Josie posted this comment that addresses the issue of bowel health recovery post-grain removal.
“I have been wheat-free for almost a year now and I no longer fall asleep during the day, and my mental fog has disappeared. My wheat-free life is great!
However, I am experiencing major digestion problems. I went to see a dietitian and explained to her I do not eat wheat and try not to eat grains. She emphasized that I need fiber in my diet and based on my current food intake I was not receiving an adequate amount, which was most likely the cause of my digestion problems.
She respects that I do not eat wheat, but is encouraging me to eat rice, oats, oat bran and flax seeds. I am extremely hesitant on eating these things because I value my health and want to do what’s right based on what I know. I ate oatmeal earlier and I felt so scared and was upset afterward because I know they aren’t healthy.
What can I do to get my digestion back on track? How can I get rid of these digestion problems without having to eat grains? My mental health is suffering because of it and I feel torn between needing the fiber and having a desire to be healthy.”
Remove modern wheat from your diet and you have removed the great disrupter of gastrointestinal health. The gastrointestinal disruptive effects of wheat include:
- Gliadin–The peptides that derive from gliadin digestion are directly toxic to enterocytes (intestinal cells), whether or not you have celiac disease. An interleukin-driven inflammatory mechanism has been documented.
- Gliadin also induces autoimmunity. Wheat-induced autoimmune diseases of the gastrointestinal tract most commonly involve stomach parietal cells that produce stomach acid, the biliary tree and liver, the small intestine (Crohn’s disease) or the colon (ulcerative colitis). Vitamin B12 absorption is also impaired due to its complex absorptive mechanism distorted by gliadin’s effects on the stomach and small intestine.
- Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)–WGA is a direct bowel toxin, causing “denuding” of intestinal villi responsible for nutrient absorption. It is also a potent blocker of any glycoprotein receptor lining the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor responsible for triggering bile release from the gallbladder and enzyme release from the pancreas. When WGA blocks the receptor for CCK, digestion is impaired, bile stasis develops that leads to gallstones, dysbiosis results because of incomplete digestion of foods. When dysbiosis develops (VERY common), bowel health is further impaired, autoimmunity facilitated, metabolic distortions magnified.
- Phytates–Phytates block iron, zinc, and magnesium absorption. Absorption is impaired by as much as 90%. This is a big part of the reason for grain product fortification.
Remove wheat and the damage recedes over time. BUT you can still be left with residual inflammation, impaired stomach acid production (hypochlorhydria), partial healing of small and large intestines, dysbiosis, and nutrient deficiencies.
For this reason, just removing wheat is only the start; all these other factors may need to be addressed. While many people heal perfectly well over time, someone like Josie may not.
Among the most helpful and effective strategies to consider in your wheat removal efforts are:
- Consider removing ALL other grains, especially rye and barley that share similar gliadin structures; corn and oats that also share somewhat similar gliadin-like proteins; rice due to a small quantity of wheat germ agglutinin (i.e., a rice lectin with a structure identical to that found in wheat).
- Take a high-potency probiotic for at least several weeks, longer if an autoimmune condition is present. 30-50 billion CFUs per day has been working very well for us, especially brands with a wide variety of Lactobacillus and Bidifobacteria species, such as VSL3, Renew Life, and Garden of Life brands.
- Bowel flora are like a garden: probiotics are the seeds, prebiotics are the water and fertilizer. If all you do is plant seeds, they may sprout but not flourish, and may even die. So you must nourish your plants. Likewise, you must nourish the bowel flora reinoculated by your probiotic. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria love fibers that are indigestible, what I call “leftovers,” what some call “resistant starches.” Easy ways to obtain such fibers: one green unripe banana per day in a smoothie, one peeled raw white potato in a smoothie, 4 teaspoons of inulin in anything, small servings (1/4-1/2 cup) of legumes, chickpeas, hummus. It is best to start with smaller quantities, then build up over several weeks to avoid abdominal pain and bloating. I believe this issue is Josie’s #1 problem. Note that relief from symptoms requires several weeks to develop, not after your first green banana.
- Consider hypochlorhydria — Because the stomach’s parietal cells may not recover, you may be left with inadequate stomach acid. The telltale sign of this is heartburn symptoms unresponsive to acid-suppressing medication. This responds to supplemental hydrochloric acid as betaine HCL or apple cider vinegar, but is best managed under the watchful eye of someone with experience with this situation.
- Consider pancreatic enzyme supplementation — Since, for unclear reasons, full restoration of the CCK receptor sensitivity may not occur. The lipases and proteases, in particular, are helpful here. (We require less amylase and other carbohydrate-digesting enzymes since we don’t eat grain amylopectin or sugars.)
Rarely does someone need to supplement fibers with this lifestyle, as replacing the lost calories of grains with foods such as nuts, seeds, mushrooms, avocados, and vegetables easily matches or exceeds the fiber intake of a grain-based diet. If you must, psyllium, chia, and flaxseed are fairly benign fiber sources.
My new book, Wheat Belly Total Health, is my answer to questions such as Josie’s: the additional steps to take to maximize health in the aftermath of wheat removal.
Total Health is scheduled for release September, 2014. It will discuss how to tip the scales in favor of full remission from autoimmune diseases, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, diabetes, hypertension, “high cholesterol,” skin rashes, and other conditions. Yes, national advice to consume more “healthy whole grains” ruins health; you may need some help beyond their removal to fully recover.
