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Is the Staff Of Life Beating You Over the Head? For many of us it is impossible to imagine life without good health? Not for everyone, in fact, not for most. I believe that just because a problem has not been diagnosed does not make it any less real. When I first wrote The Feel Good Food Guide I had no idea how widespread the sensitivities toward wheat were. There is not just one cause and there is no real cure, other than abstinence. Now you are really depressed! Don't be, because you are not alone and there is life without wheat. When I do Cooking Classes there is always at least one person in the audience who is faced with gluten intolerance or celiac sprue. Celiac disease is an inflammatory condition of the small intestine. The disease is genetic, however, symptoms are only brought on by the ingestion of gluten. Most commonly the disease is diagnosed around age two when wheat is introduced into the diet. However, celiac disease can begin any time in life, it all depends on how much of the intestine is involved. The wheat protein gluten triggers an inflammatory reaction in the small bowel, which results in a decrease in the amount of surface area available for nutrient, fluid, and electrolyte absorption. Be grateful if you have easily recognizable symptoms, undetected the disease could lead to more serious health problems. In other words if you have celiac sprue and continue to eat gluten of any kind in any amount your intestines will not be able to absorb nutrients. Even though you may be eating a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle, your body may genetically not be able to benefit. Other food factors beyond celiac disease may make wheat unsuitable for some individuals as well, such as the incompatibility of blood lectins and food lectins. According to some researchers over 80% of the population may be sensitive to the lectins in wheat. Then there is the Candida issue, the opportunist organism that can cause symptoms ranging from chronic fatigue to PMS and brain fog. Candida thrives on over processed refined flour, sugar and yeast; most Americans eat many such unhealthy foods containing wheat daily. These are but a few of the concerns regarding wheat consumption. In this issue of the Feel Good News we have articles by Dr. Joseph Harbosky, D.C. and Linaya Hahn, L.N.C. author of PMS Solving the Puzzle and founder of the PMS Holistic Center. And... as always recipes free of wheat, egg, yeast, sugar and dairy. All the recipes used in this issue will also be gluten free. Sincerely, Deborah Page Johnson Here Are Some Facts On Foods! Spelt and Kamut are non-hybrid wheat, they both contain gluten and are not a good choice for people diagnosed with celiac disease. However, the gluten in these ancient grains is water-soluble and may be tolerated by wheat sensitive individuals. STRAIGHT TALK A Personal Challenge with Celiac Disease Celiac disease is defined as the body's inability to metabolize gluten due to an enzyme deficiency. Gluten is a protein found in many grains. The most common source today is wheat flour. When the body is stressed by the gluten it may present with the following symptoms: bloating, with a distended abdomen, gas, 3-6 poorly formed, foul smelling stools per day, diarrhea and slow growth. An additional symptom I noted in my children was a bluish-red stripe that started at the inside comer of the nose that ran below the eye and extended downward and outward. When my daughter was 2 years old, she started having diarrhea. None of the doctors we consulted could explain why this was happening. Thinking the problem was related to a nutritional deficiency, and wanting only the best for her, I started to prepare foods for her in our kitchen, I baked bread, crackers and rolls once a week. Wanting a higher quality food source, I started grinding my own wheat berries, but the problem got worse. I started doing research to find a cause. Fortunately, I was given a book written by Landon Smith M.D., "Feed Your Kids Right". This is where I first learned about Celiac Disease. The symptoms described were the same as my daughter's. I could not believe-the the food I was preparing to make her well was actually her antagonist. My first step was to eliminate wheat from herdiet. As a substitute I used rice, millet, buckwheat, Jerusalem artichoke and arrowroot. Slowly, my daughter improved. Even after 1 year, if someone gave her a cookie made from wheat flour, it would flare up her digestive tract. Fortunately, we can clean up the symptoms much quicker now than we could 18 years ago. In my practice, we use new technology that can test for food sensitivities so that the culprits can be found and eliminated from the diet. Next, we add vegetable-based food enzymes, such as amylase and protease to every meal to assist in metabolism and absorption of nutrients. The key here is to remember that gluten is the gluey substance that helps prevent the bread from crumbling. It binds well and this substance coats the intestinal surface where nutrients are supposed to be absorbed. Digestion is then inhibited in the small intestine and the food combines with the yeasts and results in the gas that causes bloating. This leads to an inflammation which the body tries to correct with increased mucus production and diarrhea. The enzymes I recommend for my patients, help to digest the remaining gluten and the body can start the repair process. We combine this with the B Vitamins to assist in the production of enzymes that their own bodies produce to utilize the proteins, fats and carbohydrates that we need to survive. Occasionally, we also use certain amino acids with the "Sweet Root" herb to speed recovery. We combine this with a multi-flora bacteria to assist the digestion and reduce the foods to absorbable nutrients. Blood type diets can also help assess our ability to digest glutens. Blood types "O" and "A" (which are over 80% of our population), usually cannot tolerate wheat flour without the assistance of food enzymes. This fact, along with diets filled with highly processed foods, decreased nutrients, and increased toxins leads to the high number of digestive complaints so common in the majority of my patients. But with diet modifications and recommended supplements, the symptoms can be eliminated and health re-established. Chiropractic Plus In Dr. Harbosky's practice he treats the whole person - not the disease. Call for office hours. F.Y.I. The following patient organizations provide information on celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and dietary treatment. Pathways Medical Advocates American Celiac Society- Dietary Support Coalition Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) Celiac Sprue