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Separating the Wheat from the Chaff: Exposing the
detrimental impact of grains on human health: A
nutritional and evolutionary perspective
Abstract
Human
genetics and diets, containing animal protein, fats,
wild plants and fruits, co-evolved over the course
of nearly 2 million years by environmental selective
pressures. Only in the last few thousand years have
humans been consuming grains with any regularity.
Grains are now heavily used in most every human
diet. This profound dietary departure represents an
environmental-genetic discordance. Our reliance on
grains has occurred too recently on an evolutionary
time-scale for our genetic code to adapt to such a
fundamental change, and thus, health has suffered.
Archaeological records clearly display a decline in
human health as grain use emerged and replaced other
foods. A look at societies consuming the diets of
ancient pre-agricultural ancestors reveals superior
immunity to infections, chronic disease and mental
illness compared to modernized cultures. The
invention of mechanized grain mills and automated
sifting devices in the latter part of the 19th
century further exacerbated the human health
condition by altering the nutritional
characteristics of grain.
Cereal
grains contain a number of anti-nutrients that
contribute to health problems such as impaired
mineral absorption, digestive dysfunction, leaky
gut, inflammation, and cancer. As many as 1 in 133
people in the US are also intolerant to gluten
grains. Gluten causes immunological reactions
impairing intestinal function and initiating
autoimmune dysfunction in other organ tissues.
Gluten grains are also implicated in contributing to
psychiatric and medical disorders, such as
schizophrenia, autistic spectrum and attention
deficit disorder (ADD). There is ample evidence to
support that grains are not optimal human foods.
Traditional wisdom demonstrates that fermented
grains are better tolerated, and in some
individuals, can supplement the diet without adverse
effects when whole foods rich in protein and healthy
fats are regularly consumed.
Copyright
©
2006 Noël Thomas, ND |
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Separating the Wheat from the Chaff,
62 pages, 152 references, 8 ½ x 11,
vinyl front and back, spiral bound
$20.00 |
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