Guys (and girls) I appreciate the caring advice, but I HAVE given up wheat altogether!!
Its just that unintentional cross-contamination happens quite a bit in processed food.
The other day I ordered a gluten-free pizza from Pizza Pizza here in Toronto, and I could feel there was still some gluten in it because my stomach didnt completely agree with the pizza.
Anyways, I appreciate your concern for my health :-)
Let me also add I do NOT have Celiacs, I have gluten intolerance
Johnny, we’re all happy it works for you. Was your gluten intolerance documented by a lab test? You would not believe how many of us started out that way. It wasn’t long before things turned south and became much worse. In my case, my physician knew I was gluten intolerant just by the markers she followed. Didn’t think it necessary to go through the ordeal of being tested for celiac disease. Just give up wheat. I gave it up, felt great until invited to a friend’s home for dinner – she served a beautiful dinner of homemade sourdough bread and homemade raviolis. By 2 AM I was on the floor writhing in pain, throwing up, exploding bowels, and passed out once. The absolute furthest thing I ever want to eat again is gluten. I don’t care what form your gluten enzymes are I wouldn’t even swallow them. Good luck.
Johnny,
Your gut will not heal unless you make a greater effort to abstain from gluten containing products. Every time you ingest a gluten containing product you trigger an autoimmune response which leads to
increased inflammation all over your body and then to an ever worsening disease state. Gluten intolerance means you still have some intestinal villi. Read up on zonulins. You can fool yourself, you can’t fool your cells that start the inflammation process. These extra gluten digesting products are good for emergency relief and mask the problem.
@ Boundless
I have noticed my recovery is going much better when I add the gluten enzymes to my regular digestive enzymes that I take. Its very difficult for me to avoid gluten altogether because its in so many products, and unintentional cross-contamination happens quite a bit.
So for that reason I just play it safe and take my gluten enzymes daily. I notice a real difference if I forget to take them sometimes
I would just like to add to Dr. Davis excellent advice to say its good to add gluten digesting enzymes as well. some good ones on the market are:
Gluten relief ( Natural Factors).
GlutenEase (by Enzymedica).
Gluten Digest (by Now Foods).
I personally take the one by Now Foods, it works best for me
> I would just like to add to Dr. Davis excellent advice to say
> its good to add gluten digesting enzymes …
Where do you see that?
In the article above, he speaks of: “Consider pancreatic enzyme supplementation…”
In the Gluten Cutter article last month
https://drdavisinfinitehealth.com/2014/04/smoke-more-low-tar-cigarettes/
he said specifically” “The ONLY reasonable use of this product would be to take it in case there is INADVERTENT gluten exposure that may be minimized by digestion.”
> I personally take the one by Now Foods, it works best for me
In the context of what?
I bought a probiotic from Kroger that claims 1.5 billion cells per capsule. The directions say to take one capsule per day. Dr. Davis advises at least 30 billion CFUs per day. I either need to take 20 capsules per day or get a more potent probiotic.
In a WBB article now closed to comments, Dr. Davis said:
“Make no mistake: GM is an awful, crude, and desperately unhealthy process, despite the absurd FDA stand that GM crops are “substantially equivalent.” They are not and the science is bearing this out.”
Here’s some of that recent science, although focused on the collateral consequences (practices the genetics allow) rather than the plant genetics:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814613019201
“This study rejects that GM soy is “substantially equivalent” to non-GM soybeans.”
The paper studied glyphosate uptake in various soy plantings, including GMO, and also non-GMO where the glypho was used off-label for “dessication” (terminating growth for more convenient harvest). The results were apparently so disturbing to the investigators that they went beyond just reporting the numbers:
“4.6. Toxicity and health relevance of pesticide/glyphosate residues”
It looks like market soybeans can easily be over 2% pesticides. And the people supposedly regulating this just keep dialing up the allowable limits. To circle around to the present article topic, these toxins are probably quite adverse to a healthy gut biome.
Since WB followers never buy tickets on the Soybean Line, we can relax on the hillside and just watch this particular train wreck. Meanwhile, go for organic non-GMO in everything else you eat. Your gut will thank you.
> It looks like market soybeans can easily be over 2% pesticides.
Oops. I neglected to offset my millis and kilos. The paper is reporting that many locales allow up to 20 mg/kg of glyphosate in the final product (and that doesn’t include by-products and unrelated treatment toxins that might be present as well).
20 mg/kg is 0.002%, not 2%. However, that’s also 2000 ppm (parts per million). Compare that with the recent FDA rule for 20 ppm to be able to claim “gluten free”, and even that is too high for some celiacs. The paper measured 10 mg/kg in some samples (1000 ppm).
Monsanto itself claims to have measured 17 mg/kg in non-GMO soy, which the paper suggests resulted from that euphemistic “dessication” practice mentioned above (also used on wheat, by the way). So “non-GMO” is no assurance of glyphosate-free soy, in case you needed another reason to avoid soy.
> 20 mg/kg is 0.002%, not 2%. However, that’s also 2000 ppm (parts per million).
Obviously, my math is getting rusty. That’s 20 ppm, not 2000 ppm, which is the same limit as for gluten-free. Gluten, of course, is just a protein that the FDA thinks only 1 or 2% of the population over-react to. Glyphosate is a pure toxin, and not even part-time nutrient.
