How to Lose Weight, Keep it Off, Get Healthy, and Feel Better Than You Ever Imagined

So many people have tried dieting, tried exercise, and still have not successfully gotten to the weight and body composition they know they could have. One of my specialties is helping people identify the problems that have kept them from succeeding in the past, and helping them finally succeed in reaching – and even surpassing – their goals.

If you have found that all the diet programs, eating “right”, limiting calories, even with exercise, does not work for you, you are not alone. If you have had this experience, it is not your fault! You are probably missing some essential information that will make it work for you as a unique individual: not just what’s theoretically healthy, but what is healthy for YOU!

In order to lose weight and keep it off, you need a healthy metabolism. Contrary to popular belief, your metabolism is not static: anyone can change a poor metabolism into a healthy, fat-burning metabolism. Once you have healed your metabolism, your body will naturally burn fat.

One of the most common impediments to weight loss is hidden food sensitivities. They can cause so much inflammation in your system that it is impossible to lose weight and keep it off.  My clients find that once they eliminate these from their diet, the pounds come off so much more easily, and many other symptoms disappear too, even ones they thought were “just a normal part of aging”.

My program works because I combine sound scientific information, years of experience, an in-depth understanding of your unique circumstances, and week-by-week coaching, so that the program is custom-tailored for you. I take a thorough history in our initial consultation, and then we get to work making the changes you need to feel better in every area of your life. We can work in person or long distance, by phone or webcam.

I coach clients through the basics of customized balanced eating, “smart” exercise, replacing core nutrient deficiencies and behavior modification. I help clients heal areas of metabolic damage to finally resolve their weight issues, based on their individual needs and circumstances. I also address conditions that are known to be caused by or exacerbated by obesity, including hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and other degenerative conditions, to ensure that clients reach and maintain optimal health.

A comprehensive, personalized, integrated program to help you understand why you have not achieved and maintained your ideal weight and body composition, and follow through until you do.

• Extensive personal health and lifestyle review and discussion
• Body Impedance Testing using a medical grade Tanita Body Composition Analyzer, for insight into your metabolism as well as objective and specific monitoring of fat loss and lean muscle gain. The BCA gives readouts of fat %, fat-free mass, and projected muscle mass in pounds and % for total body, each arm and leg, and belly, as well as hydration (total body water), BMR (basal metabolic rate) and BMI (body mass index).
• Individualized nutritional program with specific guidelines and menu suggestions for meals and snacks.
• Individualized supplement program designed to help you heal your metabolism and then rev it up, as well as address issues specific to you.
• Help in identifying and eliminating food sensitivities that damage your metabolism and can cause countless other symptoms, including fatigue, aches and pains, digestive symptoms, headaches and more.
• Food Journaling: email me your food journal, and I will send it back to you each day with helpful hints about how to improve your choices and optimize your health. Be accountable – and get daily guidance and support, too.
• Information on how to incorporate smart, “hormonally correct” exercise. Exercise smarter, not more.
• Adjunctive therapies, as needed, including homeopathy, kinesiology, detoxes, and more.
• Help with managing stress, sleep and other issues that impact your ability to lose weight.
• Support with managing cravings, and the keys to eliminating them forever.
• Help tapering off toxic chemicals.
• Support by phone and/or email.

What Clients Say:

“I’ve never felt this good.  I’ve lost 29 pounds, 27 of it fat and it’s not like I’m starving myself, not at all.  It makes life a lot easier!  To think that at 53 I had arthritis!  It’s gone. Sure we’re all getting older, but I don’t have that inflammation any more.  I feel much healthier, I’m more active, I sleep better, I have more mental clarity and a more positive attitude.”  IE

