Gluten
What’s all the gluten talk about anyway?
I would always hear about people speaking of gluten intolerance but never thought it had anything to do with me. I felt like I followed a pretty strict organic lifestyle, exercised and did everything I could, to be healthy. I was completely shocked when I realized that staying away from gluten is not just for people who have sensitivity to it, but that everyone should stay away from it. Gluten is a silent killer affecting each person differently. I had no idea that this ingredient that is in millions of products sold on our shelves today, is not only causing gut inflammation, which causes a host of diseases, but it also toxic to your brain. Who would have thought, right? I mean the media, different organizations and doctors are all encouraging you to have your “recommended daily allowance” of grains. They go so far to even make it easier for you to know which products to buy that have this ingredient in it. It seems so nice of them to “go out of their way” so you can eat healthier, right? They have nothing to gain from you eating more grains, except for the fact the whole wheat products cost a tremendous amount more than white flour which allows them to pad their pockets more now than ever. But hey, they are ultimately doing this for your health, so they say. Well I am here to explain that what appears to be healthy on the outside, can be detrimental to your health, hence why we are seeing an increase in so many health problems. Let’s take a look at how eating a piece of whole grain bread that seems rich in nutrients is so dangerous, as well as what you can eat that is a healthier option, while feeling better in the process.
Diseases in the Gut due to Gluten
What is Gluten anyway? Gluten, is a glue like substance that binds the dough together to form bread. Gluten is the umbrella term for proteins found inside many grains and seeds, such as wheat, rye, kamut barley, triticale and spelt.
Today we hear that people are suffering from Crohn's Disease, Ulcers, Reflux, Ulcerative Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Diverticulitis, Gallstones, Stomach Pain and Celiac Disease just to name a few. As many as 40% of us can’t process gluten and the remaining 60 percent could be affected by it and not even know it.
According to the National Institutes of Health University of Chicago Celiac Disease Barely a decade ago, gluten intolerance and celiac disease were considered uncommon genetic aberrations, occurring in perhaps 1 in 2500 persons worldwide.
In fact there were so few people that had digestive issues years ago that the CDC and other organizations of the sorts do not offer such statistics. I find that extremely interesting. I have actually been on the phone with several employees of these organizations, trying every way possible to retrieve such information and to no avail.
Inflammation of the digestive system, which includes the small intestine, large intestine and rectum, is the one thing that links all the gluten diseases together. The prevalence of all digestive diseases now effect 60 to 70 million people. Celiac disease is one of the fastest growing digestive disorders in the United States, now effecting 1 in 133 people and 97% of Americans estimated are not even diagnosed.
Celiac Disease
How common is celiac disease?
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes chronic inflammation and destroys the body’s healthy villi in the small intestines. The body essentially attacks itself because it doesn’t identify with the foreign substances such as gluten, entering the body. The immune system identifies gluten as bacteria or a virus and fights to protect the body, causing inflammation. The immune system does this by producing antibodies to fight the “foreign entities” even if small amounts are ingested. Most people consume gluten everyday and every meal, so our bodies never have a chance to take a break. As a result of gluten consumption, the body’s vital nutrients are not able to be absorbed, resulting in vitamin and mineral deficiency. ??????
Once food breaks down in the gut and is digested, the cells that make up the intestines top layer, allows the nutrients to pass through the intestinal lining and then to the bloodstream. A substance called zonulin, which is produced by gluten, creates holes in the lining of the intestines, allowing bits of undigested food to enter the bloodstream, known as leaky gut syndrome. Now that the lining is damaged, dangerous proteins, such as gliadin, contained within gluten now enters the bloodstream. As a result, the body automatically defends itself by becoming inflamed. This is where the vicious cycle begins now causing disease. . But why would gluten be so bad, seeing how it has been in breads for hundreds of years?
Gliadin, is one of the proteins that is found within the gluten. Gliadin, has also been a component of gluten for centuries, yet the huge difference is the fact that the genetic structure of the gliaden has changed tremendously over the last 60 years. This might not sound like something that can affect you, but unfortunately it does. Have you ever noticed that when you eat a piece of bread, that it’s hard to stop? Gliadin is a protein within bread causing you to have a euphoric feeling, desiring you to consume more gluten, all at the same time gaining weight.