I like to eat a cup of ground flax seed a few times per week. I prepare it in a bowl and add hot water from my keurig and 10 packs of splenda.
> … and 10 packs of splenda.
That’s probably quite a bit of dextrose, which by weight is the principal ingredient in most Splenda products (none of which are pure sucralose). Some Splenda blends are based on even higher glycemic sugars.
You may be getting 10 grams of net carb with that, which is 2/3 of a single-meal/6-hour-period guideline.
Hi Dr. Davis,
Should probiotics be taken daily permanantly or only for a limited time transitioning into optimal health after wheat removal?
Thank you very much,
Maryann
I am looking forward to your book in September, as I feel it will consolidate all this sort of info we are gleaning from your site, and further encourage me to keep well away from grains. At present, I am straying on occasions, and need constant reminders to tow the line! When will the book be available in print form in UK, please? Great stuff…..I am feeling so well after following your advice, many thanks.
Perhaps I use the website for a crutch these days? Over here many times a day, as are others. I know me, I’ve slipped before knowing full well my little tummy is going to spank me hard, leaving me miserable for more than a day or two. I’m either just plain dumb, or have a hard head. I can recite chapter and verse of the evils of wheat and it’s partners in crime, but when the hubby orders fries I have to have one – knowing full well they’re fried in oils that should be banned
I tried to engage on the Ulcerative Colitis thread but comments are disabled. I just got bad news from an old friend. A big man that I’ve been lecturing to about his heavy girth and the amts. of meds he’s on. He started with Ulcerative Colitis and a couple of other conditions between that and his latest prognosis. They told him last week that it’s Colon Cancer. In fact the last time I saw him I gave him WB thinking he might still have time to get better. He admitted he only believes his doctor. I wanted to scream back at him, “then you better put your affairs in order.” Of course, I didn’t. He was still pounding down tons of bread, sugar in his coffee, brought sweetrolls by after I’d told him we didn’t eat those things anymore.
Please folks, if you’re having problems do see your doctor but also read everything you can get your hands on, do everything you can to halt it. Once it hits stage 4 colon cancer I doubt anyone or anything can help you?
> Once it hits stage 4 colon cancer I doubt anyone or anything can help you?
I wouldn’t assume that. There are anecdotal reports of people arresting and reversing (note: not necessarily “curing”) stage 4’s with ketogenic diet alone. If I were facing that, I’d go to full keto instantly, add exogenous ketones (one product available today) and look into hyperbaric therapy as well. The papers on these approaches individually look promising enough that the combo might be very effective.
And I would turn down rad entirely, and consider only low-dose chemo, and then only if known to not be a mitochondrial antagonist. Being LCHF grain-free may avoid ever needing to consider these alternatives.
Sorry to hear about your friend. However, the gastroenterologists I saw weren’t helpful. All they did was put me on acid blockers–not a word about a low-carb diet helping or ending acid reflux.
When PPIs came out, pharmaceutical companies that made PPIs said patients weren’t supposed to be on those for than a few weeks or months because they can cause serious problems: they’re associated with pneumonia and fractures. Your stomach acid is one of the first lines of defense in your immune system, and acid blockers neutralize it. They also prevent the absorption of minerals you need for your bones. No doctor I ever saw told me any of that.
Boundless and Lori, thank you so much for your replies. If I were diagnosed tomorrow I’d try any and everything to get better. In fact, I’ve already told my husband and daughter that if told tomorrow I needed extensive surgery plus radiation or chemo I would not do it. I’ve seen families bankrupted by clutching to the advice of some that I don’t hold in that high regard any longer. My daughter has made the same decision.
Boundless, I second your thoughts on keto and the bariatic procedure. I would try it all. Thanks for you helpful advice as always.
Lori, I gave my friend the book close to two yrs. ago and he’s heavier now than ever. His wife is no help (love her a lot) because she once worked in the medical field and thinks she knows it all – sans holding a doctorate sheepskin. I personally don’t think he’ll make it because he’ll never let go of that 5′ sandwich he’s always holding – or doghnuts/cake/pies/bbq ham with a sugary glaze. He’s a walking poster boy for what not to eat.
> … and the bariatic procedure …
Hyperbaric, not bariatric. Totally different things.
You might want to check out these two sites http://www.gutsense.org and http://www.fibermenace.com for more information on why the use of supplemental fiber or high fiber diet actually has more “unintended consequences” than immediate relief.
I work with a number of endurance athletes and bowel movements / stools are actually subjects we DO talk about…..when shifting off the concentrated carbs especially grains and wheat in particular this issue is very complex and varied….people who develop Crohn’s, IBS or Celiac’s have to use great care to avoid inflammation while others more tolerant have other issues…here are a couple of observations.
If someone goes off the grains, high carb, high fiber sort of diet most Americans have been led to believe is healthy cold turkey one of the most common issues is constipation….the constipation is more symptomatic of a distended colon from the high carb/fiber than the shift in diet but most people blame it on lack of fiber and a low carb diet…..usually this can be overcome by making sure one is taking in enough fluids in combination with salt and/or salty foods like cheese etc. and some magnesium salt (MgCl) …..over time as the colon shrinks back to the size it should BM’s should get easier and stool diameter smaller…..a side benefit of a smaller diameter colon for both men & women is this seems to place less pressure on the prostate in men and the reproductive plumbing in women…here the feedback is that guys are not getting up at night to urinate and women have an easier time during that “special” time of the month……the caveat here is I am only relaying observational evidence, however, there is some consistency to this.