I recently completed Fran’s 13 week weight loss program and am now 25 pounds lighter! I have been seeking Fran’s advice for a few years now. Every time something in my body “broke down”, I immediately reached out to Fran. She kept telling me that I needed to change my eating habits. I tried, but after feeling better each time, I fell off the wagon. Now I know what was missing. It was Fran’s weekly guidance and coaching. After being diagnosed with kidney stones, fatty liver and diverticulum in my colon, what did I do? What else? Pick up the phone and call Fran, AGAIN. She gently nudged me to think about what she had told me all along: I had to change what I was eating. I committed to her 13 week program and Fran helped with everything from physical to psychological issues. She tested me for different supplements and guided me in the use of my new found love for essential oils. The weight came off and I noticed changes starting to happen to my digestive system. I have more energy, sleep better and have a new found love for life and veggies!! Without Fran, I know I would be unhealthy and feeling emotionally “sick” right now. Way to go Fran!!! —VP, Centereach, NY

I’ve lost 35 pounds since I started working with Fran. When I’ve been on diets in the past, it’s been agonizingly painful, so difficult for it to come off. Since I’ve been on the supplements and homeopathic remedies, it just comes off. I was put on Fosamax in 2003 for osteopenia and… my MD couldn’t believe the results since last July: there was a 50% improvement and my bones are now normal. She said that she has never seen so much improvement before. I look great and have more energy. It makes me very happy. —ES, Westwood, MA

Fran is always a considerate, compassionate, deeply aware and intuitive person who works in earnest to alleviate the stresses we inadvertently place on our body, mind and spirit. Not only do I enjoy our sessions and find much benefit in them but I have also seen major health improvements in the process. During the 15 month period of our work together, I have lost approximately 70 pounds (so much for the myth of not being able to lose weight after menopause) and my cholesterol dropped 60 points, all triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Testing further revealed much improvement and restoration to my major organs. I have more energy and my mind seems to be functioning as it did in my youth. Although there is still much to be done, I consider myself blessed and fortunate to have found an exceptional and gifted healer to help me on my journey. —CP, Saylorsburg, PA

Homeopathy is safe but powerful natural health care which works deeply to stimulate the body’s own natural healing ability. It works on the principle that “like cures like.” In other words, a substance which can cause symptoms in a healthy person, when given in a tiny homeopathic dose, will help heal those same symptoms in someone who is ill with them.

The truth of this law was discovered by a German medical doctor and scientist, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, in 1796, and has been verified experimentally and clinically for over 200 years.

Homeopathic remedies are made from plant, mineral, or animal substances, and together express the entire gamut of human experience. The remedies are prepared to precise standards and work by stimulating the body’s own healing power.

Homeopathy is excellent for acute problems such as ear infections, colds, flu, injuries, etc. as well as chronic conditions such as ADD, depression, anxiety, asthma, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, and more. It is wonderful for babies, children and adults, and can even be used on animals. Many people learn to use homeopathy at home for first aid and mild illnesses, but should always consult a professional for anything chronic, recurring, or serious.
As in all holistic medicine, disease in homeopathy is understood as the disturbance of the whole organism, and treats the person as a whole, and as a unique individual, rather than treating merely the disease, or the symptom(s). Therefore, a classically trained homeopath does not give different remedies for different symptoms a person has, but rather, gives one single constitutional remedy that addresses the picture of the person as a whole. This encourages the most lasting and profound healing, at the most fundamental level.

Health Kinesiology was developed by Dr. Jimmy Scott of Canada about 40 years ago. Through muscle testing, we can identify allergens (food, dust, pollen, etc), germs (viruses, bacteria, spirochetes), thoughts (I’m not good enough, I’m stupid), or emotions (anger, anxiety) that stress your system and drain your energy. The good news is that HK can help strengthen you to the specific stressors affecting you, increase your body’s ability to deal with them with no or fewer symptoms, and improve your health and energy in very tangible ways. HK is particularly helpful in identifying and eliminating food sensitivities and other allergies.

The basic principles of kinesiology are derived from traditional Chinese healing methods such as Acupuncture Dr. Scott built on these methods, using solid, scientific approaches to understanding the human electromagnetic energy system, psychology, and psychophysiology. HK’s broad applications range from electromagnetic issues to psychological and spiritual ones, from allergy and detoxification to geopathic stress.

Like acupuncture, HK uses the meridian model of the human energy system. This energy system supplies life force to the individual. Any stress—nutritional, emotional, electromagnetic, etc.,—can impair the energy system, and precise rebalancing of the energy system can eliminate or diminish the effects of these stressors.