“Normally, food particles are never seen by the immune system because it lies under the gut’s lining,” says Wilson. “But when that lining is damaged, the immune system reacts to undigested food as if it is a bacteria or virus; it sees the gliadins and lets loose an inflammatory cascade. Soon, the immune system’s weapons, called cytokines, flood the body, causing a ripple effect of inflammation,” she explains. “And what was just a drop of ink in the water spreads throughout the entire body.” WHO WROTE THIS?
Celiac Disease has over 300 known symptoms and not each person reacts or recovers in the same way:
• Abdominal bloating and pain • Addison's disease, a condition in which the glands that produce critical hormones are damaged • Autoimmune liver disease • Autoimmune thyroid disease • Bone loss or osteoporosis • Bone or joint pain • Cancer of the intestine • Canker sores inside the mouth • Cataracs • Chronic diarrhea • Chronic Fatigue • Constipation • Headaches • Heart Disease • Infertility or recurrent miscarriage • Itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis • Lupus • Malnutrition • Miscarriage • Missed menstrual periods • Multiple Sclerosis • Pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool • Psoriasis • Poor Gut Health • Rashes • Rheumatoid arthritis • Restless legs • Tingling numbness in the hands and feet • Type 2 diabetes • Seizures • Sjögren's syndrome, a condition in which the glands that produce tears and saliva are destroyed • Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia • Viscerul Fat Accumulation • Vomiting • Weight change
Additional Symptoms in Children
• Delayed growth and short stature • Delayed puberty • Dental enamel defects of the permanent teeth • Digestive symptoms • Failure to thrive • Irritability • Weight loss
Diabetes
“Did you know that two slices of whole wheat bread (yes, whole grain bread with all that fiber) cause a bigger and faster blood sugar spike (glycemic index 72) than a spoonful of table sugar (glycemic index 59) Doesn’t matter if it’s multi-grain with all sorts of seeds and other goodies added; doesn’t matter if it’s sprouted wheat.”
This has far-ranging impacts. A spike in blood sugar causes a spike in insulin, one of our body’s leading fat storage hormones. Hence the simple equation that many of us have experienced directly: eat bread –> spike blood sugar –> spike insulin –> gain weight. We have known for more than 30 years that wheat increases blood sugar more than table sugar. perlmutter
Insulin is extremely important for cellular metabolism. The pancreas’ job is to produce insulin. The insulin’s responsibilities are to carry glucose from the bloodstream into the muscle, fat and liver cells, which is then used as fuel. If the cells are exposed to high levels of insulin due to refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and highly processed foods, the cells reject the insulin, thereby preventing an excess of glucose in the cells. Because the cells cannot accept more glucose, the excess glucose remains in the blood.
This is where the vicious cycle begins. The pancreas is then triggered to pump more insulin into the bloodstream, as it perceives that there is a lack of absorption of glucose into the cells. Since excess sugar (glucose) now remains in the blood, Type 2 diabetes, blindness, infections, nerve damage, heart disease, brain shrinkage, as well as many other diseases can occur.
In 2010 according to the CDC, 18.8 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes and another 7 million went undiagnosed. The number of undetected between 1995 and 2010 cases has risen 50 percent or more, in 42 states and 100 percent in more in 18 states. The progression of this disease has shown to happen more rapidly in children rather than adults as their bodies absorb things more quickly.
“Within the next decade; one in two American will suffer from diabesity the term now used to describe a range of metabolic imbalance from mild insulin resistance to pre diabetes. The hardest fact of all to accept is that a breathtaking 90% will not be diagnosed.” D.P. By the time people recognize they have a health issue it is sometimes to late. It can then develop into a more serious condition now affecting the brain.
