Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Future? Wheat Shortages Foreshadow

While a major story, many Americans have not heard about the soaring cost of wheat and other commodities. It's only in the check out line do they realize the hit on their budgets. Is a recession "coming"? No, we are waist deep in a recession. The problem is that mainstream America refuses to acknowledge it. That is until they reach the bread aisle and notice the rising cost of bread, thanks to an international wheat shortage.

The Wheat Elite

Wheat Bread

Other countries seem to think wheat is more valuable than we do. Countries like Pakistan have their military guarding their wheat, since after all "Agriculture... is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness." -Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1787. ME 6:277. And while food riots erupt in Egypt and shortages loom in North Korea, China, India, Africa and many other places, we calmly continue to shop and maintain a 2 week food supply of food. Never thinking the store may one day run out of food. Well as gas soars and prices increase stores will become a much more desolate and baron place.

Extra Food; It's like life insurance

Food and water are so easily accessible to us on a daily basis that we often overlook their true importance and value. As with most things it isn't until we are without that we notice what we've lost. Food is the ultimate investment; if you can't sell it or trade it you can simply eat it. More than likely you will be eating it; otherwise you'd be taking rations in a refugee camp. It is responsible to make preparations for emergencies. For instance: there is a epidemic running through North America. If you avoid contact with the world the virus is easily avoided. However many are hungry, thirsty and in need of supplies or assistance. Despite their resolve they must venture out and risk infection. Could this be you? Or would you be the person safely inside with enough food and water to out last an epidemic?

Limited Supply, No seriously

In states with more prominent focus on preparedness wheat has been selling out. A popular resource for wheat in Utah the LDS canneries are all running out of wheat, with prices set to double in March. A popular Idaho store Walton Feed has reportedly run entirely out of wheat. Even large stores like Costco have been rationing in some stores with supplies being sold out in others. Supplies are limited. Don't create panic and spout messages of doom, simply maintain this mantra: preparedness is just plain smart! Anything could happen and it's arrogant to think a calamity could never befall you. Disasters are inevitable. It's important to buy survival equipment and be equipped with the highest level of knowledge and organization.

The Future? Wheat Shortages Foreshadow

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Solving the 7 Most Common Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistakes

Let's face it EVERY cook makes mistakes (yes, even us professional bakers make boo boo's).

I'm going to list here, the 7 most common bread baking mistakes that you're probably making, or might make if you're not forewarned, and what you can do about them.

Wheat Bread

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 1

By far the most common bread baking mistake is when the salt is forgotten to be added to the bread dough.

This results in very bland bread, and even effects the rising of the dough. Making your bread flat on top.

The best solution for this is to use a post it note as a reminder to yourself, to add the salt to the bread dough.

You can stick the post it note where ever you're most likely to see it (fridge, recipe book, etc..)

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 2

The second most common mistake is when the bread dough is allowed to over rise, which leads to it falling.

This usually happens when bread dough is forgotten about. And with so much going on our lives, who doesn't forget things like this now and then?

But don't fret, there is a solution: If the bread is already in the bread pans when it over rises simply use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the excess dough off the sides of the unbaked loaves.

Separate and roll this dough into a few small balls of dough. Allow them to rise 20 minutes to 30 minutes on a small oiled cookie sheet, and then bake them on 350 Fahrenheit, for 15 to 20 minutes as whole wheat rolls.

Also allow the bread to rise for about 15 to 20 more minutes before baking if it is extremely flat on top.

Another solution to help you keep from forgetting about your bread, is to use a timer which will beep loudly after the selected time period is up.

Using a timer can also help stop other bread baking catastrophes from happening.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 3

When you heat up your water to put your yeast in, it is easy to accidentally make the water a bit too hot. This mistake will kill the yeast and your bread will not rise

To correct this mistake I strongly recommend you invest in a cooking thermometer, to measure the temperature of the water with.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 4

If the recipe you use makes too much dough for your family's needs and you worry that the extra bread will grow stale before you use it, fear not.

It is perfectly safe to refrigerate unused dough for a few days and allow the bread dough to finish it's rising time once you get it out to use it.

You can use a ziploc bag or plastic wrap over bowls that contain your bread dough, to store it in your fridge and still prevent oxidation.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 5

Burned bread. Yup, nothing tastes worse than bread which is black as charcoal.

To avoid this, be sure you follow baking times and temperatures strictly. And again use a timer to remind yourself when it's time to remove your bread from the oven.

Also remember that gas ovens and electric ovens vary in their temperatures. If you're using an electric oven you should bake almost all pastries on 350 Fahrenheit.

Sometimes a recipe will call for you to start baking a loaf of bread on a higher temperature, but will also usually tell you to turn the heat down after a certain amount of time.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 6

Mistakenly or purposefully using the wrong type of flour. If you are baking whole wheat bread, the only way to get good results is by using whole wheat flour to bake your bread.

There are different recipes for all the different types of bread and they all use one specific flour for each recipe.

So don't try any substitution hoping that by adding rye flour for instance, you will actually turn a whole wheat bread recipe into rye bread. Because you won't.

Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 7

Last but not least there is the problem of air bubbles (also called "pockets") which create large holes inside the bread, after it's done baking.

The best solution for this is to pinch any such bubbles whenever you see them in your dough, before you bake it. This will immediately deflate the bubble.

Now you are armed with the knowledge of the 7 most common whole wheat bread baking mistakes (most of which also apply to all other rising breads) and how you should deal with them.

So don't let the bread mistake blues get you down ever again.

Solving the 7 Most Common Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistakes

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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Whole Grains? How Can You Tell What You're Buying?

When the label says "Stone Ground Wheat Bread", does that mean it's healthy? How can you tell if a food is made from whole grains or refined grains?

It's not always easy, but here are a few tips. Remember that the germ of a grain seed will go rancid very quickly after the seed is broken open unless it is cooked immediately. Most whole-grain breakfast cereals and "quick cooking" whole grain products (such as bulgur or instant brown rice) are steamed, toasted or otherwise cooked as soon as the seed is broken, so there is no need to remove the germ. These products usually contain the whole grain.

Wheat Bread

On the other hand, commercial products made from flour frequently have the germ and some or most of the fiber removed, so the flour can be stored without turning rancid. Manufacturers may mix some toasted wheat germ or fiber back in, but they don't have to explain that on the label. Our US labeling laws say a product can be called "whole grain" if it contains 50 percent of the original grain components (including the germ and outer bran layers.) Healthy-sounding terms such as multi-grain, cracked wheat, rye, or stone-ground do not mean you're getting 100 percent of the grain. I only trust "whole wheat" bread bought from local bakers who grind their own wheat and bake it the same day.

Almost all corn products have the germ and fiber removed: grits, hominy, tortillas, corn meal, corn flour (masa harina) and breakfast cereals made from milled corn are all refined grains. Most rice products such as cereals, rice cakes and rice crackers are made from white rice unless they specify brown rice as the first ingredient.

When you shop for a new cereal or grain product such as whole wheat pasta, read the labels. Look for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. More fiber is better! A 50-gram serving of wheat berries has 8 grams of fiber, so use that as your yardstick to guess whether the manufacturer has removed parts of the grain. Eat a wide variety of whole grains and whole grain products and get the nutritional benefits of them all.

Whole Grains? How Can You Tell What You're Buying?

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

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Monday, March 28, 2011

Wheat: Why You Should Avoid This Food, and Why It Is the Shaft of Life

Wheat, bread and pasta are often referred to as "The Staff of Life." In reality, wheat is one of the unhealthiest foods that we use as a staple in the Western diet, next to sugar. We all know that sugar has a high glycemic index; it rots our teeth, suppresses our immune system, and contributes significantly to ill health and disease. Can wheat products really be as bad a table sugar? The facts are clear, and wheat is negatively affecting your health.

Wheat has been attributed to many symptoms and is a common cause to intestinal problems, allergies, asthma, thyroid imbalance, neurologic dysfunction, infertility, cancer, skin problems, inflammation, balance disorders, and increasing cardiovascular risk to name a few. Weight gain, and obesity are the most common side effects of consuming wheat based products.

Wheat Bread

Wheat negatively affects our health from 3 main avenues.

It contains the protein gluten It is a high glycemic food It has little nutritional value

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye grains, and is highly allergenic. For many people, gluten containing foods are provided as their first food. This triggers various inflammatory processes that affect the digestive tract, and often lead to symptoms affecting the bowels, and absorption of nutrients and even epilepsy. The medical journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences (February 2000;45:403-406), illustrated the importance of screening for gluten intolerance in patients with autoimmune thyroid due to the complications arising from this harmful protein.

High glycemic foods contribute to chronic disease, insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk, diabetes, weight gain, and other conditions. Wheat has a higher glycemic index than regular table sugar. With that in mind, eating a piece of bread is not too distant from eating a couple spoons of table sugar. Wheat affects the glycemic content of the many foods where it is placed. From bread, pasta, bagels, muffins, and the other packaged foods that contain wheat flour, it is easy to see how we are over indulging in a sugar filled diet. High glycemic foods are one of the main contributors to atherosclerosis, and has been identified in Egyptian mummies from 1981 BC (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2009) which consumed a predominantly wheat based diet.

The manufacturing process of wheat today is very different than the wheat harvesting methods of old. When the Egyptians were growing, and eating wheat, they were at least benefiting from the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals of the wheat kernel. In today's manufacturing practices, wheat is fumigated, refined, processed, and enriched in order to allow for a longer shelf life, and to meet the demands of the FDA. These artificial nutrients are chemically derived, and deficient in the naturally occurring minerals and co-factors needed for the proper utilization of the nutrients found in wheat.

