What does wheat REALLY do to you....? page

[Theresa92]

I found out about the Primal lifestyle about 3 months ago. It didn't take much reading for it to make sense that eating unprocessed food that our ancestors would of ate is MUCH healthier than eating grains.

While I understand(due to common sense) that grains are not ideal in our diet, I do not understand what exactly grains do to our body that is bad. Are grains bad for us because we simply are not able to digest them? I read about phytic acid in grains and how it prevents the absorption of nutrients. Besides for preventing us from getting optimal nutrition, what other harm do grains have on our body?

I am asking because I'd love to be able to explain to my family the exact harm that grains have on our body. Also, I am asking because I recently went on vacation and admittedly I did not eat optimal foods during one of the days on vacation. The next day I had stomach cramps, diarrhea, and painful gas. I've never had such adverse reactions to grains. I've never even had such a reaction to ANYTHING. I don't have any preexisting conditions such as arthritis, IBS, etc. that would explain my reaction to the poor quality food I ate.

Can anyone explain? thanks!

[Neckhammer]

Its easier to point you in the direction of information (seeing as there are whole books on the subject). For instance read "Wheat Belly" by Dr. Davis.

Or you could hit the usual suspects of blogs...I'll provide a couple links: Hyperlipid: Casein and gluten and gastric pH (compares gluten to casein, but if you look on the right he has other gluten articles) Wheat Belly Blog | Lose the Wheat Lose the Weight , What Is Wrong With Grains | Paleo Diet Lifestyle , oh and found this good link with Robb Wolfe and Dr. Davis The Paleo Solution – Episode 95

[Timthetaco]

If you want to get all scientific about things, I'd direct you to Mat Lalonde's AHS talk for the most logical criticism of gluten I've ever heard (and rightful criticisms of the paleo diet as well). Robb Wolf also gave a good speech detailing the mechanism of how gluten increases intestinal permeability, which is, you know, really bad. I have it bookmarked on my other computer. I'll edit it into the post.

Robb Wolf lecture: Blast From the Past

[jimhensen]

None. Unless you have an intolerance, wheat does nothing bad to you. Actually phytic acid has health benefits:

Cancer Inhibition by Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP6) and Inositol: From Laboratory to Clinic

[Neckhammer]

None. Unless you have an intolerance, wheat does nothing bad to you.

So how many people (percent of population will do) are celiac...intolerant....less tolerant....and completely immune? (in my mind this may be a bell curve with the majority in the "intolerant-less tolerant" category, but if you have solid numbers I'd love to know)

What are symptoms of intolerance and when do they occur?

Is there anything inherent to wheat that promotes health and longevity that can not be obtained elsewhere?

[jimhensen]

Celiac disease effects maybe 1 in 250 people from what I have read. And I doubt anything in wheat can't be obtained elsewhere, but I bet that is true about broccoli too. Are you going to argue broccoli is bad for you because every nutrient in broccoli can be obtained from other means?

[Timthetaco]

I dunno, does broccoli damage the gut? Gluten sure seems to, which you'd know if you watched (or listened) to either of those videos. Us paleo types aren't the only fans of confirmation bias, you know. Our detractors are big fans as well.

[Bron]

In my family of 6, 4 of us were allergic to wheat. It stopped 3 of us growing (including myself, which is why I"m the size of an average Australian 12 yr old) and the 4th had her bottom burnt to the point of scarring. We don't have cealiac's disease.

Fast forward to the difference between eating wheat and not (even after being treated for wheat) and the difference is brain fog or a functioning brain. Huge difference for me.

[Athanasey]

I know if I eat gluten now I get really bad stomach cramps
I know that my iron levels are the best they've ever been and yet I'm not eating more iron rich foods
I know that when my toddler was mistaking fed wheat the other day she had diarrhoea for days and a horrible red itchy rash.

I don't tend to worry about telling people why they should do it. I just tell them why we do it.

I pretty sure that my toddler is a celiac. But there is no way I am putting her through pain for months just so a test can prove it. Similarly my Dr thinks I should have the test done because I've improved iron but it's easier just to not eat it. I'm happy to listen to my body,.

[magicmerl]

Is there anything inherent to wheat that promotes health and longevity that can not be obtained elsewhere?

You mean other than the vitamins which are ground up and sprinkled in with the flour?