Anybody read/try "Wheat Belly"

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Replies

  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    I've been hearing a lot about this book lately so I decided today that I would purchase it. I haven't started reading it yet, however I'm curious to know people's thoughts on it.

    My thoughts about it include things like "this is propaganda BS filled with pseudo-science and debunked myths re-surfaced and packaged so some dude can make money off of us through the use of fear mongering concerning entire food groups."

    Unless you have a real allergy to wheat, there's no need to cut it from your diet. I'm in the best shape of my life right now and I have pasta and other wheat products nearly everyday.

    Yeah.

    Here's the deal. I have read responses to it by molecular biologists, geneticists, paleo advocates, nutrition researchers, medical experts on celiac disease....

    Everyone with expertise in one of the areas he covers has pointed out major errors of fact in the area they know something about. Across all those different areas.

    Sure, you can say "oh, but they're MAINSTREAM scientists. They take money from BIG FARM-a!" Except they're not all mainstream, and they're from across the spectrum of disciplines.

    One person reading it with some knowledge might say "Oh, well, he got that detail wrong, but its just one detail.' Well, when all those different people are pointing out things that are factually incorrect across the whole thing? That' smore than just an accident. He's pulling in a lot of stuff he knows nothing about and then misinterpreting it and misquoting sources and outright getting it wrong somtimes.

    In order to .... sell a low-carb diet book. Because low carb diet books sell.

    I absolutely 100% believe that celiac disease is real and a real problem and up until the past few years was frequently underdiagnosed. I still think that Wheat Belly is a misguided book full of bad science.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    I just read the Perfect Health Diet which is similar to Paleo/Primal (it's Paleo based with a few other points). I never though I would be convinced to give up gluten and sugar, but that book totally convinced me and I've heard similar things about Wheatbelly. It's only been about 2 weeks for me and I feel amazing!

    But your profile pic is you with a beer....ironic :huh:
    Paleo/primal dieters arbitrarily restrict food, arbitrarily
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    I just read the Perfect Health Diet which is similar to Paleo/Primal (it's Paleo based with a few other points). I never though I would be convinced to give up gluten and sugar, but that book totally convinced me and I've heard similar things about Wheatbelly. It's only been about 2 weeks for me and I feel amazing!

    But your profile pic is you with a beer....ironic :huh:
    Paleo/primal dieters arbitrarily restrict food, arbitrarily

    you keep using that word...... i do not think it means what you think it means.
  • carissar7
    carissar7 Posts: 183 Member
    Since I stopped eating grains and mostly all dairy (except cheese here and there) any bloating I would have had has completely stopped. I have not read the book, but have done similar research regarding this issue and definitely could agree with the science behind it. My stomach is a lot flatter and more defined now which is either from fat loss or less bloating/inflammation or both. Whatever it is, I definitely don't want to stop it!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Well, from the looks of it I'll be against the grain here, but I quite enjoy my whole grains and have no desire or reason to give them up. I successfully lost weight by simply watching my overall calories. The only really good thing I see about the whole primal/paleo movement is the elimination of processed foods. But, in general, I think paleo is a fad that will go the same way atkins and all the other diet fads went before it.

    This. Unless you're willing to go wheat free all your life, don't even bother, IMO. Unless obviously you have issues with gluten.
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    While I don't follow a strict Paleo lifestyle, I have cut out a lot of wheat from my diet. I only eat my carbs in the form of vegetables, rice/ rice cakes, and oats now. I used to have a severe case of IBS, but I found that when I cut out a lot of refined carbs from my diet (ie, bread, pasta, cereal, cakes, sweets, etc.) that my IBS got a lot better on its own without medication. I don't follow it strictly and still consume certain things like cereal from time to time, but I do find that I get very bloated afterward.


    Edit- I didn't lose any weight by doing this. I can just say that it has helped with my IBS and digestion.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,261 Member
    I've been hearing a lot about this book lately so I decided today that I would purchase it. I haven't started reading it yet, however I'm curious to know people's thoughts on it.

    My thoughts about it include things like "this is propaganda BS filled with pseudo-science and debunked myths re-surfaced and packaged so some dude can make money off of us through the use of fear mongering concerning entire food groups."

    Unless you have a real allergy to wheat, there's no need to cut it from your diet. I'm in the best shape of my life right now and I have pasta and other wheat products nearly everyday.

    Yeah.

    Here's the deal. I have read responses to it by molecular biologists, geneticists, paleo advocates, nutrition researchers, medical experts on celiac disease....

    Everyone with expertise in one of the areas he covers has pointed out major errors of fact in the area they know something about. Across all those different areas.

    Sure, you can say "oh, but they're MAINSTREAM scientists. They take money from BIG FARM-a!" Except they're not all mainstream, and they're from across the spectrum of disciplines.