Acupuncturists observe the energy system by monitoring subtle pulses in the wrists; the HK practitioner observes the energy system by monitoring subtle muscle responses that come from the Autonomic Nervous System. Unlike acupuncturists, HK practitioners only use light touch on specific acupoints or other energy reflexes to correct energy imbalances.

Individualized Nutritional Counseling is the foundation of my practice.  Eating what is “theoretically” healthy is not the same as eating what is uniquely appropriate for you.  In fact, many people who do their best to eat a healthy diet find that it is exactly those so-called healthy foods that are making them feel so lousy, and keeping them from losing weight, or having the body composition they want and for which work so hard.

I can teach you what foods are good for you as a unique individual – your body and your circumstances, and which are not.  Learning to heal your metabolism with food and supplements can recharge your energy, slow down the aging process, and make managing your weight and your health possible in a way it may never have been for you before.

Supplements can be a wonderful bridge between what your body should be able to do, and what it can actually do, on its own, right now.  However, not all supplements are equal, or even helpful, and more is not always better.  I have seen way too many people with shopping bags full of bottles that were not helping them, or worse, even doing them harm.  I will find precisely those few supplements that can make a significant difference in your health and well-being, and not simply everything that “might” be beneficial.

The supplements I work with are from companies that voluntarily work to pharmaceutical standards.  That means they are what they say they are (and nothing else) so they will do what they are supposed to do.  Poor quality, contamination and cheap fillers are a serious problem in the supplement industry, and that is why I work with only a very few well-screened companies and their products.  I am familiar with many hundreds of supplements and my goal is always to find just those few that are going to be significantly beneficial for you.   Then, as we go along, we will re-evaluate and make changes as your health and symptoms improve.

If you’re ready to proceed, your next step is to schedule an initial consultation where we would assess you current nutritional profile and explore possibilities for addressing health and energy issues through often simple changes in diet. You can book an appointment with me online, call (845) 496-0385 or email for more information.

Why I Teach Meditation

Coming Home
I have practiced meditation for over a decade… and for years, I struggled with it. I struggled to practice and I struggled with practice. I did it anyhow, day in and day out, year in and year out, and I learned a lot from it. I learned about how often we resist doing what’s good for us, and I learned about incessant mind chatter and how to quiet it, and I learned a lot, too, about intuition, the integrity of body and mind and how essential it is to “drop anchor” every day, touch into the quiet, the stillness that resides within us, no matter what the chaos outside. And still, I took it like a necessary medicine, rather than a delicious elixir.

Then, about two years ago, my yoga teacher introduced me to the Lovingkindness Meditation, also know as Metta or Maitri Practice. nstantly, meditation was transformed for me into something I loved and longed to do. It was like coming home. If you come to my meditation class, you will always experience Lovingkindess Meditation, but I also offer other practices each time, as well, because I want you, too, to have the experience of finding the one that is, for you, like coming home.

The Power of Practice
There is something so powerful about making a commitment and following through with it. I know from over 17 years of working with people one on one that this is one of the most difficult issues most people face. And yet, it is exactly what we need. It helps us develop the “muscle of perseverance.” It gives us grounding in our lives. It helps us know that we are trustworthy. We need it in all of our relationships: not only with ourselves, and with other people, but with food and exercise and all the other “lifestyle” issues we struggle with. Learning to “show up” daily for practice, even if it’s only a few minutes a day, sets an important blueprint for being able to show up for ourselves in every area of our lives.

Dealing with Stress
The more stress we live with, the more essential it is to take time to heal our systems from that stress. There is an abundance of research on how meditation can stop the perpetuation of the stress cycle, and lower the stress response, plus all its benefits physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. But nothing speaks like experience. So please check the Events Calendar for the monthly schedule.

