Happy + Healthy: 3 Reasons It May Not Be The Gluten (that's giving you problems)
- Sep 30, 2015
- 2 min read
After speaking with numerous people, both everyday folks, as well as natural health professionals, we began to really question this gluten allergy thing. We recently spoke with a few friends with this issue, myself included. We also sat down for a chat with Dr. Wiletha, to discuss what she thinks are the most relevant considerations, when dealing with this problem.
3 Reasons Gluten May Give You Problems:
There is a lot of talk about gluten and its adverse effects on the body. We are wondering why this has occurred when we know that bread made from wheat has been consumed for generations without any problems. There are several possibilities, but here are three (3) questions in the forefront of the gluten debate:
1) Is Wheat Primarily GMO?
One theory is that today’s wheat is mainly GMO and therefore not recognized by the body as the previous strain of wheat grain.
2) Is Wheat Highly Processed?
Another theory is that the wheat that we consume today is mainly in the form of breads and is so highly processed as to become unrecognizable by our bodies. We know that the wheat is stripped of much of its natural fiber and then chemical vitamins are added to “enrich” what remains.
3) Is the Human Body Prepared to Consume Grains?
Another theory is that humans have only recently added grains as a source of nutrients and our bodies have not evolved quickly enough to process this food. This is the position of a large group of proponents of the paleo diet.
None the less, we know that many digestive challenges have been solved by avoiding wheat products, not the least being celiac disease. Another discomfort is irritable bowel syndrome. Certain neurological issues, including autism and epilepsy, seem to improve with the exclusion of wheat from the diet.
My personal position would be to advise an elimination diet. This means that you would exclude wheat from your menus for at least 30 days, while keeping a food diary. Your food diary will need to include any health symptoms and measures of blood pressure, blood glucose, heart rate and oxygen saturation. After the 30 days, you can gradually include wheat products, while continuing to keep the diary. You will now see the connections between the foods and the health measures and symptoms.
One caveat is to make sure that if you do consume wheat, make sure that it is sprouted organic wheat made into sourdough bread. This will give your body the best chance for both absorption and digestion. Going forward we will continue to monitor the research and health outcomes associated with gluten consumption.
If you have a healthy living story , email: happyhealthy@luxelifemag.com or if you have a health issue you'd like discussed privately, email: DrWiletha@luxelifemag.com
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