Start at the beginning!

I was going to reconstruct my revelation and relate how I came to make this choice, but I decided to just start at the beginning and quote myself from a post that I made on Dr. Davis’ Wheat Belly blog. My original post was made on March 27th:

Dear Dr. Davis,

I am a newbie to the whole concept of going wheat-free, and I am very hopeful that it will have positive results for me. I am 42, and have struggled with the paradox of having good fitness, yet being moderately overweight my entire adult life, wearing a size 16 at 5’7”. I don’t have diabetes or celiac disease (that I know of), but recently I have struggled with extreme fatigue and brain fog in a way that I never have before. I have a wonderful husband and a 13 year old son, and have just finished 2+ years of full-time college to get a degree. I had been chalking up my tiredness to stress, but I really do believe that it is something deeper and more basic than that! I have also dealt with IBS and chronic headaches since I was a teenager (with no known cause, was only ever given scripts for pain killers, which I won’t take), and it affects my moods and makes it tough to deal with normal life events with a positive internal attitude at times… even though people that know me, may not be aware of that because I try to remain outwardly positive and supportive. The last several months, I have started having pain in my knees, hips, and shoulders and feel that it just doesn’t make any sense for that to be happening! If truth be told, I have been pushing down this vague but persistent feeling that something is simply “WRONG” with my health for several years now. I am a big believer in natural remedies whenever possible, and have always worked to keep my family eating a healthy diet, while not overly restrictive; it focuses on veggies, lean meats, “healthy whole grains”, fruits and moderate dairy and fats.

Well, I had gone to a party with friends on St. Patrick’s Day, and it’s the kind of gathering where you see people that you only see once or twice a year, at certain social events, yet enjoy speaking with. There were several people who were touting the benefits they enjoyed from going gluten-free, and there was even mention made of the Paleo diets and so forth. I guess that it was just the right message at the right time, because this time it resonated with me, and I made the decision to look into going without gluten. I am so tired of being tired! I started looking up blogs and websites, bought some specialty flours and starches to be able to do gluten-free baking, and felt that it was really something that I could get on board with, to eliminate the gluten and feel better.

So I have been off of gluten just over a week… then I stumbled on your Wheat Belly book this past weekend when stopping at a bookstore to buy a children’s book for my grand nephew’s birthday party. That was Sunday. I read the entire book yesterday, I couldn’t put it down. I am a research-driven type of person, and all the science behind the evils of today’s wheat really rang true with me, and made sense. (I have long been a supporter of GMOs having mandatory labeling!! Let us speak with our wallets, please!) My husband is 100% on board with me, and we are going wheat-free together, cold turkey, no exceptions, we don’t want to eat what is called “wheat” anymore! I know that there will be some challenges, particularly with eating out and social events, but I know we can get creative. The rice flour and potato starch, sorghum flour, and xanthan gum that I purchased will just have to be saved for rare occasions, or go rancid, ha, because I can see that it is NOT a solution when the goal is to improve overall health and drop a little of the wrong kind of weight in the process.

From stopping gluten a week ago, I can already tell the difference with reduction of joint pain, and am looking forward to many more benefits to come from changing our lifestyle and eating habits to low-carb as well as wheat-free. I want to run around telling people about what I have learned, but I am going to wait a month or so, so that I have at least anecdotal evidence of my own to share.

It’s ironic to me that pretty much ALL NATURAL REMEDIES are relegated to only having anecdotal evidence to support their success, because it is NOT in the best interest of anyone who makes money on a large scale, to fund studies to show that we shouldn’t buy what they are selling! I am not a conspiracy nut, but the time has come to call a spade a spade… I think most people know that the system is flawed (if not outright corrupt) and that we are not being given advice that is good for US… it is good for THEM. The addiction to wheat (and sugar), just like the addiction to cigarettes, keeps people in jobs both in the production of the products and in the treatment of the diseases caused by their consumption. What a downward spiral!

I am just thankful that my eyes have been opened about the grain formerly known as “wheat!” I can start with myself and my family, and go from there. Thank you Dr. Davis for being brave enough to say what needs to be said and for providing a forum for people to share experiences!

I know that not everyone will share my views of the food industry (that’s OK!), and that people who decide to go wheat-free, do it for their own varied reasons. While this blog is my place to consider, research, share and rant, I do not claim to know it all, or want to convert anyone to my way of thinking. I view life as a journey, and I am learning as I go, along with everyone else. It is far too early to say whether this food choice will be a success or not, but my gut (literally) tells me it will be transformational! I also want to add that my 13 year old son has also made the choice to go wheat-free… and yes, it was of his own free will, ha. (That will definitely be a topic of an upcoming post, because he has different nutritional needs than my husband and I do.)

Thank you for reading, and have a beautiful, whole-food day!