Health : Wheat = Chronic Poison?

Hey, Dave – does this mean that a substantial reduction in bread and pasta will also result in weight/fat loss, even if not as much as totally cutting wheat? Or is it necessary to make a total cut in order to see the results?

I tend to put a lot of scrutiny on these types of claims. Many people who claim to be experts will list some statistics in favor of their hypothesis and then claim that they are right. ie People who eat more wheat also tend to be more overweight, so it must be the wheat. There’s also a positive correlation between eating pizza and having cancer, but that’s all it is, a correlation. It’s not a cause-effect study. They just happen to go together.

My hypothesis is that people who eat less wheat tend to eat less in general, leading to less caloric intake and less body fat. They also may be more likely to watch their weight, exercise, and do things necessary to stay healthy. (If they are bothering to cut wheat out of their diet, then they are being health-conscious, I’d say)

It also doesn’t help that many of the modern foods we eat have lots of highly-processed wheat and sugars in them, giving them a high glycemic index, which tends to increase weight and could lead to diabetes. But to say that wheat is a poison because of a book, hundreds of people (out of billions in the world), and a few experiments may be misleading.

Dave, good to see someone has taken off the blinders and taken the time to do some reading about why the health of Americans is so horrible compared to people living in other countries. Unfortunately, wheat is just the tip of the iceberg. So much of the food in our supermarkets is highly processed and has very little nutrition–just read the labels. A big missing ingredient is enzymes. Anyone eating mostly cooked and processed foods is bound to have health problems, unless they supplement with enzymes that help properly digest food.

Other issues:
The U.S. RDA is a big joke. One example is iodine. Most people need between 6 and 50 mg a day for optimal thyroid health. Yet, the RDA is a paltry 150 mcg. Few if any Drs. will tell you that, cuz they make more money on sick people.

There are all sorts of hazardous ingredients (HFCS, artificial sweetners, etc) added to food that are taking a toll on the health of Americans.

There were no studies done on GMO foods to prove they are safe. Thanks to Monsanto’s money and mafia tactics, we Americans don’t have a right to know which foods contain GMO ingredients. We just have to eat it, suffer the consequences and keep quiet about it. Ever wonder why many European countries have banned GMO foods and banned the import of GMO seeds. What do the Europeans know that our politicians don’t know (or don’t care to let us know)?

Ever wonder why after 40 years and billions spent on the war on cancer, we’re no closer to a cure? The medical establishment is making buckets of money on surgery, chemo and radiation, so they have no interest in finding a cure. Well, it turns out, cancer is a vitamin deficiency disease–a vitamin B17 deficiency. Your oncologist will never tell you that, cuz he wants to make thousands of dollars giving you worthless treatments that may marginally prolong your life, but don’t fix what caused your cancer. They don’t give a damn that’s it’s your life on the line. Go to youtube and search on G. Edward Griffin World Without Cancer to find the video with more details.

Sorry this post is so long, but we’re still on the tip of the iceberg. My goal is to inspire people to take more control over their health destiny. Start questioning the status quo and seek the truth. Thanks to the internet, it’s out there. Or, you can be like Christopher and keep your head buried in the sand and step on all the health landmines that greedy corporations have put in your way.

Some sources align our grain growing farming practices (wheat, rye, barley) to the onset of many new diseases in humans. Regardless, modern research shows that gluten is significantly inappropriate for the human body. Gluten comes from the latin word glue; named so for good reason. Some respond quite sensitively to gluten, others less so, but cutting back on consuming gluten will certainly do no harm. Quit it altogether if you like. The more the product contains whole wheat, the more gluten it contains, so white bread products are actually easier to consume, not to mention how disgusting whole wheat tastes. There are plenty of carb choices besides wheat products, and looking for gluten free substitutes is going down the wrong road; just cut back on bread, pasta, baked goods etc. there’s plenty of nutritional food sources in this bountiful part of the world. Fructose and (unfermented) soy products are also on the radar as bad for other reasons. Do your own research. Thank you for choosing such an interesting and provoking topic for a change.

European wheat (non-GMO) doesn’t seem to be causing the same issues. As far as lactose goes, usually the more aged a cheese is, the lower in lactose. Try goat cheeses. They are delicious and better for you!

Dave: Um, because it IS a fad…”sweetie”.

If people want to believe it’s a fad — let them. It’s their life, not yours or mine Dave. Live and let live.

I agree with your post. I had found myself increasingly bloated, with my belly rounded despite my low bodyfat. In addition I was having weird bowel symptoms, joint pain, and felt exhausted for no apparent reason. This had been building for years, but finally became intolerable this summer. After many months of trying and testing everything with no relief, my doctor finally suggested I give up wheat/gluten, limit dairy, and generally try to eat more paleo. I was not convinced, but I was desperate so I cleared out my cabinets and fridge of grains, most dairy, and most processed foods.

First, I was shocked by how much wheat and grain I had been consuming seeing half of my food in a pile on the kitchen floor. Second, within a week my bowel movements were regular, my joint pain went away, I no longer felt the need for long day naps due to constant exhaustion, and lo and behold my bloating was gone and my belly was flat. I was stunned and very happy.

I’m now careful when grocery shopping and eating out. That said, I’m not a food Nazi and super strict about it — my diet is not “gluten free” in the purest sense. But eating this way works wonders for me. I love not having diarrhea, having energy, and having abs — who cares if some dude thinks it’s superficial or a fad? Not my problem.

Thanks for the post.