William Davis's Blog: Dr. Davis Infinite Health Blog, page 81

How to Deal With Wheat Belly Naysayers

The Wheat Belly books and message turned the nutrition world topsy-turvy, toppling conventional dietary notions such as “healthy whole grains” and “everything in moderation.”

But people who engage in this life-changing lifestyle often encounter skepticism, even resistance, from people around them because the public has been inundated with bad dietary information over the past 50 years.

Learn how to persuade the naysayers around you over time through a handful of simple strategies while enjoying magnificent health and slenderness on this lifestyle.

The post How to Deal With Wheat Belly Naysayers appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

The next Wheat Belly 10-Day Detox Challenge will begin Wednesday August 9th!

The next Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox Challenge is scheduled to start Wednesday, August 9th!

Through my New York Times bestseller, Wheat Belly, millions of people learned how to reverse years of chronic health problems by removing wheat from their daily diets. Now, I have created an easy and accessible 10-Day Detox Program.

The Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox supplies you with carefully designed meal plans and delicious recipes to fully eliminate wheat and related grains in the shortest time possible. Perfect for those who may have fallen off the wagon or for newcomers who need a jump-start for weight loss, this new addition to the Wheat Belly phenomenon guides you through the complete 10-Day Detox experience.

In addition to this quick-start program, I’ll teach you:

How to recognize and reduce wheat-withdrawal symptoms,
How to avoid common landmines that can sabotage success
How to use nutritional supplements to further advance weight loss and health benefits

The Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox also includes:

Inspiring testimonials from people who have completed the program (and have now made grain-free eating a way of life)

Exciting new recipes to help get your entire family on board

To join the Detox Challenge:

Step 1

Get the book. And read it (at least the first 5 chapters). Detox Challenge participants should be informed and active in order to get the most out of the challenge and private Facebook group. READING THE WHEAT BELLY DETOX BOOK IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. PLEASE DO NOT PARTICIPATE IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1JqzMea

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/wheatbelly10daygraindetox-bn

Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1KwcFTQ

Or grab the course from Rodale.

https://www.rodaleu.com/courses/wheat-belly-10-day-grain-detox

(The PLATINUM level INCLUDES the book.)

Using the code DETOX saves you $20+ when you checkout.

Step 2

Come join the Private Facebook Group.

http://bit.ly/WheatBelly-PrivateFBGroup

Step 3

Head back to the Private Facebook Group starting Tuesday, August 8th (the day before the official start of the Challenge) and onwards for tips, videos, and discussions to help you get through your detox and reprogram your body for rapid weight loss and health. Dr. Davis will be posting video instructions and answers to your questions.

Need support? Lapsed and want to get back on board? Join the thousands of people who are losing weight and regaining health by following the Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox. Join us if you desire support through the sometimes unpleasant process of wheat/grain detoxification and withdrawal or if you are among those who previously followed the program but lapsed, and now want to get back on board as confidently as possible, this Detox Challenge was made for you.

The post The next Wheat Belly 10-Day Detox Challenge will begin Wednesday August 9th! appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

The next Wheat Belly 10-Day Detox Challenge will begin Wednesday August 8th!

 

The next Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox Challenge is scheduled to start Wednesday, August 8th!

Through my New York Times bestseller, Wheat Belly, millions of people learned how to reverse years of chronic health problems by removing wheat from their daily diets. Now, I have created an easy and accessible 10-Day Detox Program.

The Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox supplies you with carefully designed meal plans and delicious recipes to fully eliminate wheat and related grains in the shortest time possible. Perfect for those who may have fallen off the wagon or for newcomers who need a jump-start for weight loss, this new addition to the Wheat Belly phenomenon guides you through the complete 10-Day Detox experience.

