by Melissa Diane Smith, author of Going Against the Grain

Is wheat really bad for us, and why does it cause so many different health problems? I first answered those questions in Going Against the Grain in 2002 and have written about those topics many times since then. But soon you can learn by watching the film documentary, What’s With Wheat? Mark your calendar and watch it for free by registering for the free 7-day global online screening available between June 24-30^th.

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The Chalkboard Mag just named my Going Against the Grain book to its list of its 12 favorite holistic nutrition books to include in your wellness library of reliable resources. “These are your classics, your forever reference bibles and tried-and-tested holistic essentials,” the magazine writes.

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Four simple strategies to help lessen and protect against food reactions.

Ask the Nutritionist

by Melissa Diane Smith

Q: My allergic daughter keeps having reactions to foods labeled “allergen-free” – and she’s developing new food allergies to foods she never was sensitive to before! It’s scary, and it’s frustrating to know what to feed her. Is there anything I can do with her diet to protect her from reactions to foods and prevent her from developing new allergies to even more foods?

– Monica S., Atlanta, GA
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Ready for instant access to some quick tips and healthy gluten-free food ideas to help you during the holidays and month to month throughout the coming year? You can now get the e-book version of my book Gluten Free Throughout the Year: A Two-Year, Month-to-Month Guide for Health Eating for the super-low price of $4.99 here. I brought the price way down as a holiday gift for clients and readers of my books!

My favorite recipes for the holidays in the book are Butternut Squash with Fresh Sage, Chestnut Stuffing (I’d suggest doubling the recipe, though), Pecan-Pear Autumn Sundaes, Savory Quinoa Hash, and Savory Stuffing. There are also tips for every season of the year, partying gluten-free style, cold and flu prevention and relief, and heartier breakfasts to start your day to prevent blood sugar highs and lows.

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On Sunday, November 2, 2014, from Noon to 3 p.m., I will be doing book signings of Going Against GMOs, Going Against the Grain, and Gluten Free Throughout the Year at my booth at the outdoor Gluten-Free Awareness Expo at Lifegain Park on the Tucson Medical Center grounds. This event will be a great opportunity to get my three gluten-free books at special discounted prices and to talk to me in person and ask me any questions about gluten, gluten sensitivity/celiac disease, or genetically modified foods that you’d like. All three of these books are written for people who eat a gluten-free diet. (That includes my new book Going Against GMOs, which names non-GMO, gluten-free and grain-free products to look for when shopping and includes more than 45 easy-to-make, non-GMO, and gluten-free recipes!)

At this free event, you also will receive a goody bag filled with gluten-free resources, snacks, coupons, and more. Plus, there will be other booths giving away samples of food and presenting gluten-free resources, activities for kids, raffle prizes, live music, cooking demos, and gluten-free games.

View a flyer about the event here and learn additional information here. Make sure to mark the date on your calendar, and hope to see you there!

Copyright 2014 Melissa Diane Smith

by Melissa Diane Smith

This article is based on a presentation I gave to the Southern Arizona Celiac Support group entitled “It’s Gluten Free, but Is It Healthy?” in January.

The gluten-free diet is one of the most talked-about and followed diets these days for good reason: It’s the nutritional answer for the growing number of people who realize they are gluten sensitive. It’s the best example we have of food as our best medicine. The vast majority of people who are gluten sensitive have experienced the amazing feeling of having longstanding bothersome or even debilitating symptoms dramatically improve or completely go away when they eliminate gluten from their diet.

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by Melissa Diane Smith

Good news for those of us who eat against the grain of the Standard American Diet: Trends we saw last year – locally sourced meat and seafood, locally grown produce, sustainable foods, healthful kids’ meals, and gluten-free cuisine – continue to be on the top ten list of restaurant trends for 2012. According to the National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot in 2012” survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs, the top ten menu trends this year include:

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