It is important to recognize why both gluten and grains can be bad for your gut -- and your weight-loss efforts. Gluten is a protein found in some grains, but not all. If you love carbs, there are plenty of healthy non grain alternatives, such as sweet potatoes, yams, and plantains. Grains are like the bully on the playground, pretending to be your friend but eventually causing you to be miserable instead. 

 

Dr. Sara Gottfried went grain free several years ago, and experienced weight loss and a drop in fat storage as a result. This is what Dr. Sara Gottfried wants you to know about gluten and it's affect on your hormones:

 

1. Grain can keep you addicted to the very foods that are causing the worst damage by making you hungry for more. Under these conditions, it’s no wonder you are having problems losing weight.

2. Grains (yes, even gluten-free ones) cause blood sugar spikes that lead to your body depositing more fat, usually at your waist. These carbs enter your bloodstream too quickly, in the form of glucose, causing your blood sugar to spike, followed by an insulin surge, which leads to biological addiction. This is the pattern that is linked not just to getting fat but also to the development of diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. Grains, bread, and potatoes are the most positively correlated foods when it comes to how much a food raises your blood sugar.

3. In one study of 117,366 Chinese men and women age 40-74, eating more refined grains (e.g., white rice) predicted an 80% increased risk of heart disease. In the United States, 80% of grains are consumed in the form of refined flour.

4. Men and women respond differently to refined grains when it comes to metabolic syndrome (the constellation of symptoms that signal a broken metabolism, including a thick waist, with blood glucose): men are at greater risk for metabolic syndrome when they eat a higher proportion of carbohydrates in their diet, but women are at risk for metabolic syndrome based solely on their intake of refined grains, including rice and pasta.

5. More carbs may reduce your fertility, even if you are otherwise a healthy woman. The worst offenders are high-glycemic-index foods, such as cold breakfast cereals, white rice, and potatoes.

6. In a Harvard study of 83,000 women, an intake combination of lower carbohydrates, higher proteins, and higher fats was not linked to risk of heart disease; in fact, vegetable sources of fat and protein were tied to a moderately reduced risk. A higher glycemic load in the same study was associated with a 90% greater risk of heart disease.

7. Refined grains are linked to weight gain in women. Examples include white rice, pasta, pastries, doughnuts, and anything with white flour, including cookies and cake.

8. Twenty years ago, we were told to eat more grains and cut the fat. Since then, the diagnosis of diabetes has tripled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

9. Toxins from mold, called mycotoxins, are found in wheat and other grains. They make you fat and cranky. In our study, 65% of cereals contained at least one mycotoxin.

10. Bayer - Monsanto, ChemChina, DowDupont all chemical and pharmaceutical companies had mergers in recent years; giving them 60% majority control of all seed production in the world. Their creation of GMO seeds is why people of today are not as healthy compared to our ancestors.

11. Consuming GMO grains (especially modified wheat and corn) means you’re consuming chemicals.  Glyphosate is the chemical found in Round-up. It is also found in popular cereals such as Raisin Bran and Oreo cookies. Even though corn is gluten-free, 95% of the seeds resist the pesticide sprayed on it. The byproducts from wheat flour such as tortilla chips can contain gluten. This is important to watch out for if you have celiac disease or sensitivity to gluten (bloating, pain, etc.).

12. Consuming grains made with gluten and chemicals causes intestinal walls to break down. Intestines lose their tightness and porousness grows also known as leaky gut. This means toxic waste and bacteria in your intestines leaks into your bloodstream. When this happens, it creates many other problems including autoimmune disease.

13. Grains contain potentially harmful anti-nutrients beyond gluten, including: 

• Agglutinins, which cause leaky gut, dysbiosis (overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut), and inflammation;
• Phytates (or phytic acid) that can cause leaky gut and reduce the absorption of certain minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc), which may lead to mineral definitely; and
• Digestive enzyme inhibitors, which cause leaky gut and dysbiosis and stimulate the immune system (also found in dairy, legumes, nuts, and seeds). 

Thank you Dr. Sara for your insights!

If any of these facts resonate with your experiences with gluten, it may be time to try a detox or go gluten free entirely. See how you feel when you cut out the grains by starting a digital 7-Day Detox Program. Our next program begins in November 2019!