Can’t come to my classes? I’d be glad to work with you individually, by phone or in person. And you can also listen to two the following meditation mp3s I have recorded:

A short (7 minutes) Guided Relaxation to help you slow down and find some inner calm.
Download Guided Relaxation

Fran leads a group in the LovingKindness meditation practice. (16 minutes)
Download LovingKindness Meditation

I have been trained and certified by Endocrinologist Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., in her program to heal your metabolism, lose excess fat, prevent and reverse the degenerative diseases of aging, and eliminate cravings and addictions. There are five stages to the program:

• Using nutrition to balance hormones through food and supplements
• Managing stress and sleep
• Eliminating toxins
• Hormonally correct exercise targeted to the state of your metabolism
• Bioidentical hormone replacement if necessary

I am very proud to be among the first group of practitioners that Dr. Schwarzbein certified to take her approach to the public. My experience is that this is work that can benefit absolutely everyone, and I am very excited to share it with you.

I am also among a very small group that has been trained and certified by Dr. Schwarzbein in Gastroenterology. In fact, Dr. Schwarzbein is now saying that healing the gut is more primary, essential and fundamental to health than addressing hormones.

Degenerative diseases of aging are not genetic but acquired. Because the systems of the human body are interconnected and because one imbalance creates another imbalance, poor eating and lifestyle habits, not genetics, are the cause of degenerative disease.

—Diana Schwarzbein MD

For in-depth information that will help you understand how the Schwarzbein Principle Program can help you attain optimum health please click here.  To start working with me on your own program, please make an appointment for an initial consultation.

I don’t do lab work routinely, as I find that the vast majority of my clients improve quickly and dramatically through the general course of the work that we do. Why cost you extra money if it isn’t necessary or helpful? However, when someone is not improving the way I expect, or when they “plateau” without fully healing, lab work can be very helpful in understanding what is going on biochemically.

Among the assessments I use are:

Heavy Metals Testing
Mercury, Lead, Aluminum and other heavy metals can be responsible for chronic symptoms: physical, mental, and behavioral. We all have some level of exposure to heavy metals, but some people are less able to detoxify their systems on their own. Higher levels of exposure can come from having lived in an industrial area, eating a lot of fish, or working in certain professions. A urine test gives a good picture of both current and long term exposure. If high levels of heavy metals are found, I work with protocols that are helpful in facilitating detoxification.

Hormone Testing
People who go through my 4 step program (Nutrition, including identifying and eliminating food sensitivities and healing the gut; Stress Management, including sleep issues; Decreasing Toxic Load; and Hormonally Supportive/Smart Exercise) almost always experience a natural re-balancing of their hormones. Their metabolism heals, their symptoms diminish, they lose weight and burn fat naturally, they are sleeping soundly and feel great. If that doesn’t happen, sometimes it is helpful to get a hormone profile, through saliva testing. Once we have the information about what is out of balance, it is often possible to address it with lifestyle changes, including nutrition and supplements.

Comprehensive Metabolic Profile
This is like analyzing the exhaust of the car, to see how it is burning its fuel. It provides a view into the body’s cellular metabolic processes and the efficiency of metabolic function. If you are lacking certain nutrients, or not able to utilize them efficiently, any of the thousands of chemical reactions in your body may not be taking place properly. This urine test allows us to look at that in detail so we can customize your program to address it.

Estrogen
Did you know that estrogen, like cholesterol, has a “good” component (2-OHE1) and a “bad” component (16a-OHE1)? And that the ratio can be indicative of estrogen-sensitive cancer risk? More important, that if you are at risk, that there are simple changes you can make to improve your 2/16 ratio? This urine test will inform you of your 2/16 estrogen profile. It may be especially important for women with a family history of breast cancer.

I work with clients all over the country every week.  Many of them I have never met in person, but we are able to work very effectively by phone or by webcam. I use AIM, Skype and Google for webcam sessions, all of which are free, and very simple to set up if you have a camera for your computer.

Webcam sessions can be particularly useful with kids, as it allows me to see them in their own environment.

For my local clients, if you can not come to my office because of bad weather, car problems, illness, being stuck at work, or at home with sick kids, please let me know, and we will conduct our session by phone or webcam instead. You will be surprised to discover how much we can accomplish that way.  And if you have a scheduled appointment you can’t make, a phone or webcam session can save you a cancellation fee.