In addition to this quick-start program, I’ll teach you:

How to recognize and reduce wheat-withdrawal symptoms,
How to avoid common landmines that can sabotage success
How to use nutritional supplements to further advance weight loss and health benefits

The Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox also includes:

Inspiring testimonials from people who have completed the program (and have now made grain-free eating a way of life)

Exciting new recipes to help get your entire family on board

To join the Detox Challenge:

Step 1

Get the book. And read it (at least the first 5 chapters). Detox Challenge participants should be informed and active in order to get the most out of the challenge and private Facebook group.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1JqzMea

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/wheatbelly10daygraindetox-bn

Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1KwcFTQ

Or grab the course from Rodale.

https://www.rodaleu.com/courses/wheat-belly-10-day-grain-detox

(The PLATINUM level INCLUDES the book.)

Using the code DETOX saves you $20+ when you checkout.

The post The next Wheat Belly 10-Day Detox Challenge will begin Wednesday August 8th! appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

How Fast Are You Aging?

You have access to an easy test to track, then slow, much of the aging process. You can get your doctor to do the test or you can easily and inexpensively do it on your own.

But don’t expect the doctor to understand what you are doing—he/she will even likely discourage you because they do not understand why/how this test is useful and they don’t generally care about aging or anti-aging because no drugs or procedures are involved.

This is another aspect of the kind of DIY health that I advocate in my book, Undoctored.



About Undoctored:

We are entering a new age in which the individual has astounding power over health–but don’t count on the doctor or healthcare system to tell you this.

We draw from the health information of the world, collaborate, share experiences, collect data, and show how to apply new health tools to achieve levels of health that you may have thought unattainable. We do all this at a time when conventional healthcare costs have become crippling.

The result: personal health that is SUPERIOR to that obtained through conventional means.

Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor

Available in all major bookstores, Costco, Sam’s Club, and Amazon.

The post How Fast Are You Aging? appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

I will be LIVE on the Undoctored Inner Circle Virtual Meetup every Wednesday

I shall be LIVE again on the Undoctored Inner Circle Virtual Meetup on Wednesday August 2nd at 8 pm Eastern/7 pm Central/6 pm Mountain/5 pm Pacific. I would also like to make this time slot a regular Meetup time for every Wednesday.

Let’s discuss the Undoctored program with a specific focus on bowel flora, as this is the most common tripping point on the program. The Virtual Meetup function allows us to meet as a group to discuss issues or questions via live video. In addition to our open discussion, I would like to discuss how the Inner Circle site is going to help fund and build our Undoctored movement, taking us closer to a world in which healthcare is (almost) free.

NOTE: A portion of the Meetup may be recorded for promotional uses. If you do NOT want to have your voice or video shared, please mouse over the left lower corner of your Meetup screen to turn off audio and video input (avatars for a microphone and video camera). I will announce when I am recording and when it is turned off.

(The Undoctored Inner Circle is a paid membership site that includes features such as the live Virtual Meetup, webinars, the Undoctored Health Network video collection, Health Tool Product Reviews, and a Discussion Forum.)

To join, go to the Undoctored Inner Circle and sign in.

The post I will be LIVE on the Undoctored Inner Circle Virtual Meetup every Wednesday appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

The Wheat Belly Guide to Natural Sweeteners

The world of sweeteners can be confusing, as there are many choices.

Making the wrong choice can lead to type 2 diabetes and weight gain, or diarrhea and high blood sugars. But making the right choice can mean enjoying cheesecake or cookies without health problems or weight gain.

Here, I review the 5 natural sweeteners that we use on the Wheat Belly (and now Undoctored) lifestyles.

The post The Wheat Belly Guide to Natural Sweeteners appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Strawberry Cheesecake Pops

Here is another variation on frozen pops to help you enjoy your grain-free summer: Strawberry Cheesecake Pops that taste like a slice of creamy cheesecake.

Despite their wonderful sweet creaminess, each pop provides only 4 grams net carbs, well within safe bounds and will not trigger a rise in blood sugar.

Makes 4

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5 ounces; not “lite”)

4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese

3 tablespoons Virtue Sweetener (or other natural sweetener equivalent to 3/4 cup sugar)

Puree strawberries in food chopper/processor.

