Strike one, strike two, strike three….. you’rrrre ouuuutttt!!!!
There are three distinct reasons why wheat may be zapping your energy/life. Modern wheat is not the same wheat your grandparents and great-grandparents ate. In the song “America the Beautiful” remember belting out, “…for amber waves of grain”? These days, you won’t find much wheat waving in the wind. Noble efforts to increase wheat’s yield and stop world hunger has shortened the beautiful waves to a still, short, stalky breed. This came about in the mid 1900s when geneticists developed ways to increase the yield of the wheat. However, the new larger seed head atop the plant soon caused the wheat stem to buckle. Buckling made harvesting a problem and killed the plants. Geneticist Norman Borlaug of The University of Minnesota solved this problem by developing a shorter and stockier stem for the top-heavy plant, allowing it to stand strong and straight despite the added weight above.
STRIKE ONE:
Our body doesn’t recognize this new genetically modified wheat as food. When our body doesn’t recognize something, it turns the immune system on to attack, clean up and remove it from the body. Heightening our immune system may even stimulate the body to begin attacking its own normal, healthy tissues. For example, some individuals may attack their own thyroid (Hashimoto’s Disease) because the thyroid gland looks similar to gliadin that is a part of gluten in wheat. Gluten is storage protein that sits atop of the wheat plant. It stores carbon and nitrogen for germination of the seed to form new wheat plants.
Modern wheat has three times the gluten compared to the wheat our ancestors consumed. This may lead to inflammation, intestinal wall irritation, leaky gut and thyroid disorders as stated above. Gluten is the culprit of the ever-growing autoimmune celiac disease. To understand what celiac disease is, think of the inside of your small intestines as shag carpet. The shags job is to absorb vital nutrients. With celiac disease the carpet gets completely shaved down, now reflecting flat berber-like carpet. Although in the “small” intestine this is no “small” matter; if one is unable to absorb nutrients its like they are not even eating. Unfortunately the effects gluten doesn’t stop with celiac disease. Immune testing on gluten has revealed it to be associated with other autoimmune diseases such as, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, asthma, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease as well as, dermatitis herpetiformis, and liver disease.
STRIKE TWO:
Modern wheat contains a super starch called Amylopectin A. Because this starch is highly digestible, it is responsible for putting wheat near the top of the glycemic index chart. This means it is converted to sugar more efficiently than nearly all other carbohydrate foods, simple or complex. A slice of whole wheat bread increases blood sugar higher than sucrose and even higher than a Snickers bar!
Glycemic Index is the measurement of blood sugar 90-120 minutes after food is ingested. Glycemic indexes of various foods are listed below:
Whole grain bread – 72 Mars bar - 68
White bread – 69 Snickers bar - 59
Shredded Wheat Cereal – 67 Kidney beans 51
Sucrose (table sugar) – 59 Grapefruit - 25
Salmon – essentially zero Walnuts – essentially zero
The normal amount of blood sugar circulating at one time in one’s blood stream is equivalent to 5 grams (approximately 1 teaspoon). Two slices of whole wheat bread raises blood sugar six times the normal amount.
Many underestimate the cascade of damaging effects caused by high blood sugar. With high blood sugar comes high insulin and in turn this affects all other hormones in the body. High blood sugar is associated with diabetes, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. William Davis, a cardiologist, noticed how his patients’ health dramatically improved by taking wheat out of their diet. He wrote a book titled, Wheat Belly that I highly recommend reading. A steady blood sugar ensues a longer and healthier life. In fact, this is one thing that all centurions have in common – normal, steady, balanced blood sugars.
STRIKE THREE:
The sneaky one – gliadin (one of the proteins in gluten) binds to certain receptors in the brain causing us to get hungry within approximately two hours after consuming wheat. Studies revealed, on average, patients consuming wheat ate 300-400 more calories per day. Many people notice when they stop eating wheat their frequent foraging for food extends to at least twice that amount of time and with ease. People are just not as hungry.
