I mentioned last week that I was reading a fascinating book that had me considering a grain-free lifestyle. The book is Wheat Belly. The author, Dr. William Davis, builds a pretty strong case against Americans' consumption of wheat, wheat's extreme genetic modification over the years, it's addictive nature, and it's devastating effect on many, many areas of our health, including obesity. It seems ironic that something we've been told is good for us could actually be bad for our health, right? I told you; it's a fascinating book.
What resonated most with me was the fact that Dr. Davis was able to get to the root cause and eliminate many heath concerns by simply changing people's wheat-based diet. I feel like doctors are so quick to write a prescription these days that treats symptoms but masks the underlying cause(s) of what is making us sick. I've ranted about that before. Sorry.
Anyway, Wheat Belly is a compelling read (though a bit technical in places) and while I've realized that I don't want to give up grains completely, I can be intentional about my consumption. I already know I have a gluten sensitivity so I try to avoid wheat. The reason he suggests restricting other grains is because of the effect they have on blood sugar/insulin response and weight loss (duh, everyone knows low carb diets work...until you start adding carbs back in). I'm not trying to lose weight but I do put a priority on healthy eating so why not add a few grain-free meals into my rotation? Last night I made Mexican Chicken and "Rice" and it was very good! I knew my kids would balk and it wasn't a battle I chose to fight so I let them build their own chicken burritos. John opted for the burritos too, which bothered me at first but now I'm realizing it means more leftovers for me!
There are so many good resources on the web about this stuff, but if any of this piques your interest check out the Wheat Belly Blog -there is some good stuff there!
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6 comments:
I was so intrigued by that book and tried to read it, but I got lost in all the technical information. Got overwhelmed and took it back to the library. But, I think it's a good message. I know I feel better when I eat fewer grains. But giving them up completely would be SO hard!
Another good read is The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. This is the book that convinced me that we are better off without grains (though I haven't been able to follow 100% of the time--more like 80/20).
I also do so much better with little to no wheat and most other grains. But, oh, how I love them! I have been seriously considering trying Paleo for our family - probably following 80/20, as well. Just not sure I can give up my favorite oatmeal dark chocolate chip cookies (I make them every 4-6 days). While I make them with an extra cup of old fashion oats & whole wheat flour, it still would not qualify as appropriate food in the wheat-free or Paleo worlds. Such hard decisions!
I completely agree with the concepts of both and so wish that more people who suffer from auto-immune and any other hormone-related issues were aware and/or willing to give it a go.
You may want to try this oatmeal chocolate chip cookie that is pretty good:
http://makeitnaked.com/2011/12/22/oatmeal-cookies-gluten-free/
Kathleen, thank you for that link! I'll pass it to Jennifer!
Thanks for the info on wheat belly blog, I've had wheat issues for long time but hard to give wheat up.
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