In medium saucepan over low-medium heat, combine coconut milk, cream cheese, sweetener and pureed strawberries. Heat until cream cheese melted. Use stick/immersion blender if any chunks remain. Allow to cool.

Pour cooled mixture into molds and freeze for 4-6 hours before serving.

The post Strawberry Cheesecake Pops appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

The ABCs of Wheat Belly Baking

When we divorce ourselves from wheat, we lose the gluten and amylopectins that, when combined with yeast, generate the “rise” that gives wheat bread that light and airy texture, as well its stretchy, or “viscoelastic,” property. It means that we often struggle to create non-wheat breads that rise and are sturdy enough to make sandwich breads or buns.

The rise generated by yeast just means that carbon dioxide (CO2) was generated by the metabolism of carbohydrates (amylopectin and amylose) by yeast, with gluten providing a “scaffold” for capturing CO2 gas. We can also generate CO2 by other means, called “chemical leavening, i.e., generating CO2 gas through a chemical reaction.” (Frankly, I don’t like that term because it sounds like we are doing nasty, chemical things but, as you will see, the reactions to generate CO2 are quite natural and safe.) Most forms of chemical leavening involve the generation of CO2 by reacting an acid with a base. There’s also the process of “mechanical leavening,” using some physical or mechanical means that incorporates air into the mix; whipping with a power or hand mixer is one example.

We start by combining our preferred flours and meals. For example, combine 3 1/2 cups almond flour (or meal) with 1/4 cup coconut flour and 1/4 cup ground golden flaxseed. The end-result will have slightly better structure and cohesiveness compared to using almond flour or other single flour alone. (There is also a Wheat Belly All-Purpose Baking Mix recipe in the Wheat Belly 30-Minute Cookbook. Wheat-Free Market also has a pre-mixed All-Purpose Baking Mix based on the same recipe.) Also, more liberal use of eggs generates better structure and cohesiveness.

But generating sufficient rise is the perennial struggle. Here are the methods that I have found helpful in helping to generate rise in wheat-free baking:

Use acid-base reactions

An easy way to remember this if, for instance, you are experimenting with a new recipe, is to mix your base–-baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate–-into your dry mix (e.g., almond meal/flour, coconut flour, ground golden flaxseed); mix your acid–-citric acid, lemon or lime juice, or vinegar–-into your liquid mix (e.g., egg yolks, coconut milk, water). When you combine dry and liquid mixes, you will see a foaming reaction, representing the reaction of acid with base that generates CO2.

Typical (stoichiometric, for your chemistry-minded readers) proportions to use are:

1 teaspoon baking soda: 1/4 teaspoon citric acid

1 teaspoon baking soda: juice of 1/4-1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon baking soda: 2 teaspoons vinegar

You can even do this more than once. For instance, let’s say you are using lemon juice. Start with a little extra (e.g., 1/2 more teaspoon) baking soda in your dry mix. Proceed with making your wet mix using lemon juice, reserving a bit. Mix wet into dry, then proceed with adding your egg whites (see below). Then add the remaining lemon juice, again causing the foaming CO2-generating reaction to occur.

Whip egg whites

Whipping egg whites represents a form of mechanical leavening and is among the most helpful methods to add lightness and volume. It is usually best to add the egg whites after the acid-base step (above) is completed over 1-2 minutes; this avoids the peculiar ammonia-like smell of “Baker’s ammonia,” the product of a reaction between baking soda and the proteins in egg whites.

Microwaving

If you are using a microwave-safe baking dish, you can increase rise considerably (typically 30% increased volume) by microwaving for 1-2 minutes. The amount of time will vary, depending on the size of dish, the depth of the dough, and the ingredients, so a bit of experimentation may be necessary to generate maximum rise. I usually microwave in 30-second increments. (Yes, I know all about the objections some people raise to the use of a microwave, but have yet to see any actual evidence–not hearsay from Russian sources as much of this is, but actual evidence–) that demonstrates any adverse effect of microwaving.

