Does this wheat make me look fat?

 

I'm reading on my Kindle, the book "Wheat Belly". What an interesting concept that Wheat can make us fat!!

I am not done with the book yet, but I have found some very helpful information from the author, William Davis MD.  A few key quotes: {taken right from the book}

• Wheat makes our stomachs FAT.

"A wheat belly represents the accumulation of fat that results from years of consuming foods that trigger insulin, the hormone of fat storage." 

 On "central" or "visceral" (stomach) fat: "Unlike fat in other body areas, it provokes inflammatory phenomena, distorts insulin responses, and issues abnormal metabolic signals to the rest of the body." 

• It effects our whole body.

"The consequences of wheat consumption, however, are not just manifested on the body's surface; wheat can also reach deep down into virtually every organ of the body, from the intestines, liver, heart and thyroid gland all the way up to the brain. In fact, there's hardly an organ that is not affected by wheat in some potentially damaging way."

•It's addictive 
Exorphin is:" Gluten exorphins are a group of opioid peptides which are formed during digestion of the gluten protein". Opioid peptides are: "short sequences of amino acids that bind to opioid receptors in the brain".

Quote from the book: "wheat is unique among foods for its curious effects on the brain, effects shared with opiate drugs. It explains why some people experience incredible difficulty removing wheat from their diet. It's not a matter of inadequate resolve, inconvenience, or breaking well-worn habits; it's about severing a relationship with something that gains hold of your psyche and emotions, not unlike heroin has over the desperate addict."

According to Dr. Davis, "wheat also contains gliatin, which has the same effect on brain receptors as opium. Gliatin stimulates the appetite, creating incessant hunger and cravings for more". 

In simple English- Wheat has exorphins in them that BIND to receptors in the brain, much like a drug. Hence, making it addictive. It also has gliatin in it, which side effects mimic what opium does, and makes us crave more. 

Exorphins are also linked with autism and schizophrenia. 

From Wikipedia- "It has been hypothesized that people with autism and schizophrenia have abnormal leakage from the gut of these compounds (exorphins), which then pass into the brain and disrupt brain function".  

I've seen this in my own sons health {he doesn't have autism or schizophrenia but he was suffering from night terrors}.

•Wheat today isn't what it use to be.

"A loaf of bread, biscuit, or pancake of today is different that its counterpart of a thousand years ago, different even from what our grandmothers made. They might look the same, even taste much of the same, but there are biochemical differences. Small changes in wheat protein structure can spell the difference between a devastating immune response to wheat protein versus no immune response at all."

WHOA.
Heavy post eh? They aren't all this loaded with info, so come back now ok? ;-)

Do you have a gluten intolerance? If so, what happens when you eat it? Have you considered cutting it out? I was NOT open to it for a couple years. But I'm so glad we finally ditched the wheat.