News Taffy

This week I’m wrapping up my series on the book “Wheat Belly”. My husband thinks there is a lot of validity to the author’s claims that wheat in it’s current genetically altered state causes a whole host of health problems for human beings. Dr. Davis presents several scientific studies to back up his claims and the rise in obesity certainly seems to coincide with the genetic changes made to wheat. While some of the book was a little too “scientific” for me, I believe anyone can read this book and learn about how wheat and carbohydrates affect the body.

So how did my husband and I do on the wheat free diet? We were unable to give up wheat entirely but then we don’t have the motivation of being diabetic nor are we overweight or suffering from celiacs. As I said last week, it is easy and difficult at the same time to eliminate wheat from your diet. My husband didn’t find it hard to skip wheat since breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided for him. He doesn’t plan the meals, shop for groceries or cook, at least not often. He eats lunch at the hospital where he can chose from a selection of salads, vegetables and meats. He has eggs or sometimes oatmeal for breakfast and then I make dinner. I found going wheat free much more stressful as I am the one who plans the meals, does the shopping and cooks. I even left bread crumbs out of my famous meatballs one night, turning them into awful meat clods.

We didn’t notice any weight loss in 2 1/2 weeks. At first I felt frustrated then I realized that we don’t eat that much wheat anyway. I don’t eat cereal anymore, hate sandwiches, skip processed foods like crackers and we seldom have bread with dinner. The wheat we do eat is the occasional pasta dish and pancakes, biscuits or dessert on the weekend. After reading this book, I now believe that the reason my husband and I have stayed slim is that we have avoided eating too much wheat or other carbohydrates over the years. Plus we do eat lots of vegetables, fruits and lean meats and avoid processed foods. We stay active and exercise regularly.

If you are diabetic or have struggled to lose weight, this book may be your answer. Dietitians and doctors have encouraged diabetics to watch their carb intake for years; this book takes that advice further. You may also recognize yourself in some of the other health problems like migraines and stomach problems that Dr. Davis says are related to wheat.

I encourage everyone to read the book and decide for themselves. “Wheat Belly” has made me rethink our diet and while I don’t see my family going wheat free, I will continue eating a reduced wheat diet, maybe even more so now. There are no easy answers for being healthy, no magic pills, or food that comes from a box. It turns out I’ve been right all along in encouraging people to learn to cook and to eat real food that your grandmother or great grandmother would recognize.