Wheat And Diabetes Connection

The Dangers Of Wheat

Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community You didn't evolve to eat grains. The dwarf-wheat is worst of all but, in my humble opinion, all grains are pretty deleterious to health - with the possible exception of white rice. "Healthy" whole-grains are linked to obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart-disease, celiac, IBS, etc, etc. I'd hate to meet an "unhealthy" whole-grain. The staple food here is bread,people eat a large amounts, admittedly far less than a hundred years ago but still 200-300g +a day. It's so important that I can bread buy on every day of the year. (I can buy very little else on Sundays and am restricted on Mondays) This prefecture in France has the highest life expectation in France, hence the world. Personal observation shows that bread is a major part of the culture with ritual involved in the cutting and distribution of bread at a meal. France as a whole are high consumers of wheat with levels slightly above that consumed in the US. In the UK they consume slightly less ( I have graphs but I won't link to my blog again!) It isn't mainly heritage wheat in France either so little non dwarf wheat. French wheat is 'soft' and low gluten compared with the US and that used in UK, but just look next door in Italy where they use high gluten 'hard' wheat. Rates of T1 diabetes aren't that high either, higher rates tend to be associated with more northerly climes. If only it was so simple as one commodity or macro nutrient causing all the problems. Wheat is grown on more than 240 million hectares, larger than for any other crop. World trade in wheat is greater than for all other crops combined. With rice, wheat is the world's most favored staple food. Wheat provides more nourishment for huma Continue reading >>

Type 1 Diabetes Linked To Immune Response To Wheat

Follow all of ScienceDaily's latest research news and top science headlines ! Type 1 Diabetes Linked To Immune Response To Wheat Scientists have discovered what may be an important clue to the cause of type 1 diabetes. Scientists tested 42 people with type 1 diabetes and found that nearly half had an abnormal immune response to wheat proteins. Scientists at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa have discovered what may be an important clue to the cause of type 1 diabetes. Dr. Fraser Scott and his team tested 42 people with type 1 diabetes and found that nearly half had an abnormal immune response to wheat proteins. The study is published in the August 2009 issue of the journal Diabetes. Early in life, the immune system is supposed to learn to attack foreign invaders such as viruses and bacteria, while leaving the bodys own tissues and harmless molecules in the environment alone (including food in the gut). When this process goes awry, autoimmune diseases and allergies can develop. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the pancreas, the organ that regulates blood sugar. Dr. Scotts research is the first to clearly show that immune cells called T cells from people with type 1 diabetes are also more likely to over-react to wheat. His research also shows that the over-reaction is linked to genes associated with type 1 diabetes. The immune system has to find the perfect balance to defend the body against foreign invaders without hurting itself or over-reacting to the environment and this can be particularly challenging in the gut, where there is an abundance of food and bacteria, said Dr. Scott, a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Professor of Medicine at the U Continue reading >>

Maintaining Blood Sugar | The Gluten Connection

[twitter-follow screen_name=’kgalliett’ link_color=’00ccff’] That is a giant gummy bear in the picture. Consuming that would be 1 very bad way to regulate your blood sugar. Let’s talk about another… You probably know that if you eat foods that spike your blood sugar, that’s not good. You may not totally “get” why, but you get the idea…high blood sugar means you ate something that was sugary, and at some level, you know that is not good for you. Right? ok. So did you know this?…. Whole wheat bread raises your blood sugar MORE than 2 Tablespoons of sugar. It doesn’t matter if it’s fancy 9-grain or the weird wheat bread that is white (gotta trick those kiddies who only want white bread!) Whole wheat bread is a high glycemic index food, and was the main food cardiologist, Dr. William Davis, removed from his patients’ diets when he was trying to help them avoid obesity & its’ related diseases (namely, diabetes and heart disease). The curious side effect of doing this? His patients reported back in the following months with not just normalized blood sugars (diabetics became NON-diabetics, no sign of the disease at all & no more need for medication!) but they also reported back with: *major weight losses *skin rashes they’d had for decades were suddenly gone *acid reflux clearing up entirely, rheumatoid arthritis pain improved & disappeared *asthma symptoms were eliminated *deeper sleep & greater focus was reported *athletes reported more consistent performance *and even irritable bowel syndrome so severe a patient was looking at a colon removal – healed within 1 year Many of his patients were NOT intolerant to gluten based on a blood or saliva test – yet they STILL improved their overall health by removing wheat/gluten from their diet. Have Continue reading >>

