This book explains that humans have consumed grains for less than 0.5% of their history and that:
1. Many of us are not suited to eating grains at all and probably very few or none of us is suited to eating a diet that contains huge amounts of grains. We have been eating meat and fruit and vegetables for 2.5 million years and grains for only 12 thousand years.
2. Even if you don't notice immediate effects from eating grains, they could still be silently and slowly causing you harm. The first noticeable problem caused by gluten sensitivity may be cancer. Gluten is a poison.
3. The intestinal biopsy is considered the gold standard test but this test may be normal in some patients that do have in fact problems with gluten. The most sensitive test is tTg and others include EMA and AGA (which tests for IgG and IgA). When the biopsy is abnormal this means you have an advanced problem, and finding the problem before it becomes advanced is far better for the patient.
4. Rice and corn don't contain gluten but can cause their own problems.
5. Gluten is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE! Many of us feel a strong compulsion to eat it. Gluten grains and dairy have morphine-like properties and this accounts at least in part for why these foods are often seen as 'comfort foods.' Craving grains is a sign you may have a problem with them and may need to avoid them.
6. Desensitisation to gluten is not appropriate and gluten must be avoided if a sensitivity exists.
7. Grains contain several psychoactive substances and anti-nutrients aside form gluten and can damage the human intestinal wall. (Soaking or fermenting grains before eating them can inactivate some of these, however, it should be noted.)
8. If your diet is gluten free, the only way to test for gluten sensitivity is rectally.
9. Gluten problem can cause a floating fatty stool, diarrhoea, wheezing, depression, and a chronically low BP of 90/60. More at risk groups include those with Downs syndrome and thyroid problems.
10. Celiac or Coeliac disease is only one type of gluten sensitivity, there are several others such as latent/silent gluten sensitivity and non-Coeliac gluten sensitivity. 15% of the population has some immune response to gluten. Gluten-induced neurological damage can be irreversible. Gluten can cause white matter brain lesions.
The author recommends avoiding gluten grains and dairy, having food allergy tests and gastric analysis and a comprehensive nutritional program including nutrients given by IV when stomach problems are severe.
This is excellent advice and is part of what I have been doing to treat my own illness. I crave grains intensely, but do far better avoiding them entirely and following a Paleolithic diet which also contains lots of nutrient dense foods such as bone broths, coconut oil, raw cultured vegetables, kefir and liver.
Going grain free for a while wont hurt anyone and might really help lots of us and is at least worth serious consideration by those of us that are seriously ill.
This book, or one like it, is essential reading for anyone battling a serious disease, or that has any type of gut problem and probably worthwhile reading for everyone. This book is very easy to read, well referenced, well put together and a credit to the authors. I would recommend it.
The only downside is that as this book is around 10 years old, the information on testing will not be as up-to-date as it could be and so looking online for information about newer tests is probably a good idea after reading this book.
Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E.
