Are you eating grains that contain gluten–like wheat? Could it be making you sick? 1 out of 7 Americans suffers from a severe gluten intolerance. Dr. Josh Axe gives you healthier alternatives for many of the gluten-containing foods you might be eating now.
Why You Should Avoid Gluten-Episode #012
Post a Comment
Am I mistaken? I thought I’ve heard you say to stay away from rice, even brown rice?
Hey Tim – You are correct. I typically tell people to stay away from grains while they are on the healing diet. However, on the Real Food Diet, which is more basic and for beginners, or for people who have reached their health goals, it’s OK to use gluten free grains and starchy carbs like Brown Rice, Quinoa, Sweet Potatoes, and sometimes sprouted grains.
Just a thought- I have been cooking for my celiac husband for over 20 years and as of late I have come to discover that many “gluten free” products are even worse than Gluten foods. The reason- HIGH starch content. Be careful- just because it says Gluten free doesn’t make it healthy. In the body starch is converted to sugars and we all know that too much sugar is horrible for your body, immune system, and controlling inflammation. I bake with ground flax and ground almonds, organic eggs and coconut oil. My husband rants and raves over the taste and texture of my new breads, muffins and cakes and cookies.
Rose, can you please share with us an example of something you regularly make?
Can you please tell us where you like to get your supplies; your recipes? What equipment you use?
I’d sort of like to have a ‘day in the life’ glimpse as to how and what you do! :)
Thank you!
Thanks for your comments! I couldn’t agree w/ you more. We started doing GF/CF/SF a long time ago as well, and found limited improvement, b/c of exactly what you were talking about. That’s when I learned of the SCD [Specific Carbohydrate Diet - Elaine Gottschall - "Breaking The Viscous Cycle] and it changed our lives. It’s the ONLY diet that truly eliminates yeast/heals the gut! It just takes so much longer to cook that way… whole foods all the time, take more work…
Kim – would you be willing to share your recipes? The gluten free products are also very expensive! I am trying to do more basic cooking but it is hard with work, kids, etc. I would greatly appreciate you sharing your recipes!
Thanks!!
You can find some great recipes on http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/
See my response to Gail Jensen. Those are very helpful websites.
Why, in your opinion, are so many people developing this intolerance to gluten? Is it the GMO association with grain so that our bodies do not recognize it as a food? Or maybe the mold that infiltrates the grain as it is stored in the huge silos? Is it pesticide, herbicide related or the way the grain is processed and denatured after harvesting? People have eaten wheat forever with no problems. What has happened?
Yes, Yes, and Yes. Rose I think all the things you have mentioned contribute, but I also think that people from long ago lived more like hunter-gatherers, and so our systems aren’t used to eating a lot of farm raised foods and are more used to wild foods.
I have also been told ( sorry , but I can’t remember the source) that the wheat of today is not the wheat of yesterday- that the gluten content of sooo much more than it was- something like 50% more. I believe that this is part of the GMO crops we are now using
I don’t remember what book of Victoria Boutenko’s..but she mentions something about wheat..and how we really weren’t meant to eat the grains..they were for the birds, and squirrels, etc.
But, I think you (Kim, Rose, and Dr. Axe) are for sure correct.
I know that a lot of brands will say ‘rice spaghetti’ or whatever, and then you flip it over and read the ingredients and it is wheat AND rice. It’s so deceptive! I’ve been fooled (foiled?) more than once!
Our Favorite: Kale Shake
He sports a green mustache because he drinks it so fast. He smiles because it tastes so good.
“Mom,” he says, “this is healthy, isn’t it…. yeah, I’m getting strong.”
This is what makes Transforming Our Kitchen so much fun!
Thanks Dr. J! As I learn how to deal with Crohn’s it becomes clear that gluten is a big irritant. This means though that all the “normal” foods that I eat every day are out of the mix. Do you know of a site that gives a gluten free shopping list? Breakfast is now corn flakes and rice milk. not sure about lunch yet.
