Rich and Gluten Free

Blood Pressure: When doc doesn’t know best

May 13, 2012 By Susan Rich 2 Comments

It all started when my aorta sprung a leak.

While I don’t consider myself any kind of medical marvel, you couldn’t tell my doctors that. I left the hospital with a prescription for metropolol and a 40 mg dose of Crestor. (We’ll talk about the Crestor some other time.)

The metropolol made me sluggish, tired, unable to string two thoughts together. It also triggered unbearable attacks of Raynaud’s. Both hands would go numb for hours, fingers cold, palms an icy blue. Bad news if you’re a writer; worse when you start thinking you’re going to get frost bite (not unheard of for Raynaud’s).

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Chronic Stress Tagged With: blood pressure, chronic illness

I Love Udi’s!

May 8, 2012 By Susan Rich 4 Comments

Welcome to my Udi’s promotion page.

I’m partnering with my favorite gluten-free bread- and goody-maker to help spread the love.

If you’d like your own sample box of Udi’s treats, here’s what you have to do:

In the COMMENTS section of this blog, tell me your Udi’s love story:

The first time I heard about Udi’s…

It can be a grand affair: You had their brownies at a New Year’s Eve party…Or a gentle surprise: Your partner served you Chia and Millet Seed toast for breakfast in bed. Ah, heavenly stuff.

However it came to pass, you found Udi’s. You love Udi’s. And you’re about to tell the world about it — and maybe, just maybe, win a 3-pack of your favorite treats.

Here’s my story:

We were standing outside a gluten-free fish house in Portland, OR when another patron hailed us: “Go to New Seasons,” he said. “They are having a 2-for-1 sale on Udi’s bagels.”

We’d never heard of the brand, so he told us all about Udi’s for the next five minutes. I’ve never heard such excitement or rave reviews over bread. So we dragged our full selves to the store and bought some…and have been Udi’s fans ever since.

See? Not so hard! Share your story below. This promotion ends May 22, 2012. A winner will be announced at that time.

Questions? Email me.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Put a little joy in your life

May 1, 2012 By Susan Rich Leave a Comment

FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We’ve heard it before: Be happy, be healthy.

Find your passion – art, dance, writing, singing – whatever it is you want to do, not what others think you should. Then, find another…and another. Pursue your dreams the way you followed other’s expectations and you will discover – JOY. Your life’s purpose. As an added bonus, experience: Less anger and depression, stronger spiritual connections, inner peace and improved health.

Wow.

That’s what Susan Rich and Susan Biali, MD discussed on a recent broadcast of Rich&Gluten-Free.

Dr. Susan wrote the book Live a Life You Love: 7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier, More Passionate You. In addition to sharing her 7 Tips on the show she also talked about re-framing – how shifting our mental outlook can also have a genetic impact on our bodies, our overall health. While re-framing might not cure a chronic illness, it can either alleviate symptoms or make it easier to manage.

Missed the show? Listen here. Then tune in next week: 8 am PT, 11 am ET on All Women’s Radio.

Filed Under: Anti-Inflammatory Diet, Gluten-Free, Lifestyle, Medical News, Wellness Tagged With: flamenco dancing, MD, Susan Biali

Udi’s Granola: Lunch or midday snack

April 27, 2012 By Susan Rich Leave a Comment

Snack-time is hard.

Especially if you’re living gluten-free. What to eat when the midday munchies hit can derail both diet and our best intentions to make wise food choices.

That’s why I love Udi’s Granola. Whether you work from home (like me), in an office or are a road warrior, my take on this basic staple is sure to satisfy.

And I confess: My version is served dry: No yogurt, milk, almond or soy milk. Instead I drink a large glass of water which really quells my hunger, and isn’t that the idea? The other advantage of this dry snack: It’s perfect for travel. Pack it in a ziploc bag next time you travel by air, or want an easy-to-eat snack for a road trip.

