Has Anyone Read The Book "wheat Belly"?

[lindalee]

I just picked it up at Cosco and it looks interesting.

[IrishHeart]

I haven't but I did read a fellow celiac's critique of it ---if you are interested.

It is not a favorable review.

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[Opa3]

Written by William Davis MD, "a renowned cardiologist." The article doesn't mention his speciality. Check Barns & Noble. That 's like reading a book about cardiology written by a GI Doc. Absured!

Lee, is that mentioned in the book?

[Celiac Mindwarp]

I only made it halfway through. It wasn't adding up to me. I kind of wanted it to all be true but it didn't feel right. The review above makes perfect sense to me, bad use of some decent data.

It is a shame as I think it is probably broadly well intentioned, and there is probably some good stuff in there amongst the poor use of research.

I am wondering now if anyone does have any good references in this sort of area?

[jebby]

The best luck I've had with information on non-celiac gluten sensitivity is to go to pubmed.gov and actually read the abstracts and then journal articles for myself. In December 2012 there were several great articles published in this area. I can send you references if you'd like.

[lindalee]

The best luck I've had with information on non-celiac gluten sensitivity is to go to pubmed.gov and actually read the abstracts and then journal articles for myself. In December 2012 there were several great articles published in this area. I can send you references if you'd like.

Thanks, I would like to read those.

So far I have enjoyed the book. He has a good sense of humor and the info is in line with my thoughts on wheat. I know when I eat it my stomach bloats. My sister in law is on the diet and she has lost weight. Another friend lost weight and has held her weight and it takes away her arthritis. A girl at church also has been on the diet for a while and she also said he stomach vanished and she is sticking with it.

My little "celiac" group will be discussing it next week at the meeting.

With heart disease one of the diseases caused by gluten, I wanted to buy it as he is a cardiologist.

[mamaw]

Hi Lindalee

How have you been? It's been ages !!!!!!

mamaw

[nvsmom]

I thought it was a really entertaining read with some interesting info; I had no idea that wheat had been so altered over the past 100 years. i didn't buy his weight loss claims either but that wasn't really the focus of the book, in my opinion.

In the critique, the reviewer went after him for his (poor) use of stats but there was some thought provoking stuff mixed in there too.

[georgie]

I just LOVE this book!!!! Dr Davis is a Saint ! A Saviour !!! I read the book last August and started Sept. I lost 10 kg before Christmas without any effort at all... and this in itself was amazing as I had no hunger, and at not stage felt deprived AND I did not increase exercise and in fact decreased it... I had ONE meal with sugar over Christmas and felt instantly ill again and it took a week for the fatigue to wear off.

I am definately a Wheat Bellyer ! As the book explains - stopping wheat ( as it is so unhealthy ) and eating substitute gluten-free carbs like rice flour , tapioca flour and potato starch is then WORSE. Sky high triglycerides etc, artrial plaque, inflammation markers for Diabetes, Heart Disease, RA, etc etc all increase. The gluten-free commercial food diet is very unhealthy..

Someone asked why a cardiologist is writing a book about food. Well - he put his patients on this diet for them to reduce their heart attack risks. It reduces Hb1AC, Blood Glucose, Tricylerides and the nasty small LDL particles... Along the way he discovered that people would bounce into his next appt - feeling the best they had felt in 20 years, off NSAIDs, off statins, off BP meds etc etc and ..... 20, 50, 100 pounds lighter without even trying ! He knew he had to get the message out to the world.

Wheat free if for everyone. Grain free. Low sugar. Only exception is young growing children who can need a slightly higher carb count for the day. But not wheat Wheat is worse than a bowl of jelly beans. Commercial gluten-free carbs are worse than a bowl of jelly beans. People have to stop living on jelly beans !

I now have lost 15 kg ( 33 pounds ) feel and look 10 years younger and have people stopping and asking me what I have done. The traditional gluten-free diet was killing me. We now eat like Kings , save money at the Store and will be a normal weight again ! I am already down 3 sizes. My stubborn hard to shift for last 5 years weight has just melted off. Hubbie started before me and has lost 80 pounds total and is at goal weight. I have Thyroid issues and have had to change thyroid meds again and I am on cortisone but none the less... the weight keeps coming off, my skin and hair are glowing and I feel so energised ! I nearly had total knee replacement 2 years ago and spent 4 months on crutches... now I have barely any pain!!

