The Deception and Danger of Grain Based Foods
June 15th, 2009
Grain based foods such as cereal, bread and pasta have become a staple of the modern diet. Despite their popularity and the common recommendation to make them the most significant part of your diet, grains are at the root of many serious health issues. Between the number of grain based foods that are highly processed and unhealthy for anyone and the number of people who don’t digest grains well, frequent consumption of these foods can easily lead to life compromising conditions, and if left unaddressed, even premature death.
Many government organizations and so called nutrition experts adamantly state that grain based foods are the foundation of a healthy diet. Unfortunately, this dogmatic perspective is misleading many people and encouraging them to harm their health and live a compromised life.
Why Grain is Such a Large Part of the Modern Diet
Wild grains are very difficult to eat and weren’t a regular part of the human diet until the recent advent of agriculture. Despite the fact that farming required more effort than hunting animals and gathering fruits and vegetables, grains provided several advantages that made the additional effort worth while. Because grains could be stored for long periods of time, they were a more reliable source of food. This allowed humans to settle into more permanent communities and establish better living quarters.
Grains are also known to be addictive and have the ability to mimic the effects of an opioid drug. As such, they provided a false sense of comfort and well being that encouraged many of the early proponents of agriculture to continue eating and farming them.
Today, grain based foods continue to provide similar advantages. They can easily and inexpensively be produced in mass quantities, they have a long shelf life, and their addictive nature continues to lure people into buying them. Based on these factors, grain based foods are a money making dream come true for large food manufacturers.
An Evolutionary Oversight
Based on the estimation that the earliest forms of agriculture began only about 10,000 years ago, we haven’t been consuming grains for very long. Compared to the millions of years of human evolution, this is a minuscule amount of time and is not nearly long enough for us to have adapted to the dramatic shift from meat to grain.1-3 In fact, some regions of the world have only been exposed to agriculture and grain based foods for a few thousand years and have had much less time to adapt. In short, many of us simply aren’t built to thrive on grain based foods.
Archeological evidence shows that the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture has had an undesirable impact on human development. Research indicates that early adapters of agriculture were smaller, more diseased, and had smaller brains and weaker bones than their hunter and gatherer predecessors. This includes a 5 to 6 inch reduction in height and an 11% reduction in brain size.
How Selective Farming and Food Processing Made Matters Worse
10,000 years later, we still think we can outsmart nature and invent our diet rather than eating the foods we evolved on and are built to thrive on. Maybe our smaller brains are preventing us from realizing the flaw in this approach! Not only have we failed to recognize this significant problem, but we’ve made it much worse with the technological advances of food processing. Most modern grain based foods are highly processed, have excessive amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates, and contain toxins from pesticides and additives. These foods are bad for all us regardless of the fact that many of us are unable to digest the grains that they’re derived from.
Farming has also contributed to the problem. Many of the issues associated with grain based foods are caused by a type of protein that they contain called gluten. This protein allows grains to store nutrients that are beneficial to their growth and survival, particularly in colder climates. As the use of agriculture spread to the north, the colder weather facilitated the evolution of grains that contain much higher amounts of gluten.
Gluten is also important to food manufacturers because of it’s beneficial baking characteristics. As such, farmers now have even more incentive to favor grains with the highest gluten content. Because of food processing and selective farming, the grain based foods that we eat today are much less nutritious, much more unhealthy, and contain much more gluten than they did previously. Based on this, the frequency and severity of health issues that are related to grain based foods shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
Why Grains Can Be a Nutritional Nightmare
Aside from the highly refined grains that are bad for all of us, whole grains can be a good source of nutrition for people who are able to properly digest them. However, many of the amino acids that gluten is made of are tightly bonded and very resistant to human digestion. While some people produce the enzymes necessary to digest gluten, many don’t. For these people, undigested gluten proteins often invoke an immune response that inflames and damages the intestinal lining.
The intestinal lining is a significant part of the immune system and prevents pathogens, antigens, toxins and undigested food from entering the blood stream. When the intestinal lining is damaged, these undesirable substances and organisms can enter the blood stream much more easily. Once they do, they invoke further immune responses throughout the body that can cause a wide range of unpleasant symptoms. In addition, undigested gluten proteins that circulate in the blood stream have also been found to directly damage organ tissue. If either of these scenarios occur on a regular basis, the chances of developing a serious disease are significantly higher.
Anything that contributes to the damage of the intestinal lining will increase it’s permeability and also the chance that undigested gluten proteins will enter the blood stream. This can be caused by chronic infections, chemical exposure, the use of antibiotics, and excessive consumption of sugar and processed foods. These stressors also force the adrenal glands to produce the cortisol required to reduce the resulting inflammation. If this happens frequently enough, it will likely lead to adrenal fatigue, and in turn, cause even more problems.