It is well known that walking and/or running is great for parastolic movement of the bowel..
This supports what Lori is saying above with her experience. Because the public has been led to believe salt and fat is not only “BAD” but will “KILL” you many people who read Wheatbelly often fail to bring in the fat and salts (including MgCl) in sufficient quantities to offset taking out the grains even though Dr. Davis does point this out in Wheatbelly. People need to understand that in the absence of carbs, particularly high glycemic carbs like wheat, fats are properly absorbed and metabolized both for energy and nutrition ……what people do not understand is fats accumulate because the body has to sideline them in an effort to bring down the toxic levels of elevated blood sugar and the cacophony of inflammation, immune system response to the gliadins, phytates etc. that will literally kill a person……just ask any T1 Diabetic what would happen to them if they ate a whole wheat bagel and did not take insulin…..
A Japanese woman of 116 eats at least once every month sushi. I do the same because I love sushi and I discovered that it’s great for the bowel movement.
“She insists that her favourite meal is sushi, particularly mackerel on vinegar-steamed rice, and she has it at least once every month,”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10670467/Worlds-oldest-person-celebrates-her-116th-birthday-Eat-and-sleep-and-you-will-live-a-long-time.html
Former GERD sufferer here. A few other things that can bring on acid reflux:
Medications, including over-the-counter. See drugs.com for all side effects since some of them aren’t listed on the box.
Flavored coffee. Some of those flavors are made with solvents.
FODMAPS foods. One of the worst things for giving me acid reflux is fruit. One strawberry in one day is my limit.
Certain fats. Too much butter or super-dark chocolate will give me acid reflux; however, a very fatty dish like pork belly sits just fine. Some people find man-made oils like canola or soybean irritating; I use lard, coconut or olive oil for most cooking and light olive oil to make mayonnaise. Making your food rich and moist is fine, but there’s no need for your food to be swimming in extra fat.
Acid rebound. Within a few days of going off PPIs, you can experience a horrendous rebound in acid production. It’s miserable, but it passes. Meantime, I recommend drinking a solution of half a glass of water with a spoonful of baking soda to wash your throat.
Too many carbs. This was my main problem and the reason I started a LC diet. The LC diet cured me!
Lack of magnesium could cause acid reflux. Involuntary muscles need magnesium to work correctly. Too much vitamin D and too much calcium can deplete magnesium. So can going on a LC diet (at first), since a lot of minerals get flushed away with excess water.
One more thing that can cause acid reflux: bouncing up and down. If you’re a runner or cardio enthusiast, you may need to find another exercise for awhile.
Hey Lori, those were great comments. Going back about 40 yrs. I remember my Dad using baking soda in water to relieve bleeding ulcers. It wasn’t long before his doctor found it wasn’t ulcers at all but a virtual hole had been burned in his stomach from consuming too many salt tablets and not washing them down with sufficient water. They prescribed many different meds to help the problem heal, but it never did. He said No to surgery. The doc basically told him to find someone else and my Dad said OK. He died about 10 yrs. later but from a brain tumor not the old hole in his tummy where the doc himself had told him to take the salt tablets. My Dad was a small contractor and worked out in the hot California sun from 5:30 AM to as late as the sun setting.
My grandfather used to take baking soda by the spoonful and eventually died of esophageal cancer. My GERD was so bad that I ended up with an esophageal ulcer. The baking soda mixture really does provide relief in a pinch, but it’s better to avoid acid reflux in the first place if you can. Stomach acid doesn’t belong in your throat: it’s painful and it can do some permanent damage.
Hi, I can’t recommend pro-biotics and digestive enzymes enough. Before I went sugar and wheat free, I had chronic acid reflux and was in pain after eating what seemed like pretty much everything. Back then I could only get through with medication. Since I stumbled across digestive enzymes in particular, I haven’t looked back. No pain, no reflux.
I’m grateful for all the information posted here and grateful for the info here re digestion because I have issues. Maybe I’m dense but I’m really confused about seeds vs. grains vs. grasses and what’s good and what’s bad. Wheat, quinoa, oats, barley are grains and are bad. I get that. But corn, a seed, is bad, (and rice and wild rice…a seed? a grain? whichever it’s not great), however sesame seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are OK. Right? And aren’t nuts seeds? I think I need to take a botany course.
I’ve read Wheat Belly twice, have both cookbooks and finding my way with help from this blog, FB, WB.com. I’m about a month along after an almost two-year break and suffering the DREADFUL consequences thereof and feeling a tiny bit better–a little less joint pain. But wow, sometimes this seems more complicated than I think. Lots to learn. It is a way of life, not a diet. Big changes especially at 65. Thanks for any help.
Hang in there Mary, we’ve all been Newbies and had to find our way through the minefields of eating at a friend’s home, restaurants, or any situation where we don’t choose the menu. It can be done, but be prepared to claim you just ate and couldn’t eat another thing. ;) Ask questions, read everything that either Bing or Google turn up on the subject. Since you appear to want to learn, you’re ahead of the game. Some people only plug their ears and sing La-la-la-la. Best wishes to you on your journey. Take heart though, you’ll learn something new every day.
