There might be something wrong with your inner tube, and it could be making you sick and fat.

You may not even realize you have a problem ... but if you have health concerns of any kind or you are overweight, your inner tube could be the root cause.

Of course, I'm not talking about a beach toy. I mean the inner tube of life -- your digestive system!

Energy/Snack Bars

Here is a list of energy/ snack bars to try for in between meals, to have before a workout or take along in a race. Select different bars to achieve some variety. They are easy to use and taste great.

Common Symptoms Make Celiac Diagnosis Difficult

What do peanut butter, gravy, salad dressing, yogurt, reduced-fat products, fruit pie fillings and french fries all have in common?

You may not know you have it, but celiac disease can rob the body of nutrients it needs to thrive. Do you experience bouts of diarrhea from time to time? What about abdominal cramping? Intestinal gas? Distention? How about occasional bloating? Are you constipated ocasionally? Has your doctor recently told you that you are anemic yet he or she can't seem to find a reason why your blood is lacking iron? Have you had a voracious appetite yet still managed to lose weight? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions (or even if you didn't), you may have celiac disease, an autoimmune intestinal disorder characterized by the inability to digest gluten.

Celiac Disease, Type 1 Diabetes Linked

Celiac disease and type 1 diabetes have some genetic traits in common, and they may also share some causes.

Following a gluten-free diet can be challenging at the best of times, and successfully avoiding gluten requires a bit of detective work. It may not be obvious when reading a food label that a particular food contains gluten. Below is a list of the many food ingredients and additives that may contain hidden gluten. If you are gluten intolerant, it is important to verify specific foods to ensure that they do not contain hidden gluten.

As food fads go, the low-carbohydrate phenomenon was remarkably short-lived. Today, consumers appear to have lost interest in low-carb foods and are concentrating on whole grains, thanks in part to the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid, with their emphasis on at least three daily servings of whole grains. Consumers are getting the message that it is better to be “carbohydrate selective” than “carbo-phobic.” Whole grain food sales have increased dramatically in recent years—by more than 18% from 2004 to 2005 compared with less than 1% from 2000 to 2004.

Use this list of resources: organizations, magazines, websites, and books, product lines to help guide you along a gluten-free pathway!!

The treatment for celiac disease is a strict gluten-free diet, which includes:

• Avoiding all foods with wheat, barley, rye, or oats. Oats may later be gradually reintroduced into the diet.
• Not drinking beer, even nonalcoholic versions.
• Eating meals that include rice, corn, millet, and buckwheat.

You should carefully read all food labels and ingredients lists to see if the food contains wheat, barley, or rye. Although many sources of these grains will be obvious to you, others may not. The information that follows can help you identify hidden sources of wheat, barley, and rye ingredient lists.