Photo By Bernat

Let me first put it on the table that I am MUCH more opinionated on this blog than I am in real life. For many reasons, one being that you have chosen to come to this blog to read what I have to say about stuff. And two, well, I get to think through what I am going to say as compared to real life, where I often end up with my foot in my mouth.

Just thought I’d get that off my chest.

Now back to gluten. Gloriously gluey gluten.

It seems that it’s all the rage these days. I often come across gluten free pizza, cookies, and whatever else you can think of. Not only are they ridiculously way more expensive but it seems like it’s the “in” thing to do. I’ve bought a gluten-free something before without really understanding what the heck is so wrong with gluten anyway. Out of curiosity, and well, yes, the desire to be “in.”

I’ve read of other real food bloggers explanation regarding their decision to go gluten-free and it didn’t really resonate with me until I came across a few books that I started to put two and two together. I’m slow like that. (And I’m proud of it.)

So now that I finally get it, I had to quickly make a decision that Life is Better Off Without Gluten. The question is, could I and my family truly live without it?

First: What The Heck Is Gluten Anyway?

Taken from the Primal Body Primal Mind Blog:

Gluten (the Latin word for “glue”), is a substance found in numerous grains such as wheat (durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, rye,  triticale and barley).  It is typically present in oats, too, due mainly to modern processing methods.  What is called “gluten” is actually made up of two proteins: gliadin and glutenin, which make up at least 80% of the protein content in most grains.  Used in baking it gives bread dough its elasticity and baked goods their fluffiness and chewiness.  It is also used as an additive and stabilizing agent in innumerable processed foods and personal care products.  Insanely, gluten is nearly everywhere.  Laws do not require its labeling on all products so the consumer is left to judge for themselves whether gluten may be an additive or not.

And Why Is It So Bad For You?

Many people associate Gluten-Free Diets with Celiac Disease without understanding that the consequences of gluten sensitivity can be quite debilitating even for the rest of us. Gluten may in fact be the silent culprit in many health challenges that millions of Americans face today. In the book, Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May Be Hazardous To Your Health, authors Braly and Hoggan claim that gluten sensitivity (GS) is at the root of a proportion of cases of cancer, auto-immune disorders, neurological and psychiatric conditions and liver disease. The implication is that the heavily wheat-based western diet of bread, cereals, pastries, pasta – is actually making millions of people sick.

Want some evidence?

• A 2002 review paper in the New England Journal of Medicine (Jan 17; 346(3):180-188) found that fully 55 diseases are known to be caused by gluten.  These partly include heart disease, cancer, nearly all autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, irritable bowel syndrome, as well as many common psychiatric illnesses, partly including anxiety issues, ADD, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, Hashimoto’s (autoimune thyroid disorders), migraines, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, ALS, neuropathies (having normal EMG), and most other degenerative neurological disorders, as well as Autism, which is technically an autoimmune brain disorder.
• A study published in 2009 in the peer reviewed journal, Gastroenterology (July;137(1):88-93) compared 10,000 available blood samples from individuals 50 years ago to 10,000 people today and found that there has been a 400% increase in the incidence of full blown celiac disease.
• The book, Dangerous Grains, contains more than a dozen case histories of people who have recovered from a wide variety of chronic conditions – back pain, chronic fatigue, the auto-immune disorder lupus – simply by following a gluten-free diet. Both authors claim great personal benefits from such a change. “After eliminating gluten grains,” writes Hoggan, “I realized how uncomfortable and chronically ill I had been for most of my life.”

And here’s the kicker: gluten-containing grains have exorphins which are morphine-like compounds that make them quite addictive. I mean seriously, how many of us stop at just ONE slice of fresh-baked bread?

Side note: Isn’t also interesting that wheat is highly subsidized by the government?

Anyway.

While most Asians and Africans are rarely diagnosed as with Celiac Disease, I suspect that gluten might be one of the other factors in my continuous struggle with insomnia, anemia, bloating, fatigue, and depression. I am way better now than before, after cutting out sugar and switching to a more traditional diet that is high in protein and good fats, but I still eat way too much gluten containing grains. I mean, what is life with croissants?

So is this Good-bye Gluten? Hello Paleo-Diet?

Sort of. I’m not saying good-bye to all grains because let’s face it, I’m a rice-lover and will always be. Plus, my body is probably designed for rice  being that I am from the Philippines. So for now, I think we’re going to give gluten-free a try. If gluten-grains are potentially dangerous for my overall well-being, why even bother ? Besides, that means I don’t need to learn how to make sourdough bread ever.

Oh gluten. LIfe is sounding better off without you already.