Why cook gluten-free when you haven’t been diagnosed with a sensitivity or Celiacs Disease? Well, the Gluten-free diet may be the healthiest diet you’ve ever tried and it may improve your health, both physical and emotional.
Over the course of your life you have been taught that wheat especially whole wheat is good for you. Although it does offer some health benefits, those benefits can be found in other foods without experiencing the unpleasant side effects that many experience.
Compared to cows that have two stomachs to digest with, humans only have one. When wheat leaves our stomach, it’s not fully digested. Those undigested portions begin to ferment, and the byproduct of fermentation is gas. For many, this accounts for the gas and bloating they feel after eating wheat, whether they have a gluten sensitivity or not.
Wheat is also a pro-inflammatory agent. Lots of foods not considered sweets have pro-inflammatory effects – food that have wheat in them, like cereal, pasta, breads, and bagels. These foods can be high in simple starches. When these are broken down, they act the same as sweet foods, raising blood sugar levels, releasing insulin, and causing inflammation. Bear in mind that the inflammation occurs in all people, not just those with wheat or gluten sensitivities.
Refined wheat has little nutritional value. Most of the wheat people consume is “refined”. This means that manufacturers take good wheat and take the good stuff away, such as bran and germ, leaving refined wheat.
The inflammatory effect of wheat especially refined wheat can cause wrinkles. According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a dermatologist and professor at Michigan State University, proper diet can erase scars and wrinkles, increase production of collagen and elastin. Thus, creating a radiant glow, and supple appearance to your skin.
Many doctors believe that lifestyle changes especially diet can minimize symptoms of menopause. Christine Northrup, MD, author of The Wisdom of Menopause, believes that eliminating wheat from the diet, especially refined wheat -can help relieve menopausal symptoms.
Do you know that wheat is one of the top-eight allergens? Millions of people are allergic to wheat. Allergic reactions to wheat can include gastrointestinal distress, eczema, hay fever, hives, and asthma.
Plus, simply put, wheat can make you fat. Wheat is a high-glycemic index food that causes your blood sugar to spike. This makes your body produce insulin, which is often referred to as the, “fat-storing hormone.”
Reality is, most people don’t understand why they feel the way they feel. For me, I knew something was wrong because I always felt bad after I ate.
I am now celebrating my one year anniversary of going gluten-free. Today, I feel healthier and happier. Good luck in your decision making.
Always Gluten Free,
Pamela Strelcheck