Diet modification is instrumental in improving quality of life, and reducing the symptoms that are experienced as health declines. Through eliminating inflammatory foods such as wheat from the diet, it is common to see a reduction of pain, weight loss, improved cholesterol, and other health related benefits.

Wheat: Why You Should Avoid This Food, and Why It Is the Shaft of Life

Dr. Chase Hayden, DC, QN is a holistic doctor that incorporates quantum neurology rehabilitation, functional endocrinology, chiropractic and functional nutrition in his practice. He is the owner of The Hayden Institute in Houston, TX where his general practice sees patients with a variety of symptoms and conditions including: menopause, PMS, epilepsy, thyroid imbalance, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, sports enhancement, and more through the use of complementary and alternative approaches. He is happily married and currently has two children. For more information regarding Dr. Chase Hayden and his services, please visit http://www.HaydenInstitute.com

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Sunday, March 27, 2011

Bread - The Staff Life - What Have They Done to It?

Let us examine, first, a staple item on grocery store shelves - bread. We have, almost all of us, become aware that mass produced white bread offers little nutrition and nothing at all to brag about in taste. But white bread still claims a large share of the market. The reasons for that are, first, that it is convenient and second, because it is relatively cheaper and third, I think because in a sandwich the bread used doesn't really have to have much taste or flavor. "So what," we ask ourselves put something between two slices, butter it, splash on some catsup and/or mustard, then pickle relish, add a slice of cheese and two slices of ham and take a big bite. And who bothers to read the label on a loaf of white bread? We notice, only, that it is marked Fortified and that it is a long loaf and that nobody is complaining about nutrition. In this sense, bread becomes the convenient package, no more no less. It is odorless, tasteless nonentity.

Many people want more from bread - for instance taste and others want taste and nutrition and texture - they demand bread as they remember bread was when mother had us kneed the dough after leaving it sit for awhile to "raise" then placing to bake in a preheated oven. Or they remember how bread could be bought at the corner bakery and the yeasty odor as it was unwrapped and buttered. There are breads on the super market shelves that cater to a great number of people who remember good bread. And whereas white bread is so trite that no one really cares, the labels on the expensive type need examining for truth in advertising. I find those labels deceptive and I have found that it is nearly impossible to find a bread that is truly "whole Wheat." Below is a list of what I find on labels ingredients and following each - the truth of the matter.

Wheat Bread

Whole Wheat - Most grocery shelves do not have whole wheat bread. The wheat germ has been removed and only the bran remains.

Whole Wheat - Although the large print says whole wheat, the ingredients say "wheat flour" and that ingredient is bleached (or unbleached) white flour with deceptive terminology.

Modified cornstarch - This is High Fructose Corn Syrup, the sugar replacement that is hard to digest and is suspected as a key player in our national obesity epidemic.

Stone-ground - If you check this through you will probably find that it contains the wheat germ and is truly whole wheat. But, as I emphasize, check carefully.

Your health food store is, without doubt your best bet in locating quality, good tasting bread but don't rely totally - study the ingredients.

Bread - The Staff Life - What Have They Done to It?

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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Healthy Wheat Free Sandwich Recipe

For anyone who is intolerant to wheat and/or wants to eat a very healthy lunch that is very satisfying and tastes good, this sandwich recipe is great. It is also perfect for vegetarians or vegans, as it contains absolutely no animal produce at all.

What You Will Need

Wheat Bread

Rye bread -- you can buy this from most health food stores. Nut butter -- for example: Peanut Butter, Cashew Nut Butter, Almond Nut Butter, or Hazelnut Butter. Carrot. Lettuce or other green leafy vegetable (spinach, for example).
How to Make the Sandwich

Cut between 4 and 6 slices from the loaf of rye bread. Spread the nut butter liberally on all of the slices of rye bread. Grate the carrot, and then spread over the nut butter on all slices of the rye bread. Place several leaves of the green leafy vegetable over the top of all the grated carrot. Quickly flip the slices of rye bread together, being careful not to spill out any carrot or leafy vegetable. There you have it, 2 or 3 very healthy sandwiches for your lunch! Enjoy! 

The great thing about this sandwich is that not only does it not contain wheat or meat, it is also a great way of having a perfectly balanced meal while out and about, as the sandwich incorporates all three of the components of a perfectly balanced meal: 

Complex carbohydrate (rye bread) Protein (nut butter) Non-starchy vegetables

So, next time you are stuck for what to eat for lunch the next day at work, consider making yourself a few of these great sandwiches, as they will be sure to fill you up and keep you going all afternoon.

Healthy Wheat Free Sandwich Recipe

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Friday, March 25, 2011

List of Carbohydrate Foods to Lose the Love Handles

The list of carbohydrate foods will prove that all carbohydrates are not created equal. The selected list of 10 complex carbohydrates used in dieting can provide your body with energy, optimum nutrition, proper organ function and a healthy, attractive appearance.

Complex carbohydrates are broken down into glucose more slowly than simple carbohydrates and thus provide a gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day. Basically these foods are found in wholegrain breads, oats, muesli and brown rice. Foods high in complex carbohydrates are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals and therefore are just best for promoting health fitness.

Wheat Bread

* Rice bran protein complex is a blend of concentrated rice protein and stabilized rice bran. Also it has a slightly sweet vanilla flavor and mixes with water and flavored juices. It's easy to digest and a nice alternative to dairy and soy proteins. The health benefits are well known and include strengthening immune function and supporting healthy levels of blood sugars and lipids.

* Carbohydrates in oatmeal have a very low glycemic index which allows the carbohydrates to be absorbed by our body very slowly. Oatmeal drastically decreases the cravings effect, contributes to weight loss and also helps fight diabetes and cholesterol.

* Buckwheat flour is one of the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom. Buckwheat has a unique, assertive flavor that is especially great in both quick and yeast breads. Also it is relatively low in calories and is an excellent source of protein, fiber and magnesium.

* The list of carbohydrate foods includes beans, which contain a higher percentage of complex carbohydrates and more nutrients. The beans such as chickpeas, white beans, black eye peas, re fried beans, garbanzo beans and navy beans are rich in complex carbohydrates.

* Dairy products are known for rich fat and protein contents. However, some of the dairy products such as nonfat milk, low fat, plain yogurt, chocolate milk and skimmed milk are included in the list of high complex carbohydrate foods.

* Muesli mostly consists of crushed oat flakes. It can be supplemented with crushed wheat grains, corn flakes, dried fruits, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, peeled sunflower seeds, etc. It is mostly poured with milk or fruit juice and has a low to moderate glycemic index, fibers, and small percentage of second-rate protein.

* Whole grains are a good source of fiber. Diets high in fiber have been associated with various health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, modulating blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of colon cancer.

* The list of carbohydrate foods includes brown bread as it takes longer time to digest. Brown bread from whole wheat is a complex carbohydrate, which means it takes the body longer to convert the carbohydrates to sugar, therefore keeping your blood sugar stable and making you less hungry.

* The term pasta describes the full range of macaroni and egg noodle shapes. Pasta is naturally low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates and has been on the top in the list of carbohydrate foods. Pasta is the perfect canvas for a wide variety of great tasting ingredients, but you must be able to make high quality pasta with finest ingredients.

* Finally the yams that are actually sweet potatoes with relatively moist texture and orange flesh. The sweet potato blends with herbs, spices and flavorings producing delicious dishes of all types. It is low in sodium and is a good source of fiber and other important vitamins and minerals.

The lists of carbohydrate foods stated above are frequently used to produce food products or meals. A good complex carbohydrate intake is essential to exercise effectively and make each workout more effective in losing body fat!

List of Carbohydrate Foods to Lose the Love Handles

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Wheat Glycemic Index - The Secret to Adding Bread and Pasta Into Your Diet!

Bread is man's staple food since the prehistoric times. Though it has journeyed that far, the process of bread-making remains the same until today. The grains are ground into flour or meal and then it is moistened and kneaded into dough, and finally it is baked to become bread.

However, the introduction of the Glycemic Index (GI) by Dr. David J. Jenkins of the University of Toronto (UT) in the 1980's has revolutionized the way we treat bread as man's main staple food. Since then, certain kinds of breads have been categorized according to the scale prescribed by the GI. Breads which rate low on the scale at 55 or less are the ones we need to choose "most often", while breads which have a medium GI of 56 to 69 are recommended to be chosen quite "more often", but breads on the high end at 70 are advised to be chosen very "less often."

Wheat Bread

Differences between Wheat Bread and White Bread

The discovery of the GI has also given sharp differences between "wheat bread" and "white bread" which are the source of wheat glycemic index confusion for many people, especially the dieters. The wheat glycemic index recommendation of wheat bread is that it must be eaten "more often" because it belongs to the medium scale at 56 to 69, a position still safe and healthy for everybody to eat, as it does not trigger the blood sugar to rise. On the other hand, the wheat glycemic index for white bread is quite very high at 70 or more and it is recommended to be eaten less often.

Aside from the above-mentioned differences between the two kinds of breads, the underlying gap that separates the two is the fact that the wheat glycemic index for wheat bread tells us that it has more nutrients than the white bread. Since wheat glycemic index shows that this bread contains more fiber, it actually results for us to feel full for a longer period of time. When we feel full longer, then there is a natural tendency for us to also eat less often. Along with this, the blood sugar is also being maintained because there is no reason for blood sugar to rapidly rise since there is only a minimal intake of wheat bread.

