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Category Archives: paleo

Why No Wheat?

14 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by Lori Mainiero in Food and Beverage, harmful ingredients, Healthy Living, lifestyle, medical issues, paleo, Purpose Driven Mom Stuff, reporting on progress, The Body at Work

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Tags

diabetes, glycemic index, Grain Brain, no grains, paleo, pre-diabetic, wheat, Wheat Belly

I had the “wheat-free” conversation with two friends recently, which prompted me to write this post.  Over the course of the last year and a half whenever I tell someone that I try to follow the Paleo lifestyle for eating, they always ask why I don’t eat grains.  I suppose sugar is a no-brainer for most people, as it was for me, but I didn’t always have a ready answer on the grain part.  I had only vague “grains are anti-nutrients” statements that I could not support with any memorable scientific notes.  Not being one to try to force people to my way of thinking, I’d shrug and let it go.  What’s right for me isn’t necessarily right for someone else.  Hadn’t I learned that already in my own household?

Last autumn when my husband was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic I read through the literature his doctor sent home with him.  It recommended low-fat foods, fruits, vegetables and lots of whole grains.  Ugh.  But I nearly lost it when the literature encouraged diet soft drinks and sugar-free candy.  ENCOURAGED!!!   I read the absurdities out loud and then tossed the literature across the table.

“Will you help me eat right?” my husband asked.

“I don’t agree with that crap,” I said, pointing to the literature endorsed by the American Diabetes Association. “I can’t even explain to you exactly why I don’t agree with it, but I can’t stomach the idea of medical professionals telling people whole grains and Aspartame are good for you.”

“Then we’ll throw those papers away.  Will you help me eat right?” he asked again.

How could I say no?  He was placing more trust in me than in his doctor, and I wasn’t about to let him down.  I jumped back on my Paleo bandwagon with both feet.  Dom immediately cut out grains and sugars.  His blood sugar, which we tested daily, normalized at once and over the course of the next three months he lost 20 pounds.  Even better than those awesome health benefits, we were enjoying cooking dinner together almost every night and sharing lunch at home during the workdays.  I decided to make it my mission to find out why this grain-free life was treating us so kindly.

Two of the books I have read in my quest are Grain Brain and Wheat Belly, both written by physicians and chock-full of science.  Admittedly, I sometimes found myself zoning out from all the scientific references, but two things caught my attention and held it: 1) Both doctors referenced cases of various illness and disorders which other doctors could not specifically diagnose – all alleviated with the elimination of grain from the diet; and 2) the scientific trials referenced in both books included tens of thousands of individuals – large scale research.  Conversely, I overheard our local news recently touting a health study in which 200 individuals participated.  Wow…a whole 200 people?  Please.

Even though I had already given up wheat and other grains, these books reinforced my resolve to avoid them.  Some basic facts that strengthened my understanding are:

  • It’s not my great-great-grandmother’s wheat.  The wheat we eat today has been so genetically modified in order to produce larger crops and greater profitability that it no longer resembles the wheat of our ancestors, and it wreaks havoc on the body in ways that ancient grains simply did not.
  • The inclusion of grains as the basis of our food pyramid (not to mention the sheer proportion of grains compared to other foods in our “recommended daily nutrition”) is not based on any scientific evidence.  It was pretty much decided by a group of politicians in the 70’s (who were likely trying to support corporate agriculture) and simply never challenged.
  • Genetically engineered wheat (roughly 99% of all wheat world-wide) can not survive in a natural environment.  Originally created to produce higher yields in an effort to offset world hunger, these grains were propelled into our food supply without any studies on their health effects.
  • From a blood glucose standpoint, a slice of whole wheat bread whacks out your blood sugar more than a Snickers bar.  (NOT that I am advocating you dine on Snickers!)  To be precise, a Snickers bar has a glycemic index (GI) of 49.  A slice of whole wheat bread has an average GI of 71.  This information alone makes me furious that the ADA literature I referred to earlier actually promoted wheat products and whole grains for people wanting to manage diabetes.  I guess I should just be happy that they didn’t advise we have a Snickers bar with our diet soda.

I looked at the American Diabetes Association’s website explanation of GI on various foods.  They list the GI of a piece of whole wheat bread as “medium GI (56-69)” while stating white bread has a “high GI (70+).” Conversely, according to the Harvard Medical School, whole wheat bread averages a GI of 71, the very same as white bread.  Surprising to most, a “healthy” bowl of instant oatmeal averages a GI of 83.  I looked extensively at various groups’ food GI charts and came to my own conclusion:  given the extensive varieties of food products available to us in the stores, the data pretty much can be expressed in any light to support any claim.  But I have to marvel at the fact that a whopping 79 million people in the U.S. are “pre-diabetic.”  From my standpoint, it’s easy to see why.

