double trouble? dairy and grainsWhy Aren’t We Eating Whole Grains?
There are a few reasons: They cost more; they take longer to
cook; they are not available in most restaurants when we eat out;
they initially don’t taste as good to many people; and they are not
easily available in regular grocery stores.
One of the great things about living in a modern urban setting
in the United States is that stores like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods
Market, natural food co-ops, and health food sections in regular
grocery stores now make it easy to get whole-grain products. This
is a good thing about the modern lifestyle: If we consumers buy it,
it will be on the shelves. If we don’t buy the refined flour products,
eventually they will go away. It’s up to us. Here is capitalism at its
best: Be educated. Buy mostly whole- or sprouted-grain products,
and those are the nutritious and wholesome foods that will be
stocked in grocery stores. Consequently, our health will improve.
Grain Intolerance
Sooner or later, I have to appear to contradict myself and con-
fuse you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be a good author and health “ex-
pert.” Here goes. Even if everyone in the United States switched
over to eating whole or sprouted grains 100 percent overnight,
there would be a significant group of people who wouldn’t feel
well. They would have some type of intolerance to the grain, espe-
cially with wheat, possibly the other glutinous grains (oat, barley,
rye), and corn as well.
Some individuals would just not feel well until they go off most
grains. That is why I came up with the Basic Elimination Diet (BED)
(Appendix A). Though I am adamant about everyone taking a one-
month trial off all dairy products, a grain-free diet except for brown
rice and other non-glutinous grains would be an excellent idea and
result in noted symptom improvement in many individuals.
While I have experienced many patients with grain intoler-
ance in almost three decades of clinical practice, usually from
refined wheat products in confectionary foods and breads, and