Thanks, Neicee, you always contribute good, useful and inspiriing posts. And you’re right–there’s no easy way around all this, just have to learn all I can and work my way through it. It’s good to see a little light at the end of my long pain-filled tunnel. Labs in a couple of weeks and hope to post a little more good news.
Wheat, corn, oats, rice and barley are grasses. Don’t eat grass seeds.
Quinoa is just high-carb.
Ummmm, ah quinoa. I hate it, let me count the ways. I bought 5 lbs. of the nasty stuff when I was throwing out everything else in the pantry, like a 10 yr. supply of dried pasta. My husband claims he likes it for breakfast. Anyway, I tried to give it away, no takers. Called the homeless shelter, they don’t take anything that’s been opened. Tried to throw it away but my hubby caught me and reminded me how much that stuff cost. So I have the remains of the bag in all it’s glorius hype but has not been opened for 2 yrs.
Oh, after the LCHF craze hit, every time we were invited to friend’s home they served the danged stuff because they know we didn’t eat wheat. Dang it all, many of the restaurants are now featuring quinoa salad. I’m being stalked by Quinoa
All those high-carb foods (except fruit) taste like cardboard, don’t they. Absent hypoglycemia or some fat-digesting disorder, I don’t know why some people are so eager to add back starches.
Dr. Davis, I’m running over to Amazon to see if we can preorder your new book. Good to see we’ll get another chance to read more of your thoughts. Thanks.
Multiple Sclerosis and no grain diet
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meryl-davids-landau/multiple-sclerosis-diet_b_2258056.html
Interesting article, Wortek…Food for thought…
Dr. Wahls has appeared on many podcasts promoting her books. I’ve enjoyed them all, despite the fact that they’re all basically the same story. Here is a link to one:
http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/9785/797-guest-host-dr-terry-wahls-shares-how-ketogenic-paleo-healed-her-from-ms/
There are links of borrelia burgdorferi spirochete infection linked to Multiple Sclerosis, so paleo diet is suppose not to feed the spiros because bacteira take enerdy directly from simple sugar.
If phytic acid in grains blocks minerals, then would the same hold true for nuts and seeds which are generally speaking extremely high in phytic acid?
I believe so. It is widely advised to soak nuts, seeds (also legumes and grains) to reduce the phytic acid. I’ve recently heard to specifically soak and dehydrate nuts.
I can’t resist the lure of nuts. They’re ready to eat and provide satiety. The problem is that I overeat them, and don’t take the time to soak and dehydrate. I think they may be irritating to the bowels. I also think they generally get a little too much praise for providing “good fats”. The polyunsaturated fat content can be high, and unbalanced in favor of omega-6.
I’ve found guides on the web for soaking and dehydrating nuts, including recommended soak times for specific nuts. I haven’t actually tried any of these methods, so, I’ll leave you to google for them.
> If phytic acid in grains blocks minerals, then would the same hold
> true for nuts and seeds which are generally speaking extremely high in phytic acid?
They can also be high in omega 6. The general advice on this seems to be:
Don’t go overboard on nuts – don’t eat them at the same rate you used to eat wheat products (chances are you wouldn’t anyway, as nuts lack the appetite provocation of wheat).
Make sure you’re getting enough O3 to balance the O6.
Don’t worry about phytates consumed away from meals (snacks).
In the specific case of almonds, blanched almond flour has the nut skin removed, which is where most of the phytates are, so favor that for cooking.
A paleo site addressed the specific concern with nut phtates at:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/nuts-and-phytic-acid
Boundless, did you read the article over there posted by Mark? Especially, about Vitamin J. Haven’t read the author before but she has a great sense of humor.
Neicee,
Had you not mentioned Mark’s Vitamin J article, I would have missed it. Loved the sentiments……thanks! http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2014/04/vitamin-j.html
Neicee,
Yes! Thank you for posting. We all need more smiles and joy in our lives. Easy to do and benefits are tremendous!
Jan and Barbara, thanks – you’re welcome. We could all add a big helping of laughter to our daily meals. We can all forget the joy of sitting around a table for holidays and laughing, then forget how much better we all felt by Jan. 5th. I’m trying to work on my favorite work in progress: my husband. He can get pretty serious, especially if something breaks around the house. Where I can brush it off and call the repairman. ;)
That’s me! Thank you so much for the kind words about my blog post! I know it was really long, but I’m glad so many people took the time to read it. Based on the feedback I’ve gotten, it resonated with a lot of people. We all want to optimize our health, weight, and wellness, but I think sometimes we are our own worst enemies when it comes to obsessing over the dietary minutia when there are much bigger factors at work. Thanks for reading. :)
Amy,
Your missive definitely resonated with me! Thanks for reminding us of the mind/body/spirit connection with regard to this dietary journey…..and for coining the verbiage “Vitamin J”….love it!
Amy, like Jan in KW – it was exactly what I needed to read the morning I read it. In my home, auto, and life in general, I tend to want everything spotless and perfect. It can bog you down. However, sometimes we just have to let it all go and smell roses or even freshly mown grass. Thanks again, please write more.