Dr. Christine Zioudrou and her colleagues at NIH found when gliadin is exposed to digestive juices it releases polypeptides that are capable of crossing the blood brain barrier. These polypeptides were dubbed “exorphins” – short for exogenous morphine like compounds. These polypeptides bind to the morphine receptors in the brain, the very same receptor opiate drugs bind to. No wonder I was addicted to bread!!! Not only does wheat make you hungrier it hits the “happy” centers of the brain causing you to crave it even more!
But wheat is everywhere!!! I have to admit, to me, the very thought of removing wheat felt daunting when it was forced upon us with the discovery of gluten intolerances within our family. I am here to tell you, if I can do it, you can do it! I mean I LOVE bread! There is life after removing wheat – there really are a lot of satisfying options now available. My family and I do not feel deprived and its a win-win-win. When we removed wheat from our diets, we felt better and were able to discover tastier, more satisfying options. The "feeling better" part makes it all worthwhile and in some ways we feel like we got our lives back.
No Wheat?! No worries!! See alternatives below:
Gluten- Free BREAD by:
· Udi’s
· Kinnikinnik Foods Brown Sandwich
· Whole Foods Market – GF - Bakehouse All-Natural Sandwich Bread
· Rotella’s – they even have gluten-free hamburger and hotdog buns
*** Recommendation: Toasting gluten-free bread makes it more palatable.
LETTUCE WRAPS:
· Available at Jimmy Johns – request your sandwich as an “unwhich”
· Available at Jason’s Deli – or request their gluten-free for your sandwich
· Make your wrap at home – add a variety of fixings to your lettuce such as turkey, ham, tuna, salmon, avocado, onion, green peppers, cucumbers, pickles, olives, etc.
Gluten-Free PIZZA by:
· Ragazzi’s
· MaMa’s
· Dominos
· Zios
· Pizza Hut
· Godfathers
· Rotella’s
Check on-line for a cauliflower pizza crust recipe – it may sound unappealing but I’ve had it and it was really good – and talk about filling!
PASTA:
You can buy:
· Gluten-free pastas are available in stores. They are usually made from corn, rice or a combination.
· Shirataki Noodles for a spaghetti noodle replacement
· Kelp Noodles for a spaghetti noodle replacement
You can make:
· Spaghetti squash
· Zucchini noodles
· Zucchini lasagna
· Eggplant lasagna
PANCAKES & WAFFLES:
Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix is tops!
BREADING:
· Available in stores
· If you have a food processor you can buy gluten-free bread and make your own.
· We often use Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix for breading.
MORE IDEAS:
If you think about it, grains are generally bland and do not provide the food with much, if any, flavor. Its the sauces and spices that make our taste buds dance. Why not steam veggies and pour a sauce such as spaghetti sauce on them?
Google “Paleo” foods and you will find many grain-free foods and recipes, thus avoiding gluten. The term “Paleo” stems from the Paleolithic era, during this time there were no grains. Grains began being cultivated approximately 10,000 years ago during the Neolithic era. The Paleo people were known as “Hunters and Gatherers.” You may have heard of “The Caveman Diet” which is referring to this time.
Having a treat every now and then may be in order. A good reference for gluten-free baking is the How Can It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook by Editors at America’s Test Kitchen.
Now available are also a lot of gluten free baking mixes, ready to eat treats, crackers, etc. Although they are less likely to turn your immune system on, I must WARN you, they WILL turn up your insulin due to the quick rise in blood sugar. The finer the substance, the faster your sugar spikes. Rice flour may not turn on your immune system but it will raise your blood sugar. For more information on blood sugar refer to my previous blog titled, “Horns to Halo”
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you want to avoid gluten in full, along with avoiding wheat, you must also steer clear of barley, rye, and malts.
That sums up three reasons why to avoid wheat along with solutions for it. Any surprises? If so, please share below. Do any of the wheat alternatives sound tempting? What will you try first?
