Are gluten and dairy unhealthy?

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  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    CynthiasChoice wrote: »
    My primary care doctor, who also practices functional medicine, recommends that everyone reduce or eliminate gluten. She says there is much more gluten in the type of wheat grown in America than the type grown in Europe.

    She says that whether you are sensitive to gluten or not, it is unhealthy because it coats the lining of your intestine and blocks nutrients from being absorbed. She focused especially on the importance of antioxidants, and how gluten can negate the benefits of superfoods in your diet.

    When I stopped eating breads, crackers etc, I noticed my stomach shrank within days. I was not aware I was bloated, but the difference was remarkable. I rarely have gassy episodes now, where they used to be a daily annoyance. :#

    I think your idea of a healthy diet of protein, complex carbs, fruit and veggies is good. Add some healthy fats to that and you're doing well. If you want to go the extra mile and make sure you're getting the best nutrition, maybe reducing gluten is a good idea.

    How would your doctor explain the fact that I don't restrict gluten at all and all my blood markers show super low inflammation? I have no bloating or gassy episodes. Gluten Doesn't coat your stomach lining and block nutrient absorption either. That is all woo.

    If my Doctor told me this kind of woo and myth, I'd find a new doctor.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
    I was interested in this a few years ago and did some research on it and talked to my doctor about it. He said it can cause problems if a person doesn't have a sensitivity.


    "If you’re determined to go gluten free, it’s important to know that it can set you up for some nutritional deficiencies. Fortified breads and cereals have become a major source of B vitamins in the United States. Although breads made with white rice, tapioca, and other gluten-free flours are becoming more common, they are generally not fortified with vitamins. This can be a problem for anyone, but it’s especially worrisome for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. They need vitamin B9, more commonly known as folate or folic acid, to prevent birth defects."

    "Whole wheat is also a major source of dietary fiber, which the bowels need to work properly."

    It’s time consuming, expensive, and restrictive. “It’s a gigantic burden for those who have to follow it,” says Dr. Leffler.

    http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/going-gluten-free-just-because-heres-what-you-need-to-know-201302205916
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    imanibelle wrote: »
    I do want to go to school to be a dietitian. When I read or hear stuff, though, I don't know what to believe. It would make things a bit harder if gluten was forbidden. My dad still eats it, but says he's going to change the way he eats in the near future, but that it will be a big transition. We're both overweight.

    Choose your sources carefully - there is indeed a lot of contradictory and wrong information out there.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    LadyMcCracken wrote: »
    When I was around 12, my doctor put it nicely that I needed to start watching what I eat because quite frankly I was overweight (170 pounds). The biggest thing she suggested was to cut out the "full fat" dairy, if not all together. Long story sort, I did. And guess what? The weight fell off. (Now 125 pounds)

    As far as gluten goes, unless you have an allergy, eating it isn't 100% percent unhealthy. That being said, avoiding gluten would help cut out a lot of carbs, which if you're trying to lose weight, can help you to do so.

    When you cut full fat dairy, you cut calories...there's nothing magical about cutting the milk...it just cut calories. Same for restricting carbs...in and of itself cutting carbs is meaningless for weight loss unless it results in less calories. Plenty of people consume dairy and carbs and lose weight.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    I'm pretty sure I get about 25% of my daily calories from cheese (probably not, but I do eat cheese with pretty much every meal) and I've been slowly losing weight all year. What matters, absent an allergy, is calorie deficit, and maintaining deficit is about finding foods you like to eat and eating reasonable portions of them.
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