Once you are an established client, distance sessions can also be used when you or a family member are sick, and want help to make recovery quicker and easier. It is usually possible to find something that will both help you heal and address symptoms and help you feel better, without suppressing them, as pharmaceutical products do. These “sick calls” can usually be scheduled for the same day, with my fee prorated for the amount of time we actually use (usually 15-30 minutes).

Most people have no idea that these can all be caused by a food sensitivity, but they often are. Sensitivity to gluten, the protein in wheat, barley, oats, spelt and other grains, can cause these problems, and many more. They often think they are doing “the right thing” by eating lots of whole grains, when in fact it could be the very reason they are unwell, overweight, and aging too rapidly.

• Eczema
• Anemia
  
• Joint Pain
• Sinus Problems
• Asthma
• Irritability
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• “Brain Fog”
• Anxiety & Depression
• Acid Reflux
• Fatigue

People often undergo years of treatment for these symptoms without ever being diagnosed for the true underlying problem: gluten sensitivity. Although gluten is not always the cause, it may be possible to successfully manage many of these health issues only if gluten is removed from the diet.

At 14, Clarissa was a pretty and animated blue eyed blond who loved acting,
writing and drawing. She had been getting ill frequently, with fevers, headaches and
nausea. Her acne bothered her, and she got longish periods. She suffered from acid
reflux, often felt bloated and full, and had really dark circles under her eyes. She took
Zirtec for environmental allergies. Clarissa was gluten-sensitive. It is not easy for a
teenager to give up pizza and gluten-based snacks, but Clarissa did. “My friends felt
sorry for me and I thought it would be hard, but it wasn’t.” Within a month, her allergies
were a lot better, her stomach felt better and was no longer puffy and bloated, and her
skin cleared up. She hadn’t been sick at all and she “definitely feels better” without
gluten. Two years later, she says: “Staying off gluten is easier than people think, and I
don’t crave it any more. It’s really helped me a lot.”

Gluten sensitivity is genetic: if you have it, you were born with it. The only and effective cure is to eliminate gluten completely from the diet.  It effects the health of millions of people, and unfortunately, most of them don’t even know it. Certain ethnic groups have a much higher incidence than others: English, Irish, Scottish, Scandinavian, Italian, and Eastern European Jews. Gluten sensitivity used to be thought of as a rare and unusual problem, but the most up-to-date genetic testing for gluten sensitivity shows about 30% of people have a predisposition for it. Stool testing, which is generally considered to be more accurate, shows as high as 35% positive for gluten sensitivity.  In high risk chronically ill populations, gluten sensitivity may be as high as 50%.  Other studies show higher incidence of gluten sensitivity in people with diabetes and in neurological diagnoses.

Why is gluten such a problem?  We are all familiar with the adage “You are what you eat”, but perhaps it would be more accurate to say “you are what you digest.” If you can not digest gluten, the body attacks the protein particles, causing chronic inflammation. The battleground for this ongoing attack is the mucosal lining of the gut.  Eventually, the lining breaks down, creating tiny holes.  More partially digested and undigested food particles break though these, into the bloodstream. This is known as “leaky gut” and can give the appearance of someone allergic to virtually everything. Your body identifies these undigested break-through particles as toxic, and attacks them.

Once fundamental sensitivities are identified and eliminated from the diet, and the gut is supported in healing, these other (non-gluten) foods can usually be well-tolerated again. Environmental allergies usually diminish, or even disappear, as well. Chronic inflammation can cause symptoms in virtually any organ or system, from a runny nose to arthritic-like pains. Inflammation is a normal response to injury. But when inflammation is chronic, it becomes destructive.

Gluten Sensitivity is not the same thing as Celiac disease. This is a common misunderstanding even among medical professionals. Celiac is a particular end-stage of gluten sensitivity, associated with severe gastrointestinal symptoms.  Many people are gluten sensitive without ever having Celiac. Furthermore, the majority of people with gluten sensitivity don’t have gastro-intestinal symptoms at all.

According to endocrinologist and author Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., with whom I trained, virtually all type 2 diabetics are gluten sensitive, and their health can be improved and symptoms managed much more easily if gluten is eliminated from the diabetic diet.

