Why No Grains? The Elevator Speech.
One of the toughest concepts to swallow when it comes to Paleo eating is the No Grains rule. How in the world could bread, the manna from heaven be bad for you? I had the same reservations as the rest of you. I just couldn't wrap my brain around it. Grains provide Fiber, B-vitamins, whole carbohydrates, FIBER, right? Well, that is true but grains also provide: phytates, gluten, and lectins. What is wrong with that group you ask?
Well, phytates bind to iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium making them nonabsorbable in the human gut.
Gluten destroys/damages the intestinal microvilli causing a host of problems. Think you don't have an issue with gluten? Think again. A recent study showed 29% of asymptomatic (non-Celiac) folks tested positive for a reaction to gluten. I have seen other studies showing a 90% reaction when looking at another marker. Take home message: even if you do not have gut irritability, you still have a reaction to gluten. That "reaction" may not rear its head now, but more and more studies are linking gluten issues to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Type I diabetes, Lupus, and a medley of other maladies like migraines, acid reflux, reproductive problems, arthritis and asthma. If you would like science to back this up, hop over here.
Per the British Medical Journal, Lectins are toxic, inflammatory, bind to the human GI tract and are indigestible in humans. More on lectins here.
FIBER: non-starchy vegetables can have up to EIGHT times the fiber of grains. That's eight.
Now you have a bit of an expanded explanation on why grains are not the best choice. But how do you handle friends and family that are skeptical of your new approach to food? Here is my elevator speech:
Believe me, I was skeptical too. I thought grains were really good for me. However, I did a little research because I knew eating grains was making me sick with: x.....issue. For me it was IBS. Turns out grains have anti-nutrients which bind to all the great minerals we think we are getting out of bread and pasta. It also has the kind of fiber that kind of scratches the inside of our intestines making them inflamed just like the redness we get around the area when we skin our knee. That inflammation keeps our immune system busy so it might miss a real bacteria that it might need to squish. That bacteria gets through and we get sick. Once I quit grains (and beans for that matter), I really don't get sick. Maybe once a year! The best thing about removing grains and adding more vegetables is that you are getting tons more vitamins and minerals than ever before because your body can actually absorb and use them now!
So, my speech was a little longer than I wanted, but you get the idea. When I get tired of discussing I always give them a challenge: why don't you just try it for a couple of weeks and see if you see a difference! Most folks see or feel an immediate change and your work is done!
What is your elevator speech when it comes to grains? (Beans have similar issues, I lump them into one when emplaining).
Melissa
Reader Comments (10)
Question regarding cramping (because I think it may be diet/water related).
On a few occasions over the last few weeks I've been able to induce cramps by flexing certain muscles. Namely, biceps, hamstrings, calves. This has probably happened 5 or so times and I noticed it initially while stretching.
As far as I know, I haven't really changed my diet in any manner other than the fact that I've cut down on alcohol. Any ideas on what may be causing this?
And as for grains: I'm still eating some here and there. Way way way less than I used to. I frequently request no grains when ordering out. When people ask why I generally tell them that I get bloated when I eat them and that I'd rather eat something with nutritional value (say... vegetables). Also, if I've been fairly clean with eating throughout the week and if I've been careful with my portion sizes, I won't be bloated and I generally feel more agile during any kind of physical activity.
Hey Andy! I've been having the same problem and it was a salt/electrolyte issue. It's been so hot and we're sweating so much that we aren't replenishing the metals that we need to operate so plain water isn't enough. I don't like all the crap in gatorade or vitamin water, but I discovered coconut water and have been really happy! They sell it in the water section of publix... 100% coconut water has tons of potassium and other metal salts that help prevent cramping. My calves were cramping up nearly every day but in the week since I've been drinking coconut water I haven't cramped once and my energy level is better. Hope it helps you, too!
My elevator speech includes some of the following:
- Eliminating gluten from my diet has changed my life. I had no idea how bad I was feeling, and I will never go back.
- I was taking 5-6 prescription medications for different ailments (including allergies, acid reflux, restless leg syndrome) and now I am taking ZERO prescriptions
- My immune system used to be very weak and I got sick a lot. Now, I rarely get sick. Maybe once a year, I feel under the weather for a few days.
- You have IBS? I am 99% sure that its means you are gluten intolerant. Why don't you try a short experiment? Try eliminating gluten entirely from your diet for 2 weeks and see if the symptoms for IBS goes away. (everyone who has tried this have seen their IBS symptoms go away.)
- You got tested and you do not have celiac? Well, first of all getting a celiac diagnosis is actually very difficult. Many people try for years before they are finally told that they have it. The intestinal biopsy has its limitations. Waiting for a celiac diagnosis before you remove gluten from your diet is like waiting for lung cancer before you stop smoking. You should start improving your health now. You should not wait until you damage your small intestine in order to start improving your health.
In terms of volume...should breakfast be your largest meal?
Also...Yahoo is at it again: How much protein do you really need?
Good question on the size of bfast. Personally, I don't like to put rules on the size or timing of my meals. Not that I like planning my day like a caveman would but....he would most likely have a big feast when the boar was caught and then might have some lean meals until another animal was caught. This is getting into the IF side of things which is a whole other blog post and not something you guys need to worry about as yet. I think aiming to eat each meal until you are full (not overfull) is a good rule of thumb.
On a side note, Farmburger (of Decatur fame) is opening in Buckhead! I don't believe they are open yet, but will soon. Farmburger.net
If we are planning on doing a controlled experiement after the BTB45 to see how our body reacts to grains, is there a best one to try? I've read that corn and rice are a little less problematic than others...and you had talked about the Wonder Bread vs. Whole wheat...just wondering if I wanted to see the effect grains had on me post-45 if there was a "eat this not that" suggestion?
I say go big and get the pizza. You'll see how grains make you feel after that for sure.
There are many foods that increase cholesterol levels and you should avoid them as most of them are also bad for your figure. For example, butter and similar fatty products we use for cooking. These products have a high concentration on fat that together with other fat we take during the day can increase the total fat levels very much pkwjzw pkwjzw - Tory Burch Boots Outlet.
Everything have their + and -...We still love and have to eat carbohydrates like grains.
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