National Gluten Free Day

Lyn Russell, RYT-500, RCYT, B.Ed., Dip.T., ACOA Dip. (M.Nat.Th) • January 12, 2021

The 13th January is National Gluten Free Day in the US.

Many people choose to have a Gluten Free lifestyle as they feel it is healthier. For Coeliacs it is not a health or wellness choice, it is a must. There are many misconceptions around about Coeliac Disease. It is NOT a food allergy. It is an autoimmune disorder caused by the abnormal functioning of the immune system that produces antibodies against their own tissue.

Here are 5 things to remember about Coeliac Disease.

It is not an allergy It’s a common misconception that those with Coeliac are allergic to gluten.
It is autoimmune Those diagnosed with Coeliac Disease suffer damage to the lower intestine if they ingest gluten.
Coeliac for life There is no cure or prevention, but following a gluten-free diet is the way of life!
Gluten hides everywhere From beer to soy sauce, gluten is in far more items than the bread products lining the shelves of your local bakery.
Coeliac leads to other issues If undiagnosed, this autoimmune disease can lead to other issues, such as lactose intolerance, anaemia, and GI cancers.

I have a very close family member that is a Coeliac. Diagnosed 23 years ago, things have certainly changed in that time and the availability and quality of gluten free products has improved vastly. Here is a favourite gluten free cake recipe for special occasions (cause we all need to splurge every now and then), given to me by a dear friend, Liz.

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Ingredients

11 ounces (311 gm) best bittersweet chocolate

2 ounces (57 gm) best milk chocolate

3/4 cup (180 gm) unsalted butter

8 large eggs, separated

scant 1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

pinch salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 175 deg C and put the kettle on to boil

Line the inside of a 9 inch springform tin with foil, making sure you press the foil well into the sides and bottom of the pan so that it forms a smooth surface. This will prevent water getting into the cake when it is cooked in its water bath

Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave or double boiler, and let it cool. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugars until very thick and pale, as creamy as mayonnaise: the mixture should form and fall in ribbons when you lift up the whisk. Stir in the vanilla and salt then the cooled chocolate mixture. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form, then lighten the chocolate mixture with a briskly beaten in dollop of whites before gently folding the rest of them into it

Pour the cake batter into the foil-lined springform tin, which you have placed in a large roasting pan. Add hot water from the recently boiled kettle to come about 1 inch up the sides of the cake pan and carefully put the roasting pan into the oven

Cook for 50 minutes-1 hour. The inside of the cake will be damp and mousse-like, but the top should look cooked and dry. Let it cool completely on a cooling rack before releasing it from the pan. This calls for a little bit of patience, because you will need to peel the foil away gently from the sides. Just go slowly and remember that this is a very damp cake, and you won't be able to prise it away from it's foil-lined base - tough it's easy enough to tear off excess foil once you've set the cake on it's plate. Dust with sifted cocoa or icing sugar if you want, and serve with crème fraiche or whipped cream and some raspberries.

What’s your favourite gluten free recipe? Please share below, it would be great to try out some new recipes.

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By Lyn Russell, RYT-500, RCYT, B.Ed., Dip.T., ACOA Dip. (M.Nat.Th) • October 14, 2022

Why is yoga and yoga therapy for older students so beneficial and why do they require special attention? When discussing the needs of older students, we are referring to those aged over 50. You may be surprised that we class 50 and over older, however these students present with a more unique history than our younger students. Therefore it is important to provide yoga sessions or yoga therapy that is suited to their special needs. Along with the usual intake steps that apply to all students, when looking at older students we need to pay particular attention to things such as: injury history and medical conditions lifestyle factors medications aims and expectations Injury history and medical conditions Injury history and medical conditions are important details that your yoga teacher should know regardless of your age. You may not know what is relevant to your yoga practice, so it is important to inform your yoga teacher or yoga therapist of your medical history, medical conditions and injury history. This allows us to provide practices that can support certain body or organ systems Lifestyle factors Lifestyle factors are extremely important to consider when planning a yoga practice for older students. Things to pay attention to include sleep quality, energy level and nutrition Medication Medication can have a huge impact on the type of yoga practice older students should be doing. Certain medications can change your balance, coordination and pain perception. Informing your yoga teacher or yoga therapist can allow them to provide a safe practice for your individual circumstances. Key Areas For Focus in Yoga We aim to maintain a healthy range of motion: Moving the body in different directions - forwards, backwards, side bending and rotation all encourage tissue elasticity, lubrication and circulation. Improve posture: As we age we tend towards flexion, which can create flow-on effects on bone loading, breathing, digestion, energy, and mood. Building the back body and posterior shoulder strength, as well as allowing time in 'neutral' positions of the spine is important. Postures such as chest openers and shoulder stretches as well as deep breathing is very beneficial. Working and strengthening under-utilised areas such as the back and posterior shoulders, the glutes, core and upper body Improving stability and preventing falls with poses that coordinate opposite sides of the body, standing and kneeling poses, foot awareness work and moving from pose to pose are key areas to work on as we age. Down-regulating the nervous system by emphasising the parasympathetic nervous system through mindful movement, Yoga Nidra, body scans, yin and restorative poses, Savasana, breath work and meditation. Cultivating acceptance of the stage of life we find ourselves in is extremely important. This may involve a gradual withdrawal from family and worldly life, to prepare for life as we age. Concepts from yoga philosophy can be helpful here - svadhyaya (self-study), vairagya (non-attachment) and santosha (contentment) There are many tools of yoga that can support the body, mind and emotions as we age. Why not give yoga or yoga therapy a try and see what it can do for you.