​​​​​​​​​​Why is Wheat such a problem? Part II

Why is Wheat such a problem? Part II

Gluten in wheat (also found in barley, rye, spelt and many cross-contaminated oats) can cause celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity that can trigger inflammation throughout the body, which has been linked to autoimmune diseases, weight gain, mood disorders, autism, dementia, digestive disorders, diabetes, cancer and nutritional deficiencies – plus more.

So, you might be wondering how exactly gluten causes all this inflammation. It starts by damaging the gut lining. Then all the bugs (viruses/bacteria/fungi) and partially digested food particles inside your intestine can get across the gut barrier, where they are then exposed to your immune system.

60% of that immune system lies right under the surface of one layer of cells lining your gut. Your immune system then starts attacking these foreign proteins, causing systemic inflammation that then leads to heart disease, dementia, cancer, diabetes, etc.

What’s more, Dr. Fasano, a celiac expert from the Univ of Maryland School of Medicine discovered a protein made in the intestine called “zonulin” that is increased by exposure to gluten. Zonulin regulates permeability, but the increased zonulin ends up breaking up the tight junctions or cement that holds the intestinal cells tightly together. Thus, your immune system is now able to come into contact with the bugs and foreign proteins that can leak through the intestinal wall.

The dwarf wheat grown in this country has changed the quality and type of gluten proteins in wheat, creating a higher gluten content and many more gluten proteins that cause celiac and autoimmune antibodies.

Combine that with the damage our guts have suffered from our diets, lifestyles, medication use, and environment and you have the perfect storm for gluten intolerance. Super gluten crosses our leaky guts, gets exposed to our immune system, which attacks the foreign invader, and sets off an entire cascade of inflammatory events to try and eliminate it.

The problem is that the inflammation isn’t that selective. It begins to attack our cells, leading to diabetes, weight gain and other inflammatory diseases.

When wheat is processed by your digestion, the protein in it is converted to shorter proteins called exorphins – kind of like the endorphins you get from a runner’s high. They bind to your opioid receptors in your brain, making you high and addicted… just like heroin.

These wheat exorphins are known as gluteomorphines (after gluten and morphine) and are absorbed into the bloodstream and cross your blood/brain barrier. They become like a super drug, causing multiple problems including schizophrenia and autism, but can also cause addictive eating behavior, including cravings and binge eating.

 They have even found that they can block these food cravings using the same drug used in the emergency room to block heroin or morphine in an overdose situation. Bottom line – wheat can be an addictive appetite stimulant!