Why do so many people have trouble digesting gluten?  Original non-hybrid wheat, as it was grown many hundreds of years ago, was only 1-2% gluten. The gluten content of our current wheat is dramatically higher, as much as 55%. While agriculture has changed, our intestinal tract has not, and for many, our current grains, while highly stable and marketable from an agricultural point of view, are simply indigestible. A similar change has occurred with cows’ milk and casein, resulting in a higher incidence of sensitivity to casein, the protein in dairy.

Kids and Gluten
If your child has dark circles under her eyes, chronic congestion or runny nose, “growing pains” behind the knees, environmental allergies, or ongoing digestive problems, gluten sensitivity may be the problem. Gluten sensitivity can also effect growth, because kids who are gluten sensitive and eating gluten are not absorbing the nutrients in their food. When these kids go gluten-free, they often experience a dramatic growth spurt within a few months.  In fact, some doctors and researchers recommend screening for gluten sensitivity for all children below the 25th percentile for height.

Jarrett is a cheerful boy who was born 6 weeks early and only four pounds, but at age 4
1/2 he’s so robust you’d never know it.  Diagnosed with asthma at two, he started on
Albuterol and Flovent, and currently uses Zirtec.  The medication makes him very
aggressive; Singulair was even worse.  He is a high energy child with a tendency to
irritability and impatience that is more likely to become physical aggression when he is
on medication.  But he needed the medication for a horrible sounding croupy cough that
is persistent except in the summer, when he is healthy and much happier.  He also had
eczema as a baby, and has experienced hives.
Since removing gluten from his diet, he is completely off medication.  His Mom says
“He is a happy boy anyhow, but he is so happy now. He is back to Jarrett.”

Gideon is a special needs boy with mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorder. He’d always had seasonal allergies but last year his sinus infections were the worst they’d ever been. He was on three different allergy medications and still went through antibiotics and repeated sinus infections all fall and winter. I suggested removing gluten from Gideon’s diet. His mom reports the gluten free diet has made a huge difference in Gabriel’s quality of life. He made it through the fall allergy season without developing any sinus infections and he is not taking any allergy medications.
His mom reports: “We’ve also seen improvements in Gideon’s cognitive awareness along with increased speech.  He was able to play miniature golf by himself for the first time. He’s so much more focused.  And he’s riding a two wheeler. It’s amazing. I never thought he’d be able to do that.  We’ve seen nothing but immensely positive changes.”

Cravings
If you take a nutritional history of someone with an undiagnosed gluten sensitivity, you are bound to hear that glutenous foods are a big part of their diet: bagels, pasta, bread, pastry, etc.  Unfortunately, we often crave what we can not tolerate, but it is not a question of will power: there is a good physiological reason.

Simply put, eating a food we are sensitive to sets off stress hormones and, like a burst of adrenaline, or a “runner’s high”, this initially makes us feel good.  This often leads to an unconscious dependence on eating the foods we can’t tolerate, in order to maintain that “feel good” state. But those stress hormones are breaking down our body, causing damage in every system and undermining our ability to absorb the nutrients we need to stay healthy.  When the food sensitivity is removed from the diet, people are often amazed to find that all their cravings diminish, and it is easier to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
If you are not gluten sensitive, you will not be any healthier eating a gluten-free diet. But if you are, it will change your life.  Not only will you eliminate many chronic symptoms, but you will be protecting your health from further, serious problems in the future.

Diana says, “When I ate gluten, I was short-tempered, feeling like the world was
against me.  And I was always starving, always hungry, never satisfied no matter how
much I ate, and I ate too much.  Since I’ve been off gluten my head is clearer.  I’m not
anxious.  I’m calm now.  And I’m happy to say I’ve lost weight, inches and the bloat!”

Dining Out
Just a few years ago, if you told a waiter that you couldn’t eat gluten, you were likely to receive an uncomprehending stare. Nowadays, chefs and servers alike are well accustomed to dealing with special dietary needs, and most will accommodate you if you make your needs known. Some chains now offer gluten-free menus, including Charlie Brown’s, Uno, Outback Steakhouse, and Cheeseburger in Paradise.  Many local restaurants are getting wise to gluten-free dining as well.  In general, Mexican food, which is often corn-based, and Indian food, which has many options made from rice, lentil, and chickpea flours, are good bets for the gluten-sensitive diner.

