Blog Post #214
Happy New Year and Happy National Gluten Free Day!
I’ve been gluten-free (GF) for a few decades now. I was sick for years before an allergy doctor helped me figure out what was causing my IBS-like symptoms. Quite a few people have Celiac, or wheat allergies, or more. Some people just feel better avoiding it.
If you don’t know what gluten is, that’s pretty common, too. Gluten is in wheat, rye or barley, and these foods can be found in many store-bought products, and those used in restaurants. It’s very easy for those of us who are sensitive to the stuff to get “poisoned” by accident when we eat out or buy food anywhere. Gluten is in many products you wouldn’t think of, such as gum, soy sauce, potato chips, candy and even McDonald’s French fries.
Some people eat gluten-free because they think it will help them lose weight. Well, if you do eat a lot of starchy foods like pasta, bread, cookies, crackers, cake, etc. then, yes, cutting those things out will help you. However, if you just find replacement products that are gluten-free, you’re still not going to lose weight. In fact, you may gain weight because many gluten-free products substitute rice, potato or corn flour for wheat flour, which generally has more carbs and calories. They also tend to add more sugar, to make it taste better.
Many celebrities eat GF, such as “Kardashians” star Kourtney Kardashian, movie/TV star Jessica Alba, reality star and TV show host Elizabeth Hasselbeck, “New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel, movie/TV star Ryan Phillippe, actress/reality star Denise Richards, and actress Jennifer Esposito, as well as soap stars Sarah Joy Brown, Courtney Hope, Tracey E. Bregman, and Arianne Zucker. Quite a few celebrities also eat dairy-free, vegan or vegetarian – often for health reasons.
Unfortunately, a lot of comedians make fun of eating GF, as well as other disorders such as peanut allergies and IBS. I hope one day that they’ll be more sensitive to their audience members.
UPDATE:
More Below about Gluten Free Day!
HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL GLUTEN FREE DAY (JAN 13, 2025)
Mightylicious Gluten Free Foods Founder Tells You How to Ditch the Gluten & Improve Your Health
· 15% off with PROMO code GFDAY
· Many Top Celebs on Gluten Free Diets*
· Benefits of Eating Gluten Free
(Woodbridge, NJ JAN 8, 2025) — In today’s world of food allergies and celiac disease, eating a special diet that is free of gluten can be a challenging way to live that impacts every day and every meal.
More than 1.3 million Americans are on Gluten Free Diets, and according to US MAGAZINE, they include some of our *favorite celebrities – including Kourtney Kardashian, Jessica Alba and Zooey Deschanel, and many more. We can support them all by observing National Gluten Free Day! JAN 13, 2025
History of National Gluten Free Day
Gluten, a protein that is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale, is a substance that many people struggle to digest, creating sensitivity in some people or even seriously dangerous health problems in others. One serious complication, called Celiac disease, is an autoimmune problem that prevents the absorption of nutrients in the body, which means that gluten needs to be cut out of their diet completely. National Gluten Free Day got its start in 2014 to raise awareness for the cause of eating gluten free, and it is observed on the second Monday of January each year.
In 2012 Carolyn Haeler was diagnosed with Celiac disease, and it changed her life forever. After 9 months of illness, she became passionate about functional ingredients, nutrition, and living a gluten-free life. When she couldn’t find any good tasting gluten free foods on store shelves, she decided to leave her position in the financial world and devote herself to developing delicious Gluten Free products, and hence MIGHTYLICIOUS Gluten Free Foods was born. Her line of artisanal and allergen-friendly cookies (7 varieties) and gluten flour blends have received accolades from the food industry and consumers alike and are available at retailers nationwide. Here’s why she 
says you should consider a gluten-free diet:
Benefits of Eating Gluten Free
While most people may not have celiac disease, having a sensitivity or intolerance for gluten may be more common. This means that cutting out gluten in the diet might actually be beneficial even for some people who have not been diagnosed with celiac. (Of course, it is important to consult a medical professional or dietician about any health issues.)
Consider these benefits of a gluten free diet for those who have sensitivity:
1. Clear Skin
One of the most common symptoms of sensitivity to gluten is the appearance of a rash on various parts of the body, including the face, back, elbows, knees, and buttocks. These small red bumps are caused by dermatitis herpetiformis, an immune system response to eating gluten. Removing gluten from the diet can help clear things up, but some additional medication may be necessary depending on how extensive the skin rash is.
2. Better Gut Health
Many of the key issues caused by gluten occur in the digestive system, including bloating, gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting (7). When switching to a diet of gluten-free foods, most of these symptoms should disappear and gut health improve drastically. You may find that your bowel movements are more regular, abdominal pain and discomfort subsides, and that your digestive system is running more smoothly.
3. Decreased Headaches
Headaches and migraines are common complaints among those who can’t tolerate gluten, along with brain fog (8). Cutting out gluten-containing foods from your diet can help stop migraines and help you think more clearly.
4. Improved Energy Levels
Feeling tired after eating gluten-containing food is another common complaint from those suffering from celiac disease (9). This is why some may find that switching to a gluten-free meal plan improves their overall energy levels and mood.
5. Decreased Joint Pain
In one study, arthritis patients that have a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease eliminated gluten from their diet and found that their arthritis symptoms improved (10). For those who are prone to sore joints and cannot tolerate gluten, switching up your eating may decrease joint pain.