Thanks Boundless. I love Sisson’s site — but notice there was also an interview with Mat Lalonde, PHD on Chris Kresser’s site stating that the phytic acid is not problematic. Skip to 26:28 mark in the interview where Lalonde details the misconceptions about phytic acid. I’ve always enjoyed nuts — especially hazelnuts — raw — no soaking/sprouting. Never have digestive issues despite eating huge amounts. If I had to go to all that trouble, I’d just as soon not eat them anyway. I believe Chris Masterjohn, PHD also dispelled the myths about the “dangers” of omega-6 within the context of whole food. In other words, eating a whole nut — even one high in ovega 6 — is much more than simply eating omega 6. There is also fiber, antioxidants and likely many as of yet undiscovered things in them that make them healthy. I think people threw the baby out with the bathwater by declaring high omega 6 seed oils bad and then extrapolating this to whole foods high in omega 6. Raw pistachios are high in omega 6 yet full of lutein, astaxanthin, fiber, resistant starch etc. That’s just one example. Almonds, walnuts etc all have high omega 6 — plus the seeds like pumpkin, flax, chia etc are even higher. Olive oil too has decent amounts of omega 6 — are we to limit that too? For myself, it’s seed oils out and I simply do not worry about omega 6 within the context of whole foods or olive oil — olive oil is not a whole food but not derived from a seed. Besides, it’s delicious and when fresh, full of polyphenols and squalene.
http://chriskresser.com/rhr-what-science-really-says-about-the-paleo-diet-with-mat-lalonde
Can someone please tell me if consuming wheatgrass in the form of a supplement, Organic Greens (it’s one of Dr. Mercola’s products) is permissible. It has organic wheat grass (leaf), organic barley grass (leaf), organic alfalfa grass (leaf) and organic oat grass (leaf) in this particular product. I’ve seen these things in a lot of health promoting products.
Thanks!
Wheatgrass is known to deliver wheat germ agglutinin, for which there is no lower limit of toxicity. What other toxins it might have, that are in the adult plant are not clear. I suspect the same is true for barley.
Why is it that these grasses, which with possible exception of alfalfa, are all hi-gly, and otherwise toxic when full grown, are imagined to be superfoods as immature weeds?
They talk about Wheat Belly
http://blog.greensplus.com/2013/04/26/eliminatewheatfromdiet/
“immature weeds” is a perfect example of: who do you believe, me or your lying eyes? And, why dear hearts are we still in pursuit of trying to find a form, any kind of form, to reinstate some form of the evil wheat back into our diets. Shame on Dr. Mercola. The last few years he’s followed down the path that Dr. Oz has followed on about any subject. Sorry, but I don’t buy products from any Dr/ that has skin in the game.
I found this on a website that sells a product similar to Dr. Mercola’s Organic Greens. This is what they said about their product: “The Wheat Grass Powder in Greens Plus is composed of 100% young, immature wheat grass and is not to be confused with the wheat grain and germ featured in this book. Greens Plus contains no wheat gluten, agglutinin or gliadin.”
When I went wheat free I also gave up my one cup of tea I enjoyed each morning…don’t drink coffee…dairy had to go because I actually have an allergy to it…wheeze and itch when I consume it and if I cannot have a bit of milk in my tea than might as well give up the tea..
My diet is very bland…there is nothing I am eating that would cause my acid reflux..the only spice I use on occasion is a bit of salt…the only night shade veggie I eat once in a while is potato…Thank you all for your suggestions..
I’ve tried *so* many things to relieve my acid relux, and have yet to figure it out. Sign me up for “Wheat Belly Total Health”. Curing my acid reflux was my purpose for going grain-free / sugar-free / dairy-free. I thought it actually worked, but, my acid reflux symptoms returned. The good news is – mild eczema and anal / rectal issues are gone. Not to mention that I have had a good, healthy weight loss and better energy as a fat burner.
For me, it seems like acid reflux is brought on by stress, but, also it seems like something that just happens during sleep – similar to snoring. Also like snoring, my position during sleep seems to be *critical*. I sleep on my back, head elevated by a bed wedge. It’s not likely that I will maintain this position for the full sleep period, so, I usually wake up with a little heartburn, sore throat, or other symptom(s) of GERD / LPR. Hopefully, it’s not bad enough to develop barrett’s esophagus or esophageal cancer. I haven’t taken a lot of PPIs, compared to others I know, but, neither the Prilosec OTC dose nor 2x that dose provides relief. I hope I’ve given up PPIs, for good.
I think the root cause of acid reflux is highly individual. All kinds of remedies that have worked for others have not worked for me. I am reasonably sure that betaine HCl with pepsin supplements have had some favorable impact on my symptoms. Taking this stuff is a little scary when your chest is burning in pain. It seems like creating a more acidic environment in my stomach has, perhaps, beat back a bacterial overgrowth. Coincidentally, I got some relief of jaw / dental inflammation.
I am currently taking a two-pronged approach, and will probably add a third prong.
1) Probiotic / prebiotic supplementation – I am using a number of probiotic supplements, including the usual lactobacilli and bifidus strains, but, also including soil based organisms, s. boulardi, (the list goes on). I believe most of these are transient, but, perhaps one or two are actually colony forming. I am also taking potato starch and a little psyllium in a supplementary manner. Longer term, I am making ferments and working “real food” sources of prebiotics into my diet, in order to stop supplementing.