Gluten Intolerance, Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease
There’s a lot of different terminology surrounding the issues related to gluten and its digestion. Gluten intolerance is the most general and is often used to describe all types of gluten related reactions. Gluten sensitivity is slightly more specific and typically refers to the presence of gluten proteins in the blood stream and the associated immune reactions that result. Although it often goes undiagnosed, gluten sensitivity is estimated to effect between a tenth to nearly half of the population.
Celiac disease can exist with or without gluten sensitivity and is a condition in which the immune response to undigested gluten proteins damages and flattens the microvilli of the intestinal lining. This increases intestinal permeability and typically results in poor nutrient absorption. While celiac disease is far less common than gluten sensitivity, it’s more common than most people realize. It affects about 1% of the population and unfortunately takes an average of about 11 years to be diagnosed. Even worse, some people with celiac disease are never diagnosed and are left suffering with a compromised life that often leads to other diseases and premature death.
The symptoms of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease can vary dramatically from person to person, and the severity of the symptoms is not a reliable indicator of how much physical damage is being done. In fact, some people don’t experience any symptoms at all despite the fact that they’re still incurring intestinal damage. Unfortunately, cancer is often the first recognizable problem that these people experience.
The Link Between Gluten and Modern Diseases
One of the most dangerous characteristics of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease is the potential they have to cause many of the serious health issues that have become so common in today’s society. People who are unable to properly digest gluten and continue to regularly consume the grain based foods that contain it will often develop one or more of the many associated conditions and diseases. This includes cancer, autoimmune disease, neurological disease, bowel disease, osteoporosis, epilepsy, attention deficit disorder, infertility, liver disease, and many others. As such, gluten sensitivity and celiac disease should be taken just as seriously as any of the conditions and diseases that they can cause.
The followup to this article discusses gluten’s association with these diseases in more detail.
Testing for Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease
Although a number of the smaller proteins that make up gluten are believed to be problematic, gliadin is the one that’s most well known. As such, most gluten sensitivity testing is designed to identify gliadin antibodies. The presence of these antibodies indicates that undigested gluten proteins are circulating in the blood and are invoking an immune response. Unfortunately, gliadin antibody testing is likely to be ineffective for people who have already eliminated gluten from their diets.
Celiac disease is often diagnosed through a biopsy that reveals a damaged intestinal lining. Because this damage is not always uniform, a diagnosis can easily be missed if the biopsy is taken from a healthy section of the intestines. As with the antibody testing, biopsies are also less likely to result in a diagnosis after gluten has been eliminated from the diet and the intestinal lining has had a chance to heal.
A fairly new and much less invasive type of testing for celiac disease identifies the presence of transglutaminase antibodies which is an indication of recent intestinal damage. If you live in Canada, you can order a finger prick version of this test that will give an immediate result. For more information, visit Celiac Home Test.
Trying and Implementing a Gluten Free Diet
The simplest way to determine if you’re sensitive to gluten is to temporarily eliminate it from your diet. However, to notice any improvements, you must completely avoid gluten for at least two weeks. If you’re experiencing symptoms from any unrelated conditions, it will take longer and will be much more difficult to recognize any changes. As such, don’t be too quick to disregard the possibility of gluten sensitivity. To make a more accurate assessment, I recommend that you strictly eliminate gluten for at least a month or two. If you do notice an improvement, it would be in your best interest to follow a gluten free diet permanently.
Many people who are sensitive to gluten make the mistake of following an unhealthy gluten free diet. If you avoid gluten but continue to eat processed alternatives that are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates as well as chemical additives, you’ll still be likely to experience symptoms of poor health. Although you’ll be avoiding the problems associated with gluten sensitivity, you’ll be trading one problem for another and will continue to have a high risk of disease.
The healthiest and most simple way to follow a gluten free diet is to eat only natural whole foods such as meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables. These are the most nutritious foods you can eat, and because they don’t contain any gluten, they automatically eliminate the guesswork associated with a gluten free diet. Because gluten has been found to cause intestinal damage and symptoms of reactivity in even the smallest amounts, it’s important to avoid any trace of it. As such, you need to protect your food from exposure to gluten and even to cookware and utensils that were used with foods containing gluten.
Despite experiencing improvements from a gluten free diet, many people are reluctant to stay gluten free without the confirmation of positive test results. As unfortunate as this is, it’s understandable considering the addictive nature of grain based foods and how common they are in the modern diet. If this applies to you, keep in mind that trying a gluten free diet will affect the reliability of most testing methods.
Be Cautious of Dairy and Other Foods as Well
As with grains, dairy is one of the most common foods in the modern diet and was also an insignificant part of our evolution. It contains a type of protein called casein that can cause many of the same problems as gluten, especially if it’s A1 beta casein. Many people who are sensitive to gluten are also sensitive to dairy and have to eliminate both from their diet. Grains and dairy are the two most common food sensitivities and those who aren’t sensitive to both are likely to be sensitive to one or the other.