How Gluten Affects the Brain
Alzheimer’s Disease
Gluten not only affects the gut but the brain as well. We have been taught that LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) is dangerous and levels should be closely monitored to maintain good health. What I am here to tell you, is LDL’s are actually not bad at all and in fact it is very good. LDL’s very critical job is to “capture life-giving cholesterol and transport it to the neuron where in performs critically important functions.”77 Whereas HDL transports life-giving cholesterol away from the body and to the liver where it is excreted or reused. We have also been told that having high LDL cholesterol can be detrimental to our health and needs to be avoided at all costs. LDL cholesterol though, is extremely important, as it supplies fats to the brain, such as oil from butter, coconut, flax and avocado that will later be used as fuel. Once free radicals damage the LDL molecule, by eating processed foods, gluten and sugar, the LDL’s becomes oxidized. Now that the LDL is oxidized, it can form plaque around the arteries creating atherosclerosis. So LDL’s are not the bad guys, it is oxidized LDL’s. If there is no fuel, meaning goods fats and only free radicals entering the brain, there is a greater chance for developing Alzheimer’s. This is why it is so important to have a healthy diet with good fats and avoid gluten and sugar like the plague. “What we are beginning to understand is that insulin resistance, as it relates to Alzheimer’s disease, sparks the formation of those infamous plaques that are present in diseased brains. These plaques are the buildup of an odd protein that essentially hijacks the brain and takes the place of normal brain cells, thus causing Alzheimer’s as well as other brain diseases.
Additional but not limited to Brain Diseases caused by Gluten
• ADHD • Autism • Bipolar • Dementia • Neurological Impairment • Schizophrenia
Exhibiting symptoms of a digestive disorder or allergies, such as bloating, gas, pain, diarrhea, or constipation, can be much easier to identify since it is immediately noticeable. The brain though is not as easy, as it is more of an ambiguous organ. Unless you have a headache or have been diagnosed with a neurological problem, it is much harder to spot. By the time you have been diagnosed with a brain disease, it could be to late.
The items below are importance antioxidants that are also destroyed when gluten enters the body due to free radicals forming.
• Glutathione • Retinol • Vitamin C • Vitamin E
Where is Gluten Found?
Wheat
Wheat is in items that you wouldn’t even imagine. “Modern wheat is becoming the new high fructose corn syrup and menace to wellness.”- Eat Local Grown We rely on wheat. Our world’s farmland and the commercial agricultural business dedicate more to wheat than any other crop. Unfortunately wheat has changed substantially since the first cultivated varieties 10,000 years ago and even more so in the last 50 years.
I know this might surprise you but increasing yield, not the health of Americans, is the main concern of the agricultural business. In the past 50-60 years in order to keep up with the demand of the widely hybridized wheat crops, wheat now has to be mass produced, wheat products must withstand shelf life, as well as “resist fungal diseases and pest attacks, improve ease of mechanical harvesting and meet rigorous demands of industrial milling and mechanized baking methods.
http://maninisglutenfree.wordpress.com/2011/07/05/the-history-of-how-wheat-became-toxic/ http://www.westonaprice.org/digestive-disorders/against-the-grain
“Due to these huge changes wheat domestication and hybridization has changed a small grain with a long, narrow shape into a more uniform, larger grain that is a genetic puzzle.”
The wheat itself, the methods in which they produce the wheat and the added ingredients they use today differ so greatly from our ancestors which is why we are seeing huge increase in disease, of all sorts.
“The majority of wheat is processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction-the standard for most wheat products means that 40% of the original wheat grain is removed. So not only do we have an unhealthier, modified, and hybridized strain of wheat, we also remove and further degrade its nutritional value by processing it. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the brain and the germ of the wheat grain-its most nutrient rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron and fiber are lost” -Natasha Long
A once nutritious grain with high levels of protein, fat, omegas, vitamins and minerals has now turned into a very toxic substance that most Americans consume.
You think you are just consuming a nutritious whole grain but think again. Below are ingredients added to your once healthy bread.
Dangerous Ingredients in Wheat Products
• Ammonium chloride • Azodicarbonamide • Bleach • Benzoyl peroxide (the active ingredient in acne cremes and hair dyes) • Calcium propionate • Calcium sulfonate • Chemical oxidants • Chlorine dioxide, a potent poison also used to bleach paper products and textiles. • Datem • Ethoxylated mono and diglycerates
Genetically Modified Organisms • Hydrogenated/ Fractionated Plant Oils
High Fructose Corn Syrup • Mono and diglycerides • Potassium bromate is a recognized carcinogen banned since 1990 in most countries except the US • Sodium Stearol Lactylate • Sucralose
WHAT DOES THE USDA HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS?