    One person reading it with some knowledge might say "Oh, well, he got that detail wrong, but its just one detail.' Well, when all those different people are pointing out things that are factually incorrect across the whole thing? That' smore than just an accident. He's pulling in a lot of stuff he knows nothing about and then misinterpreting it and misquoting sources and outright getting it wrong somtimes.

    In order to .... sell a low-carb diet book. Because low carb diet books sell.

    I absolutely 100% believe that celiac disease is real and a real problem and up until the past few years was frequently underdiagnosed. I still think that Wheat Belly is a misguided book full of bad science.
    I agree it's another low carb diet book. If he was actually addressing celiac/gluten sufferers he would be addressing other sources of carbs, but he doesn't, it's a similar low carb pitch as all the others. He's basically cashing in on the recent awareness and low carb popularity. imo
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    I've been hearing a lot about this book lately so I decided today that I would purchase it. I haven't started reading it yet, however I'm curious to know people's thoughts on it.

    My thoughts about it include things like "this is propaganda BS filled with pseudo-science and debunked myths re-surfaced and packaged so some dude can make money off of us through the use of fear mongering concerning entire food groups."

    Unless you have a real allergy to wheat, there's no need to cut it from your diet. I'm in the best shape of my life right now and I have pasta and other wheat products nearly everyday.

    Yeah.

    Here's the deal. I have read responses to it by molecular biologists, geneticists, paleo advocates, nutrition researchers, medical experts on celiac disease....

    Everyone with expertise in one of the areas he covers has pointed out major errors of fact in the area they know something about. Across all those different areas.

    Sure, you can say "oh, but they're MAINSTREAM scientists. They take money from BIG FARM-a!" Except they're not all mainstream, and they're from across the spectrum of disciplines.

    One person reading it with some knowledge might say "Oh, well, he got that detail wrong, but its just one detail.' Well, when all those different people are pointing out things that are factually incorrect across the whole thing? That' smore than just an accident. He's pulling in a lot of stuff he knows nothing about and then misinterpreting it and misquoting sources and outright getting it wrong somtimes.

    In order to .... sell a low-carb diet book. Because low carb diet books sell.

    I absolutely 100% believe that celiac disease is real and a real problem and up until the past few years was frequently underdiagnosed. I still think that Wheat Belly is a misguided book full of bad science.
    I agree it's another low carb diet book. If he was actually addressing celiac/gluten sufferers he would be addressing other sources of carbs, but he doesn't, it's a similar low carb pitch as all the others. He's basically cashing in on the recent awareness and low carb popularity. imo

    explain please?
  • crimsontech
    crimsontech Posts: 234 Member
    Do some people have sensitivity or intolerance to wheat? Yep!
    Do some people have a disease called Celiac where they absolutely can NOT have wheat because it kills the essential microvilli in their intestines? You bet! Part of the diagnosis includes taking a biopsy of the intestine where you can actually see the destruction, confirming the diagnosis.

    But are all humans sensitive to wheat and/or gluten? No... many/most of us can eat wheat just fine without a problem or worry.

    This is just a low carb book in disguise! The low carb diet is GREAT, as is the paleo diet. BUT the reason they work is that they help to control blood sugar spikes and cravings and make it easier to stay within our calorie deficit goals. Paleo/primal/etc proponents (and they sure are a vocal proselytizing bunch, aren't they?) cut out food arbitrarily, chasing pseudo-scientific nonsense in the name of "leptins" (which sound to me pretty similar to thetans!) and having the right results for the wrong reasons, cutting out foods and nutrients that they have no REAL reason to avoid.
  • JaceyMarieS
    JaceyMarieS Posts: 692 Member
    Haven't read it, but I have diabetes, celiac sprue and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Eliminating wheat and other grains was a pretty obvious choice and I've never felt better. Eczema that has plagued me since middle school is done, IBS flares are much less common, arthritis is much improved - the list could go on and on.
  • croppinqueen
    croppinqueen Posts: 43 Member
    I LOVE your profile pic!!
  • croppinqueen
    croppinqueen Posts: 43 Member
    My mom has been telling me about this book for 3 months. I am diabetic and so is my father, who has had 11 strokes and is still pretty much normal (strong man & good medical care). Anyway, she hasn't tried it, but copied about 10 recipes this past weekend while visiting my cousin who has the book and has begun making some of the recipes. I can't wait to try them. I guess I will have to break down and buy the book. Very curious. Though I can tell you I don't think I'll ever completely forever eliminate wheat. But, then again, I didn't think I would EVER be interested in reading an issue of Runner's magazine or running either. ; )

    Anyone on here using or making any of the Wheat Belly recipes regularly or have any favorites they'd like to share? I hope to make two this week.
  • skinnyfat14
    skinnyfat14 Posts: 107 Member
    My mom has been telling me about this book for 3 months. I am diabetic and so is my father, who has had 11 strokes and is still pretty much normal (strong man & good medical care). Anyway, she hasn't tried it, but copied about 10 recipes this past weekend while visiting my cousin who has the book and has begun making some of the recipes. I can't wait to try them. I guess I will have to break down and buy the book. Very curious. Though I can tell you I don't think I'll ever completely forever eliminate wheat. But, then again, I didn't think I would EVER be interested in reading an issue of Runner's magazine or running either. ; )

    Anyone on here using or making any of the Wheat Belly recipes regularly or have any favorites they'd like to share? I hope to make two this week.