Okay, so I gave up bread (and oatmeal and crackers and cereal and donuts and… you get the picture).  Wanna know what else I gave up?  My ever-growing list includes joint pain, cramps, blemishes and skin oddities.  Dom gave up antacids entirely.  Just a little slip (which we made on two separate weekends) brings back symptoms we would have otherwise ignored in our former selves.  So many health inconveniences were just accepted as a part of life and aging.  But the elimination of wheat (and likely sugar too) has proven that life and aging can be so much better than we had been trained to accept!

So, what do I eat?  Well, lots of eggs, uncured meats, cheeses, whole milk (I’m “paleo plus dairy” 🙂 ) fruits, nuts and vegetables.  We drink red wine with dinner.  No sugars, no starches.  I rely on sweet potatoes for an indulgent carb boost and paleo “treats” for my occasional sweet tooth.  (See Living Healthy with Chocolate and PaleOMG for some awesome treat recipes!)  I don’t worry about calories, fat or cholesterol for many of the reasons cited in the two books referenced above.

And no, quitting wheat cold-turkey was not super-easy.  I actually did it three times before it stuck.  This last time, with Dominic’s health at stake and armed with much more information, I walked away from wheat and didn’t look back.  But I know how hard it can be… after all, I made an Italian give up pasta.

I’m no doctor and I don’t pretend to be.  I don’t know your personal situation and cannot guarantee any results for anyone, including myself.  But if you’re dealing with an ailment no one can identify, or you’re simply just wishing you could feel better, try eliminating wheat and grain from your diet.  Give it four weeks and see how you feel.  It may work for you; it may not.  I’m betting that it will.

I found a quote on Facebook the other day that stated, “Every time you eat or drink, you are either feeding disease or fighting it.”  (Credit: Heather Morgan, MS, NLC.)  I have learned that I’m a fighter.  How ’bout you?

I wish you health and peace.

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Here But There

25 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by Lori Mainiero in Food and Beverage, Healthy Living, lifestyle, paleo, Purpose Driven Mom Stuff, reporting on progress

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

paleo, Recipes

Sorry for being  MIA again.  I haven’t been able to complete a blog post for what, four months now? I’ll start one and then it just sort of fizzles.  I think I have writer’s block.  It’s showing up in other areas of my life, too.  Time to banish the demons.  😉  I once read that a blogger should post something every day, even if it’s crap writing.  I just can’t make you suffer through EVERYTHING in my head, so I (obviously) haven’t subscribed to that idea.  Maybe I should.  Be warned.  (Footnote: after finishing this post and re-reading it, I think I’m already testing the theory. My apologies.)

The Hubster and I are back on the Paleo Wagon in a much more committed way.  It’s been pretty easy this time around, and we are already feeling better as a result.  Hubs is dropping pounds and I can already tell that food is in control of that crappy pain in my right elbow.  My pantry is shaping up nicely and I have found several new blogs to stalk.  Not all of the blogs are strictly paleo/primal, though many are.  I likely will not turn PDM into a paleo blog, but I just have to share some of the awesome sites I have been stalking.  Check ‘em out:

PaleoHacks  I just registered for PaleoCon, a free week-long e-seminar that starts Monday.  Paleo pros will share information, research, exercise and recipes.   Eeep!!  As I read up on PaleoCon, I noted that one of the speakers, John Durant, reminded me an awful lot of the mainstream media image of Jesus.  And then I saw that his topic in the conference is about (roughly interpreted by me) the biblical aspects of paleo.  Too funny!!  Bring it on, John!

Crackers on the Couch I found and fell in love with Brooke’s recipe for mushroom broth, which we now cannot live without. 

Edible Harmony  Denise rocks some “real food” recipes!!  Shortly after I canned an army’s supply of sugary pumpkin butter, I found her paleo pumpkin butter recipe. 

Paleo Spirit  On her “About” page, Lea states, “When I realized that ‘Paleo’ could mean much more than just diet and exercise, I was hooked. I embrace the ideal of pursuing health and fulfillment through simple, time-tested strategies and apply them to my life as a woman, a wife, a mother, and a Christian.”  I heart her.

Crazy Sexy Wellness  Kris is a ten-year Stage 4 cancer survivor with a wealth of knowledge and experience.  She has some great whole-food for your whole-life stuff on her blog. 

PaleOMG  Juli calls it food porn.  It is.  Seriously, as my friend Kim says, Oh-Em-to the double-Gee!!  This is usually the first place I go when I’m brave enough to try something new.  Or when I want sweet cheats.

Paleo Cupboard If you’re in the mood for Cajun Shrimp and Grits, give this a try!  After a stressful week of questionable eating, this was the first meal that actually satisfied me.  That shrimp spice recipe?  Ohhhhhhh yyyyyyeaaaaahhhhhhhhhh. 

Everyday Paleo  Sarah was one of the first paleo bloggers I started following, way back when my quest for natural sun tolerance led me to try paleo.  And since we are tamale lovers, I cannot wait to try her brother’s paleo tamale recipe. 

Multiply Delicious is home to my favorite herb cracker recipe. 

