Yea… I said it… And I mean it too. A lot of people wonder what could be more wholesome and whole wheat bread or other products? For decades, nutritionists and public health experts have almost begged Americans to eat whole wheat and other grains. Well guess what? It’s bad advice. Most of us know that white bread is bad for us but even the whole wheat bread is bad too. In fact on the glycemic index (GI),  which compares the blood sugar effects of carbohydrates, both white bread and whole wheat bread increase blood glucose more than your sugar. Aside from some extra fiber eating two slices of whole wheat bread is a little different than eating a sugary candy bar. What can be particularly troubling is that a high wheat diet has been linked to obesity, digestive diseases, arthritis, diabetes, dementia and heart disease. For example: when researchers from the Mayo Clinic and University of Iowa put 215 patients on a wheat free diet the obese patients lost an average of nearly 30 pounds in just six months! The patients in the study  had celiac disease but I have also seen similar results in nearly everyone who is obese and gives up wheat.

New Dangers From A New Grain

frowning-breadHow can a supposedly healthy grain be so bad for you? Because the whole wheat that we eat today has little in common with the truly natural grain. Decades of selective breeding and hybridization by the food industry to increase yield and confer certain baking and aesthetic characteristics on flour have created new proteins in wheat that the human body is not designed to handle.  The gluten proteins and modern wheat is different in structure from the gluten and older forms of wheat. In fact, the structure of modern gluten in something that humans have never before experienced in their 10,000 years of consuming wheat. Modern wheat is also high in amylosepectin A, a carbohydrate that is converted to glucose faster than just about any other carbohydrate. Its found to be a potent appetite stimulant because the rapid rise and fall in blood sugar causes nearly constant feelings of hunger. guliadin in wheat,another protein, also stimulates the appetite. When people quit eating wheat and are no longer exposed to these proteins they typically consume about 400 less cal a day.

Not Just Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an intense form of wheat sensitivity that damages the small intestine and can lead to chronic diarrhea and cramping along with impaired absorption of nutrients. But wheat has been linked to dozens of other chronic diseases including lupus rheumatoid arthritis. It is also been linked to…Insulin Resistant Diabetes. It’s not a coincidence that the diabetes epidemic, with nearly 26,000,000 Americans having it, parallels the increasing consumption of modern wheat. Some 134pds a year!  The surge in blood sugar and insulin that occurs when you eat any kind of wheat eventually causes an increase in visceral (internal) fat. This fact makes the body more resistant to insulin and increases the risk for diabetes.

Weaker Bones

A wheat rich diet shifts the body chemistry to an acidic state. This condition known as acidosis, leaches calcium from the bones.  Grains, and particularly wheat, account for 38% of the average Americans “acid load”.  This problem is the reason for osteoporosis is virtually universal in older adults.

More Heart Disease.

A diet high in carbohydrates causes an increase in small LDL particles, the type of cholesterol that is most likely to lead to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Studies at University of California Berkeley, found that the concentration of these particles increases dramatically with a high wheat diet. The increase in small particle LDL combined with diabetes and visceral fat increases the risk for heart disease.

A Wheat Free Life

People who crave a wheat actually are experiencing an addiction. When the gluten in the week is digested, it releases molecules known as exorphins, morphine like compounds that can produce mild euphoria.  About one third of people who give up we will experience some withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, moodiness and insomnia. Seriously…. Want some advice…?

Quit Cold Turkey. It’s the most effective way to break the addiction to wheat. The withdrawal symptoms really last more than one week and if you’re really suffering you could possibly taper off something like this. Give up we have breakfast for a week and then had breakfast and lunch for another week and then give it up altogether. Beware of Gluten-Free Products. People who give up wheat often are tempted to satisfy the craving by buying gluten-free bread or pasta. Don’t do it. The manufactures of these use substitutes such as brown rice, rice bran, rice starch, cornstarch and tapioca starch, which also increase blood glucose in cause insulin surges. Even oatmeal can cause blood sugar to skyrocket.

Switch Grains. Small supermarkets now stop quite a few non-wheat grains, such as millet, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth. These are easy to cook and they taste good and they don’t have the gluten and other wheat proteins that trigger weight gain, inflammation and insulin resistance. More Help…. If you aren’t willing to give up wheat altogether you can substitute an order form of wheat such is spelt or kamut. (GTS, lol). These grains haven’t undergone all the genetic modifications so they’re somewhat better for you than modern week. Any form of wheat can be a problem, however you want to limit yourself to small servings say, a few ounces once or twice a week.

Also… (Here it comes…!) Get Plenty of Protein. Proteins satisfies the appetite more effectively than carbohydrates. Eat eggs for breakfast and chicken for lunch and for dinner but have fish or steak. Hell, you guys all know that. Also research has shown that people who eat a reasonable amount and saturated fat say red meat, have a reduction in small LDL particles as well as an increase in protective HDL cholesterol.

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