I receive a lot of questions about foods containing gluten. And that’s why I’ve dedicated my past 2 health articles to the subject. You may say, “you seem a little obsessed with gluten. What’s the truth about this food?” I’ll share a little bit more today, in a different light. Let’s look at one of the questions I get posed often.
“If it was good enough in the biblical days, what’s wrong with it today?”
This is where my interest is piqued because I love the word of God and I love science and nutrition.
In the biblical days, the harvesting of wheat was an annual event. An abundant harvest was a sign of abundant blessing. Wheat and bread were also seen as acceptable sacrifices to God. Jesus even spoke about bread, saying that He was the bread of life. He taught us to pray and thank God for our daily bread. He even performed miracles and multiplied bread to feed thousands.
While all of these things are true, nowhere in the Bible does it tell us that bread was created to be a staple and sustain us and provide us health.
The big problem was discussed by cardiologist, Dr. William Davis, in his book called Wheat Belly. Like many of the foods we know today, the crossbreeding of wheat and non-wheat began many decades ago, in hopes that we would yield a higher crop. It worked!
The problem is, today’s wheat isn’t even wheat after using chemicals, high-dose gamma rays, and x-rays. Over the years, we’ve seen about a 400% increase in things like celiac disease, diabetes, obesity, and other inflammatory diseases. This hybridization decreases the amount of amino acids we receive as well as the nutrient content. He recommends that everyone completely eliminate this food for that very reason.
So, is this gluten free craze really a big deal or is it just another flawed fad?
Here’s where the science comes in.
Gluten has been found to either contribute to or cause over 200 disease states, some of them being heartburn, anemia, thyroid disease, autoimmune disease, depression, migraines, chronic fatigue, gas and bloating, dizziness, skin rashes, gallbladder malfunction, and even infertility.
My personal experience is that I had EVERY symptom above except autoimmunity and infertility- likely all related to gluten exposure and consumption.
Here are a few other pieces of information that come from the research:
Consuming excessive amounts of gluten can cause either excessive weight gain or excessive weight loss.
Children with hyperactivity and learning disabilities who are placed on a gluten-free diet typically respond very well and show improvement in symptoms.
Gluten can be found in cosmetics and body care products and can cause the same problems as if it were consumed through food.
According to gluten expert, and author of No Grain, No Pain, Dr. Peter Osborne, the hallmark symptoms of celiac disease can also be caused by corn, soy, dairy, viral, and parasite infections – which all create intestinal permeability. For more information on that topic, check out my health article on warning signs your body gives you when something isn’t right.
Eating processed foods that are labeled gluten-free is a bad idea. Even truly gluten free processed foods are often cross contaminated about 41% of the time.
About 92% of people who follow a traditional gluten-free diet still have symptoms related to consumption of these processed foods as well as corn, rice, quinoa, and other grains.
Those who have issues with gluten can have issues consuming dairy, since it is a cross-reactive food.
Check out my health article on the mistakes people make when removing inflammatory foods from their diet for additional information.
You may ask if it’s worth giving it a shot, giving up gluten. I know how difficult it can be to remove foods like this from your diet. I know the cravings, the addictions, the comfort, and feeling like you have no idea what to eat when you remove certain foods or food groups from your diet.
I will also tell you 100 times over that I didn’t realize how important my health was until I hit rock bottom and had none left. If you asked me today what I would be willing to experience the healthy life that I have today, my answer would be, ” all I have to give!” There is no food worth losing your health over, and there is no amount of money I would not be willing to spend to be where I am today. To me, food is a tool and money is a tool. You simply can’t put a price on health, no matter what you must give up.
What’s next?
It can take up to 3 years to repair the body and recover from gluten induced disease. Every time you’re exposed, it extends the healing process. The best way to test for gluten sensitivity is through DNA lab testing, or just remove it as Dr. Davis suggests.
My desire is for you to feel better than you ever remember feeling in your life so you can live your best life. You are made to live a life greater than you can probably imagine right now, and truth is, if you don’t feel like it, then you simply won’t do and be all you were created to.
If you are looking to gain access to the tools you need to investigate your health concerns further, I’d love to take the opportunity to get to know you a little better and offer feedback on a Complimentary Discovery Call.
When you’re ready, complete my online form and you’ll receive a link to schedule your call with me.
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