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Aug 08
2008

Autism, ADHD, Mood Swings -- Is Gluten to Blame?

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Kids are starting back to school and healthy nutrition is on every parents' mind.  Take a look at Jennifer Harshman's view on the effect of a common nutrient in bread, cereals, bagels and mini pizzas -- gluten & casein:

Back-to-School Season Provides Opportunity to Improve Students' Health

It's back-to-school time, and although parents and students are hoping for a good school year, most are unaware that certain foods can have a negative impact on school performance. Each year, increasing numbers of students are diagnosed with medical conditions such as Autism, ADHD, asthma and allergies - dubbed the "New Childhood Epidemics" by Dr. Kenneth Bock. Students who have these or other medical problems miss out on so much, and it could be related to their food.

Gluten and casein are proteins found in common foods - gluten in grains such as wheat, rye and barley, and casein in all dairy products. Both are also found in many food additives. These proteins cause problems for an estimated 33% to 95% of the U.S. population and are listed as more than 200 ingredients on food labels. Eating these proteins can cause or contribute to a list of medical symptoms that has been reported to be more than 250 items long. Just a few of these are malnutrition in various degrees, abdominal pain, bowel problems, sleep problems, weight gain, diabetes, ADHD, autism, asthma, allergies, sinus problems, mood swings, irritability, impulsiveness, difficulty sitting still and difficulty concentrating.

If these ingredients are so common, and they are served in every school in America, what can parents do? Parents of students who exhibit any of the signs of food allergies or sensitivities and parents of students who struggle in school can talk with their doctors. They can ask their doctor and the school to participate in a dietary trial, to see if a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet will help their children. A GFCF dietary trial consists of avoiding gluten and casein for a minimum of three months.

Why so long? It takes approximately three months to get gluten out of the intestines. Until the body is cleared of it, symptoms caused by gluten will persist. Here's encouraging news: some people notice a difference in just a few days.

For a list of terms used on food labels (foods to avoid) and a list of safe foods, see http://www.foodandillness.com or email JHarshman@foodandillness.com

Aug 04
2008

Kimkins Newsletter August 2008

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Did you sign up for your FREE Kimkins newsletter yet? 

Our August 2008 issue is on it's way and will be hitting your email box soon.
Can't wait? Click here to see a sneak preview:
  • Jessone lost 64 lbs & tells why she picked Kimkins!
  • How to pick the perfect Kimkins diet option
  • Be a Kimkins Affiliate & earn $20 for each new member
  • Robert dropped 93 lbs & has incredible photos!
  • Check out the K.I.M.S. Member Discount Gift Service
  • Kimmer's Salsa Verde Sour Cream Enchiladas
Congratulations to Jessone and Robert for their Kimkins weight loss success!  Nice work!  Does Jessone look familiar?  She's the pretty lady on the Kimkins homepage!
Aug 04
2008

Insulated Lunch Bag Promo $3

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ConAgra Foods Foundation is running a promotion with America's Second Harvest -- "Full Kids Full Potential".

ConAgra is offering an insulated lunch bag designed by actress, Monique Coleman. Plenty of room to store a low carb Kimkins friendly lunch with a zippered bottom compartment that's perfect for salads and beverages.

To request a bag all you need is 6 proofs of purchase for Chef Boyardee, Snack Pack, Orville Redenbacher's, Manwich and/or Peter Pan plus $3.00 for shipping/handling. Get more info at Nourishtoday.org

Make the $3.00 check or money order payable to Back to School Lunch Bag Offer and mail to:

Back to School Lunch Bag Offer
PO Box 1137

Grand Rapids, MN 55745-1137


Enclose your mailing information: name, address, city, state, zip and email address if desired.

ConAgra will donate $1.00 to Second Harvest for each bag ordered. A worthwhile cause and if you buy these products for your kids anyway, save the UPC codes and send them in and get a nifty bag.
Jul 21
2008

Kimkins Spicy Chicken Tostada Salad

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Chicken is the perfect protein for low carb diets and this quick fix for leftovers is a sure winner! Mexican dishes are perennial favorites and this tortilla-less Chicken Tostada is proof!

We've included nutritional information for the basic salad plus options including whole wheat tortillas and without cheese. Carbs are a bit higher from the addition of soy beans (don't substitute regular beans).

Ingredients (4 servings)
  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1 cup canned black soy beans, drained
  • 4 cups mixed greens, chopped
  • 1 Roma tomato, sliced thin
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 4 radishes, sliced thin
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped & divided
  • 1/2 cup queso anejo (Mexican crumbled cheese)
  • 4 Tbsp salsa
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin
  • 4 whole wheat tortillas (optional)
Mix chicken, soy beans, cilantro & spices together in a large bowl. If using tortillas, spray both sides with nonstick cooking spray and heat in nonstick skillet until crispy on each side.

On a bed of salad, arrange the chicken & soy beans, sprinkle with radishes and green onion. Top with Mexican cheese crumbles, tomato slices & fresh salsa.

Serve & enjoy! We've got lots more delicious low carb recipes in the Kimkins Recipe Box!

Nutritional Info (per serving)
Calories: 305
Protein: 39
Carbs: 8
Fat: 14

Without Cheese
Calories: 243
Protein: 35
Carbs: 7
Fat: 9

With Tortilla & Cheese
Calories: 413
Protein: 43
Carbs: 37
Fat: 14
Jul 21
2008

Mixing Alcohol with Diabetes

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Summer celebrations are full of social occasions that are a challenge anyone following a weight loss diet -- weddings, lazy BBQs, vacations and neighborhood block parties. If you're diabetic and planning to drink alcohol, you can make smart choices with a bit of advance planning.

Alcohol doesn't have to be off limits if your diabetes is under control. Key phrase: Under Control. Alcohol can make blood glucose too high or too low and interfere with how your diabetes medications work.

If you're following a low carb weight loss program consider the carbohydrate gram counts as well as calories. Alcohol adds up quickly! American Diabetic Association alcohol guidelines suggests daily limits of 1 drink for women, 2 for men.

One drink is 12 oz light beer, 4 oz wine or 1.5 oz hard liquor. Don't have a set of measuring cups with you at the party? Try these visual clues when “eyeballing” portion sizes:

A 4 oz serving of wine is the equivalent of a kid's pudding cup.
An 8 oz yogurt container is roughly 2 "servings" of wine.
A 1.5 oz serving of liquor is only 3 tablespoons (half a pudding cup!)

Keep these tips in mind to blend occasional alcoholic drinks with low carb weight loss:
  • Eat a low carb meal before you drink to prevent low blood glucose.
  • Choose vodka, whiskey, rum, wine or low carb beer. Avoid sugary mixed drinks or regular beer which can cause your blood sugar to skyrocket.
  • Choose low calorie mixers like mineral water, club soda, diet tonic water or diet soda.
  • An ideal low calorie low carb drink is to mix 4 oz of white wine with 4 oz of a low calorie mixer like mineral water or diet lime soda.
  • Measure the amount of alcohol you drink or you're guaranteed to go over the calories or carbs you planned for.
If you have type 1 diabetes and aren’t overweight, count alcohol servings in addition to your low carb meal plan. If you are a type 2 diabetic or are overweight, any alcohol you drink should be a substitution for another food in your low carb meal plan. Be smart, don't forfeit food so you can drink more. Ask your doctor for specific food exchange examples.

Avoid alcohol completely if your blood glucose is out of control, have neuropathy, take medications that react with alcohol or if you've just exercised vigorously.

Test -- don't guess. Alcohol can be tricky with glucose levels.