Use yeast for rise

I’ve discussed the possibility of reintroducing yeast into your grain-free baking in detail elsewhere in another Wheat Belly Blog post. In the Wheat Belly books, I was initially hesitant to include any yeast in our grain-free baking because some of the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (the yeast used in baking) can overlap with that of grains in a few percent of people, especially gastrointestinal allergy. But this is something you can experiment with: Add back yeast and you experience stomach upset, gas, bloating, etc., then yeast is not for you. Add yeast back and you feel fine, then you can likely enjoy adding back the yeasty smell, flavor, and improved rise without issue.

Follow the directions on the bottle or package of yeast, first “proofing” it in water with a small amount (e.g., 1 teaspoon) added sugar to feed the yeast (thereby reducing or eliminating any sugar in your final baked product). The Wheat Belly Blog post about reintroducing yeast also provides a recipe.

Combine methods to maximize rise. It still will not match the dramatic rise seen with the amylopectins and gluten of grains, but you can still obtain a very nice end-result.

The post The ABCs of Wheat Belly Baking appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

Fructose—A wolf in sheep’s clothing

 

While sugar in processed foods comes as sucrose, a 50:50 mix of glucose and fructose, it also comes as the ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup, containing as much as 66 percent fructose. High-fructose corn syrup is the sweetener of choice among manufacturers, whether in low-fat salad dressing or Bloody Mary mix.

Fructose is the source of many of the problems of these sweeteners. Glucose, the same as the glucose of blood sugar, also has adverse consequences (e.g., glycation, glucose modification of proteins, an irreversible process), but fructose has greater potential to wreak havoc. This did not become clear until the processed food industry began loading up on high-fructose corn syrup, an inexpensive, cost-cutting, shelf-stable sweetener, putting fructose in virtually everything while not understanding the consequences, making you the human version of a fat lab rat. And as consumers got used to everything being sweet, it caused them to expect even greater degrees of sweetness, an appetite satisfied by increasing intake of high-fructose corn syrup—a vicious cycle, a feeding frenzy that has kids and adults alike desiring that everything be sweet and rejecting foods they should be eating.

Ironically, fructose was originally billed (and still is) as a problem-free sweetener because it did not raise blood sugar immediately following consumption. It was even thought to be the perfect sweetener for those with diabetes for that same reason. But more recent studies are clear: Fructose raises insulin and blood sugar dramatically, but the effect is delayed by several days (only prolonged monitoring uncovered the delayed effect). By an odd metabolic twist, liver processing of fructose causes an increase of triglycerides, which, in turn, triggers distortions in all other lipoproteins (fat-carrying proteins) in the bloodstream converting, for instance, large and benign LDL particles into small and heart disease–causing LDL particles. This means that fructose increases the particles in the bloodstream that lead to heart disease (despite fructose being a major ingredient in many “heart healthy” products, such as low-fat yogurt). Fructose also increases visceral fat, blood pressure, levels of uric acid (that lead to gout and heart disease), and inflammation, and it contributes to a condition called fatty liver.

So, whatever you do, don’t be tricked by claims of “low-glycemic index.” Fructose follows a different set of rules. Ingested as, say, the high-fructose corn syrup in a soft drink, ketchup or low-fat yogurt, it provokes the glycation reaction even without raising blood sugar, a stealth reaction that is difficult to detect. Even without the immediate rise in blood sugar, fructation—glycation by fructose—is eight to tenfold worse than glycation by glucose. And as with glucose-induced glycation, it is also irreversible.

In short, fructose is a lot worse than it initially appeared. Consuming it at the rate most people are consuming it—whether as sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, other sweeteners, or even excessive quantities of fruit—is a death trap, a spinoff of the effort to reduce dietary fat that provoked a carbohydrate feeding frenzy.

Remember, any time blood sugar rises above normal, glycation occurs at an accelerated rate. What foods raise blood sugar the most, triggering the greatest degree of glycation? Grains and sugar. Fat-free and low-fat foods often contain high-fructose corn sugar. Gluten-free foods made with cornstarch, tapioca starch, potato starch, and rice flour are guilty of the same.

