Grains (Wheat)

Wheat; it's in everything, it's part of our diet (for most of us), and it has been, in my opinion, put on a pedastal in terms of nutrition. We have been told wheat is good for us and that whole grain bread is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. The following is what the Whole Grain Council has to say about grains:

Following is the official definition of whole grains, approved and endorsed by the Whole Grains Council in May 2004:

"Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked), the food product should deliver approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed."

http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/definition-of-whole-grains

I have been looking at both sides of the story and those sides are either that whole grains are good for you or whole grains are bad for you. There is really no in between. I can't really think of anything that isn't either good or bad for you, when people say it's okay to eat they are simply saying, "Well its harmful, but not that bad." Like grains. When you break down the argument that grains are good for you, you have to start asking questions. I ask questions about all things, which I feel is really the only way you can make an honest opinion about something, otherwise you are just saying it. When it comes to conversation there are beliefs and there are facts. Some people want facts (me) and some people settle for just believing what they are told. When people start talking about how grains are good for you, its a belief they have and not a fact. When someone says squatting below parallel is bad for you its a belief and not a fact. Improper teaching or self-educating is the issue. Either people did not do their own research or they are just repeating what someone else has told them.

I fear that people have just come to listen in this society and to not challenge anything. I love it when people ask questions about "stuff" because it means they are taking an active role in their own development as a human being. When you don't challenge things you are being molded by someone else and not yourself. Again, don't be a dick about it when asking or questioning something, just have a conversation. Even if you are wrong, it's OK. Ask a highly successful person how many times they have failed or were told they were wrong and it is typically several. You learn and then create your own thoughts and opinions, they shouldn't be developed from someone else. Again, people will point you in either the right or wrong direction but ultimately it is your choice to follow a path. Stand by your opinions but don't disrespect someone else's opinion. Educate each other and learn that is the only way we can grow as a society, even if you don't want to believe the other side you must still listen because you may learn something.

Sorry got off track.

Celiac Defined: (defined by http://www.celiaccentral.org)

"Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of the protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the finger-like villi of the small intestine. When the villi become damaged, the body is unable to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, which can lead to malnourishment."

Wheat is something that I have eaten my whole life and I have never had as severe of a reaction to it as someone with Celiac, i.e. vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea. So if I don't have a visible negative reaction, why should I not eat grains? Although you can't visibly see or physically feel the negative reaction from wheat if you're not a celiac, it still causes damage to the systems of every person who consumes it. When you do the research you look at two things that pop up: 1. Gluten (& Gliadin) and 2. Lectin. Both do damage to our system. One reason why I may not show signs of anything now is because I could be asymptomatic, meaning it doesn't show effects to my body now but will down the road. Do I want to take that risk? Probably not.

Gluten is found in wheat, rye and barley (oats in some cases) and is the cause of many issues in our system. Our bodies don't know how to digest gluten, so when we consume it, our body then starts to attack itself. It is a substance that threatens our gut, so it sends anti-bodies to defend the threat. Our immune system kicks in and helps correct the issue, resulting in problems with intestinal function, but no structural damage unlike those with celiac, and negative effects on virtually all tissues of the body. Because there is no structural damage to the intestine, these reactions will not show up in a test for celiac or gluten intolerance, as these tests look for atrophy of the villi. This is where belief and fact meet head on. People believe there is nothing wrong with them since they have no reaction or structural damage. The fact is that there is a reaction but the severity is different in everyone, celiac or not.

I was listening to a Robb Wolf podcast the other day and was listening to Dr. Davis, who is the author of Wheat Belly and it was the first time I heard about gliadin. It is a component of gluten. They talked about it being an appetite stimulant and how whole grain breads are one of the worst in glycemic index. They talk about how from the first part of digestion (chewing) your insulin level rises because the whole grain bread turns into glucose very quickly and increases insulin. The combination of the increase in appetite and increase in insulin is a very bad duo. These conditions lead to diabetes, some cancers, obesity, and a whole host of other auto-immune disorders. With all these factors put together why do we make ourselves susceptible to this? Well I'll tell you why, it's easy, it "fills" us up, it's cheap, it's in everything, and the government tells us to. Which are just some off the top of my head.

Lectin is also found in grains/legumes/dairy that can cause similar issues in the body. When you look at nature and you look at how "things" survive, you have to look at the defense mechanisms that allow them to survive and eventually strive. Animals can move, see, attack, hide, and so on. What can plants do? With grains they can't run or move from their predators so they have to come up with their own defense mechanism. In this case, this defense mechanism is lectin. The plant uses this to tell its predators to stop eating it because the "poison" irritates the gut (leaky gut) by attaching itself to the villi in the small intestine and letting partially digested food or toxins into the bloodstream. When the small intestine is damaged then the body starts to try to repair the damaged area. This again in turn creates auto-immune disorders.

Gluten and lectin are two different components, but both cause problems in digestion and problems in the small intestine. Like I said before, some of us may not show these signs now when eating these foods. But again I ask, why eat something that puts a poison in you so you don't eat it again? Take an active role in your nutrition and understand what you are putting in your body. You only get one so treat it well, and it will treat you well.

I've decided to challenge myself starting Jan. 1st 2012 to go 365 days (hopefully a lifetime) on a wheat free diet. You Celiacs say "What's so hard?", I say it's going to be a bit tough because I don't have the fear of my food exiting aggressively. The fear I do have is letting myself down or going back on this. So I guess I have a big incentive. I am going to chart many things during this process to see what changes and how I feel. I will post every night, with the help of my wife because I want her input on how I am doing. I feel as though having a second view on my progress will increase my chances of success. My plan is to turn this into a book, (not sure who would read it) in hopes that it will encourage people without Celiac disease or even people with it, to change their lifestyle and see how things can change.

I've been reading a lot about nutrition and I want to give thanks to Marks Daily Apple and Robb Wolf for making their information available, and I will continue to learn from you and many others.

Great info on these sites:

Marks Daily Apple
www.marksdailyapple.com

Robb Wolf
http://robbwolf.com/