“USDA Conclusion: Increasing Whole-Grain Consumption Is an Uphill Battle”
“Despite longstanding government efforts to promote the consumption of whole grains, the American diet is still far short of the goals. Americans consume about 2,000 calories a day and need to eat 6 servings of grains, with at least 3 as whole grains.”
So instead of the USDA warning Americans not to consume gluten as it is causing an increase in disease, they are encouraging us to consume more. The USDA even goes as far as “helping” us to identify which products has the daily serving we “should” be eating. I find this very nice of them, don’t you?
What is the Whole Grain Stamp?
BASIC STAMP OR 100% STAMP?
“Consumers searching the grocery aisles for authentic whole grain foods now have an effective "search tool" – the Whole Grain Stamp. Making it easy for shoppers to spot whole grain foods helps close the Whole Grains Gap and promotes a goal long sought by nutrition and medical experts.”
I find it interesting that at the same time as the increase in a number of the diseases we are seeing has risen, so has the sales of wheat. Is this a coincidence, or is there more to this story? It would be cool to find a graph how disease has risen at the same time. I have looked for this as well and surprisingly the CDC has not yet investigated this either.
AMERICANS BELIEVE WHOLE GRAINS ARE HEALTHIEST FOODS
83% of consumers named "whole grains and reduced risk of heart disease" when asked about their awareness of various foods and their health benefits. A 2009 survey asking why they eat more grains: "Whole grain foods are healthier" (76%); "In order to get more fiber" (69%); "To fill me up and help me lose weight" (53%); and "To get more vitamins and minerals" (44%). - Whole Grain Stamp
Americans have been lied to and misled into thinking that a whole grain diet will not only make them healthier but will promote weight loss. This is so far from the truth. Obesity is not only at an all time high but we are unhealthier now then ever before in history.
DIAGNOSING GLUTEN INTOLERANCES
Do you have celiac disease? Click here to find out if you suffer from this. celiac disease symptoms checklist » Signs of gluten sensitivity page 67
Diagnosing gluten sensitivity is not always accurate, as you might not exhibit any symptoms and will not for years. Blood tests also do not always pick up important markers in someone with a gluten issue or could result in both false positives and false negatives. Performing a biopsy of the small intestine tissue to look for damaged villi might not always be accurate either. Dr. Perlmutter, who is the author of Grain Brain, highly recommends taking the Cyrex array 3 test, available to doctors from Cyrex Labs to accurately test for gluten intolerance.
What is a Cheaper and Healthier Solution to this Epidemic?
Doctors mistreat patient’s diagnoses daily, resulting in people taking unneeded drugs, never solving the “real” problem and causing the patient more health issues in the future. “Health problems caused by gluten cannot be treated with medication,” says Hyman. “The only solution is to eliminate gluten from your diet.”
Gluten Free foods are, on average, 242% more expensive then foods with gluten in them. The best way to stay away from gluten and save money is to not eat gluten free foods but rather consume foods such as organic meat, fish, eggs, dairy, veggie and fruits. If you truly love your grains though, then there is a safer option or you can visit the site below for gluten free recipes.
Heritage grains are grains that have been around for centuries that are “free from the hybridization used on our modern grains, meaning that the grain is purer and closer to what our ancestors used to eat.” http://voxxi.com/2013/09/10/celiac-disease-wheat-gluten-intolerance/ Organizations such as Heritage Grain Conservancy and Community Grains work to collect and protect almost-extinct varieties of ancient grains, such as einkorn, and are helping to establish a new grain economy for local and organic farmers. http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/08/heritage-grains-the-solution-to-modern-wheat/
Going back to our roots and consuming grains that our ancestors ate is not only full of vital nutrients but people with a gluten intolerance is now able to eat these grains without any issues since the general makeup of grains now differs so drastically. Eating heritage grains is only a small part of what we need to do become healthy. The diet below is vital in reducing inflammation, feeling better, looking younger, loosing weight and protecting yourself from free radicals.
So what types of food will provide my body with the best nutrients?
Ketogenic focuses on a high fat diet with a balance of proteins, vegetables, raw dairy and sprouted nuts and seeds. Obtaining these foods will increase glutathione (brain’s natural protective antioxidant) in the hippocampus. This type of “diet” will also provide energy to the brain and body, so it will work optimally.
Below are additional nutrients that are extremely important to maximize your body’s health.
