I think it's kind of funny sometimes reading low-carb forums and recipe sites.

It's incredible how much time they spend on inventing all sorts of "gluten-free" or "low-carb" cakes, muffins, pancakes and all sorts of stuff that definitely doesn't look healthy even though it might technically be "gluten-free or low-carb".

These things surely aren't the real, wholesome foods that we need to be healthy. Like you say, good as rare indulgences though.

This is spot-on.

What are your latest thoughts on Einkorn flour?

I think the paleo/primal people have it right - remove all grains and processed foods.

Don't substitute a SAD for a GF SAD.

I started to heal when I removed gluten, but doing even better grain free and sugar free.

When i read the ingredients of a shampoo and hair styling products i saw wheat protein. Is this safe applying to my hair?

I started a Paleo/Primal version of tastespotting and while most people have submitted Paleo friendly recipes, I was really surprised at how many recipes we have had to reject because they were Paleo or Primal remakes of some kind of dessert or bread.

Hi, Kris--

I agree. A return to real, whole food is the right path.

Interestingly, I was recently strongly encouraged by an editor of a forthcoming book I'm working on to develop wheat-free, low-carb recipes. I also walked down this path, having to develop recipes that mimicked wheat-containing dishes.

After a 3-month exercise in cooking, cooking again, with several disasters along the way, I continue to believe that these wheat-free, low-carb dishes like "breads" and "muffins" are, at best, meant to be occasional indulgences.


Hi, Tuck-

Thanks.


Hi, Vick--

I continue to believe that einkorn is an interesting replacement for wheat for some, but not all, people.

It raises the question: Are humans meant to consume wheat at all, regardless of form? I believe that most people can get away with occasional consumption of einkorn, but that the majority of people cannot safely consume modern dwarf Triticum aestivum.

I classify einkorn not too far from gluten-free foods: it lacks many of the immunogenic properties of modern wheat, but it still a carbohydrate.

Ideally, I continue to believe that the ideal diet is something close to what Anne is articulating.

Doctor,
How often is "now and then"?

Personally, I eat a one or two small bread rolls on the Sabbath and that's the extent of my wheat consumption.  Does that count as "now and then"?

There are recipes for flax bread made from flax seed meal. Here is one example --
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/breads/r/flaxbasicfoc.htm

I started using Coconut or Almond flour for the occasional dessert type dish with excellent results.

Problems though with making a sauce since there isn't a real substitute that thickens correctly. I rely more on home made-legal marinades for flavor.  

Now that I have been grain free since May, I find any exposure will cause intense illness that lasts for hours.

Hi, Ari--

Provided you have no abnormal celiac markers to wheat, occasional consumption likely has no adverse consequences beyond the "re-exposure syndromes" of gastrointestinal distress, asthma, joint paints/arthralgias, and transient behavioral effects.

There is no threshold to stay below except to individualize your exposure tolerance by such things as blood glucose control, expression of small LDL, triglycerides, etc. Most people can get away with one a month or so exposure.

Long time "listener" first time "caller". Dr. Davis, thank you so very much for all the info you provide here. I am a 42 yr old 4th generation Type 2 diabetic. Six months ago I largely gave up wheat (still have pizza on occasion) and it is the ONLY thing that has EVER dropped my A1c since diagnosis 7 years ago - despite adding medications, etc. It dropped from 6.9 to 6.6. I am currently under an endo's care and am shooting for 6.0 with some tweaking and fine-tuning. As a younger diabetic, I plan to live a long life with this disease so good control is vital to me.

I also wanted to thank you for the info on Vit D. I requested that test and found out I'm deficient - at 20 and 28 is the cutoff to normal. I know now that I had some pretty major symptoms of a deficiency - odd muscle pains, unexplained bone pain around January every year, etc. Not a huge surprise I'm deficient since I live in South Dakota and now coat myself in sunscreen thanks to basal cell carcinoma. My GP wanted me on the VitD2 horse pills to correct the deficiency but I refused. I raised it 8 points in 4 weeks by taking 1000iu/day of Vit D3 gelcaps (I metabolize meds extremely quickly so started small). Nobody could believe it. I did I am taking 2000iu/day now and shooting for a much higher, normal number.

Heart disease is the cancer in both sides of my family so your blog is a Godsend to me. Thank you so very much for the information you provide on this blog.

How do you feel about arrowroot as a thickener to replace cornstarch, etc.?

Hi doc

I have vit d level of 16 but blood calcium of 10. How much milk can i drink daily and what should be my starting dose for vit d

Prachi: Try
D3(IU) = Weight(lbs) * 40
For example, a 150 lb person would take 6000IU D3 per day. Works well for many people.

I have heard from others (on Dr. Bernstein's diabetes discussion forum) that Konjac flour works well as a thickener, without affecting blood glucose levels.

Hi,Jeanne--

Way too much carbohydrate in arrowroot.

Shottle makes a good suggestion: konjac root, similar to that used to make shirataki noodles.

