Wheatbelly...? Wheat, the UNHEALTHY wholegrain?!

I just started seeing a nutritionist.I've already lost 58 pounds before talking to her. She wants me to try eating gluten free. I have read alot about how grains are NOT that healthy for us so I will let you know how it goes.

If you aren't a diagnosed celiac then gluten free will just be an unproductive pain in the *kitten*. Get a new nutritionist that will help you with your diet instead of feeding you the latest fad BS.

If you are allergic or sensitive to wheat (gluten) you can get bloating as well as other symptoms. Otherwise, enjoy whole wheat in moderation like all other foods!

^^^ Some people are allergic to gluten, just like some people can't handle dairy. I also kind of think that this gluten free stuff is kind of a fab like no/low Calories was were EVERYTHING seems to be gluten free now.

I don't know how much of it really is bad for us but you can go to wikipedia and read about the evolution of wheat. what was grown in the fertile crescent 5,000 years ago is not what we consume today. Those wheats had much more protein and very little gluten in them. There are still grains today that are more or less the same such as oats and barley. I try to stick with those if possible, but I will admit I LOVE wheat bread.

My nutritionist ran blood tests on me. I learned I was wheat, dairy, corn, and soy intolerant, as well as other food intolerences. I spent a year eating very carefully, avoiding the foods that bothered me. Mainly, I was trying to avoid inflammation. My joints stopped constantly hurting. After the year, I gradually added back foods, to see what I could tolerate. I now eat everything in moderation. Sometimes my allergies flare, or my joints ache. Then I look at what I have been eating, and cut back. In general, I eat a big variety of grains, because I think they are healthy in moderation. You can find amaranth, quinoa, millet, etc. at your health food store, and follow package directions to prepare them. I use them in place of wheat based foods. I also use common foods like white and brown rice, corn tortillas, rice cakes, instead of bread. There are good pastas made from rice and/or corn. You can make cornbread with all corn flour. I find that when I choose a lot of variety, I don't suffer joint pain and a runny nose. Whole grains have B vitamins, a nutrient I found helpful to keep my moods pleasant. As far as the book, remember, controversy sells books, and today's "good" foods will be tomorrows "awful" foods. Too much of anything is not good for you. If I had lost a lot of weight during the 'year of deprivation', I would have kept it up. But, no, my weight didn't budge much, so eating a variety of foods and using MFP to control portions is what works for me.

I'm not sure where everyone here is from, but from what I can tell, in America, Celiac disease is VERY uncommon. But in Europe, particularly Italy and Scandinavian roots, it is an extremely common disease. Since most Americans are from general European roots, I would say it's likely more than 1 out of 133 people have this disease. Where I'm from, I think the ratio is 1 out of 10 people. Gluten can cause migraines, general tummy troubles, joint pains, and pretty much anything else as Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease and your autoimmune system functions throughout your body. That's why each of us gets affected differently. Whole grains definitely DO help the human body out, but sometimes they cause problems too, just like any other food can. Wheat, rye, and barely all have gluten in them, but they are not unhealthy. The same way some people cannot have oranges due to the acidity, or some cannot have milk. They are not unhealthy, but some people just can't accomodate them.

I haven't seen it, but the documentary of the same name is on Netflix Instant right now.

The wheat we eat today is a GMO grain. So is corn. Both need man's intervention to grow. They cannot grow on their own therefore they are no longer a natural food. And whole wheat bread is just brown flour. There is no difference between that and white.

Plus, the amounts we are told to get them aren't so good either. Since when did grains become more important than fruits and veggies? My research helped me realize that grains are an optional food for most of us and completely bad for some of us, too.

I removed grains when I went Primal. It was an experiment. Every digestive issue I've had to deal with in my life (from one end to the other) disappeared withing weeks of going Primal (also backed off all that "healthy" fiber and can now go to the bathroom on a daily basis). I got a flat belly for the first time in my life - I didn't get this from the 1st 10lbs I loss, or P90X, or restricting calories. I hit a weight I haven't seen since before puberty (109lbs. I was 136lb when I was 14 and never saw below 120 as an adult until Primal Blueprint). And there is nothing "heart-healthy" about them. They don't help your heart any. They are also incomplete protein. They also contain "anti-nutrients" which are mineral binders. They inhibit your body's absorption of nutrients. Since removing grains (and beans) from my diet I no longer get cavities (I have 5 crowns, I've had 2 root canals and just about every dental appointment I have ever had I've had to deal with decay and cavities...until I went Primal). My dental hygeine hasn't changed.

And just because you add some whole grain to a high sugar cereal doesn't mean it is now "heart-healthy".

And then there's all the people now dealing with gluten-intolerance and celiac disease. Funny how those issues have increased as the gluten in grains have increased - from the genetic alterations done to it by man. More than 90% of the grocery store sells products that contain wheat.

I'll take bacon and eggs over oatmeal and toast anyday. And my body is now healthier because of this.

And I agree, try it for yourself (google "carb flu" though. Going cold turkey and removing the majority of carbs from your diet will give you "withdrawl" symptoms like stopping a drug. And make sure to get eat plenty of healthy fats (not industrial PUFAs; try saturated) so your body can use that for energy. Eventually your body will completely transition over to burning fat constantly (and not just when you sleep) and you might be surprised at how you start to feel).

Everything in moderation...including moderation.

The key isn't moderation, it's balance. That is what the human body's sole goal is...homeostasis. Harmonic balance of all the systems in the body.

the one thing I don't "moderate" is my fat intake. And I can't gain weight now.

"SO, what do you think on all of this? Personally, I don't necessarily believe the negativity he links to wheat...I mean, it does have fiber, and has other benefits. "

I just heard about this book yesterday. Wheat is totally not like it used to be, and never before has there been such a dependancy on this instead of other more nutritious grains and legumes. Yes, it has fiber, but that doesn't make it the best choice for fiber.

HAVE YOU deducted wheat from your diet? And do you see/feel any difference? Again, personally, I consider this to be a last stop decision down the line for me, just to see the negatives, and positives to this lifestyle alteration/change."

I dropped wheat, corn, rice, and potato plus refined sugars from my diet while pregnant for the last few months to maintain healthy blood sugars. I then dropped 10 pounds of EXTRA water weight I didn't need for the baby in the first 2 weeks. I then began to gain the weight I had been unable to gain for the first 7 months due to nausea. It was absolutely awesome. I was totally healthy and my midwife couldn't have been happier. I continued to eat like that for several more months and in nine months was fifteen pounds under pre-pregnancy weight. I'm trying to bring myself to do it again, perhaps more modified this time though.

I'm surprised that you are so certain without even trying it for a little while. The first two weeks suck. Then all of a sudden unhealthy cravings are gone and replaced with the desire for the good stuff. An added bonus I found was that without all the starch calories, I could eat a steak covered in butter and veggies in cream sauce and be guilt free, and feel amazing!