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Hockey Stars Swear By The Gluten-Free Diet

October 26, 2011

Hockey Stars Swear By The Gluten-Free Diet

NHL players Karl Alzner and Jay Beagle talk losing gluten and loving Redbridge in the Washington Post.

Two new professional athletes go on the record and say that they’ve seen a positive change in their health thanks to a gluten-free diet. In an interview with Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post , NHL defenseman Karl Alzner and right wing Jay Beagle, both with the Washington Capitals, discuss the changes that they made to their diet in the offseason.

“Well, there’s a lot there. But the gluten-free thing seemed like it was worth exploring. Alzner explained that he and Jay Beagle gave up gluten together upon a suggestion from their trainer over the summer, and that he started eating gluten-free bread, and gluten-free pasta, and passing on cereal and oatmeal, and drinking gluten-free beer, and that ‘I just noticed a difference with the stomach, it settles the stomach down quite a bit.’”

Talk about teamwork!

Like many other athlete’s featured on the Athletes for Awareness Blog, both Alzner and Beagle admit that the transition to a gluten-free lifestyle was trying at times. However, the health benefits these two elite athletes have experienced motivates them to be diligent with their diet.

“Beagle thought the notion of banishing gluten seemed ‘impossible’ at first, but when he started removing items from his diet, he felt less bloated, healthier, more spry. And
he said he doesn’t miss the glutenny products.

‘I was always trying to eat pretty healthy anyways,’ he said. ‘I’ve always been a guy, I
don’t eat for pleasure, I eat for gains, to gain muscle and gain strength
and recover.’”

And when asked about his favorite beer, Karl Alzner gave Redbridge a rave review!

“‘It’s actually gluten free, and it’s got a great taste to it. I don’t have beer that often — I sound like the Dos Equis man — I don’t have beer that often, but when I do, it’s a Redbridge.’”

To read “Karl Alzner and Jay Beagle Go Gluten-Free” in full, click here.

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