In addition to grain and dairy, sensitivities to traditional foods such as meats, fish, fruits, or vegetables are possible as well. This is especially the case for people who have incurred intestinal damage through celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Being tested for food sensitivities and avoiding reactive foods will give the intestinal lining a chance to heal which should result in an overall improvement in health and well being.
Additional Information
For more detailed information about celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or their role in the development of other diseases, I highly recommend that you read Dangerous Grains by James Braly MD and Ron Hoggan MD. This book also describes the risk factors of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, explains the various testing options that are available, and describes how to follow a gluten free diet. In addition, it discusses the nutrient deficiencies that are often caused by celiac disease and gluten sensitivity as well as the supplements that can be used to correct them.
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Vin,
Thanks for bringing this all-important topic to your readers. I can personally attest to the insidious nature of grains. I had decided to be a vegetarian for spiritual reasons, more than health reasons. But having been a vegetarian for awhile, I ended up consuming ALOT more grains that was normal for me. Grains and those refined carbohydrates are definitely a BIG part of the veggie lifestyle. Initially, I felt better (for the first few months). I suspect it was more to do with the “high” that all those carbs was giving me! But then, some health challenges started to creep in. Gaining more weight; having alot of fatigue and lethargy; and I felt my brain wasn’t as sharp as it needed to be. So back to meat I went and I cut the carbs OUT. WOW. What a difference within a few days; lost 5 pounds, brain felt clear and sharp and the abdominal bloating went away. Now, having my own experience, I’m educating my patients much more diligently about getting off ALL grain. It’s definitely a challenge for most people, but I’m more convinced than ever that Celiac Disease is a very common problem in our society; but the conventional medical community just isn’t educated about it sufficiently, and I think it’s missed in diagnosis ALOT of the time. But I sure see the common symptoms in my office all the time; abdominal bloating; constipation/diarrhea problems; fatigue; lethargy; blood tests that can clearly show some imbalances; depression that has no known cause, and the list could go on and on!
Thanks again, Vin. I look forward to your next article about Gluten!
Melissa Wood, ND
I am especially troubled by the fact that most of the vegetarians I know eat much fewer vegetables than they should be (especially since they are supposedly “vegetarian”), but tend to load up on processed grains and don’t really stick to whole, traditional foods. I like how you have emphasized the fact that modernization of farming and processing has made grains more prevalent (and are they ever, 24/7) and more commonly consumed, thus firmly establishing the connection between grain allergies, reactions, and disorders such as celiac disease. It’s almost universally true that when people with these conditions soak, sprout, and ferment their grains their medical issues disappear, and it’s really critical that more education is put out to help people understand this. Of course, if you have to take the time to prepare, soak, and sprout your grains, you will naturally eat less and lower your grain consumption, but the grains you DO end up eating are healthy, nutritious, and wholesome (unlike 99% of what’s available for consumers to purchase in the stores). Great article Vin!
Thanks for the great comments!
Melissa – Thanks for sharing your experience! I tend to experience similar symptoms, particularly bloating, fatigue and depression, from eating grain based foods. It’s great to hear that you’ve noticed improvements with your diet changes and that you’re spreading awareness to your patients!
Raine – That’s a great point! Just as some people follow an unhealthy gluten free diet, vegetarians sometimes do the same by favoring processed and grain based foods over fruits and vegetables.
As you mentioned, properly preparing whole grains is another important point that applies to nuts and seeds as well. Soaking grains, nuts and seeds will deactivate the substances they contain that can interfere with digestion and absorption and worsen the malnutrition issues that gluten can cause.
what about whole wheat????? pastas and the like?
Hi Rebecca,
It doesn’t matter if wheat is whole or more refined. Either way, it will still contain gluten. In fact, whole wheat may even contain more gluten because more of the original grain is retained in the final product.
Hi Melissa, Raine, and Vin,
I appreciate all of your comments as they draw more attention to Dangerous Grains. Thank you.
re Melissa’s comments:
Many people who display symptoms of celiac disease get a negative test result. The reason is that the test for celiac disease requires villous atrophy or antibody levels that usually occur in the context of villous atrophy. However, at least ten times the number of individuals with celiac disease have gluten sensitivity and their symptoms will respond equally to a gluten free diet.
re: Raine’s comments:
The immune stimulating proteins that cause the health problems associated with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are not changed by any process, whether soaking or cooking. Sprouting may reduce the presence of these proteins, as they fuel the sprouting process, but these proteins are far from eliminated. Grain avoidance is, by far, the healthier approach.
re Vin’s comments:
Thank you for bringing attention to Dangerous Grains. Thanks also for your extensive and accurate reflection of its contents. The increases in gluten content as grains grow further from the equator simply reflect that only those grains with greater gluten content would have time to mature before the end of the growing season. Thus, the selection process was probably not intentional until late in the 20 th Century.
