to chronic disease, weight gain and other ills, and along with sugar
wheat ranks among the worst.
Gone are the days when people would buy real whole-wheat
berries, grind them and make flour or sprout them for use in food
products. While the berries still contain gluten, they’re not high
glycemic. But almost all wheat used today is processed, making it
high glycemic.
Consider too that wheat makes up a significant part of most peo-
ple’s diet. In doing so it also replaces many potentially healthy foods
such as vegetables, fruits, protein foods such as eggs and meat, nuts
and seeds, and others. For example, instead of unhealthy cereal for
breakfast, a vegetable omelet would be a much healthier choice for
most people.
The list of specific conditions associated with wheat keeps grow-
ing — from autoimmune diseases (such as arthritis, Type 1 diabetes,
lupus, MS) and chronic inflammation to infertility and skin disorder
(such as eczema, acne and psoriasis); and even cancer.
Some people are more sensitive to the harmful effects of wheat
than others. Wheat allergy is among the common allergies in children
and adults, along with milk, soy, peanuts and corn. The most practi-
cal way to assess this is to note how you feel after ingesting wheat.
The most common symptom is intestinal bloating, but signs and
symptoms are associated with skin, breathing and edema, and may
be immediate or delayed. If you’re sensitive to wheat, significantly
reducing or eliminating it from your diet is the most effective
remedy.
Here are some other points about how wheat can harm us:- In the intestines, wheat can bind important minerals
from food and prevent their absorption. These include
calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper — all essen-
tial for good health. - Wheat can reduce digestive enzymes, especially those
from the pancreas, rendering key foods less digestible —
including protein and fats. By not digesting protein,
amino acid absorption is impaired, and whole protein
absorption could cause allergies. And by not digesting
54 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH