I would like to know more about a gluten free diet. I know for those who are gluten intolerant it is important but

I wonder if it is truly helpful for those of us

who are not

or if it is just the trend right now.

Thank you for sharing this, Heidi!

In my experience - whole foods work best for me.

Our bodies function best with whole unprocessed foods as opposed to processed foods.

Gluten is composed of two types of proteins, called gliadin and glutenin, which bind to each other to form a network that supports dough and allows bread to rise.

The liver has to work harder to process anything that isn't close to its natural state.

It stands to reason that relying on fractured foods for your nutrition needs confuses our digestive system.

I add in a small portion of grains along with plenty of veggies, a protein, and healthy fat to give me the best sources of fuel for my body.

Whole slow cooking grains because they deliver lasting energy and satiate me much longer. Whereas quick cooking grains have been stripped of nutrients which requires less cooking time.

To me it's a choice, do I want to spend a little extra time preparing my meal or waste time looking for the next snack between meals?

In this country wheat has become hard on the digestive system due to them being sprayed with toxic chemical pesticides/herbicides.

These chemicals when eaten settle in our digestive tract and can cause health issues and many health practitioners believe this is why so many have become sensitive to wheat products.

I add a whole grain to at least two meals per day along with plenty of greens and vegetables. This means whole grains which include - brown rice, oatmeal, millet, quinoa, etc.

Any food that is fractured (meaning stripped of nutrients or had chemicals added)

is not a whole food.

If it says "gluten free" on the packaging it has been processed and altered in most cases.

Personally, my digestive system would react to packaged gluten free labeled products as much as it did to wheat products and

that got me thinking.

Simplify

Ignore the gluten free labeling confusion and focus on real whole slow cooking grains such as quinoa (actually a seed), whole brown rice (my favorite), wild rice (actually a grass), millet, oats, amaranth and corn (be sure to choose organic or non GMO corn sources).

And to add variety you may add in a starchy vegetable in place of a grain which also gives you lasting energy and satiates you longer such as

root veggies; squash, beets, parsnips, including potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Peas and lentils are great to sub for a whole grain too and of course are packed with protein.

I would love to hear your experience with going gluten free naturally.