Photo Credit: Copyright: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_bojanovic78'>bojanovic78 / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
There are three distinct reasons why wheat may be zapping your energy/life. Modern wheat is not the same wheat your grandparents and great-grandparents ate. In the song “America the Beautiful” remember belting out, “…for amber waves of grain”? These days, you won’t find much wheat waving in the wind. Noble efforts to increase wheat’s yield and stop world hunger has shortened the beautiful waves to a still, short, stalky breed. This came about in the mid 1900s when geneticists developed ways to increase the yield of the wheat. However, the new larger seed head atop the plant soon caused the wheat stem to buckle. Buckling made harvesting a problem and killed the plants. Geneticist Norman Borlaug of The University of Minnesota solved this problem by developing a shorter and stockier stem for the top-heavy plant, allowing it to stand strong and straight despite the added weight above.
STRIKE ONE:
Our body doesn’t recognize this new genetically modified wheat as food. When our body doesn’t recognize something, it turns the immune system on to attack, clean up and remove it from the body. Heightening our immune system may even stimulate the body to begin attacking its own normal, healthy tissues. For example, some individuals may attack their own thyroid (Hashimoto’s Disease) because the thyroid gland looks similar to gliadin that is a part of gluten in wheat. Gluten is storage protein that sits atop of the wheat plant. It stores carbon and nitrogen for germination of the seed to form new wheat plants.
Modern wheat has three times the gluten compared to the wheat our ancestors consumed. This may lead to inflammation, intestinal wall irritation, leaky gut and thyroid disorders as stated above. Gluten is the culprit of the ever-growing autoimmune celiac disease. To understand what celiac disease is, think of the inside of your small intestines as shag carpet. The shags job is to absorb vital nutrients. With celiac disease the carpet gets completely shaved down, now reflecting flat berber-like carpet. Although in the “small” intestine this is no “small” matter; if one is unable to absorb nutrients its like they are not even eating. Unfortunately the effects gluten doesn’t stop with celiac disease. Immune testing on gluten has revealed it to be associated with other autoimmune diseases such as, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, asthma, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease as well as, dermatitis herpetiformis, and liver disease.
STRIKE TWO:
Modern wheat contains a super starch called Amylopectin A. Because this starch is highly digestible, it is responsible for putting wheat near the top of the glycemic index chart. This means it is converted to sugar more efficiently than nearly all other carbohydrate foods, simple or complex. A slice of whole wheat bread increases blood sugar higher than sucrose and even higher than a Snickers bar!
Glycemic Index is the measurement of blood sugar 90-120 minutes after food is ingested. Glycemic indexes of various foods are listed below:
Whole grain bread – 72 Mars bar - 68
White bread – 69 Snickers bar - 59
Shredded Wheat Cereal – 67 Kidney beans 51
Sucrose (table sugar) – 59 Grapefruit - 25
Salmon – essentially zero Walnuts – essentially zero
The normal amount of blood sugar circulating at one time in one’s blood stream is equivalent to 5 grams (approximately 1 teaspoon). Two slices of whole wheat bread raises blood sugar six times the normal amount.
Many underestimate the cascade of damaging effects caused by high blood sugar. With high blood sugar comes high insulin and in turn this affects all other hormones in the body. High blood sugar is associated with diabetes, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. William Davis, a cardiologist, noticed how his patients’ health dramatically improved by taking wheat out of their diet. He wrote a book titled, Wheat Belly that I highly recommend reading. A steady blood sugar ensues a longer and healthier life. In fact, this is one thing that all centurions have in common – normal, steady, balanced blood sugars.
STRIKE THREE:
The sneaky one – gliadin (one of the proteins in gluten) binds to certain receptors in the brain causing us to get hungry within approximately two hours after consuming wheat. Studies revealed, on average, patients consuming wheat ate 300-400 more calories per day. Many people notice when they stop eating wheat their frequent foraging for food extends to at least twice that amount of time and with ease. People are just not as hungry.
