This book Wheat Belly Total Health by William Davis, M.D. is a phenomenal read.

Dr Davis talks about the fact that the 1st humans to consume the seeds of grasses, which all grains are, experienced tooth decay, tooth crowding, and iron deficiency. Prior to that, tooth decay was extremely rare. These people who rarely experienced tooth decay did not use tooth brushes, toothpaste, and floss. They didn’t have dentists and fluoride in the water but had no tooth decay issues until eating the seeds of grasses. Consumption of the seeds of grasses led to rotten, crowded teeth.

Davis writes, “In Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and the Andes Mountain highlands, increased corn consumption led to increased tooth decay, tooth loss, anemia, and iron deficiency as well as loss of height in children and adults.” If you have dental, bone or joint issues. It is definitely worth exploring what eliminating grains can do for your body.

And it’s not just wheat he is blaming for these issues – it’s all grains. Non-wheat grains are also seeds of grasses but are less bad on the spectrum and they are:

• oats
• barley
• corn
• rye
• millet
• rice
• teff – this one really sucks because I’m such a huge fan of Ethiopian food 😍😋
• sorghum

Why is this happening?

Grains are poisonous when consumed long term. When rye and wheat are cooked, acrylamide (a carcinogen and neurotoxin) is formed. It reminds me of the book “The Blue Zones” where Dan Buettner talks about how these people who live to 100 and beyond are not necessarily vegan. They eat meat either once a week or once a year. It’s more like a garnish to their diet than a staple item. Grains seem like it works the same, where having it be a staple in the diet can be detrimental to the integrity of the gut lining.

Grains affect the microbiome, which is the 4 lbs of healthy bacteria present in and on the body. Microbiota live on skin and in the mouth, vagina and gastrointestinal tract. The consumption of grains disrupts the bacteria in the mouth and gut and can lead to a series of illnesses like:

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Fibromyalgia
• Acid Reflux
• Food Allergies
• Dental Decay
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Because grains irritate the gut lining, there could be nutritional deficiencies. Adrenal function can be impaired. Grains can also be blamed for:

• acne
• psoriasis
• eczema

My Issues with William Davis’s Book

I like to read a variety of dietary theories because I feel there are lessons to be learned from all of it. However, I don’t completely agree with all of Mr Davis’ view points. His views on fruit sugar is just not accurate. His views on fat consumption is just crazy. His view on cooked food making certain macronutrients more digestible is interesting. I see that as a sign that those are foods we really are not meant to eat in a natural state. For example, potatoes would not be tasty raw and it would be hard to bite into (at least with my teeth), so it doesn’t seem it’s necessary for our bodies. If our bodies can’t assimilate the nutrients raw, then are they necessary nutrients or is that a necessary source? I don’t think so. This just logically common sensically makes sense to me.

Possibilities

What if you avoided grains and your acid reflux disappeared? I know for me that while I overcame heartburn and eliminating oils dramatically helped alleviate heartburn and acid reflux, grain consumption does trigger it. It is typically fried though so I always attribute it to the oil but what if it’s actually the grain? The only way to find out what ails you is by experimenting with your body. How about removing grains from the diet and seeing what that does to your body and your digestive system?

While Dr. Neal Barnard says Type 1 diabetes stems from the mother’s consumption of dairy, Dr William Davis says the blame is to be pointed at grains. Could they both be right?

The author says bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression are reversible with the elimination of grains or at the very least, symptoms can be alleviated.

He explains the science behind grains causing:

• anxiety
• anger
• aggression
• inattention
• insomnia
• depression
• bipolar
• schizophrenia
• sleep disruption
• unhappiness

The possibilities are intriguing. If you want to try eating clean without grains, download the Clean & Grain Free 7 Day Meal Plan.

The author mentions that there is a withdrawal period after eliminating grains. You may have low energy in the beginning that could last 4 to 6 weeks. I would encourage you to use that opportunity to get more sleep. When the body works to heal itself, rest allows the process to happen in an expedited, seamless manner. I’m sure many of us could use more rest.

Take probiotics for no more than 2 months to repopulate healthy gut bacteria while you’re doing this to repair the gut lining. My favorite brand is PuraDyme’s LiyfBiotic. I like that I can just add it to my smoothies but they have it in capsule form too if you prefer that.

I could relate to the rumbling rolling panicky feeling of hunger that the author promised would go away with the elimination of grains. I’ve had this experience eating fully raw before but incorporating back cooked foods probably brought that back on or maybe it’s a mental thing for me. I love to eat so my stomach is spoiled and needs food every 3 to 4 hours. When I cleanse, in the beginning I go through this but then my body and mind get used to the fact that it will not be having solid food and it moves on. It’s kind of like meditation but for the body. You train the body how to behave like you train the mind to calm down in meditation.