6. Improved Food Choices
If you are focused on choosing more naturally gluten free foods in your meal plan, you may find that your nutrition improves from better food choices. This is because naturally gluten free foods are typically whole foods like meat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Additionally, many gluten free grain alternatives tend to be simple, whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and many ancient grains.
7. Weight Loss
Unexpected weight loss is a symptom of celiac disease due to many of the associated digestive concerns. However, switching to a gluten free meal plan can lead to more intentional weight loss when it is included as part of a balanced, calorie-controlled diet. This is typically the result of improved food choices and decreased calorie intake when cutting out certain foods.
How to Celebrate National Gluten Free Day – Try Eating Gluten Free
In solidarity with those in the world who must eat a gluten free diet, consider taking National Gluten Free Day as a time to experiment with what it would be like. Choose to avoid foods that contain gluten, such as pasta, bread, crackers and more. Cut out all wheat, as well as foods that may have been prepared in facilities that contain wheat, such as oatmeal. Instead, go for gluten free substitutes for bread, or simply avoid grains altogether and eat a diet that consists more of fresh fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes and dairy products.
MIGHTYLICIOUS
The award-winning gluten free cookie company offers 7 cookie varieties of mouthwatering flavors including vegan and vegetarian options. Mightylicious hand-crafted cookies truly have it all: amazing flavor, perfect texture, clean ingredients.
Mightylicious Gluten Free Flour Blends – These three game-changers are made from top-quality, superfine rice flour for a neutral flavor. Milled specifically for baking, they deliver a soft, airy texture to all your favorite recipes.
• All-Purpose Flour
• Vegan All-Purpose Flour
• Vegan Chocolate Brownie Mix
All MIGHTYLICIOUS products are certified gluten-free varieties are kosher, non-GMO verified, and free from key allergens.
Find Mightylicious online and in retail outlets including Walmart (231 outlets nationwide), Whole Foods, Costco, King’s, Price Chopper, and more.
Proofread and Edited by Brenda
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The TV MegaSite or its other volunteers
I have to apologize once more for not writing in this blog. My last year of taking classes just really made me too busy for anything else. Oh, I wrote a million blogs in my head, but when it came to actually writing them here….that was the problem. I will try to do better now that I’m working full time on the site again!
peech. I feel bad for the actors that had to pretend they won, and then they didn’t win. Yikes. Many of the actors this year mentioned the “Black Lives Matter” campaign or alluded to it in their speeches. What bothered me, though, was the lack of applause. I could ALMOST believe that the ceremony was real, except for that. Canned applause would have been better, I think. Next year, if it must be virtual, how about renting out a giant theater, inviting the public, making everyone sit apart, with masks, and then just show them the virtual show, and record their applause? That would be more authentic, at least.
W, which I like, as well As “The 100,” “In the Dark,” and “Burden of Truth,” all on The CW. Also, I’ve been watching “Blindspot” on NBC and “Grantchester” on PBS. Lastly, I still watch “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” on TBS; and “Real Time with Bill Maher” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” both on HBO. Besides all that, I try to keep up on “
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boat as everyone else. They had major technical problems, so they lost quite a bit of it. That is insane. They’ve been doing this online for a few years now, and before that, they did it on regular TV. You’d think they’d know how to do it by now. So, big deal, they lost the internet…why didn’t they just record it, and put the whole thing up online for fans to see a little later? Rather than just leaving the botched version up. That’s really stupid and short-sighted on their part. Here’s the 
that and the fun and romantic stuff. On “
season of “
yet! 😆
canceled. Perhaps because it’s not a sitcom like their previous attempts…? It does have plenty of humor, though.
heartbreaking as last year’s cancellation of “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World,” though. Focusing on the positives, there are SO MANY shows that I’m grateful that have been renewed, like “The Resident” on FOX!
We have some new volunteers, too, which is always exciting. We lost 
covers all of the broadcast shows and when they premiere. I also made the 
were much better together, and they broke them up too quickly for no good reason. Now that Katie won her court case, we rarely see her and Thorne any more, unless it’s connected to Ridge and Bill. I notice that we don’t see too much of the interns Emma, Xander and Zoe any more. Good. I guess I’m not the only ones who didn’t like them or their bland story.
and I never saw the other show. I did see and love “Stargate Universe,” which to me was very similar to “
swing, I have a lot of shows to catch up on already.
There are many reboots this season, but so far, the only one I’m enjoying it “Will & Grace” on NBC. I saw the first episode of “The Conners,” and I thought it was very depressing, and not very good. To be fair, I didn’t much like last year’s “Roseanne” reboot, either. I do watch “Murphy Brown,” but it’s not that great. It’s just too heavy-handed and not that funny. I loved the old show, but it’s not the 1980’s anymore. They need to be quicker, wittier. I don’t know. I’m still watching it, but it’s very uneven. I saw the first episode of “Magnum PI” and it was boring. So was the new “
I just don’t have time to add them to my list of shows to watch. I haven’t even had time yet to watch the latest season of “Daredevil” on Netflix. As always, I’ve got a whole stack of DVD’s to watch and review, as well as a whole list of shows I should be checking out. It never ends. It’s gotten a lot worse with Netflix, HULU, Amazon and so many other new streaming services coming out.
the CW drama “All-American,” which was kind of dull.
Murder” on ABC. We still watch “
I love the old Charlie Brown special from when we were kids! I love Halloween, but I don’t like being grossed out or scared too much. A little scary is OK, though.