Kerri shared her story of weight loss and health following the Wheat Belly lifestyle, including an important lesson in wheat/grain re-exposure reactions:
“I wanted to share my story of eliminating wheat and other processed foods. In January 2014, I was 242 lbs. and, at 5’4”, I was morbidly obese. I knew I needed to make changes.
“In April, I turned 50 and I made up my mind to lose 50 lbs. during this year. I am very proud to say that I lost 60 lbs.
“The biggest loss of weight happened after I read Wheat Belly and eliminated all gluten and grains. Twice during holiday parties, I found myself eating small amounts of wheat, but even eating small amounts caused sinus infections.
“I can honestly say that I don’t miss eating gluten and grains!”
Kerr’s re-exposure reaction to even small quantities of grains was sinus congestion/infection. For others, re-exposure brings on bloating, diarrhea, mind “fog,” appetite-stimulation that lasts several days, headaches, or a recurrence of the health problems that had receded with wheat/grain elimination, such as autoimmune joint swelling.
This is part of the reason that, once they begin this lifestyle, people stick with it: they get sick when they “indulge” or go off the lifestyle. There is no question that many people build up partial–but never total–tolerance to the adverse effects of wheat and grains making, for instance, the diarrhea of grain consumption less problematic with chronic consumption. Once you are free of wheat and grains, you lose your partial tolerance within several weeks and any re-exposure can bring on all manner of reactions in full force. (I’ve even seen people go to the emergency room with severe re-exposure reactions, telling themselves that the couple of pretzels they had at the Superbowl party, for instance, couldn’t hurt . . . until their finger joints swell, they have terrible abdominal pain, or hurt themselves in a fitful grain-induced rage. Yup, it happens.)
Peel back the fictions surrounding wheat and grains, layer by layer, and you begin to discover just how far off conventional dietary advice can be. But by doing so, you also discover how wonderful life and health can be, just as Kerri has.
Wow, I was wondering about this. I thought I might have gotten “glutened” last week, as I ended up running to the bathroom after a dinner out. And the next day I woke up with a sore throat from sinus drainage and have had cold symptoms ever since. Was wondering if it was from the gluten exposure or from a real cold.
<>
Yes. I learned that lesson the hard way.
Fourteen years ago, I went on an elimination diet. When I re-introduced wheat, I got an itchy suffocating feeling in my throat, my heart started pounding , and I had this incredible sensation of doom. I haven’t eaten wheat since.
But re-introducing corn was even scarier.
Sharing a big bowl of popcorn while watching a video was something we used to do as a family at least once a week. After several weeks on the elimination diet, I ate some popcorn for the first time and got severe heart palpitations. I also felt like I was going to throw up and (TMI) have it come out the other end as well. I got up off the couch to run to the bathroom but my legs buckled under me. My husband had to hold me up under both arms as he walk/marched me to the bathroom. It was a humiliating and scary experience.
I soon discovered that I cannot tolerate processed corn in any of its various forms – corn meal; corn starch; corn syrup, etc. But I can get away with eating a fresh corn-on-the-cob once in awhile, with no ill effects.
Also, after about 2 months of living wheat-free, I saw my lifelong problem with eczema go away and stay gone, which confirmed my decision to avoid wheat for the rest of my live-long days.
Think how many ER visits over the years have been due to such re-exposures, intentional or inadvertent!
You look beautiful!! Congratulations!!
I love these stories & testamonials for inspiration. I have just completed my 3rd week on WB and love the FB stories so that I can relate to my experiences also. I do not have any weight loss yet, but, some of the “foggy” feelings have lifted finally. :)
That’s why I keep them coming, Linda. I personally find them incredibly enlightening and inspirational.
After staying strictly wheat and grain free for several weeks, I ate a slice of pizza and suffered from a debilitating headache that lasted an entire day–and I NEVER get headaches. I guess there’s a message there…