Dietary Gluten And The Development Of Type 1 Diabetes

Go to: Type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease Type 1 diabetes incidence has increased over the last two decades, especially in children under the age of 5 [1]. Type 1 diabetes is a multifactorial disease in which the genetic background is essential, but not sufficient for causing the disease. Type 1 diabetes incidence has been rising more rapidly than can be accounted for by genetic changes, thus emphasising the influence of environmental factors [2]. Different environmental factors could play a role in type 1 diabetes susceptibility: cereal proteins, cow’s milk proteins, low vitamin D, enteroviruses, changes in the composition of gut microbiota and stressful life events. Further, the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ suggests that exposure to a large number of infections early in life prevents the development of autoimmunity through appropriate priming of the adaptive immune system [3] (Fig. 1). Coeliac disease (CD) is an inflammatory intestinal disease with autoimmune features triggered by exposure to dietary gluten and related cereal proteins. The proteins induce an inflammatory immune response in the intestine; their withdrawal results in disease remission. The intestinal inflammation can result in complete destruction of the intestinal epithelium with crypt hyperplasia, loss of the villous structure and infiltration of lymphocytes, with consequent malabsorption of nutrients, vitamins and minerals [4]. Screening studies indicate that CD has a high prevalence (≈1%) in many Western countries and that a large group of people have undetected CD, which has led to the concept of a ‘coeliac iceberg’, depicting different undiagnosed, silent forms of CD [5]. The pathogenesis is initiated when gluten peptides cross the intestinal epithelium. The peptides can be deamidated or cros Continue reading >>

New Study Links Wheat To Weight Gain And Diabetes

A new animal study published in the journal PLoS sheds light on a possible mechanism behind the weight- and diabetes-promoting properties of wheat observed in humans, and perhaps offers some vindication for Dr. William Davis' New York Times best-selling but heavily criticized book 'Wheat Belly,' wherein the argument is made that wheat is a major contributing factor to the epidemic of obesity and diabetes presently afflicting wealthier, gluten-grain consuming nations. In the new study, researchers from The Bartholin Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark, explored the role that gliadin, a difficult to digest class of proteins within wheat, plays in promoting weight gain and insulin secretion in both animal and cell models, finding that gliadin-treated mice gained 20% more weight (by day 100) than gliadin-free controls, and that gliadin fragments induce insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells, the cells responsible for producing insulin, and which in type 1 diabetes are destroyed or rendered dysfunctional. Gliadin does not break down easily in the body because they are extremely hydrophobic ("water fearing"), and contain disulfide bonds (the same kind found in human hair and vulcanized rubber);[1] as a result, undigested wheat gliadin fragments can enter through the intestinal wall, gaining systemic access to the human body. This can result in inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, among many other possible negative health effects (note: we have documented over 200 adverse health effects associated with wheat exposure). Gliadin fragments have even been found in mother's milk, indicating they are capable of traveling freely throughout the body (not unlike another wheat toxin known as WGA), and can therefore affect the health of newborns. Indeed, the association between gluten Continue reading >>

Can Wheat Cause Diabetes?

By Dr John Briffa on 16 September 2009 in Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome , Healthy Eating , Specific conditions , Unhealthy Eating! The obvious answer to this question is yes, seeing as many wheat-based foods are very disruptive to blood sugar (they have high glycaemic index), particularly when eaten in quantity (meaning they have high glycaemic load too). As a result, the pancreas will generally need to pump out plenty of insulin. This, in time, can lead to insulin resistance. It can also lead to pancreatic exhaustion. Both of these situations will cause blood sugar to rise, which can lead to type 2 diabetes in time. However, this blog is not about the relationship between wheat and its relationship to type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is actually the focus here. Type 1 diabetes is what is known as an autoimmune condition, which means its caused by the bodys immune system attacking its own tissues. In this case, the tissue that is damaged involve the cells in the pancreas responsible for secreting insulin. The question is, what causes the immune system to attack these cells? Some have theorised that type 1 diabetes might be caused by a viral infection. In theory, as the immune mounts its defence against this foreign invader, the reaction then overspills to the cells in the pancreas. However, other scientists have suggested that the underlying trigger factor is not a virus, but food. There has, in the past, been more than a suggestion that type 1 diabetes may be related to intolerance to milk (specifically proteins in milk) [1-3]. A recent study published in the journal Diabetes provides some evidence that another potential trigger factor in type 1 diabetes is wheat [4]. In this study, 42 individuals with type 1 diabetes were assessed with regard to their immune response t Continue reading >>

