By Jill Coleman RN
Wheat today is totally different from the wheat harvested hundreds of years ago. From what I have researched, 80 to 90% of the common foods we eat, especially packaged, restaurant food, and thickeners, have some kind of highly processed wheat product in them.
All grains are meant to be sprouted* before they are consumed, which makes them more nutritious and easier to digest. Sprouting gets rid of the toxin that is naturally occurring on unsprouted grains. Today most wheat products, (wheat is a grain), are processed by taking away the nutritious wheat germ oil and bran, where most of the vitamins are. What’s left is the empty starch of the grain which has very little fiber. This by-product of wheat is then bleached and used for flour for pasta, breads, crackers, and many of the foods we love. Some of us call them comfort food, but the only thing they ‘comfort’ is our growing waistline.
All processed grains turn into sugar, which contributes to increased appetite, weight gain and decreased immunity! (See my article on Sugar)
In addition, most of us never give our bodies a break from this over processed food, and the body can’t completely clear it from the intestines. No wonder many people have a wheat/gluten allergy or sensitivity. Eventually the protein in wheat acts as a foreign body and can cause allergies.
Feeling tired, holding on to unwanted body fat, skin problems, brain fog, indigestion, migraines, and many other problems can all be symptoms of food allergies or sensitivities.
If you suspect you are allergic to a food, try eliminating it completely from your diet for 90 days. High quality digestive enzymes will help your body clean any residual allergic foods from your system, especially from companies like Standard Process, Enzymedica, or Master Supplements.
That being said, many lose weight and increase energy, just by eliminating all wheat and gluten from the diet for 90 days.
I actually did it once after a blood test revealed I had sensitivity to wheat and gluten.
At first, I missed the warm bread and butter they offered at restaurants, but today there are so many gluten free products, it isn’t that difficult to eliminate it.
I lost ten lbs and felt a lot better because my digestion improved and I naturally added more vegetables to make up for the breads. That was a great experience for me.
Today, I still avoid wheat products unless they are organic and sprouted, and I only eat those in moderation.