The Undoctored and Wheat Belly solution is to stop overstimulating the processes of glycation or fructation in the first place by eliminating, or at least managing, all the foods that are responsible for these reactions. We must aim to minimize fructose exposure to what is found naturally in fruit. Removing the appetite stimulating effects of wheat and grains via gliadin-derived opiates also will help bring the feeding frenzy of sugar in all its various forms to a halt.

The post Fructose—A wolf in sheep’s clothing appeared first on Dr. William Davis.

High-fructose corn syrup— a wolf in sheep’s clothing

While sugar in processed foods comes as sucrose, a 50:50 mix of glucose and fructose, it also comes as the ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup, containing as much as 66 percent fructose. High-fructose corn syrup is the sweetener of choice among manufacturers, whether in low-fat salad dressing or Bloody Mary mix.

Fructose is the source of many of the problems of these sweeteners. Glucose, the same as the glucose of blood sugar, also has adverse consequences, but fructose has greater potential to wreak havoc. This did not become clear until the processed food industry began loading up on high-fructose corn syrup, an inexpensive, cost-cutting, shelf-stable sweetener, putting it in virtually everything while not understanding the consequences, making you the human version of a fat lab rat. And as consumers got used to everything being sweet, it caused them to expect even greater degrees of sweetness, an appetite satisfied by increasing intake of high-fructose corn syrup—a vicious cycle, a feeding frenzy that has kids and adults alike desiring that everything be sweet and rejecting foods they should be eating.

Ironically, fructose was originally billed (and still is) as a problem-free sweetener because it did not raise blood sugar immediately following consumption. It was even thought to be the perfect sweetener for those with diabetes for that same reason. But more recent studies are clear: Fructose raises insulin and blood sugar dramatically, but the effect is delayed by several days (only prolonged monitoring uncovered the delayed effect). By an odd metabolic twist, liver processing of fructose causes an increase of triglycerides, which, in turn, triggers distortions in all other lipoproteins (fat-carrying proteins) in the bloodstream converting, for instance, large and benign LDL particles into small and heart disease–causing LDL particles. This means that fructose increases the particles in the bloodstream that lead to heart disease (despite fructose being a major ingredient in many “heart healthy” products, such as low-fat yogurt). Fructose also increases visceral fat, blood pressure, levels of uric acid (that lead to gout and heart disease), and inflammation, and it contributes to a condition called fatty liver.

So, whatever you do, don’t be tricked by claims of “low-glycemic index.” Fructose follows a different set of rules. Ingested as, say, the high-fructose corn syrup in a soft drink, ketchup or low-fat yogurt, it provokes the glycation reaction even without raising blood sugar, a stealth reaction that is difficult to detect. Even without the immediate rise in blood sugar, fructation—glycation by fructose—is eight to tenfold worse than glycation by glucose. And as with glucose-induced glycation, it is also irreversible.

In short, fructose is a lot worse than it initially appeared. Consuming it at the rate most people are consuming it—whether as sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, other sweeteners, or even excessive quantities of fruit—is a death trap, a spinoff of the effort to reduce dietary fat that provoked a carbohydrate feeding frenzy.

Remember, any time blood sugar rises above normal, glycation occurs at an accelerated rate. What foods raise blood sugar the most, triggering the greatest degree of glycation? Grains and sugar. Fat-free and low-fat foods often contain high-fructose corn sugar. Gluten-free foods made with cornstarch, tapioca starch, potato starch, and rice flour are guilty of the same.

The Undoctored and Wheat Belly solution is to stop overstimulating the processes of glycation or fructation in the first place by eliminating, or at least managing, all the foods that are responsible for these reactions. We must aim to minimize fructose exposure to what is found naturally in fruit. Removing the appetite stimulating effects of wheat and grains via gliadin-derived opiates also will help bring the feeding frenzy of sugar in all its various forms to a halt.

The post High-fructose corn syrup— a wolf in sheep’s clothing appeared first on Dr. William Davis.