Dr. Christine Zioudrou and her colleagues at NIH found when gliadin is exposed to digestive juices it releases polypeptides that are capable of crossing the blood brain barrier. These polypeptides were dubbed “exorphins” – short for exogenous morphine like compounds. These polypeptides bind to the morphine receptors in the brain, the very same receptor opiate drugs bind to. No wonder I was addicted to bread!!! Not only does wheat make you hungrier it hits the “happy” centers of the brain causing you to crave it even more!
But wheat is everywhere!!! I have to admit, to me, the very thought of removing wheat felt daunting when it was forced upon us with the discovery of gluten intolerances within our family. I am here to tell you, if I can do it, you can do it! I mean I LOVE bread! There is life after removing wheat – there really are a lot of satisfying options now available. My family and I do not feel deprived and its a win-win-win. When we removed wheat from our diets, we felt better and were able to discover tastier, more satisfying options. The "feeling better" part makes it all worthwhile and in some ways we feel like we got our lives back.
No Wheat?! No worries!! See alternatives below:
Gluten- Free BREAD by:
· Udi’s
· Kinnikinnik Foods Brown Sandwich
· Whole Foods Market – GF - Bakehouse All-Natural Sandwich Bread
· Rotella’s – they even have gluten-free hamburger and hotdog buns
*** Recommendation: Toasting gluten-free bread makes it more palatable.
LETTUCE WRAPS:
· Available at Jimmy Johns – request your sandwich as an “unwhich”
· Available at Jason’s Deli – or request their gluten-free for your sandwich
· Make your wrap at home – add a variety of fixings to your lettuce such as turkey, ham, tuna, salmon, avocado, onion, green peppers, cucumbers, pickles, olives, etc.
Gluten-Free PIZZA by:
· Ragazzi’s
· MaMa’s
· Dominos
· Zios
· Pizza Hut
· Godfathers
· Rotella’s
Check on-line for a cauliflower pizza crust recipe – it may sound unappealing but I’ve had it and it was really good – and talk about filling!
PASTA:
You can buy:
· Gluten-free pastas are available in stores. They are usually made from corn, rice or a combination.
· Shirataki Noodles for a spaghetti noodle replacement
· Kelp Noodles for a spaghetti noodle replacement
You can make:
· Spaghetti squash
· Zucchini noodles
· Zucchini lasagna
· Eggplant lasagna
PANCAKES & WAFFLES:
Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix is tops!
BREADING:
· Available in stores
· If you have a food processor you can buy gluten-free bread and make your own.
· We often use Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix for breading.
MORE IDEAS:
If you think about it, grains are generally bland and do not provide the food with much, if any, flavor. Its the sauces and spices that make our taste buds dance. Why not steam veggies and pour a sauce such as spaghetti sauce on them?
Google “Paleo” foods and you will find many grain-free foods and recipes, thus avoiding gluten. The term “Paleo” stems from the Paleolithic era, during this time there were no grains. Grains began being cultivated approximately 10,000 years ago during the Neolithic era. The Paleo people were known as “Hunters and Gatherers.” You may have heard of “The Caveman Diet” which is referring to this time.
Having a treat every now and then may be in order. A good reference for gluten-free baking is the How Can It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook by Editors at America’s Test Kitchen.
Now available are also a lot of gluten free baking mixes, ready to eat treats, crackers, etc. Although they are less likely to turn your immune system on, I must WARN you, they WILL turn up your insulin due to the quick rise in blood sugar. The finer the substance, the faster your sugar spikes. Rice flour may not turn on your immune system but it will raise your blood sugar. For more information on blood sugar refer to my previous blog titled, “Horns to Halo”
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you want to avoid gluten in full, along with avoiding wheat, you must also steer clear of barley, rye, and malts.
That sums up three reasons why to avoid wheat along with solutions for it. Any surprises? If so, please share below. Do any of the wheat alternatives sound tempting? What will you try first?
Photo Credit: Copyright: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_bojanovic78'>bojanovic78 / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
