Are we suffering from "Wheat Belly" in North America?

a reply to: ThreeNF

Should those on a low carb diet check their ketone levels?

That depend if you want a ketogenic diet or simply low carb. If you want to be keto, it is mandatory to at least check urine ketones bodies, best is in blood, to regulate your diet. If you want simply to be low carb but not keto, it's up to you, but they are usefull to tell you that you are too low on carb and entering the keto realm. It is also usefull to check pH.

In our modern time, since the cost of dipstick and glucose control machine is so low, I recommend to learn to use them anyway. They can sometime catch dangerous conditions that would not be detected otherwise. I find funny that peoples check oil level often in their car, but don't give a damn about their vital signs and biochemicals markers.

originally posted by: PeterMcFly
a reply to: Dianec

There is a problem with an Atkins type of diet in that I lose too much weight and ketones get high so I'll be working on which carbs will keep those keystones low while also not spoiling the energy I get from low carbs.

Interesting, my spouse also have the same problem. Ketone bodies goes very high. She is not diabetic, so they should maxup at 4 to 8 mmol/L like me. I ear this story from time to time and I have no explanation. I have remarked that it seem frequently associated with autoimmune disease. One thing to check is if you take level of ketone bodies from urine using dipstick, you must make sure you are correctly hydrated. Urine measurement is just to give an idea and is strongly affected by dehydration causing low volume of urine produced. ketone bodies are best measured in blood.

Also, if you remove carb from a diet, you must absolutly replace them by fat. You cannot draw the bulk of your energy from protein, you will strain your kidney and have high level of nitrogenous compounds in blood. It is called protein poisonning or rabbit starvation.

I have a thread somewhere in here about low carb. It include info on ketogenic diet also.

I didn't ow about the low carb high keystone autoimmune connection. I always thought it was due to the low carbs. In replacing with fats I have no problem with that but didn't know to do it so now will make sure I am. Cocoanut and Olivia oil are easy to incorporate. And I do use the keystone urine test strips if I'm on a low carb diet. But I was also likely dehydrated due to too much coffee. Thank you very much for all of the information.

this is a topic i kept tabs on for some time now...

well personally i think so. since i myself seem to be a victim of this phenemon. starting some time back, i started having sick allergic reactions to wheat berry(assumbably hybrid).

but when i eat other crops like barley and beans i had no suspicion of prolbem whatsoever. and everything i came back to wheat and wheat bread, inflamation like sickness came up. so when you get repeated signs and "wheat belly"is the only theory that fits, what do you do?


i'm not all that surprised the wheat industry would deny "wheat belly theory" to protect margin. human greed and corruption is not something that surprise me.

a reply to: alansmms

Thank you for posting your thoughts on this subject. I truly believe that Dr. Davies is onto something with his theories outlined in the book. Processed foods are doing us more harm than good, trying to get clear of them is an uphill battle.

Have I taken wheat out of my diet completely? No, not yet, but I am working at reducing the amount wheat I do eat. Have not eaten boxed cereals in months and am trying to only have bread at one meal per day. Although it is only half following the recommendations in the "Wheat Belly" I do seem to have more energy and fewer cravings for baked goods (my nemesis).

As for the wheat industry's reaction to the findings in the book...all I can say is they need to keep their shareholders happy. And happiness comes from the bottom line.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

My sinus pain and joint pain virtually disappear when I'm off wheat for a week-2 weeks. There is something to this....but cupcakes....mmmmm cupcakes
I end up caving in to my hormones once a month and have to start all over again.

I find my brain runs better on a low carb diet. I don't get a sleepy.

I try to eat 5-6 small-ish meals a day, higher in protein and fats and lower in sugars and starches.

a reply to: Cricketine

My sinus pain and joint pain virtually disappear when I'm off wheat for a week-2 weeks. There is something to this.

A co-worker of mine started to experience a lot of pain and stiffness in her legs and wrists. After reading "Wheat Belly" and going gluten free the symptoms went away. When she mentioned it to her doctor he told her it was all in her head and that wheat had nothing to do with it. His opinion was that she was getting older and experiencing arthritis, take some Alieve.

She still tries to avoid wheat wherever possible and eats gluten free pasta and more rice products. When she does slip back into the old habits the aches come back. Whether its all in her head or not, me thinks her body knows whats best for her.

Why are some doctors so negative and unsupportive of "diet as medicine".

Namaste,
YogaGinns

a reply to: YogaGinns

When she mentioned it to her doctor he told her it was all in her head

This is the standard response from those educated idiots. It is very difficult these days to find a doctor worth his weight in salt...

a reply to: PeterMcFly

I have to agree with you that the medical profession in North America does not want to acknowledge the power of diet on health. For the most part though I have been able to beg off of prescriptions that the doctor suggested on the promise of eating better.

