Gluten Free

Deek's Gluten Free Quinoa Loaf

I used to think going gluten free would be the end of the world - or my ‘food world’ anyway!  All I could think about (being a bread lover) is eating that horrible gluten free bread that I see out of the corner of my eye in supermarkets and, well having to give up a lot of my other favourite foods such as pasta.

However, nearly two weeks into a gluten free (GF) existence and it’s all OK.  It is really not that catastrophic (even for this avid foodie.)  I admit that the quality of gluten free bread isn’t as good as the light fluffy loaves I usually eat.  And my bread grief has been slightly ramped up since Mum has been turning out some rocking loaves of bread out of her bread maker lately – but they’re loaded with wheat!  I can only witness the looks of satisfaction on the family’s faces as they chomp into their thick fluffy slices…  But hey I figure if I wasn’t doing the gluten free thing, I would also be hooking into my third slice like the rest of them – and this wouldn’t be good for the pretty dresses!

Before this little GF project of mine, if anyone mentioned the word(s) Gluten Free – I switched off and didn’t want to know about it.  I found the topic about as interesting as a beige bean, partly because I was being miss ignorant, however I now find the whole wheat intolerance thing fascinating.  Just maybe the body doesn’t like wheat, but many of us don’t pick up on this for one reason or another.

Seriously though, the more I read about the effects of gluten in the body, the more I would like to explore the GF thing more fully.

I was a bit shocked to realise that Sayer Ji might have a point. He said: The problem is implicit in the word gluten, which literally means “glue” in Latin and in words like pastry and pasta, which derives from wheat paste, the original concoction of wheat flour and water which made such good plaster in ancient times.  What gives gluten its adhesive and difficult-to-digest qualities are the high levels of disulfide bonds it contains. These same sulfur-to-sulfur bonds are found in hair and vulcanized rubber products, which we all know are difficult to decompose and are responsible for the sulfurous odor they give off when burned.

I also came across an interesting theory from Sayer Ji in “The Dark Side of Wheat.”  Now I know there are conspiracy theries on everything, but maybe it’s a good thing to see different sides.

When one eliminates wheat and fills the void left by its absence with fruits, vegetables, high quality meats and foods consistent with our biological needs we may begin to feel a sense of vitality that many would find hard to imagine. If wheat really is more like a drug than a food, anesthetizing us to its ill effects on our body, it will be difficult for us to understand its grasp upon us unless and until we eliminate it from our diet. I encourage everyone to see celiac disease or wheat intolerance not as a condition alien to our own. Rather, the celiac gives us a glimpse of how profoundly wheat may distort and disfigure our health if we continue to expose ourselves to its ill effects.   

Filling the wheat ‘void’ with fruits and vegetables would naturally help to alkalise the body.  To take this a step further, it is very common for us to be too acidic in our bodies.  I’m not talking about stomach acids for digestion as this is vital – but rather when our pH blood levels are more acidic than alkaline are bodies become overall weaker.  We can alkalise through many ways, not just diet – for example deep breathing and de-stressing are two non-diet ways, and of course eating an alkaline diet , which to me seems to match in with the GF way of living -  waking up two birds with one stone…so to speak. (even though I would never dream of throwing a stone at a bird!)

also In my internet scannings I came across Dr Claudia Pillow and what she has to say on body pH.

Certain foods can accelerate the disease process, while other foods can significantly improve health because food affects the body’s pH levels. Some foods create an acidic effect within the body, while others act as alkalizing agents that can neutralize harmful acids.

To be healthy, it is necessary to be in a state of acid-alkaline balance. Over acidity of fluids due to diet in the body, reduces the potent antioxidant function of water, thereby weakening all body systems. A healthy body maintains adequate alkaline reserves to meet emergency demands to neutralize excess acids. When excess acids must be neutralized, our alkaline reserves are depleted leaving the body in a weakened condition. To counteract the cellular problems caused by mild acidity, the body’s innate mechanism of self-regulation draws upon its alkalizing mineral stores of calcium, magnesium and potassium, within the musculoskeletal system.

Consistent withdrawal of these alkalizing minerals due to excess acidity can lead to osteoporosis (a common bone disease that occurs from the thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time), spinal degeneration, tooth decay, dry skin and nails, and rheumatism. A pH-neutral diet is vital to the strength and maintenance of the musculoskeletal system.

Cellular problems also lead to premature aging of cells because the body’s organs become weakened from mineral withdrawal. In the brain, impaired mental acuity and memory problems can result, contributing to dementia and early Alzheimer’s disease.

Even mild acidity in your body can over time cause such problems as

• Weakened immune system, increased stress, and higher blood pressure
• Gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating and gas
• Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels, clogged arteries, weakened veins, and the reduction of oxygen
• All forms of cancer
• Unwanted weight/fat gain and obesity
• Insulin disorders and diabetes
• Liver, bladder, and kidney conditions, including kidney- and gallstones
• Neurological diseases: MS, ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s
• Premature aging, frequent headaches, sinusitis, constipation, and hemorrhoids
• Osteoporosis, weak and brittle bones, hip fractures, bone spurs, and calcium deposits
• Osteoarthritis, joint pain, aching muscles, and lactic acid buildup
• Hormonal imbalances, prostate problems, and adult acne
• Low energy, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia

The list goes on which I find concerning.  So I will go on with my GF project and see for myself.  I will update if anything miraculous happens, or if I just notice a measurable difference…