I have found wheat to be one of the most abundant and problematic foods. I believe it to be the single largest contributor to intestinal dysbiosis, parasitic infections, and universal food allergies. Over-consumption and genetically-modified grains are the greatest causes of wheat intolerance and gluten sensitivity.

It is important to first note that some people can be severely allergic to wheat. They are often medically diagnosed with the disease called Celiac or Celiac Sprue. This is an illness that is treatable, but can be painful and confusing for patients and their families, as there is a lot of lifestyle changes that must be made to accommodate the celiac patient. Celiac patients are also often allergic to wheat "sister" grains of rye, oat and barley.

Fortunately, most people do not suffer from Celiac disease. Most problems are from simply consuming too much wheat. Most people can assimilate a small to moderate amount as a PART of their diet. It is when we make it the MAJOR part of our diet (western/industrialized diets) that it often becomes a problem. There are many people who just can't break down wheat and similar grains, as they lack certain enzymes to do so. We see this more in O blood types than others, as they do not fare well on a diet with regular grains.

Consuming too much wheat can lead to decreased pancreatic function - decreased output of insulin and digestive enzymes. This can lead to blood sugar regulation problems such as hyper- or hypoglycemia and chronic digestive disorders.

Symptoms may include fatigue, memory loss, sleep disruption, allergies, muscle and joint pain, high blood pressure, asthma, headaches, visual disturbances, learning disabilities/hyperactivity/attention deficit, obesity, chronic digestive disorders, to ulcers, food allergies, diarrhea/constipation, inability to absorb vital nutrients, parasitic infections, intestinal dysbiosis (unbalanced normal bacterial count), sinusitis, candidiasis, hypo/hyperthyroid, and menstrual/hormonal difficulties to name a few.

Over-consumption of wheat can also lead to a sensitized intestinal tract. This is a big contributor. At this time, I understand that there is a cascade of deterioration as follows:

Normal digestive tract then...

over-consumption of wheat then...

intestinal dysbiosis then...

heightened intestinal immune response then...

degradation of the intestinal lining then...

pancreatic dysfunction (insulin and digestive enzyme deficiency) then...

parasitic infection susceptibility then...

inability to absorb micro-nutrients then...

absorption of un-digested, antigenic proteins then...

ultimately leading to degraded health, lost vitality and even chronic sickness and disease.

While there is no substitute for moderation when it comes to wheat and the other gluten containing grains (oat, rye and barley), there is a product that can help you when you've over-indulged on them. Glutenzyme is an enzyme product that is designed specifically to break down the proteins within wheat that are very hard to digest. With the use of Glutenzyme, you can improve your body's ability to digest and process wheat and other similar grains. A very popular product in Europe, Glutenzyme can help relieve gastric distress, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and other symptoms associated with wheat/gluten intolerance. People who use Glutenzyme may lose a good bit of water weight when undigested grains seen as a toxin are reduced and inflammation in the bowel is decreased. Patients have stated they feel lighter and less "bloated". They also feel more energetic and have greater mental clarity than they can ever remember!

In Health,

Dr. Brett Saks