Thanks for this very informative video. I’ve been reducing gluten in my diet switching over to quinoa pasta, brown rice etc. What about oatmeal. I heard it has gluten. What are your thoughts?
Thank you, Tracy Caracciolo-Frankfort, IL
I would love to hear what you think about fibromyalgia and diet, would gluten-free be a good way to go for someone with fibro?
What do you think about “The Rice Diet”?
Deni,
Most definitely! I’ve been doing some reading on the forum on Dr. Mercola’s site also and there are some great contributors there, too.
A number of people with Fibro (I have) and also those with MS (my mother had), and the whole yeast, and gluten connection there. VERY interesting stuff.
My concern, since I’m not much of a bread eater, or pasta eater anyway, are all the other ‘hidden’ or less obvious foods containing gluten.
Gail,
I went gluten free for several months and I think I was finally seeing a difference, we started the Rice Diet and I did eat some gluten and started having pain again (severe flare) so I am back to gluten free. My dh did not think eating gluten-free was making a difference, I need the low sodium/low fat + gluten free, to reduce the inflammation and sensitivity of my body…
Thanks for the info! My 2 yr old son tested negative for celiac, but I decided to try gluten free anyway. It’s made all the difference in the world! We had made a few trips to the ER and numerous doctor appointments over his stomach issues and since we started gluten free it’s been a total turn around! My aunt told me about vitacost.com and they have TONS of gluten free products and $5 shipping. It’s definitely cheaper than most health food stores.
As I mentioned, above, there was great discussion on the Mercola forum about how the testing for celiac/gluten intolerance is really very insufficient. Most people DO test negative for issues.
I’m so glad you had the sense and foresight to forge ahead with your plan to eliminate the gluten anyway, and had such great results.
If anyone posts that they have had positive results after switching their diet, can you please include before and after health issues so we can get a clearer picture? Those types of examples are so helpful to others.
Thanks!
Deni,
That’s great that you are paying close attention and recognize what does/doesn’t work.
Last year, I was gifted a one month membership participation into the http://www.rawfoodbootcamp.com routine. (She specializes in morbidly obese, however, which I am not) Her plans work for everyone. Anyway, her focus is lowfat/low sugar/low sodium (and of course raw as much as possible. I did feel great, but just can’t get excited about fruit, fruit, fruit and no matter what, you do have to enjoy what you eat.
I do agree, however, that low sodium/lowfat/low sugar was very helpful and did wonders for the blood pressure!
Now I just need to understand the whole gluten thing. Again, it’s gluten in the not-so-obvious places that I want to know about.
Gotta go! Take care!
I stopped eating all gluten foods in 2004. I had reached the point that I even had advanced celiac seizures. You do not hear about that often, but you can find the information if you do a search. I never over do anything. Therefore just because you are now using gluten free flours, it does not mean that you go overboard with grains that are gluten free. More veggies and fruits become more appealing if you decrease your bakery goods.
Many manufacturers of gluten free flour still continue to print recipes with yeast and one of the biggest problems with gluten foods is the fact that yeast is usually added. I do not eat anything with yeast either. The two ingredients are detrimental to those whose digestive systems are no longer in optimum condition.
I do continue to use a small amount of yeast cleanse supplementation in small amounts to assist in living a more normal life. I am 68 years of age and my health has improved this making the changes. I want to give thanks to Clayton of Natural Healing which gave me an education on better living. And I am also thankful for people like Dr. Josh Axe who really is assisting people to live a healthier lifestyle, and he is still in the minority.
gluten free is very difficult to do as a vegan, especially if you eliminate wheat & grains. also, that pasta you show in this video is awful! i have yet to have a piece of gluten free bread that did not taste like styrofoam. please help me understand how this will improve my life so much that i give up the enjoyment of eating
Recipes and information on eating gluten free:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LivingGlutenFree/
We have FABULOUS bread recipe!!