The dangers of going gluten-free

Maclean's ^ | September 10, 2013 | Cathy Gulli

[rickmichaels]

The first time Margaret Dron organized the Gluten Free Expo early last year, it was inside the gymnasium of a small community centre in east Vancouver. She had recruited one volunteer, two speakers, 38 vendors and expected 500 attendees. There was no entrance fee—instead, people were to bring gluten-free goods for the local food bank; three boxes were set aside for the collection. Six hours later, more than 3,000 people had turned out, and the volunteer had to call a one-tonne truck to pick up the donations. In one Sunday afternoon, Dron realized, “there is some serious potential here. So I quit everything I had, got an extension on my mortgage, and just dove in.” Since then, “it has blown up.”

[9YearLurker]

Glad to hear you’re so much better! Increasingly patients can do the research to heal themselves.

[9YearLurker]

The amount of soy and HFCS added to foods where they don’t belong is obscene.

[9YearLurker]

White rice has the high glycemic load that is what many gluten avoiders are really trying to stay away from.

[JimRed]

More whole milk, real butter, real cheddar cheese and regular bread for me, thanks.

My cardiologist would not approve.

[JimRed]

The genetically modified soy that is added to cereals and breads is more deadly to Mr. Peel than wheat gluten.

Is that because it is soy, or because it is GM?

[aruanan]

In 1950, the rate of diabetes in the US was .78% of the population, today it's over 11%. Obesity is not the cause of diabetes in all cases. Mr. Peel, suffered a massive stroke 7 years ago due to undiagnosed diabetes. He was normal weight at the time. The insulin that he was on caused him to balloon in weight. He needed 5 injections a day. For years, I've been experimenting with his diet, until I finally hit upon a combination of foods - he now requires 0 injections a day, takes no diabetes medication and has (so far) lost 22 pounds.

In the 1950's, the rate of smoking was about 45%. Today it's about 21%. Nicotine is an appetite suppressant. There was a lot more nicotine in 1950's cigarettes (2.5mg) than those today (1.0mg). Eliminate a major appetite suppressant and you'll get increased food consumption. For the same level of caloric expenditure that will necessarily result in increased fat mass.

In the 1950's, people got a lot more physical activity than in the present day. Back then 30% of Americans worked in high activity jobs versus 22% by the year 2000. In addition, the percentage of low-activity jobs almost doubled from 23 to 41 percent. Driving cars to work went up from 67% in 1960 to 88% in 2000. As recently as 1969, about 40% of children walked or rode their bicycles to school compared to 13% in 2001. Leisure time activities have seen the same reversal. In the 1950s, there was little indoor play activity when it wasn't raining. In the present day, indoor play activity has almost entirely replaced outdoor play because video games, a million cable channels, NetFlix, and air conditioning make sedentary indoor activity more attractive. Eliminate a major source of caloric expenditure for a given energy intake and you will necessarily have an increase in body fat mass.

Adult onset diabetes is insulin resistant diabetes, not insulin deficient diabetes. The most common factor is being overweight and sedentary, that and having a high fat diet. Saturated fats can interfere with the action of the insulin receptor. A reduction in body fat caused by reducing energy intake, especially when accompanied by increase physical activity, can reduce or eliminate the need for insulin in Type II diabetes.

The change for me was to totally eradicate any man-made / genetically processed foods from his diet. So, even though I laud Campbell's and Kellogg's for going gluten free, for us, that's not our problem. The genetically modified soy that is added to cereals and breads is more deadly to Mr. Peel than wheat gluten.

You are barking up the wrong tree with respect to the contributing factors to adult onset diabetes.

[Mashood]

I liken this gluten-free nonsense to the Alar scam. Same M.O.

[MarMema]

Well thanks for the correction.

[ChildOfThe60s]

White rice has the high glycemic load that is what many gluten avoiders are really trying to stay away from.

Nonetheless, it is gluten free. I have a SIL that might benefit from a low gluten diet and in her case the glycemic load is not an issue.

I am fortunate, I have no problem with either.

PS: Here is something interesting. My wife has had to limit card intake due to higher than desired blood glucose readings. Keeping life simple, I eat what she eats. LOTS of veggies and good quality animal proteins with light carb intake. As a disclaimer, I do get my carb fix once a week or so going out to lunch. But I have certainly lowered my carb intake, with no real pain. But....here's the thing, in addition to loosing a few pounds, my basic cholesterol number dropped about 30 points. Apparently from lower carbs.

[9YearLurker]

Yep. I’ve got blood glucose and cholesterol issues and was originally given a very low-fat diet by my doctor—which made things worse!

The lower-carb I eat the better my triglycerides, which is my biggest challenge.

[ChildOfThe60s]

They seem to be figuring out that there are multiple variables other than “fat” that affect our cholesterol. And it is looking like a lot of the fats are relatively minor in influence.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

You bring up some excellent points re: differences between 1950s and now - yet I can only speak from our own personal experience and not from a generality. In our world, Mr. Peel was NOT obese. He was NOT overweight. He was active - granted perhaps not as active as he could have been, but he did not have a beer gut, pot belly etc, and he was very strong. He has a private pilot's license and had regularly passed his FAA medical. Seven years ago, he woke up not being able to move the right side of his body. He was rushed to emergency, as he was diagnosed with a hemorrhagic stroke at the time. His blood pressure was 280/220. Despite the odds, he survived. It was also uncovered that he was diabetic. This was a shock to us. For the last 7 years, he's been on 5 injections of insulin a day, until, armed with enough data (I was head test engineer at NASA's JPL), I decided to put my theories on his condition - and test them against prevailing medical knowledge vs marketing "health food" claims vs urban legend. Navigating through our own path has been tricky. For us, I can safely say the garbage about 0 calories and 0 carbs is just that - garbage. Today I use only butter (margarine is forbidden), bake with only raw honey.