Advantage of Wheat Bread over Other Breads: Nutrients and Fiber

The wheat glycemic index for wheat bread reveals that it is even healthier to choose wheat bread over white bread not only for its fibrous and nutritious components, but more importantly because the presence of fiber in wheat bread can considerably suppress anyone's appetite for a longer period of time, thus it temporarily stops us from craving for more food. On the other hand, it is a common knowledge that white breads no longer possess all the nutrients found in wheat bread for the simple reason that white breads are finely refined.

Finally, it is clear that wheat bread remains to be a healthy source of staple food because it is loaded with nutrients and fiber which are responsible in the slow increase of blood sugar in our system. It is fair to say that our bodies digest foods differently, and this is true for everyone. But no matter how different everybody's digestive system works, it is worth noting that wheat - all kinds, not just breads - will reap increased benefits over white flour based foods. Take this into consideration when deciding what to put on your plate for each meal.

The Wheat Glycemic Index - The Secret to Adding Bread and Pasta Into Your Diet!

Lindsey Desner is a health enthusiast and the director of http://www.GlycemicIndexForLife.com. She is committed to help people achieve a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. Lindsey offers free expert advice on topics such as the The Wheat Glycemic Index, which teaches people how to use it to lose weight naturally, easily and permanently.

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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

If You Want to Increase the Chances of Getting Pregnant Then You Need to Know This

Vitamins and minerals, in the proper amounts, are a big part of good nutrition. We've talked about folic acid and the benefits of obtaining vitamins and minerals from the food we eat.

(By the way, is there anything better than a fresh BLT with homegrown lettuce and tomatoes on toasted whole wheat bread? I spent my second pregnancy existing on those wonderful sandwiches!)

Wheat Bread

Let's take a look at some of the other vitamins and supplements and how they can help with conception and/ or pregnancy:

o Iron - the average woman rarely takes in enough iron to meet the requirements of pregnancy (30 mg.per day). You'll find more in chicken, spinach, lean red meat and dried fruits.

o Calcium - your need for calcium rises during pregnancy, too. Dairy products are the usual sources for calcium, but also consider beans, tofu, sardines and yogurt.

o Vitamin E - this important vitamin helps in metabolizing polyunsaturated fats. It also builds muscles and red-blood cells and increases both male and female fertility. Vegetarians may not get enough Vitamin E during pregnancy because the usual source is meats. Check with your healthcare provider about a supplement that provides the minimum daily requirement of Vitamin E.

o Zinc ensures normal tissue development in the fetus during pregnancy. It also help prevent miscarriage and premature delivery. It also insures the production of high quality sperm. Here's something else you should know about zinc - it helps the body to attract and retain estrogen and progesterone. Women who are quite slender may benefit from zinc by giving birth to heavier babies. The best sources include oysters (yumm!) pumpkin seeds, cashew nuts and crabmeat. The minimum daily requirement for both you and your partner is 30 mg. per day.

o Selenium improves male fertility and prevents chromosome breakage (which can cause miscarriage). The MDR is 100 micrograms for both of you. Great sources are Brazil nuts, lobster, canned tuna, sunflower seeds and shrimp.

o Vitamin B6 helps to balance hormones. You'll find it in sunflower seeds, canned salmon, bananas, walnuts and lentils. The MDA for both of you is 50 mg daily.

o Vitamin B12 is needed for cellular reproduction and for manufacturing sperm. Good sources are clams, sardines, anchovies, lambs, egg yolks and cheddar cheese. 50 micrograms daily should be in both your diets.

Vitamin C improves sperm quality, count and mobility. Both of you should take in 1000 mg daily (equal to 20 oranges - a supplement is probably necessary here). A very healthy salad, with loads of Vitamin C, could be made from sweet peppers, tomatoes, watercress, avocado and grated carrot. Make fresh juice from 2 oranges, 3 carrots, 1 lemon and some grated ginger. A great snack would be berries and kiwi fruit.

Great snacks can be made from some of these wonderful foods - dried fruits, nuts, peanuts (legumes) and sunflower seeds mixed together. Or try peanut or almond butter on whole wheat toast!

Another necessary dietary element - essential fatty acids. These are crucial for hormone function and semen production, quality and mobility. In women, essential fatty acids can reduce endometriosis and fibroid tumors, and these conditions can affect a woman's fertility. Oily fish is recommended 3 times per week, with nuts and seeds daily. Sardines, mackerel and flaxseed oil are also excellent sources of fatty acids. Both halves of a couple should include these in their diets.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Constipation Help - Foods That Will Help You Relieve Or Prevent Constipation

If you have no underlying medical condition that makes you constipated a change in diet can do wonders to help your body avoid being constipated.

High Fiber Foods are Best

Wheat Bread

In general it is best to eat foods that are high in fiber. Instead of eating white bread for example you can eat wheat bread.

What Causes Constipation?

In order to understand what the role of food in preventing constipation is, it would be well to understand something about what causes constipation.

Constipation is the condition of not being able to defecate (or go poo poo) easily. It occurs when bowel movements are infrequent or incomplete.

Hard feces are caused primarily by having too much of the water in the food you eat being taken out of that food as it passes through the colon. This results in a hard and dry stool that is difficult to expel.

Many things cause constipation that are not directly related to your diet however. Certain kinds of drugs, dehydration, various medical conditions, even pregnancy can all cause constipation irrespective of how much fiber you get in your diet.

Preventing Constipation Through a Change in Diet

But, assuming that none of these non-dietary conditions exist you can alleviate and relieve constipation by eating food that will move through the colon faster while retaining more of its moisture.

You want to eat foods that are great for you but that also move through the colon quickly and more easily allowing us to avoid being constipated altogether.

Along with eating high fiber food you also want to make sure that you drink lots of water or juice to avoid being dehydrated.

The Role of Fiber

High fiber foods help alleviate constipation because the fiber in them is not easily digested by the body. Instead, it moves through the bowel absorbing and holding water. This aids other food to move along and be expelled more quickly. A high fiber diet produces a large, soft, and bulky stool that passes through the colon more easily.

Fiber is not just found in foods like whole wheat bread however. It can also be found in fruits and vegetables.

Reading Food Labels

When deciding what foods to buy it is important to look at the list of ingredients, if there is one, to make sure you are actually getting real fiber. Bread, for example, that is labeled "whole wheat" is not always whole. Many breads contain "enriched wheat flour" which many times has had much of the actual fiber that is found in wheat, removed. Many times such flour has been de-germed which removes much of the fiber. When buying bread you should look for "100% whole wheat" or similar labeling on the ingredients label itself without relying on the words that appear on the packaging.

Examples of Great Food that will help with Constipation

Some foods that are particularly rich in fiber and thus very helpful in improving your bowel movements are lentils, raisins, broccoli, peas, navy beans, pears, spinach, barley, and prunes.

Constipation Help - Foods That Will Help You Relieve Or Prevent Constipation

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Monday, March 21, 2011

Meal Planning Ideas For Diabetics

1. Have a balanced meal at intervals when you are hungry.

In the past, our grandparents told us that we should eat three square meals every day. However, from recent research, nutritionists and dietitians have found out that it is actually better to eat frequent small meals throughout the day. This will also prevent a person from overeating-which is a no-no especially for diabetics! Our parents were right when they said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We need food for energy and to function properly throughout the day. Every morning when we wake up, our body is starving after the long hour break from our sleep. A healthy breakfast is necessary for everyone and not just for diabetics. If a person skipped breakfast, there is a threat of overeating. This practice is very unhealthy and not to mention dangerous for the diabetic who needs to maintain a constant glucose level.

Wheat Bread

2. Reduce or better yet eliminate any soda and artificial juice intake.

These drinks are sugar-laden and are positively harmful for the diabetic. Water is the best beverage. It is calorie- and sugar-free.

3. Steer clear of fried foods. Deep fried foods are the worst.

Boiled and grilled foods are a healthier alternative.

4. Get rid of fat and skin from meat and poultry.

These are dripping with bad cholesterol and are really not healthy at all whether or not you have diabetes. Eradicate them as much as possible.

5. Limit mayonnaise and white sugar from your diet.

6. Limit heavy and creamy sauces and gravies.

7. Limit the amount of sweets and syrups.

The following is a sample meal plan for any day of the week:

BREAKFAST

1 egg or 1 slice cheese or 1 tablespoon peanut butter

2 slices whole wheat toast or

1/2 cup cereal and 1 slice of whole wheat toast

1 small orange or 1/2 small banana

1 teaspoon soft margarine (omit if having peanut butter)

1/2 cup milk (skim, 1%, or 2%)

Water, tea or coffee as desired

LUNCH

2 thin slices lean meat or cheese or ½ cup water-packed canned fish

2 slices whole wheat bread

1 teaspoon soft margarine or 1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise

1 small apple or pear or 1 cup grapes

Lettuce and celery sticks

1/2 cup milk (skim, 1%, or 2%) or ½ cup yogurt sweetened with aspartame

Tea, coffee, water, or sugar-free soft drinks as desired

SUPPER

1 small fish fillet or 1 broiled meat patty or 3 slices chicken

1 baked potato or 1/2 potato and 1 slice whole wheat bread

1/2 cup peas or carrots or turnip

Broccoli, green beans, cauliflower or tossed salad as desired

1 orange or 1/4 cup canned fruit or 1 peach

1 teaspoon soft margarine or

2 tablespoons low calorie salad dressing

1/2 cup milk (skim, 1%, or 2%) or ½ cup plain yogurt

Tea, coffee, water or sugar-free soft drinks as desired

EVENING

1 slice cheese

1 slice whole wheat bread or

3 arrowroots or 2 digestive cookies

1 teaspoon soft margarine (if needed)

1/2 cup milk (skim, 1% or 2%) or 1 package light hot chocolate

Remember, meal planning should be an enjoyable experience. There are many specialty cookbooks out in the market nowadays to aid the zealous foodie. However, before plunging into any kind of diet, it is best to consult with your doctor first.