Wheat For Diabetes

All over the world, wheat is one of the most important crops that is both cultivated and consumed. In America, wheat is included in a number of recipes ranging from bread to pasta, cakes to cookies, and pies to pizzas. The best way to maximize the benefits of this wholesome grain is to have it unrefined. When wheat is refined, it is basically stripped of all its major nutrients. Wheat thus consumed, just adds calories without any of its natural goodness. The health benefits of wheat are many. Whole wheat is rich in vitamins B1, B2, and B3 along with zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, phosphorus and fiber. Whole wheat products retain all these nutrients and help keep a host of health problems in check. A lot of research has been conducted on wheat for diabetes. The magnesium content in wheat is believed to be responsible for activating enzymes in the body that balance out insulin production and glucose levels. When the body fails to produce enough insulin to break down the sugar in the food you eat, high blood sugar and diabetes can develop. Eating a diet rich in wheat is very beneficial for diabetics. If you choose whole wheat products such as wheat bread, wheat flour and broken wheat for diabetics, you are essentially providing the body with the means to control cholesterol and reduce fat. This in turn can prevent diabetes from developing. Recent studies show that eating a diet rich in whole grains can lower your risk of diabetes significantly. Complex carbohydrates provided by whole wheat products help burn more calories and lose weight over time by keeping you fuller for longer. Carbohydrates are also necessary for the proper functioning of the digestive system and the elimination of waste. Every time you choose a wheat product, make sure you choose items th Continue reading >>

Gluten Sensitivity

Diabetes and gluten sensitivity are both autoimmune diseases with some similar symptoms. People with gluten sensitivity cannot tolerate the protein in certain grains. Recent research revealed links between gluten sensitivity and diabetes. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Gluten sensitive people who eat them experience intestinal inflammation and irregular blood sugar. Treatment includes a gluten-free diet. Experts are learning more about gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. Gluten can trigger increased insulin production. This leads to imbalanced blood sugar, creating a link to diabetes. People with diabetes have high blood sugar levels. Use a blood glucose monitor regularly to determine whether your blood sugar is too high or too low. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation helped fund a study conducted by the London School of Medicine and University of Cambridge. The study showed a genetic similarity between gluten insensitivity and diabetes. People with celiac disease should check their blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, watch for symptoms of gluten sensitivity but remember not all people with diabetes are sensitive to gluten. According to the ADA, abdominal pain is associated with gluten intolerance. If someone with celiac disease eats foods with gluten, the body reacts. It damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients in food. A gluten-free diet may help you feel better and prevent permanent damage to your body. Symptoms of gluten insensitivity can be similar to symptoms of diabetes including weight gain, depression, anxiety and hormonal imbalance. If you experience ongoing gastrointestinal upset or any of these symptoms, discuss gluten intolerance screening with your medical provider. Celiac disease Continue reading >>

The Wheat And Diabetes Connection

Diane July 28, 2014 Body and Mind , Health and Well-Being , Wheat-Free Related Posts The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how quickly your body metabolizes different carbohydrates. The higher the GI of a food the more rapidly it is broken down and the faster it will spike your blood sugar and insulin levels. It is common knowledge that white sugar raises our blood sugars rapidly, but did you know that two slices of bread (white or wholemeal) raises it higher and faster than refined table sugar? Wheat is 70% complex carbohydrate. Complex carbohydrates are supposed to slowly break down into simple sugars when digested, which in turn leads to a slow release of sustainable energy. However, this is not the case with bread and most other foods made from wheat. Through glycemic testing, it was found that bread is rapidly broken down into sugars after consumption (in fact, this break down starts whilst the bread is still in your mouth), leading to a huge sugar rush into the blood stream. High blood sugar is incredibly toxic to the cells of the body. If sugar levels rise too high and stay there, you will die. Therefore, to protect itself, the body has to find somewhere to put the sugar. The pancreas (producer of the hormone insulin), noting that the blood sugar is high elevates the insulin levels. Insulin is one of the primary hormones that stores fat and is known as the FAT-PRODUCING hormone. There are insulin receptors on the liver, muscles and fat cells. The first place the sugar is deposited is in the liver and muscles (as glycogen) for short-term energy use. When these stores are full the insulin receptors take the excess sugar out of the bloodstream and, with nowhere else to safely put it, transport the sugar to the fat cells which in turn leads to fat and thus weight- Continue reading >>

Should You Worry About Wheat?

