The Polk County Extension Service will be offering a class on gluten free diet.

A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).

Does everyone need this diet or is it only people with specific diseases? How do I cook gluten free? What are the health benefits of being gluten free?

This class will provide you with these answers and a guide on how to follow the diet.

Melissa LeRoy will be the guest speaker. LeRoy was diagnosed with a rare disease.  Instead of accepting this, she took her love of exercise and altered her diet to overcome this health issue.

Gluten Free has helped LeRoy to lose the close to ninety pounds she had put on during her health crisis.

She also continues to educate on diet, especially nutrition and how what we eat has a direct effect on our body.  Melissa is certified in group fitness, personal training and yoga instruction through FiTour®.  She is also actively pursuing her holistic nutritional practitioner license.

Participants will be able to try delicious samples of gluten free recipes. Join us for an educational and fun class on February 18 at 2:00pm at the extension office kitchen.

For more information including class cost, and to sign up for the class, call the Polk extension office at 828-894-8218.

-article submitted 

by Jimmi Buell