“Wheat belly“, by William Davis MD is an excellent and highly compelling book. It details the fact that wheat has been grossly manipulated (over the course of decades) into a new and potentially dangerous product.
It has gone from a 12 chromosome grass to a 42 chromosome abomination that, as Dr Davis points out, exaggerates blood sugar levels, triggers allergic reactions, triggers cycles of alternating satiety and hunger, damages a wide range of tissues through glycation, causes inflammatory effects and influences your body pH (thereby eroding cartilage, bone and fostering an acidic environment) and activates a disordered immune response.
The very name “Wheat Belly” comes from the fact that the persistent insulin response caused by wheat consumption triggers a buildup of visceral fat (fat around your middle), as this is the emergency dumping ground for fat.
Abdominal fat is the greatest indicator of risk for heart disease and diabetes, and it correlates with a high consumption of wheat. Worse than that, visceral fat has a habit of provoking inflammatory responses, it can distort insulin responses and can produce oestrogen in both women and men, potentially creating “man breasts” or an increased risk of breast cancer.
Research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed that postmenopausal women with high levels of visceral fat can have up to a four-fold increase in the risk for breast cancer.
As Dr Davis says, “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 is hardly an organ that is not affected by wheat in some potentially damaging way.”
Dr Davis is a cardiologist, so as part of his day-to-day interaction with patients, he was focused upon helping them to reduce their body weight, lower cholesterol levels and improve their general health. He has successfully done this for literally thousands of patients through the elimination of wheat from their diet.
Many of his patients have dramatic improvements in health, including weight loss (30 lbs to 50 lbs within the first few months being typical), a reduction in allergies, being able to eliminate diabetes medication, the elimination of joint pain and in extreme cases, the avoidance of scheduled surgery. In many of these cases, the changes in diet, lifestyle and body weight, significantly reduced the risk of cancer.
As a direct result of this book, and the scientific insight of Dr Davis, I now happily live on a wheat-free diet. I lost 16 lbs of unwanted body fat within the first 60 days, (23lbs in the first 90 days), significantly improved my complexion and noticeably improved my levels of energy. My cravings for food disappeared after the first three days, making me less distracted and more productive.
By removing wheat from my diet, it forced me to evaluate my food choices, often opting for raw fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs, cheese and generally more nutritious options, which keep my blood sugar completely stable.
Without specifically intending to, (and without being hungry), I have reduced my daily caloric intake by approximately 500 calories, and significantly improved my nutrition. I now live the advice I offer in my book, Cancer Uncensored, so I know everything I recommend is achievable. Better yet, I feel fantastic. Thank you Dr Davis!
You can read more about the Wheat Belly book on Amazon.