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3 Reasons To Avoid Wheat

9/16/2014

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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>

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Questioning for less stress

3/22/2014

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My soon to be 15 year old son shares with me a high affinity for listening to music.  He is especially attached to playing music on the way to school.  The only problem is his 13-year-old sister has a completely different view of what is considered “good” music.

In the past, a playlist was created entailing songs all four children could agree on while traveling the four mile journey to school.  Of late, however, the “tolerance” meter seems to have been broken; consequently, no music has been played en route to school.

The other morning my son asked my daughter if music could again be played along the way.  My daughter, being fully aware this meant country music by Eric Church, shrugged her shoulders while saying, “No.”  My son got angry so I asked him, “Well, is there a song you can both agree on?”

Without hesitation he responded, “No.”

I asked, “Would you be okay listening to one of her songs and then maybe she will tolerate one of yours?”

Irritated, he quickly responded, “No.” 

I asked him, “Why should she just give?”

His reasoning entailed harshly putting down the pop music his sister has a great affection for, such the pop music of One Direction.

I asked my son, “Is it okay for you NOT to like pop music?” 

“Yes!” he exclaimed before I even got the question out.

“Then is it okay for your sister NOT to like country music?”

Silence.

How often do we get stressed or even angry toward others because they don’t believe what we believe or what we want them to believe? 

I have to admit there have been times I have imprisoned myself with thoughts of trying to control another’s mind.  But we all want freedom, the freedom to believe what we want.  How different would life be if we released the stress of trying to control another’s beliefs?  How free would we be if we stayed in our own business?  By learning how to question such thoughts, I have experienced the gifts of freedom such as, joy, peace, harmony, happiness, laughter, etc.  I am certainly not saying I have this mastered, but when I truly question my thinking and with an open mind, it sure increases the odds of experiencing more freedom and joy. 

“Learn to question?” you ask.  Yes, there is a teacher of this “Questioning” and she has helped bring peace to millions of people all around the world.  Her name is Byron Katie.  Below are ways to connect with Byron Katie and learn her questioning technique she calls, “The Work”.

1.  Google “Byron Kate The Work” to find her webpage titled "thework.com"

         a.) Look for specific examples (videos) of Byron Katie doing the work with individuals.
              (I would be willing to bet there is a topic that would resonate with you.)

         b.) Check out the “resource” section on her website with a list of certified facilitators that will help you attain
               this freedom and joy.  (Many facilitate for free.)

         c.) Download and print the free Judge Your Neighbor Worksheet with the questions.

2. Check out You Tube for more videos of Byron Katie facilitating The Work with an individual.

3. Like her on Facebook and receive gems nearly every day.

4. Read Byron Katie’s life changing books such as:
             Loving What Is  
            Who Would You Be Without Your Story

Can you think of examples in your life where such thoughts brought you undue stress?  If so, I encourage you to check out Byron Katie’s work.  Leave a comment below letting me know what you think!  


Image courtesy of Jeroen van Oostrom/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Horns to Halo                               

1/29/2014

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“Are those horns emerging from my son’s head?!  Is he possessed?!  What is wrong with him?!  Oh, what am I doing wrong?!”

These are thoughts that raced through my mind as I observed anger and frustrations emerge from our son, age 10.

Desperately searching for a key to the solution I begged the question, “Who has the answer?  Our pediatrician?  A psychologist?  A counselor?  Family?  Friend?”

If someone would have told me there was a “Do It Yourself” solution to this situation, I would have looked at him or her in question with a “Huh?”

Would you believe part of the answer to this puzzle could be as simple as food?  To this day, I am still in awe at the power of food and the impact it has on moods, behavior and life.

We need food for energy, life and survival.  However, like most things in life there is an opposite.  Sometimes we eat in a way that takes more energy/life and sometimes we eat in a way that gives more energy/life.  I learned when our son ate carbohydrates alone he was on the road to a sugar crashin’, horns emergin’ type behavior.  When he ate carbohydrates in conjunction with a protein and/or a fat there was a horns to halo conversion – hallelujah!

My son’s display of anger and frustration was ultimately related to low blood sugar. 

Carbohydrates break down fast into a useable form of energy known as glucose (sugar in the blood).  When we eat carbohydrates alone it causes a quick rise in one’s glucose.  Too much sugar in our blood stream is toxic.  When we exceed our body's healthy blood sugar level it calls on the pancreas to increase insulin.  Insulin drives the glucose into the cells so that the sugar can be used, for example by our muscles and liver.  The trouble is our body often overcompensates with the insulin, causing our blood sugar to drop TOO low.  When low blood sugar hits in individuals such as my son (and also myself) LOOK OUT as the horns emerge! The viscous cycle is propelled into motion as your body will then most likely crave simple (usually unhealthy) sugars to bring the blood sugar back up fast to its “happy place”.

Solution: Keep your carbs married to a protein and/or a fat. By eating carbohydrates with a protein and/or a fat you will slow down the speed of the sugar spike. What does this look like? When you eat a banana (carbohydrate), eat it with peanut butter, walnuts, cashews, or almond butter (proteins & fats).  Below are more examples of winning combinations.

But first, tell me, have you experienced anything similar?


And if you have any such winning combinations, please share in the comment section below! : ) 


Photo courtesy of: ratch0013/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

CARBOHYDRATES                                                                            FATS AND/OR PROTEINS
Apple                                                                                                  Peanut butter / Almond butter / Coconut butter 


Banana                                                                                               Peanut butter / Almond butter / Coconut butter 


Blueberries, cherries, strawberries                                                     Walnuts / Almonds / Pumpkin Seeds 


Raspberries, peaches, melons                                                            Full fat plain yogurt       

                                                              
Pineapple                                                                                             Full fat cottage cheese

Mango / apricot                                                                                    Coconut chips

Dark Chocolate (70% or more cocoa)                                                  Nuts / Seeds / Coconut chips

Celery / carrots                                                                                     Peanut butter / Almond butter / Coconut butter

Baked potato                                                                                        REAL butter & Sour Cream

Sweet potato                                                                                         REAL butter, cinnamon, chocolate, pecans

Smoothie                                                                                               Full fat coconut milk / Whole milk

Corn Chips                                                                                             Avocado or guacamole

Crackers (+cucumber & onion= delish!)                                                 Cream cheese & Cold salmon

Toast                                                                                                      REAL butter and whole milk / Almond butter

Bread                                                                                                      Olive oil, garlic and/or rosemary




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