[georgie]

These Blog posts " Eat More Sugar" , "Jelly Beans and Ice Cream ", "Gluten Free Muffin Top", " Heart Poison".... sort of explain... Reading "Heart Poison" was my light globe moment.

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And this was the Before and After that inspired me to start ....

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[IrishHeart]

I found this a little disturbing:

Dr. Davis is now claiming Celiac is NOT a disease.

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[lindalee]

Hi Lindalee

How have you been? It's been ages !!!!!!

mamaw

Hi Mamaw,

Got sidetracked off the forum for a while when they changed the set up of the site. Looking forward to getting back in touch with you and the others!!

Love & Light,

Linda Lee

[mamaw]

lindalee

Welcome back... I wondered what happened to you....Hope all is well.....

mamaw

[jebby]

I found this a little disturbing:

Dr. Davis is now claiming Celiac is NOT a disease.

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I wonder if he would have came to the same conclusion if he himself had suffered from Celiac Disease for years and was now dealing with all of the after effects like so many of us are. Thank you for bringing our attention to this IH. I have had tons of people ask me about this book.

[love2travel]

Our local celiac group discussed this book at our last meeting. I have not read it so cannot comment on it personally but there was not one single person in the group who had anything positive to say about the book. They found it disturbing and do not believe the author is credible. Our dietitian agrees. She said there are too many inaccuracies. Of course that is heresay so I plan to read the book myself. It is rather disturbing and disheartening that Dr. Davis claims celiac is not a disease! That is the last thing we need.

[Gemini]

I just LOVE this book!!!! Dr Davis is a Saint ! A Saviour !!! I read the book last August and started Sept. I lost 10 kg before Christmas without any effort at all... and this in itself was amazing as I had no hunger, and at not stage felt deprived AND I did not increase exercise and in fact decreased it... I had ONE meal with sugar over Christmas and felt instantly ill again and it took a week for the fatigue to wear off.

I am definately a Wheat Bellyer ! As the book explains - stopping wheat ( as it is so unhealthy ) and eating substitute gluten-free carbs like rice flour , tapioca flour and potato starch is then WORSE. Sky high triglycerides etc, artrial plaque, inflammation markers for Diabetes, Heart Disease, RA, etc etc all increase. The gluten-free commercial food diet is very unhealthy..

Someone asked why a cardiologist is writing a book about food. Well - he put his patients on this diet for them to reduce their heart attack risks. It reduces Hb1AC, Blood Glucose, Tricylerides and the nasty small LDL particles... Along the way he discovered that people would bounce into his next appt - feeling the best they had felt in 20 years, off NSAIDs, off statins, off BP meds etc etc and ..... 20, 50, 100 pounds lighter without even trying ! He knew he had to get the message out to the world.

Wheat free if for everyone. Grain free. Low sugar. Only exception is young growing children who can need a slightly higher carb count for the day. But not wheat Wheat is worse than a bowl of jelly beans. Commercial gluten-free carbs are worse than a bowl of jelly beans. People have to stop living on jelly beans !

I now have lost 15 kg ( 33 pounds ) feel and look 10 years younger and have people stopping and asking me what I have done. The traditional gluten-free diet was killing me. We now eat like Kings , save money at the Store and will be a normal weight again ! I am already down 3 sizes. My stubborn hard to shift for last 5 years weight has just melted off. Hubbie started before me and has lost 80 pounds total and is at goal weight. I have Thyroid issues and have had to change thyroid meds again and I am on cortisone but none the less... the weight keeps coming off, my skin and hair are glowing and I feel so energised ! I nearly had total knee replacement 2 years ago and spent 4 months on crutches... now I have barely any pain!!

Georgie....most people with cardiac issues were put on the Atkins Diet years and years ago and did well because many people with cardiac problems are overweight so cutting out the carbs will make you lose weight. Simple enough logic.

Cut out the simple sugars and eat healthier and you'll be healthier. They also used that diet for quick weight loss to prepare them for surgery. As the gluten-free diet resembles the Atkins diet in many ways, people now think the gluten-free diet is a weight loss diet...and it can be when you cut out the crappy food. Anyone will lose weight if they cut out the crap food.