Should You Worry About Wheat? by Berkeley Wellness | August 01, 2012 Wheat has long been a dietary pariah for the millions of people who have jumped on the low-carb-diet bandwagon or who think they’re allergic (or at least sensitive) to the grain. Now even more people are hesitating about eating wheat after reading the claims made by William Davis, M.D., a cardiologist and author of the bestseller Wheat Belly, which is subtitled “Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health.” Not only does wheat make us fat, Dr. Davis says, it is addictive and causes everything from heart disease, diabetes and obesity to arthritis, osteoporosis, cognitive problems and cataracts. In fact, he claims, it has caused “more harm than any foreign terrorist can inflict on us.” Wouldn’t it be great if there was a single villain behind the chronic health problems plaguing us, and if all it took to reverse them was to stop eating wheat? It's true that those with celiac disease, which causes symptoms such as diarrhea, bloating, cramps, weight loss, fatigue and more, do have good reason to avoid wheat (see "Celiac Disease" box, below). But for the rest of us, there doesn't appear to be one sole dietary scoundrel. Key points—and counterpoints Claim: Most grains are bad, but modern wheat is the worst because it has been altered over the years via selective breeding and is now a virtual “Frankengrain.” It is loaded with amylopectin A (a starch unique to wheat), which is “worse than table sugar,” Dr. Davis says, boosting blood sugar dramatically and stimulating appetite. Modern wheat also contains other components with adverse effects, and its gluten, a protein, is more likely to trigger reactions than that in older wheat. Fact: For well over a century, food s Continue reading >>

Can Diabetics Eat Whole Wheat Bread? August 23, 2011 Return To Blog

Diabetes is a metabolic disease, meaning there is a glitch in the way the body converts food energy into usable energy. A healthy reaction to eating carbohydrate is a rise in blood sugar (glucose) followed by insulin being released as a response. The insulin acts as a key to open up cells within the brain and organs to let glucose in to be used as an immediate source of energy. Any unused energy is then stored in the liver, muscle, and fat tissues. Someone with diabetes has a rise in blood glucose but insulin is either not released or cells are resistant to the insulin. This is why diabetics have difficulty returning their high blood sugar levels back down to normal and thus need to control how much carbohydrate (glucose source) they put into their body throughout the day. Control carbohydrates. With a little effort and control diabetes can easily be managed. Diabetics should not condemn, but rather control carbohydrates. They should focus on allowing their body only the amount of carbohydrates it can handle at one time (this can be determined by a doctor or registered dietitian). Despite being diabetic, the body still needs and uses carbohydrates as its preferred source of energy. In fact, it is the only source of fuel for the brain! So it should never be eliminated, just merely controlled so your body can handle the glucose load. Stick to an eating plan. There is no single ideal eating plan for those with diabetes; the recommended plan is specific to a person’s weight, medication, blood sugars, cholesterol, and other medical conditions or concerns. Despite the varying eating plans, all diabetics should be consistent with their eating habits. Also, they need to eat about every 4-5 hours to prevent blood sugars from getting too low. Additionally, breakfast is an impor Continue reading >>

Gluten-free Diets Are Not Actually Linked To Diabetes

In the pantheon of fad diets, there is perhaps none more hated on than gluten-free. And despite how annoying fad dieters are (if I hear one more person order a salad because they’re ‘gluten-free’ and then ask for croutons…), it’s not unreasonable to want to avoid foods that might possibly be bad for you. But is gluten actually bad for people who don’t have a problem with it? There’s no real evidence that avoiding gluten leads to tangible health benefits, assuming that you don’t have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. But there also haven’t been many studies that actually asked that question—there’s just not much information out there. On Thursday we got some preliminary answers...kind of. Play Video Play Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% Remaining Time -0:00 This is a modal window. Foreground --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Opaque Background --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Default Monospace Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Sans-Serif Casual Script Small Caps Defaults Done People who eat low gluten diets are at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes, according to results presented on Thursday at the American Heart Association Meeting. It’s crucial to point out here that these researchers weren’t looking at people on gluten-free diets. The researchers were only studying associations between eating less gluten and getting diabetes. Their study size was massive—199,794 people—because they looked at data f Continue reading >>