Again, thank you for bringing attention to Dangerous Grains.
Best Wishes,
Ron Hoggan, Ed. D.
I have ordered test kits for friends in the US, so if you have a friend in Canada, you might choose to have them order the Home Test for you, then forward it to you.
Best Wishes,
Ron
Hi Dr. Hoggan,
Thank you for your added insight and also for creating such an excellent resource that I’m sure has been life changing for many people!
Whilst I don’t agree with the ‘evolutionary’ evidence you provide, I definitely concur that grains are having a negative effect on the health of people, particularly in the Western world. In a generation where nearly everyone works 8 or more hours a day sitting in front of a computer screen, there is no nutritional reason for us to be consuming grains.
Surely everyone is aware of the sluggish effect eating a sandwich for lunch will cause? Well maybe not! But I know avoiding grains has given me a lot more energy in my afternoons.
Hi Elliot, thanks for sharing your opinion!
I recognize and appreciate the fact that not everyone believes in evolution. Regardless of our origin, it still makes sense that we should be cautious about eating foods that were unlikely to have been part of our diet for much of our history. As such, I think the argument of grains being a late addition to our diet is still a valid one either way.
The effects of eating grains that you’re referring to are usually a result of their high carbohydrate content more so than gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, especially with processed foods such as bread and pasta that contain a significant amount of highly refined wheat flour. The sluggishness is usually a result of low blood sugar.
Vin I absolutely loved this article. Some grains have some value but we could do without them and some of them cause such great harm. I’ve had a known serious allergy to wheat dust that triggers severe asthma so I assume I’m likely to be sensitive to gluten. I’ve never been tested for food allergies but since the refined grain dominated diet I was on was so unhealthy for other reasons, I don’t even care. I’ve been gluten free for several months and I’m loving it.
Vin, awesome article! Could you clear something up for me? Does Quinoa contain gluten? Some say it does, and some say it doesn’t. Supposedly it has the highest content of protein of all the grains, hence I’ve adopted it into my ‘gluten-free’ diet. I’ve also been cheating quite a lot, and it was a real eye opener to read your concerns about even trace amounts causing issues.
Maybe in the future you could write something about corn, rice, millet, and kasha, which I was told are all ‘safe’ for my gluten-free diet.
Thanks
Hi Jon,
I’m sure that Vin will have lots to say about your questions but in the interim I’d like to respond briefly to your comments:
1. While quinoa is totally free of gluten, and it does have a high protein content for a grain, it still falls far short of many richer sources of protein, especially meat and other animal products.
2. Corn, rice, and millet are grains. As such they are not the best of foods for humans.
3. kasha, if made from buckwheat groats, should be gluten-free (although there is risk of cross-contamination. On the other hand, many types of kasha made in eastern Europe specifically use gluten grains and should therefore be avoided on a gluten-free diet.
Best Wishes,
Ron
Stephen – Thanks for the feedback and for sharing your experience!
Allergies and sensitivities are two different types of immune reactions. If you’re allergic to wheat dust, you’re right that it’s a good idea to avoid eating it, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re sensitive to gluten. However, since you’ve already eliminated gluten from your diet, testing for gluten sensitivity may not be reliable. As I mentioned in the article, most people want confirmation from a test result before they put themselves through the inconvenience of a gluten free diet. Since you don’t seem to be interested in eating grain based foods anyway, this shouldn’t be much of an issue. I have the same regard for grains as well, particularly because I believe that they weren’t a significant part of our evolution. As such, I’m content following a grain free diet without the confirmation of a test result.
Jon – I’m glad you enjoyed the article!
Quinoa, as with buckwheat and amaranth, are technically not grains and are widely agreed upon to be gluten free. As Ron mentioned, I believe the confusion is based on the potential for cross contamination from other gluten containing grains, particularly with quinoa and buckwheat. I think the key is to thoroughly assess the sources from which you buy these foods and to pay close attention to any reactions that might result from eating them.
Whether you’re sensitive to gluten or not, I think the most nutritious and healthy diet that you can follow is one that’s based on meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. While grains can certainly be a good source of certain nutrients, I don’t think they should be relied on as a primary source of protein or carbohydrate. For more information, you can read the article I wrote about unhealthy gluten free diets. It will be especially applicable if most of the grain based foods you’re eating are processed.
Ron – Thanks again for sharing your valuable insight!
Vin,
Sensitivity to grains is a growing problem for so many people.
Your detailed review is the type of information we need to become more aware about the foods we eat.