2) Melatonin supplementation. I am taking 6 mg of melatonin (3 sublingual + 3 sustained release) before bed. This is supposed to tighten and tone the lower esophageal sphincter. I plan to supplement 6 mg for 8 weeks, and then start lowering the dose. I am also taking 5-HTP as a melatonin precursor (other forms of tryptophan may serve this purpose). I need to do more research about neurotransmitters – how to support their production, and their role in hormonal signaling. I think this is an issue for me.
3) Stress reduction technique. I am planning to take a course in practicing a stress reduction technique, and make it part of my daily routine. In my case, I have tentitively chosen MBSR, but, I think there are many good choices, and the efficacy may vary from person to person.
I can provide more details if anyone has questions.
John,
This might be of help. I used to have acid reflux and pretty much removed it from my life before going wheat free. After wheat free, acid reflux was gone! What I used: 2 Tbsps Bragg organic Apple Cider Vinegar With The ‘Mother’ in a mug, add 1/4 tsp baking soda let it bubble. Fill the mug up with warm water and drink. If in the beginning you have issues with taste then cut the vinegar and baking soda in half. Work your way up to the full dose. I took this in the morning and again at night or when heartburn flared up. I was able to cut it back to once a week and then once a month. When I went wheat free all heart burn went away.
I should probably give ACV another go. I have a little bit from time to time, but, I’ve never stuck with it since being on a clean diet. I think it helps. I certainly always have a big bottle on hand. I’ve been able to tolerate it, well, which seems to be the stumbling block for many people. Thanks.
John, that just triggered my memory – it’s ACV mixed with Psyllium that my husband takes at bedtime for diverticulitis. ACV is too acidic for me and you should remember to brush you teeth after drinking it. But, then, I drink Aloe Vera juice in the summertime with a slice of lemon/lime over ice. He cannot tolerate Aloe Vera juice saying it upsets his stomach. Oddly, I don’t want it in the winter?
Aloe Vera has been soothing to my upper GI tract, as one might expect. It gets some mixed reviews. I decided not to use it, anymore, because I’m pretty sure it doesn’t address the root cause, and I didn’t like what I read here:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/aloe-vera-for-leaky-gut-one-meal-a-day-and-glyphosate-and-celiac-disease/
Thanks,
John Es, I initially started taking aloe vera juice right after being diagnosed with osteoporosis and dealing with elevated BP. They wanted to place me on prescription BP meds. It did drop by about 10 pts. overall and I threw the 30 day packet of meds away. Was it the AV juice or the additional potassium I was taking? Don’t know but it’s fine these days.
This to answer your post @9:46 PM.
Hi there. I agree that stress can bring on acid reflux. I think that’s where mine started, but I think my diet at the time didn’t help. Have you tried digestive enzymes? I don’t get enough in my diet, so take these….no more acid reflux. I hope this helps you because I feel your pain.
Yes, I alternate a couple of [expensive] digestive enzymes, probably taking one with the majority of my meals. It may or may not help with the reflux, but, I figure it doesn’t hurt, and helps me absorb my nutrients. It may also help break up biofilms, and I am considering the possibility that I may have some chronic infection. I also continue to take betaine HCl with pepsin, since I have some difficulty maintaining weight. I take these supplements despite my comprehensive stool analysis indicating my digestion is okay.
Thanks for the idea. Sometimes I think I’ve heard of, and tried them all. But, the list of things that have worked for an individual’s acid reflux seems never-ending.
The fact you are having GI problems is upsetting to me as ai have been convinced to go wheat free. I have had 10 bouts of diverticulitis since 2009. My doctor says I need to eat more fiber, especially whole grains, fruits and veggies. So if I cut out whole grains and many of the fruit options, where do I get my fiber from? Very confused right now…
Deb…you don’t need wheat to get your needed fiber..I too have diverticulitis and haven’t had an episode in quite a while…you can get all the fiber you need from vegetables and fruit…I have learned to stay away from strawberries and raspberries because they irritate my colon but I make my own natural apple sauce and I eat cherries, blueberries, bananas and peaches….but you don’t want to eat a lot of fruit because of the sugar content…
Vegetables will give you the fiber you really need and with them drink water…I have to stay away from things like corn and peas which are high carb anyway and should be avoided but spinach, swiss chard, sweet potato,(in moderation), pumpkin, beets, celery, carrots, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, etc.. and any low sugar vegetable should provide you with enough fiber to meet your needs…do a search online for low carb veggies and from the list you can pick those that you like..
Deb,
A good friend of mine from Peru has the same condition. She has been episode free using probiotics,
slippery elm and aloe herbs. No side effects. No pain. Regular bowel movements. These are the “medicines” typically prescribed in her native country for her condition. There are many others which provide a mucilage and anti-inflammatory effect without the dangers of continuous anti-biotics. She also drinks as much water as possible.
Barbara in NJ, my husband had suffered diverticulitis for 30 years before we met. Once we married and I took over the cooking I know he no longer has problems – though he’s still so afraid of enduring another episode he still drinks a
psyllium (sp?) mixture every night before going to bed. He eats plenty of vegetables and a handful of nuts everyday but refuses to leave his little nightly ritual by the wayside to even see if it’s still needed.
He used to have to pull over to the side of the road and throw up. Tremendous pain was also present. Docs simply recommended he get more fiber!!!!!!!!