Diabetes And Gluten: What You Need To Know

You’ve probably noticed a lot of food packages on grocery store shelves with gluten-free labels. If you have diabetes, you may be wondering if gluten is something you should avoid. Gluten is a type of protein found in certain grains. These include wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten can cause inflammation of the small intestine in people with celiac disease. This can result in symptoms that include: It’s necessary to follow a gluten-free diet for the rest of your life if you have celiac disease. Some symptoms of celiac disease are experienced by people with a condition known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). These people don’t experience the same kind of injury and irritation to the small intestine as those with celiac disease, but gluten intolerance can still cause physical and mental problems. Intolerance to other components of gluten-containing foods — such as FODMAPs, a group of fermentable carbohydrates — may cause physical or mental problems. NCGS can sometimes lead to fuzzy thinking and depression. About 1 in 100 people have celiac disease, but about 10 percent of people with type 1 diabetes also have celiac disease, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Research suggests that there may be a genetic link between celiac disease and type 1 diabetes. Certain biomarkers in your blood that make you more likely to have celiac disease may increase your risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Both conditions have an inflammatory component, which causes the immune system to attack the body’s tissues or organs, such as the intestines or pancreas. There doesn’t appear to be a connection between celiac disease and type 2 diabetes. Gluten is found in many high-carb foods because they are often grain-based. High-carb foods can raise your blood sugar Continue reading >>

Diabetes: “cured By Wheat Belly”

Take a look at Mary’s story posted on the Wheat Belly Blog: I used to be diabetic. Now I am not. Cured by Wheat Belly. Fasting blood sugar less then 87 mg/dl consistently. Postprandial [after-meal] readings at one hour at 100 mg/dl or less. HbA1c 5.5. No dietician can tell me any lies about wheat or proper carb intake. I struggled for 10+ years following ADA [American Diabetes Association] diet guidelines. I gained 15+ pounds. I walked 15 miles a week at training heart rate. I stopped all that nonsense because it only produced higher and higher blood sugar numbers, even on metformin and with exercise. Something was obviously wrong and I knew it wasn’t my laziness or overindulgence. It was the horrendous advice that was killing me! Now I avoid carbs with the same dilgence that I avoid dieticians and doctors/nurses who give ADA advice. It doesn’t work and it never will. More people are diagnosed with diabetes and/or obesity every year. And with so many dieticians with such rock-solid advice? Hmm . . . Maybe it’s the dieticians who are propelling people to diabetes and obesity. That was certainly the case for me. Thanks, Mary. Isn’t that wonderful? And, by saying goodbye to wheat, she has done more than “just” lose the diabetes, of course. Let’s be clear on this: Grains and sugars CAUSE type 2 diabetes. Wheat is the worst of all grains and therefore wheat causes diabetes. (Wheat also causes type 1 diabetes, by the way, an entirely different, though VERY disturbing, conversation.) Let us count the ways: 1) The amylopectin A “complex” carbohydrate of wheat, given its unusual susceptibility to digestion by the salivary and stomach enzyme, amylase, raises blood sugar to sky-high levels. You know my line: Two slices of whole wheat bread raise blood sugar hig Continue reading >>

Gluten And Diabetes: Is There A Connection?

Although many people continue to buy gluten-free foods at grocery stores and restaurants, it appears the gluten-free trend is waning for those looking to lose weight or gain energy, according to Packaged Facts, a market research company. For those who have to restrict gluten for medical reasons, such as managing celiac disease, gluten-free foods are necessary. A key treatment for those with celiac disease, a recognized and diagnosable medical disorder, is to avoid gluten. But some celebrities and popular diet books have demonized gluten, elevating gluten-free diets to the mainstream. This exposure has led people with no medical reasons to attempt to eliminate gluten from their diets. “It’s caused a bit of hysteria,” says Pam Cureton, a registered dietitian at the Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore. Some people incorrectly associate a gluten-free diet as synonymous with choosing to restrict the amount of carbohydrate they eat. Consumers see the gluten-free label on packaging and assume it must be better. Often, however, the gluten-free food is lower in nutrients and higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, making it a less healthy choice for most people—especially for those with diabetes. Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance: What’s the Difference? Celiac disease, a chronic autoimmune intestinal disorder, affects about 1 percent of the general population. It’s about 8 percent more common among people with type 1 diabetes, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. Celiac disease is characterized by intestinal damage, nutrient deficiencies, joint pain, severe fatigue, weakness, and infertility. Some people, however, have no obvious symptoms when they are diagnosed. Gluten sensitivity is more common than celiac disease. “It affects about 6 pe Continue reading >>