Many of y’all are already very aware how detrimental grains are to our health, but some have not really heard it or grasped the meaning yet. Grains pose several hazards to our health, and Dr. William Davis and Dr. David Perlmutter have compiled LOTS of research data in their published books about these hazards.
Here are my Cliff’s Notes version:
1. Grains induce LOTS of inflammation and many experts like me, find that almost ALL autoimmune conditions are worsened, if not caused by grain intake. What does that mean to your thyroid health? It means that if you have Hashimoto’s hyperthyroidism, your inflammation is made worse every single time you consume bread, rice, noodles, cereals, oats, corn, etc. it can take 2-4 weeks for any exposure to inflammation to completely clear the body & be thoroughly detoxed from the liver and bloodstream. What does that mean for your rheumatoid arthritis? Or your Lupus, or Sjogrens’? INFLAMMATION is worsened with every serving of grain intake.
That inflammation also drives weight GAIN… think about what happens when your ankle is inflamed from a sprain – it swells! Eliminate inflammatory foods and weight usually begins to fall. (There are other reaons that may prevent the weight loss.)
2. Grains break down into phytates which BLOCK nutrient absorption, especially iron, zinc & even SOME proteins. This effect can result in terrible nutritional deficiencies like iron deficiency anemia; when we don’t get adequate iron, lots of symptoms will occur and most look identical to hypothyroidism. Ferritin and iron levels are extremely important to check at least once a year, but mainstream medicine will NOT order these and will use a CBC instead. The main problem with that perspective, is the the ferritin level CAN & OFTEN is life-threateningly LOW before it can be seen on a CBC.
You can be eating red meat every single day and still have anemia bc of the grain intake. Another main issue with low iron level is that iron is vital for normal hormone functions- like your thyroid! Iron, vitamin D, & proteins are the base ingredients for ALL your hormones, so it’s REALLY important to get all the ingredients into the body!! If the body cannot obtain adequate iron and ferritin, energy fails and cells are unable to perform proper tasks.
3. Grain carbs will break down into glucose, triggering an insulin response, which is going to store weight… It’s the natural and expected carb cycle that I’ve written about several times on my blog. When insulin goes up, it begins to PUSH, like a bully, on ALL hormones, creating poor hormone function and increased symptoms. Nobody likes these results of grain intake.
4. Grains damage the gut – from mild absorption issues to severe gut disease, grains impact nutrient and availability. This effect contributes to POOR Free T3 uptake and utilization, whether you’re TAKING liothyronine or not… This damage can prevent even your HEALTHY thyroid functions from staying healthy!
Final note: if you have hypothyroidism or ANY chronic disease, the single MOST helpful and beneficial thing you can do for your health is to eliminate grains from your usual diet. Last tip: I seem many family members within the same households; do you want to guess what I find? I finda that ALL lab results among family members — spouses, parents and children — are ALL very similar. If mom is low in iron or protein, so is dad and/or the children…. We are setting the tone for our children’s health with every food choice we make.
Happy cooking!!
DISCLAIMER:
The information provided in this article and on the Joyful Heart Health Care & KetoNurses blog should be taken as basic & general information, and NOT as medical advice. All information presented by JHHC & KetoNurses should be carefully evaluated and discussed with YOUR health care professional.