Our foods are no longer what they used to be and it’s scary to think how our health is affected.
Thanks so much for bringing this type of quality review to the attention of your readers!
What a great, succinct primer stating the case for grain-free! I went gluten-free while ago, but going grain free was what really turned a corner for my health.
I am going to pass this article along to those who may wonder “why no grain?”.
Thanks for your great blog.
This is a great article and I’m so glad to see more publicity about gluten intolerance. I was horrified to learn 4 months ago at the age of 59 that I am gluten intolerant and probably have been all my life. I certainly have a plethora of medical conditions, some since childhood that now leave me with no doubt they were all caused by this gluten intolerance. I am also angry that having been under the ‘care’ of various health professionals all my life, that nobody picked this up. When is the medical establishment going to wake-up, start diagnosing this problem and saving people from lives of unneccesary misery? I discovered that I am gluten intolerant myself as it happens. IMHO every disease under the sun is caused by gluten and I despair over the fact that so few people with various conditions don’t know why and that diet is very definitely the cause of ill health. Although I have been totally gluten free for 4 months now, my lingering worry is: What happens to all the gluten still circulating in my body that I wasn’t able to digest?
Thank you for your comments!
Organic and Thrifty – Thanks for sharing your experience! I think a lot of people make the mistake of continuing to eat a lot of grains despite being on a gluten free diet. I think it’s better to be conservative and minimize the consumption of all grains at least until it can be determined whether or not they cause any issues.
Rose – Congratulations on taking responsibility for your health and making progress! I know from personal experience how frustrating it could be to feel as if the past has been taken away. However, it’s much better to focus on all the healthier years that lie ahead.
Unfortunately, there’s been a lot of dogma in mainstream science and medicine for many years and it will probably stay that way for many more. Gluten sensitivity isn’t the only widespread condition that’s often ignored by conventional medicine and even celiac disease, which is generally accepted as a legitimate condition, is not considered often enough. However, I do believe that the situation is getting better and I’m hopeful that as long as we continue to educate ourselves and demand sensible treatment from the medical community, we will continue to see progress.
That’s an excellent question about the circulating gluten. I’m not exactly sure of the answer and will have to look into it more. As with any other foreign substance in the blood stream, I figure that it’s eliminated by the immune system and/or the detoxification system. Perhaps it can accumulate in tissue, but based on the significant improvement that most people experience within a few weeks of eliminating gluten, I would think that such a build up wouldn’t be as much of a problem as it is with heavy metals and other toxins.
FOR YEARS I suffered from severe, red and painful “acne” cysts. Tried every antibiotic, natural home remedies, balancing hormones… nothing helped. May 2009 it got WORSE. at least 3 new cysts on my face EVERY DAY. I prayed and asked God to show me what I could be doing…I knew this was not normal. Dermatologist told me… “this happens to women at 50″. The Lord led me to studying food allergies. Wheat (bread, cake, pie, cookies, crackers…was the LAST thing I ever wanted to give up) But HE told me one day eating at a restaurant, roll in hand…”it’s in the bread”. The next day (Friday) I ate NO wheat products. Saturday morn I woke and for the first time in 6 months, I had NO NEW CYSTS. Tried it again that day… NO new cysts the following day. For 4 days, no cysts and the old ones started drying up. I goofed and ate something thickened with flour…the next day, 2 cysts. It was the wheat. Been off it ever since (3 weeks now) and PRAISE GOD my cysts are gone and the scars are leaving slowly. It is hard at times, but I am committed to stay off all gluten products. Celiac ??? don’t know. I don’t want to get back on it for the test … I just know what the Lord showed me and I intend to heed His word.
Hi Greta, thanks for sharing your experience! It’s great to hear that you’ve made such a dramatic improvement.
I too wonder if I have celiac, but knowing how negatively gluten affects me, I don’t really care and certainly don’t need any further convincing to avoid it. I share your feeling that it’s not worth it to start eating gluten again just to be tested. Besides, it would still be possible for the test result to be inaccurate.
I found this article very interesting. I am 60 and have been self diagnosed as wheat intolerant for over 2 years. This followed repeated bouts of diarrhoea, bloating and pain and removal of wheat from my diet felt almost miraculous. I have been using spelt, but feel recently that this does not suit me either. Apart from oats, I am eating little grain and prefer to be close to gluten free most of the time. My daughter in the last year has had problems with IBS and post viral fatigue, diagnosed by her doctors through negative tests and therefore exclusion of other causes. Two months ago the results from her stomach biopsy showed that she is likely to be celiac. Her biopsy showed intra-epithelial lymphocytes, but her blood test fro antibodies had been negative. She seems to be slowly getting better but still having bouts of IBS that are debilitating. She would prefer for it to be a mistake and that it is not the correct diagnosis. How reliable are the lymphocytes in this situation as an indicator for celiac? Am I likely to also be celiac? Would a test show up if I am eating little gluten? As Vin says, eating gluten to see if a test is postive seems counter productive. Is there no other way? Should I encourage my son to be tested?