• Alpha Lipoic Acid • Unpasteurized Organic Eggs • Raw Dairy • Organic Meat • Food out of the grown • Gluten Free • Organic Fruits and Veggies • Avocado, Coconut, Olive, Flax Seed and Hemp Oil • Butter • DHA • Exercise • Probiotics/ Fermented Foods • Bone Broth • Resveratrol • 8-9 hours of REM Sleep • Turmeric • Vitamin A B D E K (You can receive from Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Butter Oil and Skate Oil. A great source is from www.greenpastures.org) • Minerals and Vitamins that are bioavailable • INCLUDE AFFILIATE PRODUCTS
How Do Ketogenic Diets Work?
When carbohydrate containing foods are digested, they are broken down into blood sugar (glucose) in the body. The more carbohydrates we eat, the more glucose is made. As diabetics know, high blood sugar is toxic to the body. Eating more fats and protein and fewer carbs causes our internal biochemical pathways to switch to using our stored fat for fuel instead of burning sugar. This switch produces ketone bodies while at the same time reducing blood sugar levels. As glucose drops and ketone body levels rise in the bloodstream, the heart, muscle and brain stop burning sugar and instead use the ketones as an alternative fuel. This is called being "in nutritional ketosis."
Once the body is using ketones as a main fuel source, all sorts of beneficial effects become apparent. A ketone producing, high fat, low carb diet is terrific for weight reduction, slowing the aging process and addressing health issues such as heartburn, fatty liver and achy joints.
However, these diets are much more powerful than those popular uses would suggest. In fact, being in ketosis can alleviate many serious diseases. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of nutritional ketosis is potent. In fact, nutritional ketosis and ketone bodies themselves are being studied extensively as a treatment for many metabolic diseases.
For instance, there is strong research evidence that ketotic diets can:
• Act as an extremely effective diabetes treatment plan; in some cases, just switching to a ketogenic diet can reverse prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. • Drive cancer into remission with new and effective cancer treatments. The keto diet for cancer patients is somewhat different than the treatment for other illnesses, and is discussed in detail in my e-Book "Fight Cancer with a Ketogenic Diet." • Improve epilepsy treatment outcomes by reducing, and in some cases, eliminating seizures. • Help patients with Alzheimer's disease regain memory and thought function. • Reverse heart disease and improve cardiovascular risk factors shown on blood tests. • Alleviate the symptoms of autism. • Reverse PCOS. • Treat severe outbreaks of acne. • Provide mitochondrial support for a wide variety of neurological disorders such as Parkinsons Disease and ALS. • Eliminate gluten allergy symptoms and relieve the symptoms of other allergic conditions associated with autoimmune reactions • Treat metabolic energy disorders such as glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) deficiency, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency (PDHC), McArdle disease, and mitochondrial myopathies.
In other words, the ketogenic diet is not a “fad.” It is a potent regulator of metabolic derangement, and when formulated and implemented correctly, it can be extremely effective. (References here and here). http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/low-carb-food-list.html
Below is a Ketogenic Diagram when compared to the USDA food pyramid. It is so interesting how greatly they differ.
Eating grains, larger portions of fruits, pasteurized dairy and low fat foods are recommended by the USDA. Consuming this type of diet though, is part of the reason we are seeing the rise in diseases, obesity is skyrocketing and mental illness is dramatically increasing.
Our bodies need healthy fats. Healthy fats like coconut, olive, hemp, flax seed, avocado oil and butter are essential for our body and mind to properly function. Cholesterol that is found in these fats is a critical brain nutrient and acts as an antioxidant and a precursor to important brain-supporting elements like Vitamin D, testosterone and estrogen. If you deprive the brain of cholesterol, it will directly impact the release of neurotransmitters and affect data processing, memory function, premature aging as well as regulating sleep and mood patterns.
Following a Ketongenic diet and staying away from gluten, sugar, processed foods and GMOs, you will begin to loose weight, feel better, develop mental clarity, increase energy levels, enter a state of happiness, as well as have a overall all healthier body and mind. This transformation will shift your mental, physical and emotional health and you will begin to live a life filled with joy, happiness and …….. I don’t know how to end this
pg 137
What to eat page 226, Changing your diet can change page 70