The author promises that food will be an after thought, which I think is a great goal for people so food doesn’t take over their lives. I don’t advocate not eating at all unless you feel that’s something you want to do for spiritual reasons. Some people do that as part of their spiritual journey. However, for most of us, food is important and is good for our bodies. It’s ok to eat. I am not advocating starvation.

The possibilities of a grain free diet that improves mood and reduces anxiety I think is enough of a benefit to at least try and ultimately if you strive to be 100% raw, this is a great stepping stone to get there. In my experience, grains has been the hardest thing to give up completely. Maybe, because foods I love contain grains, like Ethiopian food 😍😋

The fact that suicidal thoughts can be triggered by the consumption of grains just goes to show how toxic grains are to the body. The possibilities of this being part of a treatment plan for people considering suicide is awesome. It’s empowering to know you can take control of your own health by starting with food choices.

The author says you may see results/improvement with health after 5 days or 2 weeks depending on how severe your ailment. Think of what life could be like for you in just 2 weeks after eliminating grains. Click here to join me in my Facebook Group and tell me your thoughts on this. Are you excited about what being grain free can do for your mental health and your body? Do plan to try the grain free meal plan as a challenge for yourself?

Another benefit of being grain free is relief from dandruff within the 1st week and eczema and acne within the 1st few weeks. Do you know anyone suffering with this? Send them this blog post. They may want to try the free 7 day meal plan and see what it does for their scalp and skin.

For Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) sufferers, after weight loss and eliminating grains, they gain increased fertility. If this is something you’re working on, you may want to check out my Veggie Transition Program to get support and accountability on this journey. You can click the image below to check it out. But eliminating grains is a great first step because in my experience, cutting down on my grain consumption helped me lose weight quickly. I found wheat to be the biggest accelerator of weight gain for me when I first went vegan. Dr Davis says within the 1st week you can lose 1 lb per day, which is both due to loss of fat and water.

Be mindful

Wheat and corn are sometimes listed on labels as hydrolyzed vegetable protein or maltodextrin. There are lots of unknown names that contain grains so it’s best to just use whole foods to make things easy.

It’s ok to eat the following on this plan:

• Vegetables, but not canned due to the BPA lining inside the cans.
• Raw nuts and seeds. Roasted nuts are roasted with hydrogenated oils and grain flour is used to coat them.
• Healthy fats, like extra virgin olive oil, nut oils, avocado. Avoid hydrogenated oils.
• Beverages like tea, water, coffee, nut milk, coconut milk/water, hemp milk, etc.

In the beginning, you may need to adjust to reading labels of premade stuff even if it’s vegan because grains lurk everywhere. You may even have to turn down delicious food made by family members if they’re adding anything with grains in it. So be mentally prepared for this.

A reader on Twitter highlighted this point to me:

 

I actually love this comment because they are all great points. Unfortunately, Twitter only allows me 140 characters and that’s not enough to explain the holistic nature of our bodies and how it works. As far as what to eat, I put together a very helpful guide/meal plan for you to try to see if eating grain free, high-raw vegan is for you. You can download it below.

Food is not magic. It’s science. The food we eat becomes our cells. The bacteria in our gut that regulates our mood and neurological function feed on the food in our gut. The balance of that gut bacteria helps to stabilize mood and the nervous system. You can hear a first hand account of Audrey’s testimony of how a raw food diet helped her lose 100 lbs and overcome depression and anxiety by clicking here.

Of course, because the body’s holisitc, for some people, they will need to go further for healing especially if it’s something really severe or been going on for a long time. That’s where meditation, coaching and talk therapy comes into play. Dr Joe Dispenza’s book, You are the Placebo, makes a great case for the healing powers of meditation. In his own experience, he shattered his back in a horrible accident that should have left him paralyzed but he used his mind to heal his body and was back at work in 4 months.

I agree there are stressed out, depressed and overweight vegans. I have been stressed and have had periods of depression in my past. I have talked about it on social media and on the blog. This is why I love to help others with this because I pulled myself through and I want to help others do the same. I had an anxiety attack twice and it was not fun. I felt like I was going to die each time. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone. We can be proactive in preventing our minds from falling down those dark places. This dietary strategy is a tool – one of many in the toolbox.

I have never met, seen or heard of an overweight raw vegan. And, I agree, not all vegans are the size of toothpicks nor should they be. I am not, nor have I ever been, a toothpick, lol. I love my body and all of its lovely curves and I advocate self-love on all levels regardless of the situation. Regardless of your weight or size, a healthy lifestyle should always be a priority. It’s not about aesthetics. It’s about enjoyment of life.