I do not think everyone has to cut out eating wheat...that's a very generalized statement to make. Not everyone has a wheat problem. I also don't think you need to completely cut out gluten-free goodies. These are supposed to be a treat and not to be eaten on a regular basis. Moderation is the key but people have forgotten what that means. If you feel better eating no grains or sugar, that's fantastic but that might indicate you have a blood sugar problem to begin with.

I follow a strict gluten-free diet, which includes some treats and the sugar does not bother me in the least as I exercise to work it off. There is a balance and that balance is going to be different for many people.

I think any doctor who makes the statement that Celiac is not a disease is far from a saint. That's plain ignorance on his part. I wouldn't spend the money on his book because there are far more reputable people who write accurate books on Celiac.

[lindalee]

Hi Georgie,

I am so glad you are doing well and I do agree with the dr. that gluten does damage the heart. I received something this week that I have tried to copy to you all--( could not figure out the wayy to do it) --basically the article was saying that the Roman soldiers punished their soldiers by depriving them of wheat. It stated how the wheat is so addictive that it causes withdrawals similar to herion and cocaine withdrawal.

The SCD'ers will agree about the sugar. I ate an overload of Sugar at Christmas and was quite under the weather with gluten like symptoms- I'm sure it put my resistance down.

Mamaw, I am getting back and looking forward to seeing what everyone has been up to! Hope you are well!

[IrishHeart]

--basically the article was saying that the Roman soldiers punished their soldiers by depriving them of wheat. It stated how the wheat is so addictive that it causes withdrawals similar to herion and cocaine withdrawal.

Now, that is an article I would love to see!! Please post it or give a reference link.

[Lisa]

Now, that is an article I would love to see!! Please post it or give a reference link.

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An interesting example of wheat’s addictive potential pertains to the Roman army. The Roman Empire was once known as the "Wheat Empire," with soldiers being paid in wheat rations. Rome’s entire war machine, and its vast expansion, was predicated on the availability of wheat. Forts were actually granaries, holding up to a year’s worth of grain in order to endure sieges from their enemies. Historians describe soldiers’ punishment included being deprived of wheat rations and being given barley instead. The Roman Empire went on to facilitate the global dissemination of wheat cultivation which fostered a form of imperialism with biological as well as cultural roots.

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To deprive the soldiers' of frumentum and give them something else instead was seen as a punishment.

When Caesar in Gaul struggled to keep his troops fed on wheat alone, and had to substitute their diet with barley, beans and meat, the troops grew discontented. It was only their fides, their loyalty , to the great Caesar which made them eat what they were given.

For just as with their attitudes toward their nightly encampment, the Romans saw the food they ate as soldiers as a symbol which set them apart from barbarians. If barbarians filled their bellies with meat and alcohol before battle, then the Romans kept to their stark rations. They had discipline, inner strength. To deny them their frumentum was to think of them as barbarians.

Good to see you again lindalee! Welcome back.

[mushroom]

"An army marches on its stomach." Was it Napoleon Bonaparte, or....

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[kareng]

"An army marches on its stomach." Was it Napoleon Bonaparte, or....

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A Crockpot I don't have? I must procure one!

[mushroom]

A Crockpot I don't have? I must procure one!

The day is coming when we will all need to be able to eat MRE's on demand!!!

[IrishHeart]

Thank you, Lisa. There are articles that seem to dispute the author's claims, but I found the article very interesting!

"An army marches on its stomach." Was it Napoleon Bonaparte, or....

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An Army marches on its..... wheat belly?

A Crockpot I don't have? I must procure one!

this would bring your number up to....???

[kareng]

Thank you, Lisa. There are articles that seem to dispute the author's claims, but I found the article very interesting!

An Army marches on its..... wheat belly?

this would bring your number up to....???

I only have 4 - a 6 qt, a 4 qt, a mini, a lunch crock. I don't have the 3 attached for buffet one. The way the men at my house eat, I could use a really big one!

[lindalee]

Now, that is an article I would love to see!! Please post it or give a reference link.

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this is where I saw the information about the punishment of the Roman soldiers- it was entered on 9/28/12