Hi Di,
Lymphocytes are a very good early indicator of celiac disease. If she
responds to the GF diet, there is little room to question her diagnosis.
Given your daughter’s celiac disease and your own sensitivity to gluten,
it is very probable that you have it too. It is doubtful that you would
test positive, as the test quickly becomes negative for celiacs who are
GF. In fact, these blood tests are sometimes used to check on just how
well people are following the diet.
You absolutely should encourage your son to be tested. Your daughter’s
gastro should have invited all first degree relatives for a biopsy.
Larazotide will soon be available in the US, and will provide the option
of occasionally indulging in some gluten.
best wishes,
Ron
Hi Di,
It’s great to hear that eliminating wheat from your diet has helped you so much. Hopefully it will be a source of inspiration for your daughter.
I think Ron did a great job of answering your questions. (Thanks, Ron!)
Hi All,
Thank you all for your stories. I have read Dangerous Grains and found it very comprehensive. A good source for anyone wanting to learn about gluten and it’s many health effects. I have since purchased several copies of the book and frequently loan them to others. The comments are also interesting and informative and wanted to share my experiences for those reading this page. It may help others realize why they might want to read the book.
I am sharing what I did below, I’m not a dr – just been reading for 3 years and through my experiences, believe the following. I also went to every range of dr for many years. My pain took me to the last rheumatoid dr who diagnosed me with AKS. The nurse said I was positive for AKS and to ‘research it and be prepared to talk about it at my followup appt in 3 weeks.’ That was good advice! That’s where I found the link between arthritis and gluten. Google stuff like ‘testimonials of people who cured pain by not eating gluten’ and see what you come up with. The testimonials are what saved me!! I google everyting now: gluten & vertigo, gluten & asthma, gluten & cancer, etc., etc., etc. I have no doubt.
I have gluten intolerance – self diagnosed. I will list a long list of symptoms I have had my entire life that are all now gone. I truly believe that no one should eat gluten. I also believe that we should just stay away from all grains, which, although GF, I have not done 100% but have started. I believe the meat and fish (organic and in moderation) and fruits and vegetables (all organic) and pure/filtered water are the key to good health. Watch the movie Food Matters – it is an incredible documentary. Investigate flushes too: colon, gallbladder, kidney and liver. That may get the residual toxins out. Also take a daily probiotic – keeps candida away which contributes to many health issues.
Some of the symptoms I have had and cured:
-epilepsy
-ankrolosying spondilitis arthritis (cured – no more pain) (and I was in a lot of pain)
-anemia (unexplained)
-shortness of breath
-vertigo
-loss of strength in hands
-loss use of left shoulder
-weight gain – gained 50 lbs (have now lost 30 of it)
-depression
-chronic fatigue
-narcolepsy (I’d fall asleep driving my 60 min commute to work frequently. Would not be able to keep my eyes open and would have to pull over for a 20 or 30 minute power nap in order to continue driving)
-dry eye, mouth, nose, skin (see sjogrens syndrome) this too was cured – even though drs say there’s no cure, peripheral neuropathy. Important note here: I was ‘gluten free’ for about 9 months. no pain, tons of energy, great mood. Because my family didn’t believe me and are also in pain most of the time, especially of the back, I wanted to have a positive test result to give them a reason to consider going gluten free. My gastro dr said I had to re-eat wheat/gluten for 2 months in order to get a positive test result. I did, big mistake. I got sick of course. I was tested by stool, genetic testing, biopsy and multiple blood tests and they are came back negative. I stopped eating gluten again anyway and every symptom went away except those associated with sjogrens this time. I am now still struggling with those symptoms, but have discovered that salt was my culprit here. If you research ‘healthy mucous membranes’ which is what sjogrens is related to, you will find that salt, among other things, damages mucous membranes. Sjogrens is also associated with celiac and gluten.
-My eyelids also swell when I eat salt – so have eliminated it from my diet.
I have never done the allergy tests- probably should. I am currently keeping a good journal including my reactions to food.
I have done the colon flush, and have done a lot of reading on the other flushes but have not tried them yet. I intend to though. I am taking lots of supplements and eating well and feel so good now. I use the ‘magic bullett’ and make my own veggie and fruit smoothies. I’m hoping the flushes and the elimination of the other grains, corn and soy will get rid of the residual sjogrens syndrome type problems.
My family had a history of these health symptoms. If they had only known: Mom died of stroke at 55 and had depilitating arthritis. Dad died of cancer at 62. My 67 year old sister has same symptoms as I and is now following a gluten free diet. Her dr said she has some type of an autoimmune disorder and may have lime disease. I think it’s all gluten. Her ‘lime disease’ has not gotten any worse in over 8 years, but improves when she remains gluten free, which she has only recently been serious about.