Grocery Shopping
Here, too, things have improved dramatically.  Not only health food and specialty stores, but regular grocery stores now offer a gluten-free section, filled with pastas, breads, cereals, cookies and crackers, and even pizza crusts and biscotti.  And you can always shop online.

Testing for Gluten Sensitivity
In my office, I have used muscle testing to identify food sensitivities for almost 20 years, and find it completely reliable, both by phone and in person, in the sense that people experience dramatic improvement based on the results.  Muscle testing relies on the response of the Autonomic Nervous System. It is quick, non-invasive and effective for babies, kids and adults.

If you are on your own and suspect you are gluten sensitive, the best way to test is to eliminate gluten from your diet for 3-4 weeks.  It must be eliminated 100%, as gluten is “sticky” (glutinous) and can remain in the system up to 4 or 5 days after ingestion.  For that reason, if you are having gluten once or twice a week, you are never truly gluten free.  After several weeks on a gluten- free diet, it will generally be obvious if you are sensitive or not; often the improvements will be dramatic.  If you still have doubts after being gluten-free for several weeks, go ahead and eat gluten for a day. Again, the results should be quite clear if you are gluten sensitive.  For most people, this is the simplest, most practical and dramatic way to test for gluten sensitivity.  For those who want lab testing, both blood and stool tests are available, with stool tests being more accurate, but not available in every state.
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Time to Heal
Although gluten can inflict so much damage, we are beautifully designed, and can recover when we give ourselves the right support.  After eliminating gluten and starting a healing program, most people will feel results fairly quickly: within days or weeks.  In my professional experience, benefits and improvements continue to accrue for at least an additional two years.  Elimination combined with supplements and homeopathy both speeds and improves healing tremendously.

More Client Stories

Louis is 48 and started having bowel problems 21 years ago.  He was told it was “just
stress” and that he had to live with it, but it worsened over time.  For the past three
years, he has also had restless leg syndrome so severe he could not sit through a half
hour business meeting or sleep through the night, as well as back pain that “was like
someone sticking a knife in” his back.  The nerve pain spread from his back throughout
his body, and he had bad tinnitus (ringing in the ears), along with painful heartburn,
excruciating gut cramps with pain that traveled down the backs of his legs, and severe
urinary problems.  He was on a number of strong medications for his various problems
but still miserable. His doctors, including those at the Mayo Clinic, still told him it was
just stress. Their recommendation was to purchase a CPAP machine for his sleep
apnea, seek professional counseling and take more pills.  He kept trying to “just live with
it” but his symptoms continued to get worse.  Things were so bad he had to go out on
disability from his job.
Six weeks off gluten, Louis was able to go back to work.  The only bad day he’d had
was when he went out to eat and some gluten slipped in somewhere.  “The guys I work
with have noticed such a difference in my gait, my demeanor, everything!”
Louis has been living gluten free for 4 months now and continues to notice
improvement. The restless legs are gone. He sleeps through the night without taking
sleep aids, and feels more rested when he wakes up. The ringing in his ears is
significantly reduced.  His appetite has returned.  The amount of medication for nerve
pain continues to decrease. The urinary problems are also going away. “Occasionally, I
have to remind myself that 21 years of damage caused by gluten sensitivity and
misdiagnosis is not going to go away overnight.  I used to think holistic medicine was voodoo.  I could not have been more wrong.  ‘Professional medicine’ has helped countless numbers of people, but how many like myself have fallen through the cracks of their system?”

A year ago Bob was 55, depressed, and losing his ability to focus.  He had tried
going off Prozac but couldn’t handle the depression without it.  Stress was a part of his
problem, and one of the ways he coped with stress was beer, although alcoholism runs
in his family.  Not only that, he was dependent on Metamucil to have regular bowel
movements.  His doctor ran tests and assured him everything was okay, but it sure
didn’t feel okay to Bob.
After a few weeks on a gluten free diet, Bob’s energy improved dramatically, as did the
quality of his sleep. After three months, he was able to get off his anti-depressant. A
year later, his depression and his intestinal problems are completely gone, as is his
need to “self-medicate” with alcohol. He is gluten free and feeling great.