Meal Planning Ideas For Diabetics

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Sunday, March 20, 2011

How-To Freezing Bread Dough

Why should you freeze your dough? Well there are many reasons. The mixing process can some times be time consuming, so it is nice to be able to mix enough dough to make several loaves of bread at once and freeze what you don't use that day for another day. This allows you to pull out a frozen loaf and bake it with out having to go though the mixing process again for a while.

We recommend using a high quality kitchen mixer, like the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer, which can make enough dough for up-to nine loaves of bread at once (note: search YouTube.com for "bosch 9 loaves video" for a demonstration). This will get you several loaves of bread dough to freeze with the least amount of work. Mix and knead bread dough until it is ready to rise, but don't leave it out to rise.

Wheat Bread

Once the dough is mixed and kneaded you will want to shape it and then freeze it immediately, do not let it rise before putting in the freezer. When freezing dough for a loaf of bread, I find it best to place the dough in a lightly greased pan while freezing it. This will insure that it will fit in the pan you will be baking the loaf in when you are ready to cook it.

After the dough is frozen, it is time to package it. You can remove it from the pan after it is frozen or you can just package the pan and dough together if you feel like it, it may save you some time. To package it, place the frozen dough in a 1 gallon zip-lock freezer bag or use a kitchen vacuum sealer like the VacMaster Pro 130. If you are placing multiple loaves of bread in one package, it is best to use something like wax paper to keep them separated at thawing time.

Frozen dough will keep in the freezer for about 3 months or less. To de-thaw the bread dough, remove it from freezer package and place it in a lightly greased pan. Now cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap, the thawing will take a while and this will keep the dough from drying out. Set the pan on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature and then rise to double its size. This part of the process is going to take most of the day, so be patient with it and plan ahead for it. It is best to start this in the morning so you can cook it later that evening.

You may now bake and enjoy your loaf of bread. Remove the plastic and place the pan in the oven for what ever the recipe cook time calls for. Remember that when making home made whole wheat bread, it is best to do it with freshly milled whole wheat flour using a quality electric or hand wheat grinder.

How-To Freezing Bread Dough

We at WonderMill Grain Mills hope you have found this article useful and thank you for your time.

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Friday, March 18, 2011

A Carb Isn't a Carb - The Difference Between Complex and Simple Carbohydrates

As you might know not all carbohydrates are created equal. For example eating white bread does not have the same effect on your body as eating 100% whole wheat bread. This has to do with the glycemic index (GI) and how your body digests it. There are two main types of carbohydrates (carbs); simple carbs and complex carbs. Since carbs make up such a huge chunk of what we eat on a daily basis it is imperative to know what they do and how they help your body. In this article we will take a good look at what simple and complex carbs are and exactly what you should look out for when choosing what to eat.

The Low-Down on Simple Carbohydrates

Wheat Bread

Carbohydrates are basically compounds of carbon and hydrogen. They are classified into two types - complex and simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are those which are already broken down in the body. Better known as "bad" carbs, simple carbs are already broken down and then re-processed in an artificial way to produce the final product. Such carbohydrates are most commonly found in chocolates. In addition to this, there are natural simple carbohydrates as well. These are easy to digest for the body.

Carbohydrates in general, provide energy to the body. Simple carbohydrates are broken down easily by the body. So these act as a quick source of energy. Common sources of natural simple carbohydrates are fruits, milk and milk products. They can also prove to be harmful if taken in large amounts. But, that is like everything else in life. Taking the right quantity of carbohydrates is one of the key factors in maintaining good health. You need to know which carbohydrates contain what substances and in what proportion. Educate yourself from the description given below about simple carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates contain three types of sugars namely - fructose (fruit sugar), glucose (blood sugar) and galactose. Since they are easily digested by the body and they cause an immediate rise in the blood sugar levels. So eating too much may damage the body as it alarmingly increases the blood sugar level, thus causing diabetes. High intake can also causes fats to be stored in cells. However our body does need certain amount of carbohydrates to perform its activities. Sportsmen consume high amounts of glucose to boost their energy levels.

Hence, the notion that eating more carbohydrates would lead to unhealthy body is false. The fact is that all carbohydrates are stored as calories inside the body. As long as these calories are burnt from time to time they are not at all harmful. One should have a close look at one's lifestyle to know exactly what is needed for their own body the body.

Complex Carbohydrates Never Tasted So Good

Very much opposite to simple carbohydrates are complex carb, also known as "good carbs". Complex carbs are recommended by most fitness professionals for many reasons.

A key to maintaining good health is to replace the intake of simple carbs with complex carbs. The body breaks down all carbohydrates into glucose. It then produces something known as an energy molecule, which is medically known as Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). Unlike simple carbs, complex carbs take time to be broken down into glucose and ultimately into ATP molecule. They also provide essential minerals and vitamins required for the body over a longer period of time which keeps you full and wards off fat storages.

Key sources of complex carbohydrates are bran, wheat gram, barley, maize, and oatmeal. Consuming carbohydrate - rich diet might also make one feel thirsty quite often. This is because carbs tend to consume an extra molecule of water when digested. No harm in it but one must take adequate amount of water to balance the body conditions. The measure of how much water one should take is easy to calculate. Just divide your weight in half. The number you get is the ounces of water you should consume in one day.

Processed foods come under the "bad" category as they are a little tough on the body. Medically speaking, processed foods do not actually contain a lot of fiber. So the body does not know how to process these artificially developed carbohydrates. But still, the body performs the digestion process but not with ease and therefore more of it can cause trouble. So if one is inclined on staying fit for the rest of the life, then one should have adequate knowledge on the type of carbohydrate they are consuming.

A Carb Isn't a Carb - The Difference Between Complex and Simple Carbohydrates

About The Author

Joseph L. Ownes invites you to join the growing fitness and health community of http://FitnessLifeLive.com. As you look around you will find hundreds of articles on various fitness and health topics like fat loss, nutrition, gaining muscle, and much more. Find great related articles like "Glycemic Index (GI) & Carbohydrates [http://www.fitnesslifelive.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54&Itemid=65]" in our Food and Nutrition section that will help you get in the shape you always wanted, and stay that way!

© Copyright - FitnessLifeLive. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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Thursday, March 17, 2011

3 Life Saving Reasons Why You Should Take Omega 3's Every Single Day

Starting a Balanced Omega 3 Diet Now May Save You From Heartache and Headache in Old Age

Health through good eating is rapidly becoming one of the top concerns for many Western nations as citizens educate themselves on the limitations of traditional diets.

Wheat Bread

While this does mean things like eating wheat bread instead of white bread and avoiding fried foods, one potential change that is more often overlooked is that of balanced omega 3 intake.

A standard Western diet, heavy on beef, pork, and chicken, tends to have poorly regulated omega 3. This has numerous disadvantages over the long run, and can be easily remedied simply by adding fish oil supplements, seafood, or certain nuts or berries to your diet.

Now you're probably saying, 'Wait a minute, why should I go to all that trouble? We've gotten along fine without balanced omega 3 intake, so why change?' Before you reach that conclusion, look at the following things omega 3 foods can do for you.

A Balanced Omega 3 Intake Can BEAT Cancer.

Ingestion of certain kinds of omega 3, most typically n-3 types, will result in both lower occurrences of cancer and slow down a present cancer's growth, potentially to total elimination. This is particularly true for breast cancer and prostate cancer, which are two of the deadliest forms of the disease known to humanity. It also helps boost general quality of life for cancer victims, making their lives more pleasant while they recover.

A Balanced Omega 3 Intake Can ANNIHILATE Circulatory Problems.

Getting a regular balanced omega 3 fatty acid intake will stimulate the circulation of blood throughout your body and reduce your chances of suffering blood clots. As a result, blood pressure also improves, and heart attacks are warded off. This is no substitute for other, more direct methods of avoiding heart attack risk, but it certainly helps if you're already doing everything else you can. Varicose veins is another notable condition improved by omega 3.

A Balanced Omega 3 Intake Can Prevent Strokes.

Certain kinds of strokes, particularly those caused by blood flow issues like thrombosis, can be effectively prevented by good internal omega 3 balance. Sources have reported that this is best achieved by way of natural sources, such as fish. Supplements, while convenient and not completely ineffectual, are a secondary choice in terms of pure effectiveness.

Now that you're aware of all the things the right omega 3 acids can do for you, are you willing to go without? Remember that all it takes is a bite of fish now and then, or even just a gel capsule if that's all you have the time or inclination for!

3 Life Saving Reasons Why You Should Take Omega 3's Every Single Day

If you want the REAL truth on eating the correct foods for permanent fat loss, read these 7 tips to losing weight fast the smart and effective way. You can also watch our video on a strange tip on how to slim down fast by clicking here.

Enjoy, and good luck with your nutrition endeavors!

Dr Michael Allen
Health & Fitness Professional
Author of the best selling book: Fat Loss Factor

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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Whole Wheat Chocolate Banana Bread

I am a bread lover and I always have bread as my breakfast and lunch. Sometime a bread also is a snack for me.

