Goodbye-Grains
2021-5-20_ Grains are packaged in all shapes and sizes, tastes and textures all in an effort to get us to consume them in abundance. What you need to know is that regular consumption of grains harm you health and break your fat burn. Regardless of what we have learned about the harmful effects of grains and refined flours as a regular staple in our dietary practices, we still consume them day in and day out without fear and with abandonment. Let me help pave the way to better practices in an effort to improve your health!
Despite the rise in obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's people still question why this is when the answer is sitting right on our plates with BIG RED BLINKING LIGHTS. It's our diet people! The S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) recommendations suggest that 60% of our diet is to be comprised of carbohydrates with very little emphasis on healthy fats and protein. Grains play a big part in this 60% and it begins with our first meal of the day, breakfast! The American Breakfast is saturated with grains in the form of cereal, toast, bagels, english muffins, pastries etc. Our primal ancestors however only consumed about 5% of their calories from carbohydrates and a stunning 75% from fat! And guess what, they were free of disease! Dr. David Perlmutter, author of "Grain Brain" makes an incredibly strong case linking grain consumption to Alzheimer's. Did you know that Alzheimer's is now being classified as a third type of diabetes?
Chronically elevated insulin levels lead to inflammation and insulin resistance. Inflammation and insulin resistance can be linked to every modern disease. Eliminating grains and refined flours of all kinds and sorts from your diet is a great starting point in turning your health status around because after all, we already know that chronic consumption of grains and refined flours compromises health and leads to inflammation.
Grains are a cheap nutrient poor source of calories that can be easily converted into glucose. As a result, grains turn up insulin production and as aforementioned contain anti-nutrients that wreak havoc in our digestive systems and immune function. Grains like rice pasta, bread, corn, cereal, millet, rye, oats barley. crackers, cakes, cookies, snack foods, baked goods etc. should all be yanked from your diet and if consumed, on the very rare and special occasion. For example, leaky gut has a widespread list of symptoms caused by ingestion of pro inflammatory agents like lectins, phytates, saponins and gluten. This anti nutrients can be found in grains. Here are just a few of them: celiac disease, autoimmune, allergies, skin problems, depression, asthma, fatigue, joint problems, muscle aches cognitive issues like ADHD, metabolic problems and obesity to name a few.
Maybe you are tolerating grains and refined flours on the surface of things but that doesn't mean that negative reactions within your body aren't occurring. Maybe your reactions are mild like abdominal distention, gas or mild arthritis thanks to the regular ingestion of that useless roll or slice of bread every day. Rather than reaping the enormous benefit of eliminating grains and refined flours from our diets, we still commonly resort to antacids or prescription drugs to deal with digestive issues. Medications of course mask the symptoms of discomfort, fail correcting the root cause of the issue and potentially compromising our bodies natural healing mechanisms. Why not just cut grains off your plates for good? The cost to you is free and the benefits are multifaceted!
I challenge you to kick the grain habit for good. Eliminating grains from my diet when I was in my late 20's was the beginning of my health transformation. It was the first time I began to really connect the dots between the cause and effect of food and experienced immediate health benefits in making this shift. I replaced the void of bread or pasta on my plate with more protein. As a result, my brain fog lifted, low energy in the middle of the day was replaced with vitality, my skin improved and I dropped some body fat. Below are some links to some terrific books that will help you make the jump to going grain free for good!
Grain Brain
Why We Get Fat
The Paleo Solution
To your health! xoxo paige
