The importance of checking labels

Well tonight I kind of made a mistake. I can usually eat Altoid mints without problems. They're quite delicious. Ive had them dozens of times and did not check the label. Something about the texture felt off. So I checked the label and they are now using CORN STARCH as one of the ingredients. It may flare me. We'll see in the morning. I won't really know till then. This just demonstrates the importance of always checking the labels, every time, since things can change.

What I drink: Kevita

T'his drink is a nice substitute for soda but without the sweeteners. It comes in a variety of flavors. It's bubbly just like soda. And it provides at least some probiotics. However a little expensive, of course.

Teen dies due to severe allergic reaction

Below is a link to a story of a teen who recently died due to a severe reaction to dairy. He talked to the wait staff but was not full informed of all the ingredients. This tragedy should never have to happen. His family is now pushing to require all restaurants to list all ingredients in their foods.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/teen-dairy-allergy-byron-buttermilk-chicken

Treating Crohn's with worms

Ok this is totally new to me. Apparently there is a new treatment for Crohn's that introduces microscopic worms into the intestines. This is done through a doctor's office and can be taken as a liquid that contains worm eggs. Ummmmm yuck. But apparently it has had worked on some patients. When the worms attach to the lining of the intestines it produces an anti-inflammatory effect. Not currently available in the United States.

  This is NOT something you can do yourself and there are side effects. Click on the link below to read the article.

https://www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease/hook-worms

Found this beauty at Whole Foods. Just like the Ramen noodles eaten by college students everywhere, except healthier. It did come in other varieties as well. The nice thing about these noodles, other than being gluten free and corn free, is that they only take a few minutes to cook. I added vegetables and dry sea weed to make it more of a meal. Nice texture as well.

Eat the Rainbow

We all know the importance of eating lots of fruits and vegetables every day. They provide an abundance of phytonutrients along with fiber. They are low fat and full of flavor. They can be used in tons of recipes. Each color provides a different combination of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. 

In order to keep a healthy gut it is important to get both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers can dissolve in water and are found in such things as apples, citrus fruits and bananas as well as oats, beans and rice. Insoluble fibers can not be dissolved in water and are not broken down by the intestines. They can be found in root vegetables such as carrots as well as cucumber, celery and edible seeds such as berries. 

Soluble fiber breaks down in the intestinal tract and is used for food to feed the healthy bacteria that lives there. These healthy bacteria keep our gut in balance and keep down any inflammation. This type of fiber is also responsible for lowering cholesterol. 

Insoluble fiber cannot be digested or absorbed. It pushes things along the intestinal track and prevents constipation. Some of it may be broken down by healthy bacteria. 

The more variation the better. Try to eat the rainbow, different colors of fruit and vegetables throughout the day. 

Of course the above picture shows corn as a healthy choice. I do not recommend eating corn in any form. This is how I was able to get my Crohn's under control.