And then you read about Ayurveda (India) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (China) where it is the focus on diet and lifestyle changes along with herbal remedies that are prescribed. These methods may not give instant relief from symptoms but over time help reduce or eliminate the disease or dis-ease their patients are suffering from.

I guess it is a sign that our culture demands immediate gratification in most instances, even our health care. Whether or not it produces a cure.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
I find my brain runs better on a low carb diet. I don't get a sleepy.

I try to eat 5-6 small-ish meals a day, higher in protein and fats and lower in sugars and starches.

The same for me. If I eat anything with a lot of carbs, especially at lunch time, then I have a hard time focusing in the afternoon. However, I typically only eat 2 large meals a day, breakfast and lunch. Come dinner time I just snack.

I'm okay with wheat, it's flour that gets to me. I think flour has much more of an insulin load, right? I eat a lot of whole grain bread, rice, and oats. No problems here.

originally posted by: pl3bscheese
I'm okay with wheat, it's flour that gets to me. I think flour has much more of an insulin load, right? I eat a lot of whole grain bread, rice, and oats. No problems here.

That is very true, the more refined a food is (the less digestion required) the higher the glycemic index and the more carbs it contains. Blood sugar rises quickly when fine flour is used and then crashes leaving us tired, cranky and wanting more. Whereas, foods containing cracked or whole grain take longer to break down in our system and we stay satisfied.

Thanks for the post.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

a reply to: ThreeNF

I agree with you there, tend to drag in the afternoon especially if I've gone out for lunch. Brown bagging is best...that way you have control.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
I find my brain runs better on a low carb diet. I don't get a sleepy.



I try to eat 5-6 small-ish meals a day, higher in protein and fats and lower in sugars and starches.

I do this, too. But just today I fell off the wagon and bought some almond croissants from Target. One croissant contains 34 carbs and 8 grams of sugar but I ate it anyway.

OMG...I feel like total crap now. It certainly wasn't worth it!

originally posted by: texasgirl

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
I find my brain runs better on a low carb diet. I don't get a sleepy.



I try to eat 5-6 small-ish meals a day, higher in protein and fats and lower in sugars and starches.

I do this, too. But just today I fell off the wagon and bought some almond croissants from Target. One croissant contains 34 carbs and 8 grams of sugar but I ate it anyway.

OMG...I feel like total crap now. It certainly wasn't worth it!

I probably would too! I try to limit my carb intake to no more than 50 net carbs per day, and no more than 15g per meal.

Besides wheat, there is another people should be avoiding completely which is Soy.

This book along with the Wheat belly book which i own, are excellent references as to what to avoid if you want a strong lean body that runs efficiently.

The whole Soy Story - The dark side of Americas favorite health food.

A groundbreaking expose that tells the truth about soy that scientists know but that the soy industry has tried to suppress. Soy is not a health food, does not prevent disease and has not even been proven safe. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive problems, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, even heart disease and cancer.

originally posted by: awareness10
Besides wheat, there is another people should be avoiding completely which is Soy.

This book along with the Wheat belly book which i own, are excellent references as to what to avoid if you want a strong lean body that runs efficiently.

The whole Soy Story - The dark side of Americas favorite health food.

A groundbreaking expose that tells the truth about soy that scientists know but that the soy industry has tried to suppress. Soy is not a health food, does not prevent disease and has not even been proven safe. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive problems, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, even heart disease and cancer.

Thanks for bringing this topic up. As someone with thyroid issues I avoid soy whenever I can ... but Asian food just screams for Soya Sauce.

We all need to research and make informed decisions when it comes to the foods we eat. Just because someone makes health claims about an ingredient or supplement be sure to get the whole story and then trust your instincts.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

I only read the first page BUT.....
this will get your attention.......wheat....
three weeks before harvest or sooner, they have crop dusters spray ......they spray friggin....
friggin vaccines.....truth....

originally posted by: pl3bscheese
I'm okay with wheat, it's flour that gets to me. I think flour has much more of an insulin load, right? I eat a lot of whole grain bread, rice, and oats. No problems here.

White bread used to give me IBS since I changed to brown, I have never had it.

originally posted by: YogaGinns


There seems to be more gluten free products available, even in the grocery stores now, and that makes me think there is truly something to this. I have done well with weight loss following the low gi (glycemic index) diet in the past, but think this one would be even more limiting and harder to stick with.

I'm on a restricted diet for the next few weeks...and I've been told to avoid wheat/gluten.

I really like a good piece of bread, some nice buttered pasta, a crunchy breadstick.

But, I must say, it's been far easier than I would have imagined and I'm not craving wheat at all.
There are wonderful crackers that are gluten free...and taste very good.
I'd avoid the stuff by the big name companies....the ones I've tried previously ....not that great.....rice crackers can suck.
But, the ones in the health food section of the store are quite tasty.

Maybe it's because I low carb anyway, but going wheat free is not that bad.

I'm also supposed to avoid dairy [and most sugar]....that is not so easy