My favorite bread is whole wheat chocolate banana bread. I'm on diet so whole wheat bread always is my choice. Besides that whole wheat bread is a healthy food too. I love the taste of combination of the chocolate and banana. Because of this, whole wheat chocolate banana bread becomes my favorite bread.

Wheat Bread

It is also easy to make a whole wheat chocolate banana bread too. Here is the recipe:

First let's talk about the ingredients:

1/3 cup skim milk
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

You may change the ingredients according to your favorite.

Steps to make the Whole Wheat Chocolate Banana Bread:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Whisk together the whole wheat flour, skim mil, cocoa powder, baking power, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. Beat eats and sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in the mashed bananas, the milk mixture, canola oil and vanila extract. Stir the flour mixture until all the ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake it in the preheated oven about 1 hour for a loaf. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to coll completely on a wire rack. Finally you can test your homemade Whole wheat chocolate banana bread!

You can try this out on this weekend. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Banana Bread

You should use a bread slicer guide to slice up your bread into pieces. Read my article and find out what a bread slicing guide is.

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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Will Quinoa Ever Replace Wheat in Our Diet?

Most of us eat wheat in bread and breakfast cereals on a daily basis. Most of us eat far too much highly processed wheat in the form of white bread and processed ready meals. In the last 20 years there has been a swing to eating whole wheat grains and that has become acknowledged as the healthier option. We do however eat too much processed wheat and this has led to an increase of food intolerances and allergies. In fact wheat has now become very allergenic due to its excessive consumption in the developed world.

People are looking for alternative grains

Wheat Bread

There has been an increasing demand for alternative due to illnesses and conditions such as celiac disease. People with celiac disease cannot intake gluten. There are a wide range of symptoms which are beyond the range of this article.

Because of this there has been move to eat a wider range of grains in our diet. Many of these are far more nutritious than wheat and do not have the associated health problems. Quinoa although not truly a grain has been at the forefront of this move and is now gaining wide acceptance as a healthy and nutritious alternative. Quinoa is gluten free and highly nutritious. It comes in grain form as well as flour and flakes.

How useable is quinoa in food preparation

Of course you cannot make white bread out of quinoa. The quinoa flour is not like wheat flour and is much heavier. You can make cookies and tray bakes with it but you will never bake a standard loaf of bread with it.

The minds of consumers need to look again at their staple foods and reconsider if bread, pizzas, muffins and other wheat rich food products are really necessary as part of a 21st century diet. Sure they are quick and easy to prepare but at what cost to our health.

Quinoa is not the mystery grain that it was 10 years ago and is now becoming readily available in our supermarkets. More and more excellent quinoa recipes are being researched and produced.

The answer to the question

Quinoa will not ever replace wheat but it will find a place in most peoples kitchens over the next 10 years due to its unbeatable vitamin and nutrition profile

Will Quinoa Ever Replace Wheat in Our Diet?

Find out how simply it is to cook quinoa. There are more and more quinoa recipes coming out now. You can find out how to cook quinoa. Learn the superb health benefits of eating quinoa and include quinoa as part of your diet.

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Monday, March 14, 2011

Gestational Diabetes Recipes and Meal Ideas

Approximately 5% of all pregnant women in the US develop Gestational diabetes. It is becoming more and more common these days as so many people have bad eating habits. Even younger women in their twenties can be diagnosed as having Gestational diabetes. There are many questions pregnant women want to know the answers to, such as what types of food is safe for them to eat.

Well, the underlying problem that causes Gestational diabetes in the first place is poor eating habits. Anyone who eats too many bad sugar and carbohydrates is at a risk. Eliminating a lot of sugar and carb is hard for some people, but it must be done in order to help treat Gestational diabetes. The internet is filled with thousands of Gestational diabetes recipes that are easy to cook and prepare.

Wheat Bread

There are many ways to modify a certain recipe in order to meet an individual's personal dietary needs. It is possible for a woman with Gestational diabetes to eat healthy foods without sacrificing flavor. A sample diet plan is always a good place to get started, and there are many recipes that can be included with it.

Here are some Gestational diabetes recipes.

Breakfast
Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal, therefore making a good choice for a breakfast recipe is essential. It is okay, occasionally, to have one carbohydrate with a breakfast meal. Food that is high in protein is important, also.

Some good breakfast ideas include:
Slice of whole wheat toast with an egg
Small bowl of blueberries and a few almonds
Half a banana
A small amount of all natural peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat bread

Lunch

There are many simple Gestational diabetes recipes that do not take long at all to prepare. These are great choices for those who do not have all the time needed for putting together a lunch meal. It is best to stick with 45 grams of carbohydrates for a midday meal.

Some good lunch ideas include:

Bowl of fresh veggies
Turkey sandwich with whole wheat bread, lettuce, and tomato
Small piece of fruit
Boneless, skinless chicken breast (it can be prepared earlier in the day or the night before.)
Tuna

Dinner

Gestational diabetes recipes for dinner usually consist of foods high in protein, such as fish and steak. Both of these are free of carbohydrates.

A few carbohydrates can be allowed with the grilled chicken, salmon, or tuna, however. Some ideas include:

Small serving of pasta
Baked potato
Sugar free yogurt
1 cup of fruit
1 cup of steamed asparagus

Desserts and snacks

Desserts and snacks can be eaten in between meals.

Here is a mini-cheesecake recipe that is very easy to make:

1 Cup of water
Unflavored gelatin
16 ounces of softened and cubed cream cheese
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of a sugar substitute
2 tablespoons of instant sugar free pudding mix

Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it stand for two minutes.
Microwave the mixture for 40-50 seconds and then stir.
Let mixture stand for a couple of minutes.
Add cream cheese cubes and stir some more.
Put in mixer and blend well.
Add pudding mix, vanilla extract, and the sugar substitute.
Pour into either muffin tins or 8" pie pan.
Put into freezer until firm.

Gestational Diabetes Recipes and Meal Ideas

Go to Diabetic Diet Zone to get your free ebook on Diabetic Diets at Diabetic Diet. Diabetic Diet Zone also has information on Gestational Diabetes Recipes along with a lot of other free information.

Come by our new Diabetic Diet Community site today for free ebooks and other free information that can help you today.

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Bread Mold

Bread mold is a kind of fungus that is commonly found on bread surfaces. It takes food and nutrients from the bread and causes damage to the surface where it lives. It causes a bad taste to the bread also. But the mold has a place in the industry where it serves as a decomposer that can decompose decayed plants and animals.

Bread mold has a very simple lifecycle. It appears on the bread surface as a wind blown spore. With adequate moisture and nutrients from the bread, this spore sprouts and grows hair like structures on the bread surface. Once the mold attains a particular growth with paint brush like structures, it starts producing fruiting structures. These structures, sometimes called conidia, contain spores that are blown by wind and spreads to other bread surfaces.

Wheat Bread

Bread mold is found in different types, species, shapes, and colors. Some of the common bread molds are Penicillium, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Monascus, and Fusarium. Penicillium molds usually appear green and grey in color and Aspergillus mold appears similar to Penicillium to the naked eye. But both are different when examined under a microscopic. In the Aspergillus mold, the fine hairs contain large balloons with spores inside.

If you are interested to see bread mold you can perform a small experiment with bread. You can take a slice of bread and moisten it slightly. Then keep the bread for two or three days in a place where there is no chance of the moisture content drying up. You will see some mold growth on the surfaces.

As the spores of this bread mold are commonly found in the air, bread is easily spoiled. To prevent this growth on bread surfaces, the bread can be baked at a temperature of 400 degrees or preserve the bread with small amounts of chemical. The chemicals used are prop-ionic acid and acetic acid which are safe to be mixed with the bread during the making of the bread.

Bread Mold

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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Whole Wheat Bread Recipes - Something Great For Your Bread Machine

No matter what you may think, wheat bread is very healthy and delicious. American garlic & parsley bread, Amish bread, anadama bread and apple carrot bread are 4 recipes that prove just how wheat bread is so delicious.

Below are the recipes so you can make your own decision.

Wheat Bread

1. American Garlic & Parsley Bread - Machine

Amount Measure Ingredient: Preparation Method

- 1/2 teaspoons Active dry yeast
- cups Bread flour
- tablespoons Wheat germ
- tablespoons Wheat bran
- 3/4 teaspoons Salt
- tablespoons Sugar
- tablespoons Vegetable oil
- Garlic cloves -- minced
- tablespoons Chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cups Water

Directions:

- Add all ingredients in the order suggested by your bread machine manual and process on the basic bread cycle according to the manufacturer's directions. Use White bread setting.
- Let the loaf cool before slicing. Serve plain or toasted.

"This is good bread for a steak sandwich, French dip roast beef,
or a grilled mozzarella cheese and tomato sandwich.

Baking the garlic right in the bread lightens the garlic flavor.
10 of 151

If this is not a strong enough garlic statement for you, add another clove."

2. Amish Bread

Amount Measure Ingredient - Preparation Method

-----1/2 LB LOAF----
- 1 cup WATER + 1 T
- 4 tablespoons Olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons Yeast
- 3 teaspoons Vital wheat gluten

-----1 LB LOAF-----
- 6 ounces WATER
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups flour + 2 T
- 1 teaspoon Yeast
- 2 teaspoons Vital wheat gluten

Direction:

- Place ingredients into BM pan according to your machine's directions.
- Bake on regular cycle. light setting.

