Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Day 4 of Quantum Cleanse

I made the trek to Whole Foods today to purchase a few items that weren't available at my local grocery such as vegan mayo, sour cream and cream cheese. My husband is starting to wonder why it's so expensive to be a vegan since it seems as if I'm not eating a whole lot of anything yet I keep going shopping.

As I searched for nutritional yeast flakes, slowly walking the aisles, reading label after label, looking like a total vegan virgin, I stumbled upon some vegan tuna salad in the cold aisle. When I got home I was a little nervous to try it. I tentatively put a little taste on a gluten free sesame ginger rice cracker and holy mother of earth it was downright tasty!!



Why give up gluten (for 21 days) I wondered? Gluten, a protein found in many foods, including wheat, barley, rye, and malt, is the most common irritant of the small intestine. For most people, consumption of gluten can cause the immune system to attack the small intestine through inflammation, leading to gas, diarrhea, skin rashes, and may prevent the absorption of vital nutrients and vitamins, leading to depression and exhaustion. Holy Moly! Are you telling me that's my problem and not the three kids and two dogs?

Each individual has a different sensitivity to gluten, but almost everyone suffers some irritation from it. Abstaining from gluten for the period of the cleanse is supposed to allow the small intestine to soothe and heal itself.
(Kathy Freston, Quantum Wellness, p 82-83)

1 comment:

Melissa said...

my niece is allergic to gluten it is actaully called something, but... um I feel bad, but I can't remember what is called... siliac. I think. But yea... she can't have ANYTHING with it. really not one drop. She get really sick, throws up and looses weight like crazy. She almost died because they didn't know what was wrong with her when she was a baby and why she was so ill.