Elaina at The Rising Spoon saved me several dead presidents this fall with her pumpkin pie spice recipe.  She’s also trying to get me to put butter in my coffee.  Hmmmmmmm…

So there you have it… a smattering of the places I’ve been hanging out lately.  You should visit them too.  I’m sure you’ll find something you like!

Late night edit to today’s post: I was browsing the Paleo Digest on my new computer (found in the Microsoft Store for Windows 8 – love it but don’t know much about it…anyhoo) when I stumbled upon a site I am going to haunt for the long term…Living Healthy With Chocolate.  Basically, imagine something you like with chocolate in it, and I’m pretty sure Adriana has already made it Paleo!  Magnifico!!!!!

 

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Paleo Progress

03 Sunday Jun 2012

Posted by Lori Mainiero in Food and Beverage, Grocery Shopping, harmful ingredients, lifestyle, paleo, reporting on progress, The Bright Side

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

grocery shopping, paleo, progress

You’re probably wondering how this whole putting-my-kids-on-paleo thing is working out.  It does, after all, have the potential to land me flat on my face, or at the very least, my cavewoman butt.

I didn’t want to start them out on paleo before school ended, because I had no clue what to put in their lunchboxes and decided that three more days of PB&J sandwiches wasn’t going to kill us.  So school ended on Wednesday, and then we found our fridge and pantry pretty bare of essential ingredients.  With payday and a resulting grocery trip looming on the horizon, I decided to hold off a couple more days before turning this dietary apple-cart upside down on the weekend.

So, yeah, we are officially on Day Two.  Four hours ago, my family completely hated me.  Four hours ago, we were also standing in the middle of WalMart while foods we used to buy with reckless abandon taunted us from their shelves.  Who wouldn’t be hating during that?!

But let’s back up a bit.  Yesterday we made our first ever paleo pancakes, which ironically got two thumbs up from the Hubster.  The kids did not share his enthusiasm for the pancakes.  They were a messy pain to cook, so my enthusiasm was waning before I ever tasted them.  But they ended up being the kind of pancakes I can’t get enough of.  If you’ve ever had the harvest grain (nut and grain?) pancakes at IHOP, these are similar in texture.  And totally paleo.  The kids ate bacon as they explained to me that the pancakes just didn’t turn them on.  So be it.  Not everything is going to be a win right out of the gate.

Lunch was a little more enjoyable for everyone.  We had bunless hot dogs and homemade tamale chili.  I can’t get my family to buy into the best-for-you hotdogs at the health food store, but everyone tolerates Hebrew National fairly well.  Let me state that nothing about a hotdog makes it paleo.  There are several ingredients that make me cringe.  For now, though, it’s a means to an end, and it represented our first everyone-seems-happy-eating-the-same-thing meal.

Dinner was hosted by my Mom, who rocks steamed squash like nobody’s business!  Breakfast this morning was fried eggs (but I think I slept through it) and A LOT of complaining and whining that everyone was hungry and all they really wanted was a bowl of cereal.  I was the Wicked Witch of the Kitchen, starving my subjects with grain withdrawals.  Waaa, waaa, waaa.

It was with these attitudes and prejudices that we went grocery shopping.  You can imagine how much fun we had.  Despite the fact that my children were bickering through the entire store, that I threatened to flat-out beat them on the salsa aisle in front of an innocent bystander, and the fact that I was abandoned to push my own buggy with a fractured elbow not once, BUT TWICE during the trip, there were some positive highlights.  For one, the Hubster actually started reading ingredient lists.  I showed him what he needed to look for, and as he picked up item after item that he used to LOVE to eat, he grew more and more disgusted.  I think he was more disgusted with the fact that he knew those things were never again going in my buggy than with the fact that the ingredients themselves are dangerous.  But, whatever it takes, ya know?

And, even though we usually despise WalMart, I have to give them kudos for carrying my fave brands of organic coconut milk, coconut oil, and chicken at really decent prices.  Their seafood and produce still leave A LOT to be desired, but I’ll be heading out to Kroger this afternoon to finish stuffing our fridge.

We came home with our still-sour attitudes and blood-sugar crashes to a lunch of fajita chicken, guacamole and cherry tomatoes, after which Aaron informed me that even though it’s tough, he does believe these changes are worth it.  I really needed to hear that from him.  Sometimes I don’t know if he is trying to convince himself, or if he just wants to say something that will make me smile.  But he’s a smart kid and I know he believes in positive change, even if it sucks for a while.

A few notes of confession:  I have not nixed dairy from the kids’ diets because I still think milk is important for their bodies, and a little cheese adds great flavor to some otherwise boring recipes.  I still let them have a little sugar – we bought some V8 fruit/veggie juices to drink – and of course, I add dark chocolate to my homemade trail mix.

If you’re wondering how making this change is remotely possible for us, I found these two incredible resources this morning.  Paleo Plan has great recipes, and BTB Fitness gave a perfect standing grocery list and a ton of info on implementing it.  Worth the reads if you’re interested.

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