Association/USA, Inc. Gluten Intolerance Group of North America If you think you or a family member may have Celiac Disease ask your doctor to be tested. Symptoms of celiac disease vary because the amount of surface area affected may vary. Severe symptoms such as diarrhea, weakness, and weight loss may indicate a marked decrease in intestinal absorptive surfaces. On the other hand, other symptoms could be anemia related fatigue and have no symptoms referable to gastrointestinal tract. Some long term problems related to the disease may include osteogenic bone disease, tetany and rarely neurologic disorders. Gluten sensitivity can also manifest itself as a blistering, burning, itchy rash on the extensor surfaces of body. Because barley malt is used in the manufacturing of most rice beverages and not added to the final product, the F.D.A. does not require it to be listed on the label. Therefore it is possible to get a reaction even though rice is the only grain listed as an ingredient (barley is a gluten grain). Arrowhead Mills Inc., Box 2059, Hereford, TX 79045. 1-800-749-0730. Organic grains, flours, Garbanzo flour, beans, seeds nut-butters, cereal and oil. Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc., Milwaukie, Oregon 97222. Millers of Natural foods, call for catalog. 1-503-654-3215. Ener-G Foods, Inc., P.O. Box 84487, Seattle, Washington 98124-5787.1-800-331-5222 or 1-206-767-6660. For breads (yeast-free brown rice bread) brown rice pastas and other supplies for a restricted diet. Van's International Foods, Torrance, CA 90501 they have Gluten Free, Yeast Free, Wheat Free, Eggless, Dairy Free Toaster Waffles and Pancakes. Ask for customerservice. 310-320-8611 Questions & Answers Q. If I have Celiac disease, but my symptoms are not severe, why should I avoid wheat? A. There are two reasons to treat such individuals with a gluten-free diet: 1.) a subgroup of these patients will progress to more severe disease and hence develop symptoms and 2.) there is an increased incidence of small intestinal lymphomas and adenocarcinomas in individuals with celiac disease. Q. How does a person get celiac disease? A. Celiac disease runs in families and is genetic. First generation relatives of individuals with celiac disease may or may not manifest symptoms of the disease. Predisposition to gluten sensitivity has been mapped to the major histocompatibility (MHC) D region on chromosome 6. Q. What is Teff? I saw it used in a recipe and am curious. A. Teff is an Ethiopian staple. It is the worlds smallest grain. One hundred grains of Teff weighs the same as one grain of Wheat. Try your local Health Food Store if they do not carry it perhaps they can order some for you. Bob's Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills both manufacture Teff. Q. I have a question about alternative grains and stevia. Do you know where I can find an answer? A. Yes, The Feel Good Food Guide! TREATMENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE PMS Puzzle Solved! Millions are still looking for the cause of premenstrual syndrome, Yet the solution is here! With 150 symptoms and 16 causes, PMS is often dismissed as "all in her head." The most common causes are generally missed by laboratory tests: food allergies, celiac disease, Candida overload, sleep disorders, lack of full spectrum light, and thyroid System malfunction. Celiac disease, a gluten-sensitivity problem, is indirectly related to insufficient vitamin D, frequently caused by an inability to digest and absorb fats. The best way to increase Vitamin D is with natural sunlight and full spectrum light. A seasonal variation in gluten-sensitivity may be reduced with a full spectrum light box. True full spectrum light contains all the colors of the rainbow as well as tessential, balanced, trace amounts of UVA and UVB. Full spectrum light, available only in fluorescent tubes, pulls cholesterol from the blood, makes vitamin D3 in the skin which increases calcium absorption in bones and teeth. A heightened sensitivity to gluten in wheat, oats, rye and barley may result from a Candida overload. Candida yeast infections are identified as thrush in babies or vaginal infections in women, but can reside in the digestive tract, sinuses, muscles and joints in men, women and children. The one-celled Candida increases to toxic levels as a result of antibiotics, birth control pills, fertility drugs, steroids and low thyroid. Candida excretes 79 toxins into our bodies, causing flu-like symptoms and mild to severe emotional upsets and "brain fog". Progesterone, produced the last two weeks of every menstrual cycle, feeds Candida like sugar. The resulting toxic overload is often identified as PMS. A return-to-health diet and supplements can bring Candida under control. Classic PMS is a sleep disorder, not a hormone problem. it is caused by the serotonin/melatonin drop between ovulation and menstruation. When serotonin is high, we feel positive and efficient during the day and also sleep well at night when serotonin converts to melatonin. Four ways of supporting serotonin levels include vitamin B6, a small insulin surge (preferably from fruit), a small amount of salt which keeps serotonin active in each cell, and full spectrum light which changes melatonin to serotonin. Consumption of aspartame, or NutraSweet increases symptoms by competing with the tryptophan transported into the brain to become serotonin. Lack of full spectrum' light is a major health concern for indoor workers and inhabitants of northern climates. Full spectrum light improves the effectiveness of the endocrine system (hormones). One study by Dr. John Ott showed that mice under full spectrum fluorescent tight lived twice as long as mice under standard cool white fluorescent light. Healthy thyroid system functioning, not just the proper amount of circulating thyroid, is also essential for full health. When the body temperature is low (one symptom of a malfunctioning system), all body functions are less efficient. It's like trying to boil an egg at 200°instead of 212°. It takes longer. I always explain, "There are only two things anyone needs to know about PMS: PMS is real and women don't have to have it." Additional information and references about the 16 causes or premenstrual syndrome and what to do about them are in PMS: Solving the Puzzle by Linaya Hahn, LNC. Pick up your copy from health food stores and book stores today or call the PMS Holistic Center at 800 520-3822. Ms. Hahn is available for individual consultations in person or by phone. Linaya Hahn, LNC. author of PAFS: Solving the Puzzle, has uncovered sixteen causes of premenstrual syndrome.A nationally recognized PMS expert, Ms. Hahn founded the PMS Holistic Center of Illinois in Buffalo Grove in 1985. She is a Licensed Nutrition Counselor. |