Other happy news: Udi’s granola has zero sodium and is loaded with fiber. It’s a bit high in sugar, but that’s why I add in freshly ground cinnamon.* It boosts the flavor, yes, but this spice is also known to help manage blood sugar levels. I’m not saying a dose of cinnamon cancels sugar out, but it certainly can’t hurt. You can ponder this theory here.

It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, which makes it a winner for my Lazy Kitchen.

*Note: This is not the cinnamon challenge. Don’t put so much on that you choke. A little does go a long way.

1/4 cup of Udi’s granola, any flavor
1/4 cup of raisin
4 pieces of raw, unsalted walnuts (I crumble mine into nibs)
Cinnamon to taste. I like Saigon cinnamon: It comes like a peppercorn and you grind it fresh.
Pour granola into a bowl. Top with raisins and walnuts. Sprinkle cinnamon to taste, mixing well.

For dairy lovers -

Try the same recipe with about 1 cup of plain Chobani yogurt, you won’t be hungry for hours!

Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Recipes, Wellness Tagged With: lazy kitchen, snacks, udis

Diabetics and Diet, Tips for Easing Stress

April 18, 2012 By Susan Rich Leave a Comment

Eat better, live better

Robyn Webb, MS, LN, an award-winning cookbook author (14 so far!) shared eating tips for the gluten-free crowd…
…and Dr. Kathy Gruver, ND, Ph.D, and author of the Alternative Medicine Cabinet, spoke about how to alleviate chronic stress on a recent broadcast of Rich&Gluten-Free.

Robyn: Although her focus is on teaching diabetics how to cook and eat properly, those of us on a restricted diet can modify her quick and easy recipes to suit: For example, I’m about to try her gluten-free recipe for Mac and Cheese.

Kathy: Don’t stuff negative emotions. Don’t dwell, don’t stay in anger. Acknowledge those emotions, and then focus on whatever makes YOU happy. The trick, she says, is to pull out of fear and move forward.

You can listen to this show or catch Susan Rich Talks…Rich&Gluten-Free live every Tuesday morning, 8 am PT, 11 am ET, on All Women’s Radio.

Filed Under: Diabetes, Diet Plans, Gluten-Free, Wellness Tagged With: chronic illness, diabetes, diet, gluten-free, kathy gruver, robyn webb, stress illness

Diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke – all linked to anger

April 12, 2012 By Susan Rich Leave a Comment

SWAT your fury!

Janet Pfeiffer

It’s not medical mystery: Many chronic health issues can be linked to, or exacerbated by, unchecked anger. Conflict – whether it’s someone stealing that prized parking space, tension on the job, or a failed relationship – needs to be resolved.

What does this have to do with living gluten-free? On the surface, not much. But it does go to our overall feelings of well-being, which is why I’m writing about it here.

In her book, The Secret Side of Anger, anger expert Janet Pfeiffer explains why we get angry and how we can heal from the underlying pain that triggers our outbursts.

“When I was growing up I could express two emotions: Happy and Happy,” she said, during her recent interview on Susan Rich Talks…Love & Lifestyle.

Her repressed emotions eventually created strife in her adult life. Her first marriage failed, and she was not the parent she wanted to be to her four children.

Another failed relationship – this time with a man she feared would kill her – helped her connect with her deep-rooted anger and heal. Now she leads workshops and teaches others about the secret source of anger and how each of us can heal.

One way is by SWAT, and it stands for Stop Walk And Talk.

Stop – The conversation, as soon as you begin feeling agitated. To go further guarantees you will become angry, and make the situation worse.

Walk – Get some space. Most of us know to walk away from an escalating situation, but how many of us can? The key here is to understand that in order to Stop the rising anxiety and negativity, you also have to break the connection with the person you are talking to. That means leave the room, hang up the phone (or stop texting.) Yes, you’ll need to re-engage and get closure on the discussion, but give it some time. Janet says this can be a few minutes, a few days, a few months. Let the emotions become stale before you try and resolve the issue.