Our other sister had petit mal epilepsy and was killed by a drunk driver while pulling out of her driveway. Sorry for all the extra information, hope it helps someone or gives you more information to think about.
I started with epilepsy and anemia at age 6. I will turn 50 this week. I was diagnosed with AKS 3 years ago. When I went to the dr for my 3 week followup appt for the AKS, I was bending over, tieing my shoelaces on her exam table. When I told her I stopped eating gluten, she said, good – don’t eat it anymore.
Note that during all my years of drs, not one (1) asked me what I ate, or mentioned gluten or celiac. It was all through the internet I found out. I have (6) 3″ ring binders full of research. I’m totally shocked and appauled at the lack of dr’s concerns over this problem. Watch “Food Matters”. You can find it on the internet. I first saw it at a showing at the Weinberg in Frederick Md and ordered it for myself. You can view it on-line for $5 for 3 days, or order the CD. Everyone should see this movie.
I’ve written way too much. I wish you all as much success as I have had and will continue to be diligent about my own health. It is empowering. If I had known this earlier in my life, I would have raised my children differently and they would be healthier today. – L
Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing your experience and congratulations on making such great progress!
I too have relieved quite a few chronic symptoms by eliminating gluten and I think it played a significant role in my recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome. Fortunately, it seems that more doctors are becoming aware of the issues associated with gluten and I think this is largely because of increasing public awareness.
I agree that most people would be better off avoiding grains in general, especially those containing gluten, but it’s also important to realize that we’re all different and some people can thrive on them, especially when properly prepared. This is evident from Dr. Weston A. Price’s work.
I also agree that Food Matters is a great movie that everyone should see, as is Food, Inc.
I think your dedication to finding answers is what stands out most from your story and I hope others recognize this too and learn from it.
P.S. Happy Birthday!
After having blood work done with an alternative leaning MD (I was having perimenopausal symptoms of irregular bleeding, weight gain and hot flashes) – I was told to eliminate gluten and dairy from my diet. I’ve done so for around a month and indeed all symptoms of intestinal bloating, hot flashes have disappeared. While I haven’t noticed big weight loss – definitely feel less thick in the middle. Also my period was regular.
Anyhow – not they are suggesting that I up the restriction to clear out yeast – taking diflucan and eliminating even rice noodles anything with a flour consistency, vinegar and most fruit.
I asked my homeopath for her advice and she replied as follows:
I, too, am skeptical about too much restriction. In fact if someone needs to eliminate alot (and I consider gluten and sugar alot btw) then they need a better/deeper remedy as they should be able to process pretty much everything in moderation. That said, if you are feeling fine, I would not advise further restrictions and the Diflucan. I have observed that often when people get very restrictive they feel better (or if feeling fine, even better) but then if they cheat even a little they feel MUCH worse as they have narrowed the scope of what their system can deal with.
Thoughts?
Hi Fran, congratulations on your improvements!
Because there are a variety of factors that influence adverse reactions to foods, the reasons for extreme sensitivity can vary. I’ll use yeast overgrowth as an example since that seems to be your focus.
Over time, yeast overgrowth can damage the intestinal lining to the point of allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and other substances to enter the bloodstream more easily. Since these substances don’t belong in the blood, they can cause adverse reactions. The longer someone is in such a state, the more likely it is that they’ll have a weakened immune system and compromised function in general. As a result, they’ll probably be more sensitive than normal to the foods that trigger the adverse reactions, and in turn, have little tolerance for them even in moderation. Strict avoidance of such foods gives the body an opportunity to recover, and once it does, tolerance to some of these foods will likely increase. For example, aside from people with a condition like celiac disease, once the intestinal lining has regained its health, gluten won’t enter the bloodstream as easily and may be tolerated better.
Sugar is a completely different story and is an example of how sensitivity to unfavorable food reactions can result from a variety of factors. Because of sugar’s ability to cause blood sugar fluctuation and influence hormone and neurotransmitter levels, it can cause a variety of symptoms. One of the most obvious is the boost of energy and subsequent fatigue and drowsiness followed by consuming a snack or beverage that contains a lot of sugar. Some people are simply more sensitive to such effects than others regardless of how healthy they are. In this case, it’s usually more a matter of nutritional individuality than anything else, although conditions such as insulin resistance or diabetes can obviously have a significant influence.
With the exception of completely avoiding an entire type of food such as how a vegetarian avoids meat, I disagree with the idea of a “narrowed scope.” Some adverse food reactions are caused by low grade immune reactions that aren’t the same thing as a true allergy. Completely avoiding a such a food for about 6 months can sometimes eliminate the reaction when the food is reintroduced in moderation. However, if the food is reintroduced after a period of complete avoidance that is too brief, sometimes it can result in a stronger immune response, and in turn, cause symptoms that one would describe as being much worse.