3. Anadama Bread

Amount Measure Ingredient - Preparation Method

-----FOR 1-1/2 LB. LOAF-----
- 1 package Yeast
- 3 1/2 cups Bread flour
- 1/3 cup Yellow cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups Boiling water
- 1/3 cup Molasses
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Butter

Directions:

- Place cornmeal into a bowl.
- Carefully pour boiling water into cornmeal, stirring to make sure it is smooth.
- Let stand for about 30 minutes.
- Stir in molasses, salt and butter.
- Place yeast into the B/M pan, bread flour, then cornmeal mixture.
- Select white bread and push start.

4. Apple Carrot Bread

Amount Measure Ingredient - Preparation Method

- 1 1/8 cups Apple juice
- 1/3 cup Carrots -- grated
- 1 1/2 Eggs
- 2 1/3 tablespoons Maple syrup -=OR=- honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Vital gluten -- to 3 tbls
- 3/4 cup Oat -=OR=- wheat flakes
- 3 cups Whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons Yeast
- 1/3 cup dried apples
- 1/3 cup Nuts -- chopped (opt)

Directions:

- Add ingredients according to manufacturer's directions.
- Medium color setting. Add nuts and apples at the beep.

Makes 1-1/2 lb loaf.

Whole Wheat Bread Recipes - Something Great For Your Bread Machine

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Friday, March 11, 2011

2 Pound Banana Wheat Bread For Bread Machine

If you're a fan of bananas and whole wheat, this recipe is perfect. Presently, many people own bread machines, they are easy to use and take all the tedious work out of making bread. In the last few years because of the rising need to be health conscious, I've been approached for whole wheat bread machine recipes; I had a few in my recipe vault, but none worthy of extreme praise. So, I took it upon myself to create this healthy and truly tasty recipe. Have it for breakfast with your favorite spread, or just as a healthy snack. Either way, your body will be thankful for it. Hopefully this recipe gets you to dust off your bread machine that's sitting in your closet and get some good use out of it.

I passed this recipe on to a few people and they've been making this recipe non-stop. I think after trying this recipe you won't be able to stop making it;
you're friends will constantly be coming back for more!

Wheat Bread

Difficulty (Scale from 1-10): 4

Makes: 2 pound loaf
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

2 1/2 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast
1 cup of lukewarm water
1 cup of light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 medium ripe bananas (1cup packed)
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups of bread flour
3 cups of whole wheat flour

Preparation

Add ingredients in the order listed, or by your bread machine manufactures recommendations. Set bread machine to "Rapid whole wheat" of "Whole wheat" and start. That's all there is to it.
Enjoy your bread!

2 Pound Banana Wheat Bread For Bread Machine

Peter Alfieri is the host of the cooking show: Buon Appetito Providence, http://www.BuonAppetitoProvidence.com Pete cooks many different foods from several geographical areas; his specialty is Italian food which is also featured on the TV show. Be sure to check out other recipes on the show's website.

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Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Dark Side of Wheat - New Perspectives on Celiac Disease & Wheat Intolerance

The globe-spanning presence of wheat and its exalted status among secular and sacred institutions alike, differentiates it from all other foods presently enjoyed by this planet's human inhabitants. And yet the unparalleled rise of wheat as the very catalyst for the emergence of ancient civilization has not occurred without a great price. While wheat was the engine of civilization's expansion and was glorified as a "necessary food," both in the physical (staff of life) and spiritual sense (the body of Christ), those suffering from celiac disease are living testimony to the lesser known dark side of wheat. A study of celiac disease may help unlock the mystery of why modern man, who dines daily at the table of wheat, is the sickest animal yet to have arisen on this strange planet of ours.

THE CELIAC ICEBERG

Wheat Bread

Celiac disease (CD) was once considered an extremely rare affliction, limited to individuals of European origin. Today, however, a growing number of studies1 indicate that Celiac disease is found throughout the world at a rate of up to 1 in every 133 persons, which is several orders of magnitude higher than previously estimated. These findings have led researchers to visualize CD as an iceberg.2 The tip of the iceberg represents the relatively small number of the world's population whose diagnosis of celiac disease depends on the gross presentation of clinical symptoms. This is the classical case of CD characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms, malabsorption and malnourishment, and confirmed with the "gold standard" of an intestinal biopsy. The submerged middle portion of the iceberg is largely invisible to classical clinical diagnosis, but not to modern serological screening methods such as antibody testing.3 This middle portion is composed of asymptomatic and latent celiac disease as well as "out of the intestine" varieties of wheat intolerance. Finally, at the base of this massive iceberg sits approximately 20-30% of the world's population - those who have been found to carry the HLA-DQ locus of genetic susceptibility to celiac disease on chromosome 6.4

The "Celiac Iceberg" may not simply illustrate the problems and issues associated with diagnosis and disease prevalence, but may represent the need for a paradigm shift in how we view both CD and wheat consumption among non-CD populations. First let us address the traditional view of CD as a rare, but clinically distinct species of genetically-determined disease, which I believe is now running itself aground upon the emerging, post-Genomic perspective, whose implications for understanding and treating disease are Titanic in proportion.

THE GENES ARE NOT TO BE BLAMED, BUT WHAT WE CHOOSE TO EXPOSE THEM TO

Despite common misconceptions, monogenic diseases, or diseases that result from errors in the nucleotide sequence of a single gene are exceedingly rare. Perhaps only 1% of all diseases can be considered to fall within this category, and Celiac disease is not one of them. In fact, following the completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP) in 2003 it is no longer accurate to say that our genes "cause" disease, any more than it is accurate to say that DNA is sufficient to account for all the proteins in our body (which it is not!). Despite initial expectations, the HGP revealed that there are only 30,000-35,000 genes in human DNA (genome), rather than the 100,000 + believed necessary to encode the 100,000 + proteins found in the human body (proteome).

The "blueprint" model of genetics: one gene ' one protein ' one cellular behavior, which was once the holy grail of biology, has now been supplanted by a model of the cell where epigenetic factors (literally: "beyond the control of the gene") are primary in determining how DNA will be interpreted, translated and expressed. A single gene can be used by the cell to express a multitude of proteins and it is not the DNA itself that determines how or what genes will be expressed. Rather, it is to the epigenetic factors that we must look to understand what makes a liver cell different from a skin cell or brain cell. All of these cells share the exact same 3 billion base pairs that make up our DNA code, but it is the epigenetic factors, e.g. regulatory proteins and post-translational modifications, that make the determination as to which genes to turn on and which to silence, resulting in each cell's unique phenotype. Moreover, epigenetic factors are directly and indirectly influenced by the presence or absence of key nutrients in the diet, as well as exposures to chemicals, pathogens and other environmental influences. In a nutshell, what we eat, and what we are exposed to in our environment directly affects our DNA and its expression.

Within the horizon of this new perspective even classical monogenic diseases like Cystic Fibrosis (CF) can be viewed in a new, more promising light. In CF many of the adverse changes that result from the defective expression of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene may be preventable or reversible, owing to the fact that the misfolding of the CFTR gene product has been shown to undergo partial or full correction (in the rodent model) when exposed to phytochemicals found in turmeric, cayenne, and soybean.5 Moreover, nutritional deficiencies of seleniun, zinc, riboflavin, vitamin e, etc. in the womb or early in life, may "trigger" the faulty expression or folding patterns of the CFTR gene in Cystic Fibrosis which otherwise might not have undergone epigenetic activation.6 This would explain why it is possible to live into the late seventies with this condition, as was the case for Katherine Shores (1925-2004). The implications of these findings are rather extraordinary: epigenetic and not genetic factors are primary in determining disease outcome. Even if we were to exclude the possibility of the reversible correction of certain monogenic diseases, the basic lesson from the post-Genomic era is that we can't blame our DNA for causing disease, rather, it may have more to do with what we choose to expose our DNA to.

CELIAC DISEASE REVISITED

What all of this means for CD is that if the genetic susceptibility locus, HLA DQ, does not determine the exact clinical outcome of the disease7, or, if the HLA genes are activated not as a cause, but as a consequence of the disease process8, we may need to shift our epidemiological focus from viewing this as a classical "disease" involving the passivity of a subject controlled by aberrant genes to viewing it as an expression of a natural, protective response to the ingestion of something that the human body was not designed to consume.9

If we view Celiac disease not as an unhealthy response to a healthy food, but as a healthy response to an unhealthy food, classical CD symptoms like diarrhea may make more sense. Diarrhea can be the body's way to reduce the duration of exposure to a toxin or pathogen, and villous atrophy can be the body's way to prevent the absorption and systemic effects of chronic exposure to wheat.

New insights into the genetic differences between humans and diverse species such as mouse, rat, chicken and turkey who share leptin genes, indicate that the seeds of cereal grasses were not introduced into the human diet until as recently as 500 generations ago. Within this context arguments against eating wheat take on greater relevance.

I believe we would be better served to view the symptom's of CD as expressions of bodily intelligence rather than bodily deviancy. We must shift the focus back to the disease trigger, which is wheat itself.

People with celiac may actually have an advantage over the unafflicted because those who are "non-symptomatic" and whose wheat intolerance goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for lacking classical symptoms may suffer in ways that are equally or more damaging, but expressed more subtly, or in distant organs. Within this view Celiac disease would be redefined as a protective (healthy?) response to exposure to an inappropriate substance, whereas "asymptomatic" ingestion of the grain with its concomitant "out of the intestine" and mostly silent symptoms, would be considered the unhealthy response insofar as it does not signal in an obvious and acute manner that there is a problem with consuming wheat.