(And) Talk! Janet doesn’t mean with the other person, she means with yourself. In the moments after you disengage, what’s your SELF-TALK? What you say to yourself in the heat of the moment, and in the time it takes for you to finish the discussion, drives whether you become more agitated, or settle down. The idea, of course, is to learn the techniques that will sooth you, so you can have a calm conclusion to the talk.

“Remember,” she says, “It’s not a matter of life and death.”

If you missed the show, listen to it here. Janet will also be talking about the healing power of forgiveness, 8 am PT, 11 am ET on Friday, April 20, w4wn.com.

Filed Under: Chronic Stress, Lifestyle, Stress Illness, Wellness Tagged With: anger management, control anger, janet pfeiffer, susan rich

Marshmallows! Home-made gluten-free treat

March 30, 2012 By Susan Rich 1 Comment

These are not the marshmallows
you find at the grocery store.

Instead, this recipe is from Eileen Talanian’s book, Marshmallows: Homemade Gourmet Treats. The commentary is from Annemarie Schuetz, co-host on my daily internet radio show, Susan Rich Talks. When Annemarie is away from the mic, she runs a small commercial bakery in Calicoon, NY. While it’s true you can buy Talanian’s book instead of reading about it here, there’s nothing like having some tried-and-true advice from someone who has made the recipe — and has the sugar burns to prove it.

The recipe is, Annemarie notes, is one that looks long and scary and full of steps. “Do it once,” she says, “And you’ll have it in muscle memory and it won’t be scary anymore.”

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Lifestyle, Recipes Tagged With: gluten free marshmallows, how to make marshmallows

Green Smoothie – Susan’s Success Story (and how-to)

March 27, 2012 By Susan Rich 6 Comments

People want the recipe for my green smoothie.

Rich&GlutenFree Smoothie

That should say it all, but if you haven’t been following my journey on my internet radio show Rich&GlutenFree, here’s the news: I’m fairly new to eating boatloads of raw veggies and the thought of eating/drinking a green smoothie was just, uck.

It’s not a step I’d have taken on my own, except I was hospitalized last summer.

Then Raw Food Fusion Expert LindaJoy Rose, Ph.D was on my show extolling the virtues of a greenie, so I had one. Then another. And another. These early tries were tolerable. Nothing to sing about.

But I run a Lazy Kitchen and smoothies fit right in, so I played with the recipe until I invented my own meal replacement drink.

Adrenal Fatigue: Sneaky condition that many women have

March 23, 2012 By Susan Rich Leave a Comment

What is adrenal fatigue?

During a recent broadcast of Rich&GlutenFree, Sonia Madera, MD spoke about functional medicine (the coming wave in health care) and adrenal fatigue.

Breathless! How our diet can cause sleep apnea

March 20, 2012 By Susan Rich Leave a Comment

When we think of sleep apnea, we tend to dream in stereotypes:

Overweight males, lying on their backs, snoring. If you’re the frustrated partner, you know what happens next: That stertorous rattle stops for a few heart-quickening seconds and then begins again.

If you believe only big guys get the breathing blues, think again: Thin, reasonably fit women also suffer from sleep apnea. (And so do vain ones: If you never slept on your back before, but started because you’re trying to prevent wrinkles, you might actually trigger the condition.)

More than a restless night’s sleep, left unchecked this chronic condition can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. It also contributes to acid reflux, some food sensitivities, and improperly diagnosed digestive issues, explains Steven Y. Park, MD. Park is a board-certified otolaryngologist and sleep medicine doctor. He is also author of the book: Sleep, Interrupted.

Park was a recent guest on the internet radio show Rich&Gluten-Free, which airs Tuesdays, 8 am PT, 11 am ET.

Rich and Gluten Free

Blood Pressure: When doc doesn’t know best

It all started when my aorta sprung a leak.

I Love Udi’s!