    I was going to buy the Wheat Belly cookbook after I finish reading the actual book (which I haven't gotten far yet........but only because I am reading another book at the moment). I'm trying my hardest to eliminate as much wheat as I can. Maybe not all but I am reducing it quite a bit.

    Please let me know how your recipes turn out!! which ones are you going to do?
  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 563 Member
    I was a bit disappointed with the Wheat Belly Cookbook. Instead of opening new vistas for non-wheat eating, it seemed more intent on providing recipes of look-alike substitutes for wheat-containing foods. Many of the recipes call for additives like xanthan gum, chickpea flour, and artificial sweeteners which are among food items I avoid with Primal/paleo. If you really want to keep eating breads and other baked goods, the recipes are in there. For me, a paleo or Primal cookbook would be a better choice.

    The only recipe that I have made, so far, was for "gingerbread" cookies. They are nothing like traditional gingerbread cookies--more like a mildly spicy soft oatmeal cookie (made with almond flour, coconut flour, ground flax). They are a tasty alternative to expensive store-bought gluten-free products with all the unacceptable (to my food plan) non-wheat flours. I did use real maple syrup instead of the sugar-free(!!!??) maple syrup called for in the recipe in the batch I made.
  • sandviper888
    sandviper888 Posts: 10 Member
    Wheat Belly, was the reason why i decided to get healthy.
    after reading it, i can say it made a lot of sense but maybe not for everyone but it did for me.
    i know i have a low insulin tolerance/resistance and eating carbs which i loved always made me bloated and gassy haha yes...lots of flatulating aka farting.
    after that book i read the Paleo Diet by Dr Lauren Cordaine and then read Primal Blueprint by Mark Sissons.

    i changed my lifestyle and thots on foods particularly sugars and processed foods and of course carbs and wheat.
    i dont follow any strict diet....i follow a combo of paleo/primal/ketogenics style diet and dont eat much carbs anymore other than from leafy greens and non starchy vegetables.

    i sometimes go under 30gms of carbs a day with high fat and never go over 50 grams...hence ketogenics.
    i try to eat primal/paleo with every meal consisting of a meat/seafood and lots of veggies and one fruit a day.
    ive been on this type of lifestyle since feb 2, 2013 and have lost 59 lbs...

    i feel amazing all the time now and always energetic.
    dont get the crazy carb/sugar craves and crashes i used to.
    i dont crave carbs at all anymore.
    i dont eat any processed foods anymore and if i do its once in a blue moon.
    i am not saying what i am doing is the best way or the right way but my dr said to keep up what im doing since i had my physical and my blood sugar levels (my dad and grandma had type 2 diabetes and i used to eat tons of rice) are now good, cholestoral good, blood pressure good and im still overweight as per BMI but im also not worrying about it.

    i started 37.4% body fat now im 27.0%
    I started 47.2% muscle and now im 53.5%

    i dont go to the gym regularly other than walking when i can.
    its true what mark sissons says...you eat to be healthy and lose weight...you excercise for fun....lots and lots of cardio is not going to do much since ive done it before go to the gym 5-6 days a week...lose the weight then gain it all back cus i stopped and never changed my eating habits....this time its staying off...my goal used to be a certain weight....its now changed to be 18% body fat...still 9% to go and its a long road to get there but key is ill be patient and get there.

    I do have to say w/o reading the Wheat belly i would have never been able to do this...its about how it changed my mindset and all my life why i was over weight made sense...and when i put the wheat belly/paleo/primal way of life in affect my body responded and it thanked me...i feel amazing and i will never go back to eating crap and garbage like i used to.

    if you want to eat wheat or carbs and it doesnt affect you then all good to you...but know not gaining weight doesnt mean it doesnt affect you cus your insulin resistance can change and it can start potentially causing you so much damage.

    the way i see it i dont need bad carbs but will eat it again when i feel i need/want to but never on a reg basis...
  • I just finished "Wheat Belly". My doctor had suggested I go on a wheat-free diet for some health issues, and I wanted to read up on how wheat could be affecting me like this. It was an interesting read, if not a little repetitive. He also made correlations that I'm not convinced he should have been making. I'm on Day 9 of being Wheat Free though and I feel good, although I went through withdrawal over the weekend which sucked!