Neicee,
Supposedly the enlarged sacs do not shrink and always remain potentially problematic for people diagnosed with this condition. I don’t know if there has been much research on this with people who follow grain and sugar free diets verses those who do not.
I forgot to mention the herb Cat’s Claw (Una de Gato) as the main herb she uses either as a pill or a tea for this condition along with the Slippery Elm and pre/probiotics.
Like your husband, she is not willing to even experiment with not taking her proven regimen. She hasn’t had a flare up since she started it many years ago.
Barbara in NJ, Thank you ever so much. I’ve written the name on a notepad and will ask him to go buy some. Now and then he’ll complain about a sore spot on his tummy and always say, “uh oh.” We cannot eat corn/peas/and seemed that everytime he ate whole grain (heart healthy) bread it didn’t sit well. :)
I would obtain the highest quality fruits and vegetables. Only organic. Also the fruit should be ripe before you eat it to make it easier to digest and get all the vitamins.
Deb, if you can eat nuts they are a good source of fibre, as well as good fats. If you look at the low net carb nuts like pecans, macadamias, brazils, walnuts, an ounce will give you 3 to 4 grams of fibre with under 2 grams net carbs. Stay away from cashews which have a very high net carb content and very little fibre.
Aren’t almonds from California all being treated for some type of fungus? As a kid, my punishment for doing something my mom objected to was to tackle a huge bag of nuts from our own trees. I had to crack them and try to keep all of the nuts whole. Almond will destroy your hands and nails. Course, black walnuts will do the same. English walnuts were much easier.
Josie, sounds like the same advice I was given 20 years ago by my doctor. She finally guessed that I was gluten intolerant and probably was celiac. Didn’t think it necessary to have me test for either – just stop eating wheat. Did give me instructions that I still needed potatoes/corn/rice and other grains. I don’t think you’ll ever lose the craving for starches following that path. Only when I read WB did a light come on. I’d already gotten a little pooch and was terrified it was going to get worse. Dropped all of them the day I finished the book. A year later, dropped all sugar. Good luck. Some of the best unpaid advice is right here on this website.
A week after starting a wheat, sugar and dairy free way of eating I experienced horrible gas, acid reflux and upper GI pain…I am quite sure the acid reflux had been coming on for a while and has nothing to do with my change in diet…but still, eating wheat free has not stopped the acid reflux..
Doctor first put me on a H2 blocker which made me feel like I took a sleeping pill and then was given a PPI which after 21 days has made my feet, legs and lower abdominal swell…I’m almost afraid to get off the PPI because I was having silent reflux which was coming up into my throat and sinuses which was causing bleeding in my sinuses..
After reading this article I may try the probiotic and digestive enzymes…and then the betaine HCL….
Really want to fix this problem without medication…
The sleep indusing effects of antihistamines are very interesting. Dr Batmangjelidj (hydration doctor) said that it is main water regulator of the human body, and that blocking histamine receptors blocks water getting into brain.
http://www.watercure.com/pdf/neurotranmitter_histamine.pdf
CJ,
I’ve had great success with mastic gum, pepzinGI, manuka honey and DGL licorice root. These are all herbs purchased at a health food store or on line. They have been used all over the world for may years and are considered quite safe. The mastic gum helped with what was probably an h.pylori infection, the pepzinGL, which is zinc and l-carnosine, promotes healthy mucous secretions in your stomach and gi tract while maintaining a healthy bacterial balance. The licorice is soothing. Digestive enzymes are excellent to help digest your food.
I no longer need to take a proton pump inhibitor. No acid reflux when bending down either. It took about a month or so to slowly heal my digestive tract. I no longer take any proton pump inhibitor. I am very careful to eat more than 1/2 my plate filled with vegetables which basically are alkaline and the remainder is a protein.
When I tried taking betaineHCL, I found it much too irritating. That is when I realized I had to heal the entire area first. This strategy is working quite well for me. Surprisingly, it seems that most people have an overabundance of h. pylori bacteria in their stomachs. You can easily be infected from unwashed food. My doctor thought an acute recent episode was due to a gall or kidney stone and ordered tests which proved negative. Not a clue about the long term digestive issues or the cause of my problem.
Finally, the good quality probiotics are helpful. You really just have to read as much as you can about the herbs I listed and experiment with how they make you feel. There are many paleo web sites discussing digestive issues which are worthwhile exploring. Healing your swollen gastro-intestinal tract using the herbs is slower relief than anti-biotics for h. pylori or the acid reducers which impair your health significantly with longer term use. I am astonished at how much better I feel overall with
reduced inflammation.
Another idea is to look up an internet site for a hiatal hernia exercise, just in case one is developing.
There are several video’s which show how to do this.
Barbara…I am using DGL Licorice at this time…it helps a bit at night and sometimes after a meal….I had an upper GI done this past July and no stomach issues were present at that time..I wonder if the blood pressure medicine I am taking, Diovan, is the cause…it is a Angiotensin II receptor blocker known to relax the lower esophageal sphincter, just found this out recently…I see a cardiologist next week and will ask to get my medicine changed although going wheat, dairy and sugar free has lowered my blood pressure to a level I have not seen since my twenties so maybe no blood pressure medicine for me will be needed..
Thank you for your helpful information and I will check it out..
or nightshades
may want to avoid coffee
and drink more water hydrate yourself