Technically..it’s Thursday. And technically…this is not a workout. But sometimes people get caught up watching the Olympics, drinking some red grapes, and burning cookies and forget about blogging. I don’t know those people, but I’m sure that’s happened.
Moving on. A couple months back, my mom texted me on the way home from the doctor. For various reasons, the doctor recommended cutting gluten out of her diet for a few weeks, in hopes that it would make her feel better. After she told me, I wanted to know more about gluten and how it works within the body. I first asked one of my good friends, who is a practicing dietician, about the diet and if there were any health benefits. She said it’s particularly beneficial for those with Celiac Disease. I knew I wasn’t gluten-intolerant, but I wanted to try it out and see if it really did make me feel better overall.
Shortly after exploring this new diet, I discovered a book, Wheat Belly Diet: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health. The book is written by a cardiologist by the name of William Davis and it centers around the dangers wheat has to one’s health. At first, I was a bit skeptical. I figured it was just another diet book with some guy telling you not to eat carbs blah blah blah. But…I was wrong.
This book was awesome (if you’re a nutrition geek). Not only does Davis explain how wheat has evolved through the years, but he backs up his reasoning with scientific evidence and numerous case studies. Davis essentially says that wheat is the cause of obesity in the world today, especially in America. I’m not too quick when it comes to science, so I got a little lost with the technical terms. However, I understood all the adverse effects quite clearly. “Wheat belly” or a stomach bulge, rashes, inflammation, high blood sugar, bloating, joint pain, diabetes, heart conditions, weight gain, fatigue, etc. The list goes on. The point Davis is trying to get across is that wheat is a different product than we believe it to be and it has been genetically altered for agribusiness. It raises your blood sugar higher than table sugar and even triggers cravings. Sketch!
I actually don’t eat too much wheat. Like the kind that comes in the form of pasta, bread and rice. But then there’s the sweets. Cupcakes (obvi), cookies, cake, Ritz crackers. Darnit. And then I realized William Davis is right. If I cut that processed junk out of my diet, I’d feel like a spring chicken! The best part of this book, is that he provides you with a plan to becoming wheat-free. Recipes, suggestions, substitutions, meal plans. It’s all right there! I already know that I should eat fruit, veggies, animal protein, raw nuts, and food without a crazy amount of ingredients. I was just nervous about how I would BAKE! How in the heck am I supposed to replace flour in all my recipes. Davis knows. Almond flour, coconut flour, flaxseed meal. And to his credit, it’s delicious. And so much better for you.
I finished this book a couple days ago and I’m ready to commit to this lifestyle. While I set out to do this a few months ago, I can’t say that I’ve been 100% wheat-free. But I do intend to be, because I hate feeling weighted down. I had a Red Velvet cupcake a couple days ago and it didn’t make me feel too hot. I want to adopt this lifestyle because I want to be as healthy as I can. (I’m talking about food, not caffeine and wine, get serious). After reading so many case studies and success stories, I want to join in on the fun too! I highly recommend you pick up this book. It could change your life, even just to give you a different outlook on what you’re eating.
Cheers to being wheat-free! xx
cupcakes & grapes 