need to go into further details about the outcome. I tried some gluten free pizza options, but to be honest, they tasted like cardboard. But that was years ago. The good news is that there are now several gluten free pizza options in the marketplace! For those of you with wheat intolerance, wheat allergies, or gluten sensitivity (celiac disease), one of the best resources out there is http://www.celiac.com/. Check out some gluten free pizza recipes by clicking here.

There are also several easy gluten free pizza crust products available to make your own pizza at home. Arrowhead Mills, Bob's Red Mill, and Namaste Foods are three great options.

So for all of you gluten intolerant pizza lovers out there, there's hope. Pizza does not need to be a distant memory. Nor does it have to taste like cardboard. Healthy, delicious options are available at the click of your mouse.

A Healthy Dose of Irony

Have you ever observed an event or a situation that just made you scratch your head, do a double take, or just laugh at the irony of it all? For example, I was on the treadmill at the gym the other morning working off the weekend (wait that is not the ironic part), when all of sudden this overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke fills my oxygen desiring lungs. I look to my left and on the treadmill next to me is an overweight, 60 something year-old man gasping for air and reeking of cigarette smoke. His trainer (a 20 something year old female - coincidence?) is making him walk for 10 minutes as a warm up. I guess the cigarette right before the workout was not enough of a warm up. I had to stop and move to a different treadmill, the smell literally was choking me. And I thought to myself, "what is the point of smoking right before a work out?" I just don't get it.

I remember there was a "anti-smoking" commercial on TV a few years ago that showed a woman smoking a cigarette through a hole in her neck. She had a tracheotomy as a result of throat cancer...and she still smoked.

Or how about the person who goes to the fast food restaurant and orders a double cheeseburger, large french fries, and a DIET soda? Like the extra sugar is the problem.

My father-in-law used to bring the dentist a bottle of Coca-Cola every time he went in for a checkup. That's funny.

Or how about the doctor whose family is sick...like mine is right now :( .

What are some ironic things you have seen/observed? I know you know of some. Post them in the comment section for our viewing pleasure. Make me laugh!

Breastfeeding Doesn't Suck

I read an article today in the LA Times stating that infants introduced to solid foods before 4 months of age had a six-fold increase in the odds of being obese at age 3. There are plenty of other obstacles in life that increase the risk of obesity. Introducing solid food too soon should not be one of them. So, I decided to write a short piece on why breastfeeding doesn't suck.

Numerous studies have shown the benefits of breastfeeding. Infants who are breast fed have a decreased risk of developing eczema, asthma, and allergies. Breastfeeding enhances immune function and infants who are breastfed have a decreased risk of illnesses and infections. But that's not all...Breastfed infants have been shown to have greater intelligence - higher IQ, greater cognitive development, and greater social development. They have better dental health, decreased risk of developing diabetes and a decreased risk of cancer. For all of you skeptics out there, click here to check out a website that has sources (from peer reviewed medical journals) for all of the above information.

Breastfeeding also has some benefits for mothers who breastfeed. Moms who breastfeed have a decreased risk of developing cancer (breast, ovarian, endometrial, uterine), better emotional health (less anxiety), and a decreased risk of developing osteoporosis.

So to all of you early food interventionists and anti-breastfeeding groupies out there, I have two words for you: SUCK IT !