Grains & Gluten

May 9, 2013

The whole issue of health can sometimes be quite bewildering and downright frustrating. This is especially true when it comes to discerning if you should or should not eat grains. The anti-meat and whole grain movement has been going on for some time. Celiac disease and/or the digestive distress that appears to be precipitated by eating grains are on the front pages of nearly every magazine and Internet health story. Celiac disease itself inflicts distress on several millions of Americans.

I would like you to take a moment and squeeze your wrist; you should feel a solid bone structure below the skin. If you sense there is a layer of fluid between your fingers and the joint it is more than likely because your body is holding onto water to dilute some type of toxic substance from gluten. Protein particles from the gluten create a release of a substance in your colon that literally creates a sieve in the intestine which permits unwanted and unnecessary toxins to flow through the “gut” barrier.

I want to clarify some of the body signals and symptoms of celiac disease and those who have gluten sensitivity. Officially diagnosed celiac patients nearly always have a gluten challenge with the colon being the focus. However, patients with gluten sensitivity may not necessarily have colon challenges but they may in fact have inflammation in the body with symptoms of a foggy brain, pain, heart palpitations and even thyroid symptoms.

I would encourage you to complete a diet journal and look at what you are eating on a regular frequency. A pastry for breakfast and whole-wheat toast with jelly may be the cause of many of your symptoms. The grains in the pastry (commonly wheat) create a digestive nightmare in the lower colon; the gluten literally coats the wall of the intestine preventing essential nutrients from being absorbed.  Chronic complaints associated with mineral deficiencies are leg cramps, poor sleep patterns and even graying of your hair!

What I am discovering on a regular basis is the fact that gluten may be one of the main causes of full body pain. The key to pain is based on food intake; what you eat does impact how you handle pain. I consistently have patients tell me their pain disappeared with a shift of food choices. Focus on non-starchy, green vegetables and protein.  Avoid grains for three months and let me know what pain went away!