If you think this information might be of benefit to someone else, please forward it.  You
never know how you might help.

Notes: Along with eliminating gluten, my clients are given a customized nutritional program and targeted supplements, as well as constitutional homeopathy, as appropriate.
Names of clients have been changed to protect their privacy. Their stories have been included with their permission, and their encouragement. Each of them was hopeful that their experiences would help others. I am very grateful that they were willing to share.
A version of this article appeared in the December 2008 issue of Natural Awakenings magazine.

Sources: Dr. Kevin Fine, Director of Operations and of Medical Research at the
Intestinal Health Institute in Dallas, Texas; 2005 professional training seminar with Dr.
Diana Schwarzbein; Peter H.R. Green, M.D., and Christophe Cellier, M.D., Ph.D.,
review article: Medical Progress -Celiac Disease, New England Journal of Medicine
2007;357:1731-43.

Most people wouldn’t think that the following symptoms could all be caused by a food sensitivity, but they often are. I have seen so many clients who come in with a long list of chronic symptoms, each of which has been treated, often unsuccessfully, with different medication, by a different specialist, and all of which we have been able to resolve within months simply by identifying and eliminating food sensitivities.

• Migraines and headaches
• Eczema, Psoriasis, and other skin rashes
• Joint Pain
• Body Aches
• Sinus Problems
• Asthma and other chronic respiratory problems
• Irritability, Depression, Anxiety, Brain Fog
• Constipation and Diarrhea, IBS,. Gas & Bloating, GERD, Acid Reflux
• Anemia
• Acne
• Chronic Congestion or runny nose
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Growing Pains in kids

When I started my practice, I never would have guessed that working with food sensitivities would be such a big part of it, but I have come to understand that, surprisingly, it is one of the fundamental keys to attaining good health. Identifying food sensitivities and helping clients adapt to eliminating them has been one of the most important keys to successfully assisting my clients reach their optimal health and well-being.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is a health essential: without identifying and eliminating food sensitivities, you will not achieve optimal health. Conversely, if you are frustrated about not having achieved optimal health, despite the reasonable measures you have taken, hidden food sensitivities may be the culprit.

When most people think of food sensitivities, they generally think of someone having an anaphylactic response to strawberries, or peanut butter: something immediate, and drastic. Those are sensitivities mediated by the IgE part of our immune system. However, the kinds of sensitivities I’m referring to are mediated by other parts of our immune system, and often take 24-72 hours to manifest, making it very difficult to discern that what you ate – let alone which food – is causing your symptoms, especially if it’s a food you’re eating all the time. Food sensitivities can manifest in any organ or system of the body, as suggested by the list above.

In my practice, I separate food sensitivities into “primary” and “secondary.”

Primary sensitivities are the ones that are life-long, and often genetic, meaning you are born with them. Gluten sensitivity is one example of this. The other most common ones are dairy, soy, and eggs.

Secondary sensitivities happen when reactions to ingesting the primary sensitivities cause a breakdown of the lining of the intestinal tract, allowing undigested particles to leak into the blood stream.

The body regards these foods that have leaked into the blood stream as foreign particles, or antigens, meaning it stimulates an immune response, attacking them and causing inflammation. This is what is known as leaky gut, and can give the appearance of someone allergic to everything.

In my experience, once you eliminate the primary sensitivities and heal the gut, you can virtually always put the secondary sensitivities back in the diet without becoming symptomatic again. Furthermore, I find that eliminating primary sensitivities can often eliminate environmental sensitivities as well. It can take anywhere from a few months to over a year to heal completely, but most people begin to experience improvements within weeks, or even days.

Some people have no food sensitivities. Most people have one or two. I see very few people who have more fundamental sensitivities than that.

In my practice, I test for food sensitivities using muscle testing, or kinesiology. It is simple, quick, non-invasive, and extremely reliable, meaning that when people use the information, they get good results. I have been using muscle testing for almost twenty years, and am able to muscle test both in person and by phone, for babies and children and as well as adults. Muscle testing for food sensitivities is always a part of my initial consultation.