Wheat Belly by William Davis MD - Book Review

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Propaganda or profiterole - if you read this book it will certainly change the way you view your regular visit to the supermarket. The harmless bagel or baguette may become a weapon of mass destruction. Davis a Cardiologist discovered when he encouraged certain patients to eliminate wheat from their diet not only did they lose weight but a gamut of other symptoms besides.

He explains with a healthy dose of humour and in parts full blown medical jargon how the wheat we eat has been modified over and over and over again. No longer the once tall stem blowing in the wind we now have a stocky short heavy headed variety with 46 chromosomes instead of the original 14. Intentions were good. Wheat was modified to be resistant to poor climates and difficult growing conditions so that every body could be fed more easily.

Nevertheless, Wheat Belly strives to inform us that this modified wheat can affect teenage acne, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Arthritis, Breast Cancer and as previously proven in clinical studies wheat is the only food to cross the blood brain barrier. In simple terms this means it is similar to the way an opiate drug such as morphine affects the brain, however, wheat is not a euphoric agent but one which can have profound effects on behaviour particularly in people diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Another shocking revelation is the statistic that 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease and don't know it. A specific blood test can reveal the result.

Wheat actually causes a huge surge in blood sugar even more than a 'Snickers' bar for instance. It is the increase in blood sugar that causes most of the damage, leaving us momentarily satiated and then hungry once again.

A further big surprise is many who believe they are following a gluten free diet are not actually doing so at all. Gluten free diets can use potato and corn starches which contain glutens. Those little fellows can be found everywhere from lipstick to chewing gum that is often coated in wheat flour. Glutens are essentially binding tools or glue that pop up in many unexpected foodstuffs.

So is eliminating wheat difficult given the previous information? Not according to Dr Davis patients. The weight loss and the positive side effects are well worth it. There can be situations where patients have wheat withdrawal symptoms such as cravings for a large slice of buttered hot toast. Wheat is a staple in almost every meal. But the lightness brightness and renewed sense of vigour that people report prompted me to give it a whirl. I've been Wheat Free since Christmas Eve and I do feel less sluggish. If it can be done during the party and festive season it can surely be achievable. There is a plethora of alternative tasty foodstuffs and a Wheat Belly Cook Book. Partakers will find that they use their knife and fork more as most wheat products can be eaten by hand.

A wheat free diet is interesting and includes cheeses, nuts, meats, vegetables and a new and exciting way of eating. No more crackers or potato crisps but your sexy alert body may thank you for that.

Consider next time you reach for the healthy 11 Grain Loaf, you may be better off eating the Wheat Belly book instead.

Published in 2011 by Rodale. Wheat Belly is available in paper back and Kindle.

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