It is possible that Celiac disease represents both an extreme reaction to a global, speciesspecific intolerance to wheat we all share as a matter of degree, and that CD symptoms reflect the body's innate intelligence when faced with the consumption of something that is inherently toxic. Let us illustrate this point using Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA), as an example.

WGA is glycoprotein classified as a lectin and is known to play a key role in kidney pathologies, such as IgA nephropathy. In the article: "Do dietary lectins cause disease?" the Allergist David L J Freed points out that WGA binds to "glomerular capillary walls, mesangial cells and tubules of human kidney and (in rodents) binds igA and induces IgA mesangial deposits," indicating that wheat consumption may lead to kidney damage in susceptible individuals.10

Indeed, a study from the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research in Milan Italy published in 2007 in the International Journal of Cancer looked at bread consumption and the risk of kidney cancer. They found that those who consumed the most bread had a 94% higher risk of developing kidney cancer compared to those who consumed the least bread.11 Given the inherently toxic effect that WGA may have on kidney function, it is possible that in certain genetically predisposed individuals, e.g. HLA-DQ positive, the body - in its innate intelligence - makes an executive decision: either continue to allow damage to the kidneys (if not also other organs) until kidney failure and rapid death result, or launch an autoimmune attack on the villi to prevent the absorption of the offending substance which results in a prolonged though relatively malnourished life. Is this not the explanation given for the body's reflexive formation of mucous following exposure to certain highly allergenic or potentially toxic foods, e.g. dairy products, sugar, etc?

The mucous coats the offending substance, preventing its absorption and facilitating safe elimination via the gastrointestinal tract. From this perspective the HLA-DQ locus of disease susceptibility in the Celiac is not simply activated but utilized as defensive adaptation to continual exposure to an inappropriate substance. In those who do not have the HLA-DQ locus, an autoimmune destruction of the villi will not occur as rapidly, and exposure to the universally toxic effects of WGA will with all likelihood go unabated until silent damage to distant organs precipitates into the diagnosis of a seemingly non-wheat consumption related classical disease species.

Loss of kidney function may only be the "tip of the iceberg," when it comes to the possible adverse effects that wheat proteins and wheat lectin can generate in the body. If kidney cancer is a likely possibility, then other cancers may eventually be linked to wheat consumption as well. This correlation would fly in the face of globally sanctioned and reified assumptions about the inherent benefits of wheat consumption. It would require we suspend cultural, socio-economic, political and even religious assumptions about its inherent benefits. In many ways, the reassessment of the value of wheat as a food requires a William Boroughs-like moment of shocking clarity when we perceive "in a frozen moment....what is on the end of every fork." Let's take a closer look at what is on the end of our fork.

OUR BIOLOGICALLY INAPPROPRIATE DIET

In a previous article,12 I discussed the role that wheat plays as an industrial adhesive (e.g. paints, paper mache', and book binding-glue) in order to illustrate the point that it may not be such a good thing for us to eat. The problem is implicit in the word gluten, which literally means "glue" in Latin and in words like pastry and pasta, which derives from wheatpaste, the original concoction of wheat flour and water which made such good plaster in ancient times. What gives gluten its adhesive and difficult-to-digest qualities are the high levels of disulfide bonds it contains.

These same sulfur-to-sulfur bonds are found in hair and vulcanized rubber products, which we all know are difficult to decompose and are responsible for the sulfurous odor they give off when burned. There will be 676 million metric tons of wheat produced this year alone, making it the primary cereal of temperate regions and third most prolific cereal grass on the planet. This global dominance of wheat is emblemized by fact that the Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO) - which is the United Nation's international agency for defeating hunger. - uses a head of wheat as its official symbol. Any effort to indict the credibility of this "king of grains" will prove challenging. As Rudolf Hauschka once remarked, wheat is "a kind of earth-spanning organism." It has vast socio-economic, political, and cultural significance. For example, in the Catholic Church, a wafer made of wheat is considered irreplaceable as the body of Christ.

Our dependence on wheat is matched only by its dependence on us. As the human lifeform has spread accross the planet, so has the grain We have assumed total responsibility for all phases of the wheat life cycle: from fending off its pests, to providing its ideal growing conditions, to facilitating reproduction and expansion into new territories. We have grown so inextricably interdependent that neither species is sustainable at current population levels without this symbiotic relationship. It is this mutual envelopment and codependence may explain why our culture has for so long consistently confined wheat intolerance to categorically distinct, "genetically-based" diseases like "Celiac." These categorizations may be needed in order to protect us from the realization that wheat exerts a vast number of deleterious effects on human health, in the same way that "lactose intolerance" distracts attention from the deeper problems associated with the casein protein found in cow's milk. Rather than see wheat for what it very well may be: a biologically inappropriate food source, we "blame the victim," and look for genetic explanations for what's wrong with small subsections of our population who have the most obvious forms of intolerance to wheat consumption, e.g. Celiac, Dermatitis Herpetiformis, etc.

The medical justification for these classifications may be secondary to economic and cultural imperatives that require the inherent problems associated with wheat consumption be minimized or occluded. In all probability the Celiac genotype represents a surviving vestigial branch of a once universal genotype, which through accident or intention, have had through successive generations only limited exposure to wheat. The Celiac genotype, no doubt, survived through numerous bottlenecks or "die offs" represented by a dramatic shift from hunted and foraged/gathered foods to gluten-grain consumption, and for whatever reason simply did not have adequate time to adapt or select out the gluten-grain incompatible genes. The Celiac response may indeed reflect back to us what was once a species-wide intolerance to a novel new food source: the seed storage form of the monocotyledonous cereal grasses which our species only began consuming 1-500 generations ago at the advent of the Neolithic transition (10-12,000 BC). Let us return to the image of the Celiac iceberg for greater clarification.

OUR SUBMERGED GRAIN-FREE METABOLIC PREHISTORY

The iceberg metaphor is an excellent way to expand our understanding of what was once considered to be an extraordinarily rare disease into one that has statistical relevance for us all, but it has a few limitations. For one, it reiterates the commonly held view that Celiac is a numerically distinct disease entity or "disease island," floating alongside other numerically distinct disease "ice cubes" in the vast sea of normal health. Though accurate in describing the sense of social and psychological isolation many of the afflicted feel, the Celiac iceberg/condition may not be a distinct disease entity at all. Although the HLA-DQ locus of disease susceptibility on chromosome 6 offers us a place to project blame, I believe we need to shift the emphasis of responsibility for the condition back to the disease "trigger" itself: namely, wheat and other prolamine rich grains, e.g. barley, rye, spelt, and oats, and without which the typical afflictions we call Celiac would not exist. Within the horizon of this view the "Celiac iceberg" is not actually free floating but an outcropping from an entire submerged subcontinent, representing our long-forgotten (cultural time) but relatively recent metabolic prehistory as hunters-and-gatherers (biological time), where grain consumption was with all likelihood non-existent, except in instances of near-starvation.

WHEAT: AN EXCEPTIONALLY UNWHOLESOME GRAIN

Wheat presents a special case insofar as wild and selective breeding has produced variations which include up to 6 sets of chromosomes (3 genomes worth!) capable of generating a massive number of proteins each with a distinct potentiality for antigenicity. Common bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), for instance, has over 23,788 proteins cataloged thus far.13 In fact, the genome for common bread wheat is actually 6.5 times larger than that of the human genome! 14

With up to 50% gluten content in some varieties of wheat, it is amazing that we continue to consider "glue-eating" a normal behavior, whereas wheat-avoidance is left to the "celiac" who is still perceived by the majority of health care practitioners as a "freak" reaction to the consumption of something intrinsically wholesome.

Thankfully we don't need to rely on our intuition, or even (not so) common sense to draw conclusions about the inherently unhealthy nature of wheat. A wide range of investigation has occurred over the past decade revealing the problem with the alcohol soluble protein component of wheat known as gliadin, the glycoprotein known as lectin (Wheat Germ Agglutinin), the exorphin known as gliamorphin, and the excitotoxic potentials of high levels of aspartic and glutamic acid found in wheat. Add to these the normal anti-nutrient content found in grains, phytates, enzyme inhibitors, etc. and you have a substance which we may consider the farthest thing from wholesome.

The remainder of this article will demonstrate the following adverse effects of wheat on both celiac and non-celiac populations: 1) wheat causes damage to the intestines 2) wheat causes intestinal permeability 3) wheat has pharmacologically active properties 4) wheat causes damage that is "out of the intestine" affecting distant organs 5) wheat exhibits molecular mimicry 6) wheat contains high concentrations of excitoxins.

1) WHEAT GLIADIN CREATES IMMUNE MEDIATED DAMAGE TO THE INTESTINES

Gliadin is classified as a prolamin, which is a wheat storage protein high in the amino acids proline and glutamine and soluble in strong alcohol solutions. Gliadin, once deamidated by the enzyme Tissue Transglutaminase, is considered the primary epitope for T-cell activation and subsequent autoimmune destruction of intestinal villi. And yet, gliadin does not need to activate an autoimmune response, e.g. Celiac disease, in order to have a deleterious effect on intestinal tissue.