In regard to fighting yeast overgrowth, the primary factor is the immune system. It’s true that carbohydrates, especially from simple and refined sources including rice noodles, feed yeast and encourage them to proliferate. However, as long as the immune system isn’t strong enough to maintain order, the yeast will likely still be able to thrive despite strictly avoiding such foods. I recommend reading Gut and Psychology Syndrome for a more in depth explanation of this. Although it’s better for your health in general to avoid processed and refined carbohydrates anyway, I agree that you might want to reconsider using Diflucan except as a last resort. Even then, Nystatin is a probably a safer option since Dlflucan can be damaging to the liver.
Bold Claims. Anyone have verifiable sources on this article?
Hi Sean,
I suggest you read the book (Dangerous Grains). It’s well referenced.
The way I see it, at most one in seven people are gluten intolerant, which simply means that over 10000 years, most of us HAVE evolved to tolerate gluten just fine, and the people who are gluten intolerant today are a bit behind with their evolution. Otherwise shouldn’t EVERYONE show symptoms when eating gluten?
Not only that, but the number of people who are gluten intolerant has risen in the last few years. Now why would the number of gluten intolerant people decrease over several millenia, and then increase again only over the last few years? Since this is an autoimmune disorder, this makes sense in the context of other autoimmune disorders that have been on the rise recently. In the sterilized environment we live in, our bodies become disoriented and believe that harmless things such as wheat, peanuts, cats, maple trees, pollen, etc. actually pose a threat.
So please allow those of us (the majority of people, really) who derive nutrition and pleasure from gluten products to continue to do so, rather than suggesting that just because gluten is bad for you, it is also bad for everyone else.
If you disagree with what I said, please point me to one scientific study that indicates that any negative effects of gluten outweigh positive effects, for people who are not gluten intolerant or allergic to wheat.
Hi cabridelle,
In evolutionary terms, 10,000 years is not long at all and it’s very unlikely for much genetic change to have occurred in this length of time (see references 1-3 at the bottom of the page). Based on this, if 1 in 7 are sensitive to gluten, then 6 in 7 can merely tolerate it. Just because some people can tolerate grain based foods doesn’t mean it’s an evolutionary adaptation. More importantly, simply being able to tolerate them certainly doesn’t qualify them as a good choice for supporting optimal health. Either way, 1 in 7 is a lot and indicates that there are probably many people suffering from the consequences of gluten sensitivity without knowing that the grain based foods they’re eating on a regular basis are a problem.
There hasn’t necessarily been an increase in the incidence of gluten sensitivity. I think it’s more of an increase in the awareness of it. Besides, modern society continues to embrace unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits that impair the health of the intestinal lining, and in turn, impair digestion and increase intestinal permeability. This increases the chance of incompletely digested food particles inappropriately getting into circulation and provoking immune reactions. This applies to any food, not just gluten, and it’s one of many possible reasons why autoimmune disorders are on the rise.
Aside from celiac disease, gluten sensitivities can be difficult to diagnose. This is pretty much the case for any food sensitivities that aren’t type I allergies. Because sensitivity to gluten is common, and given the damage that gluten is capable of provoking, some people avoid gluten or even all grains even if they don’t notice any adverse reactions. Just because they don’t notice them doesn’t mean they’re not occurring. It’s a personal choice, and it’s one that I think is pretty smart. However, I’m certainly not trying to prevent you or anyone else from enjoying grain based foods. I’m just trying to help people be more informed about what they’re eating.
I’m not aware of any research showing gluten to be harmful to those who aren’t sensitive to it. However, as I previously mentioned, the problem is that identifying the sensitivity isn’t always easy. Regardless of this, foods derived from grains are generally highly processed and high in refined carbohydrates. They are indeed bad for everyone. I wrote an article about the risks associated with sugar and refined carbohydrates that references over 100 research papers. I suggest you read this article as well as the referenced research and come to your own conclusion. I suggest reading Dangerous Grains as well.
Cabridelle,
It isn’t that more people are becoming sensitive, it’s that more people are becoming AWARE that their health issues are caused by gluten. I’d be willing to bet you have one or more issues that you are so used to that you are not even aware of them on a conscious level anymore that would be relieved if you gave up wheat.
I definitely recommend the GAPS Diet book (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) – it changed our life! My daughter had/has severe eczema all over her body. Removing grains and adding essential fatty acids in the form of bone broths had helped her so much. She’s at least 70% better and still recovering…but it has changed our lives.
Plus, we are avoiding bromide – a serious pesticide that is used in grocery store flours.