Diabetic bars made by Glucerna NEVER worked on him. Foods & drinks with 0 carbs kept his blood sugar at a sustained high. Until I realized that for decades, he had been eating sugar substitutes in his ice tea, in his sausage, in ... that once those things were removed from his diet, his blood sugars are stabilizing. Without insulin, he's daily average is about 126. 90 days ago, his daily average, (with 5 injections a day), close to 180.

Since 1950, we've had the following introductions into our food supply:

Year	Event
1975:	Introduction of High Fructose Corn Syrup
1983:	Aspartame in diet drinks
1993:	Aspartame in bakery goods
1998:	Synthetic folic acid and synthetic vitamins mandated by Congress to be added to cereals. Splenda approved. Canola Oil approved
2005:	80% of Soy bean crop is now genetically modified.

Diabetes is out of control in China - while in the US, its an interesting correlation that those ethnic groups that have the highest rate of diabetes also are subject to the highest amount of synthetic elements in their diet (genetic corn, genetic soy)

Group	Percentage Diabetes US 2012
Native Americans	16.1%
African Americans	12.6%
Hispanic Americans	11.8%
Asian Americans	8.4%
Caucasian Americans	7.1%

We've been adding more and more garbage into our food supply that is causing massive food allergies of which diabetes is one manifestation of a larger problem.

[Albion Wilde]

More whole milk, real butter, real cheddar cheese and regular bread for me, thanks.

[Albion Wilde]

The change for me was to totally eradicate any man-made / genetically processed foods from his diet.

That is great work! What kind of flour do you buy -- is there a pre-engineered antique kind? I read something recently about non-bromated flour from Italy. Or are any flour-containing recipes out completely? Also, are your fruits and veggies all organic? (Expensive.) Do you have to grow your own in order to insure his correct diet?

[Albion Wilde]

I figure the best I can do for my kids is the old axiom "moderation in all things" and lots of physical activity. Hey, it's more than my parents did for me!

Good advice in general for most people. Some people do have food allergies and whatnot, though. My offspring went through a dramatic change of behavior for the better after a few specific food allergies were diagnosed and eliminated from diet, avoiding having the label "ADHD" applied and all that goes with that, including drugging.

[Albion Wilde]

a corn tortilla is not a corn tortilla without lard!

Same with potato chips and pie crust. Utz's has a line of lard-cooked chips. Love 'em.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

The flour I buy (actually Mr. Peel orders it from Amazon) is "Organic Einkorn" flour from Jovial. We both LOVE fresh bread, and for years did without, until I found this gem. I have a wonderful Breville Bread Machine and about every 2-3 days, I made us a fresh loaf of bread. This flour has a slightly sweet flavor to it, so I dramatically cut down sugar that may be required in a recipe.

Every weekday morning, Mr Peel has 2 poached eggs on toast - the toast being from the Einkorn flour. I use Kerry Gold butter, rather than Land O' Lakes. Kerry Gold seems purer to me.

Other fun things that we've introduced with absolutely no ill effects: we brought back Belgian Waffles. We treated ourselves to a Breville waffle maker (this thing is insanely magnificent) - expensive but damn! it is good. I make buttermilk waffles for the weekend (using the einkorn flour). It is heaven. In fact it is so good, that we don't eat out much any more (I can do better, ha!)

When I don't feel like cooking, we've discovered Amy's Frozen foods -- her Cheese Enchilada dinner and her Tamale dinner are sensational. These foods don't affect him at all. Neither does her canned chilli.

Because he can have his bread and waffles, he doesn't feel as though he's on a diet. I do try to limit the amount of bread carbs - one meal a day is fine -- I find that if he has his toast or waffle in the morning, he won't miss bread at lunch or dinner.

The trick is trying to make the other meals interesting, too. He likes a little heat with his food, so Mrs. Dash salt-free south wernern spices usually gets added to almost everything! Tonight was meatloaf, and I use rolled oats instead of bread crumbs in the hamburger. Instead of mashed potatoes, I make a cauliflower puree that actually turns out quite tasty.

Most times I really try to buy organic. The fun challenge is trying to satiate a craving that he has. About a couple of months ago, he really wanted some potato chips. I finally found a source of potato chips that he really enjoys and is absolutely pure - cooked in sunflower oil -- with no affect on him whatsoever Tato Chips They're from Ireland, and Ireland is a non-GMO country.

It's becoming a very interesting educational journey.

[Albion Wilde]

I am so impressed with your scientific method and precision brought to bear on neutralizing a medical challenge in your family with proper food! Thank you for your suggestions about products. The flour thing has had me stumped, as I can’t live without the occasional pie or cookie. My chemistry can’t deal with crucifers like cauliflower, but I could really try some yellow veggie purées, and I’ll keep that in mind, too. Much appreciated! This has been a great thread!