In a study published in GUT in 2007 a group of researchers asked themselves the question: "Is gliadin really safe for non-coeliac individuals?" In order to test the hypothesis that an innate immune response to gliadin is common in patients with Celiac disease and without Celiac disease, intestinal biopsy cultures were taken from both groups and challenged with crude gliadin, the gliadin synthetic 19-mer (19 amino acid long gliadin peptide) and 33-mer deamidated peptides. Results showed that all patients with or without Celiac disease when challenged with the various forms of gliadin produced an interleukin-15-mediated response. The researchers concluded: "The data obtained in this pilot study supports the hypothesis that gluten elicits its harmful effect, throughout an IL15 innate immune response, on all individuals [my italics]."15

The primary difference between the two groups is that the Celiac disease patients experienced both an innate and an adaptive immune response to the gliadin, whereas the non-Celiacs experienced only the innate response. The researchers hypothesized that the difference between the two groups may be attributable to greater genetic susceptibility at the HLA-DQ locus for triggering an adaptive immune response, higher levels of immune mediators or receptors, or perhaps greater permeability in the Celiac intestine. It is possible that over and above the possibility of greater genetic susceptibility, most of the differences are from epigenetic factors that are influenced by the presence or absence of certain nutrients in the diet. Other factors such as exposure to NSAIDs like naproxen or aspirin can profoundly increase intestinal permeability in the non-Celiac, rendering them susceptible to gliadin's potential at activating secondary adaptive immune responses. This may explain why in up to 5% of all cases of classically defined Celiac Disease the typical HLA-DQ haplotypes are not found. However, determining the factors associated greater or lesser degrees of susceptibility to gliadin's intrinsically toxic effect should be a secondary to the fact that it is has been demonstrated toxic to both non-Celiacs and Celiacs.

2) WHEAT GLIADIN CREATES INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY

Gliadin upregulates the production of a protein known as zonulin, which modulates intestinal permeability. Over-expression of zonulin is involved in a number of autoimmune disorders, including Celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes. Researchers have studied the effect of gliadin on increased zonulin production and subsequent gut permeability in both Celiac and non-Celiac intestines, and have found that "gliadin activiates zonulin signaling irrespective of the genetic expression of autoimmunity, leading to increased intestinal permeability to macromolecules."16 These results indicate, once again, that a pathological response to wheat gluten is a normal or human species specific response, and not based entirely on genetic susceptibilities. Because intestinal permeability is associated a wide range of disease states, including cardiovascular illness, liver disease and many autoimmune disorders, I believe this research indicates that gliadin (and therefore wheat) should be avoided as a matter of principle.

3) WHEAT GLIADIN HAS PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Gliadin can be broken down into various amino acid lengths or peptides. Gliadorphin is a 7 amino acid long peptide: Tyr-Pro-Gln-Pro-Gln-Pro-Phe which forms when the gastrointestinal system is compromised. When digestive enzymes are insufficient to break gliadorphin down into 2-3 amino acid lengths and a compromised intestinal wall allows for the leakage of the entire 7 amino acid long fragment into the blood, glaidorphin can pass through to the brain through circumventricular organs and activate opioid receptors resulting in disrupted brain function.

There have been a number of gluten exorphines identified: gluten exorphine A4, A5, B4, B5 and C, any many of them have been hypothesized to play a role in autism, schizophrenia, ADHD and related neurological conditions. In the same way that the Celiac Iceberg illustrated the illusion that intolerance or susceptibility to wheat's ill effects are the exceptionally rare case, it is possible if not probable that wheat exerts pharmacological activity in everyone, and that what distinguishes the schizophrenic or autistic from the functional wheat consumer is the degree to which they are effected. Beneath the tip of the "Gluten Iceberg," if you will, we might find these opiate-like peptides to be responsible for bread's general popularity as a "comfort food", and our use of phrases like "I love bread," or "this bread is to die for" to be indicative of wheat's narcotic properties.

I believe a strong argument can be made that the agricultural revolution that occurred approximately 10-12,000 years ago as we shifted out of the Paleolithic into the Neolithic era was precipitated as much by environmental necessities and human ingenuity, as it was by the addictive qualities of psychoactive peptides in the grains themselves. The world-historical reorganization of society, culture and consciousness accomplished through the symbiotic relationship with cereal grasses, may have had as much to do with our ability to master agriculture, as to be mastered by it. The presence of pharmacologically active peptides would have further sweetened the deal, making it hard to distance ourselves from what became a global fascination with wheat.

An interesting example of wheat's addictive potential pertains to the Roman army. The Roman empire was once known as the "Wheat Empire," with soldiers being paid in wheat rations. Rome's entire war machine, and its vast expansion was predicated on the availability of wheat. Forts were actually granaries, providing up to a year's worth of grain in order to lay siege upon their enemies. Historians describe how punishment for the misbehavior of soldiers included being deprived of wheat rations and being given barley instead. The Roman Empire would go on to facilitate the global dissemination of wheat cultivation which fostered a form of imperialism with biological as well as cultural roots.

The Roman appreciation for wheat, like our own, may have less to do with its nutritional value as "health food" than its ability to generate a unique narcotic reaction. It may fulfill our hunger while generating repetitive, ceaseless craving for more of the same, and by doing so, enabling the surreptitious control of human behavior. Other researchers have come to similar conclusions. According to the biologists Greg Wadley & Angus Martin: "Cereals have important qualities that differentiate them from most other drugs. They are a food source as well as a drug, and can be stored and transported easily. They are ingested in frequent small doses (not occasional large ones), and do not impede work performance in most people. A desire for the drug, even cravings or withdrawal, can be confused with hunger. These features make cereals the ideal facilitator of civilisation (and may also have contributed to the long delay in recognising their pharmacological properties)." 17

4) WHEAT LECTIN (WGA) DAMAGES OUR TISSUE.

Wheat contains a lectin known as Wheat Germ Agglutinin which is responsible for causing direct, non-immune mediated damage to our intestines, and subsequent to entry into the bloodstream, damage to distant organs in our body. Lectins are sugar-binding proteins which are highly selective for their sugar moieties. It is believed that wheat lectin, which binds to the monosaccharide N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG), provides defense against predation from bacteria, insects and animals. Bacteria have NAG in their cell wall, insects have an exoskeleton composed of polymers of NAG called chitin, and the epithelial tissue of mammals, e.g. gastrointestinal tract, have a "sugar coat" called the glycocalyx which is composed, in part, of NAG. The glycocalyx can be found on the outer surface (apical portion) of the microvilli within the small intestine.

There is evidence that WGA may cause increased shedding of the intestinal brush border membrane, reduction in surface area, acceleration of cell losses and shortening of villi, via binding to the surface of the villi18 WGA can mimic the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) at the cellular level, indicating that the crypt hyperplasia seen in celiac may be due to a mitogenic reponse induced by WGA.19 WGA has been implicated in obesity and "leptin resistance" by blocking the receptor in the hypothalamus for the appetite satiating hormone leptin.20 WGA has also been shown to have an insulin-mimetic action, potentially contributing to weight gain and insulin resistance.21 And as we discussed earlier, wheat lectin has been shown to induce IgA mediated damage to the kidney, indicating that nephropathy and kidney cancer may be associated with wheat consumption.

5) WHEAT PEPTIDES EXHIBIT MOLECULAR MIMICRY

Gliadorphin and gluten exporphins exhibit a form of molecular mimicry that effects the nervous system, but other wheat proteins affect different organ systems. The digestion of gliadin produces a 33 amino acid long peptide known as 33-mer which has a remarkable homology to the internal sequence of pertactin, the immunodominant sequence in the Bordetella pertussis bacteria (whooping cough). Pertactin is considered a highly immunogenic virulence factor, and is used in vaccines to amplify the adaptive immune response. It is possible the immune system may confuse this 33-mer with a pathogen resulting in either or both a cell-mediated and adaptive immune response against Self.

6) WHEAT CONTAINS HIGH LEVELS OF EXCITO-TOXINS

John B. Symes, D.V.M. ( http://www.dogtorj.net ) is responsible for drawing attention to the potential excitotoxicity of wheat, dairy, and soy, due to their exceptionally high levels of the non-essential amino acids glutamic and aspartic acid. Excitotoxicity is a pathological process where glutamic and aspartic acid cause an over-activation of the nerve cell receptors (e.g. NMDA and AMPA receptor) leading to calcium induced nerve and brain injury. Of all cereal grasses commonly consumed wheat contains the highest levels of glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Glutamic acid is largely responsible for wheat's exceptional taste. The Japanese coined the word umami to describe the extraordinary "yummy" effect that glutamic acid exerts on the tongue and palate, and invented monosodium glutamate (MSG) to amplify this sensation. Though the Japanese first synthesized MSG from kelp, wheat can also be used due to its high glutamic acid content. It is likely that wheat's popularity, alongside its opiate-like activity, has everything to do with the natural flavor-enhancers already contained within it. These amino acids may contribute to neurodegenerative conditions such as Multiple sclerosis, Alzhemier's, Huntington's disease, and other nervous disorders such as Epilepsy, Attention Deficit Disorder and Migraines.

CONCLUSION

In this article we have proposed that celiac disease be viewed not as a rare "genetically determined"disorder, but as an extreme example of our body communicating to us a once universal, species-specific affliction: severe intolerance to wheat. Celiac disease reflects back to us how profoundly our diet has diverged from what was until only recently a grain free diet, and even more recently, a wheat free one. We are so profoundly distanced from that dramatic Neolithic transition in cultural time that "missing is any sense that anything is missing." The body on the other hand can not help but to remember a time when cereal grains were alien to the diet, because in biological time it was only moments ago.

The Dark Side of Wheat - New Perspectives on Celiac Disease & Wheat Intolerance

Sayer Ji is the founder of http://www.greenmedinfo.info, a natural medicine and alternative toxicology database.

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