I've got a question..it's not really germane to the blog post but here goes:  I've given up grains, only using natural organic products when possible, take CLO, and a myriad of vitamins including magnesium and all the rest.  I just started taking MK-7 about a week ago and noticed within 24 hours my blood pressure dropped substantially, my energy surged, and my mood has increased a ton.  Can I attribute this to the MK-7 or am I just experiencing a quasi-manic / placebo effect state?

Dr. Davis:

I see einkorn as a great choice when you feel you have a need for that slice of bread or waffle.  When you slip and feel you need a grain... choose einkorn.

I make a small loaf of bread that is sliced and then frozen.  It lasts my wife and I a minimum of 2 weeks.  

We treat as a good choice when we are going to fall off the wagon.

Hi Dr.D,
In your reply to Ari, you mention "re-exposure" syndromes. IMHO, these represent gluten or wheat intolerance and certainly excludes gluten in those testing positive for celiac.
However, even in the non-celiac gluten sensitive population, new studies show damage occuring to joints, increased risks of lymphoma,neurological changes, just as if the person was diagnosed celiac.

Cutting edge wisdom believes if you have any symptoms or re-exposure symptoms you should eliminate it before you either : 1. become celiac 2. develop an autoimmune disease, or 3. neurological damage.

BTW, I agree wholeheartedly with avoiding the gluten free food traps. SO many fall headfirst into them.

More people from the Celiac sites should read this post.

I've found this to be a highly pertinent article for me, gluten-free for four and a half months now. We recently got a new supermarket in town with a big gluten-free section, and bless their hearts, I had several friends tell me about it.

But going there and reading the labels reveals they are very high in sugar and starch; so as a happy low carber, they do me no good at all!

I've gotten a new mixer and am exploring the many ways of Rev Rolls, instead.

Tried to go wheat-free several times, but the withdrawls including insomnia, constipation, head buzz and brain fog, were hell and I gave up. Each time I ate gluten-free breads. Has anyone else experienced this?

I saw lots of people who are getting better after how many days because of gluten free diet and even sugar free. Most people are following the most recommended diet and its gluten free and dairy free.

I agree with the need for some sort of unbiased but brand/manufacturer-oriented guidance.  I guess my question would be, if this content is not based on your specific experience, what criteria would you apply to determine how to assure some level of credibility?  With advertising, the criteria is generally willingness to pay the price of the advertising.  If you want to maintain higher standards than that, won't it require someone with either understanding or technical expertise or direct experience to assess whether the producer is credible and trustworthy?

As it stands, I am looking for someone whose opinion I can trust regarding which supplement suppliers to turn to.  I have been impressed and surprised by the degree of your willingness to tell it the way you see it, including naming names of product manufacturers that you have found to supply products that seem to work for your patient population.  I hope you'll keep that up no matter what.  And I'm interested in how this idea develops.

Thanks for the helpful thoughts.

I wonder if a user comment method would work. In other words, say a product manufacturer makes a claim and sells their product to you (Track Your Plaque would not sell it), there will be comments from people who have tried the product and their supplier before.

Such a system would not be as certain as providing our own stamp of endorsement (which we could still do, of course), but it would encourage an open conversation. Hopefully, any undesirable products would be rapidly identified as such.

My concern is that, with hundreds or thousands of products out there, we end up saying "We've never tried it" all too often.

Dr. Davis for as much time and effort that is put in the TYP program, why not i'am sure the snake oil salesman would not want his product under the gun like people on this progran would do, frank discussions on supplements is not a bad thing as a example i'am the person who asked you about PGX fiber, its called WellBeX and is marketed by Natural Factors, one more example would be i use a insulin mimetic R-alpha lipoic acid with biotin (also a very good antioxidant) i can buy the brand name Insulow or i can use a different brand (Glucophase),for less money that does the same thing, being a type 2 i test all of the time and sometimes go days eating the same thing at the same time i know that i can get between 10 and 12 points with either one.  i know their are a lot of supplements but we only talk about a few, and like i said before why not, my biggest concern on buying supplements are they selling what they say they are selling or is it different item that will not work, or is made up with a different material than is is advertized. why not get some add revenue, their are good products out their, Upsher-Smith Slo Niacin, Endurance's Endur-acin SR both are good nicotinic Acid products, Insulow makes a good product, one more example would be the Vitamin Shoppe sells a  good Vitamin D softgel under their store brand this is a good product, but they also sell under their store brand a no flush Niacin in their heart supplement area , this product is worthless for the TYP program, I would say start with the products, that we know, and expand a little at a time, also how about Direct access testing for blood work, i use Lab Corp to get my NMR lipoprofile i'am sure that their are others full speed ahead, I think increased revenue could have some good outcomes
Eugene

Great thoughts.

I think, if and when we proceed with such a process, that we:

1) Have some sort of checklist for approval of quality, price, availability, purity, etc. and provide our stamp of approval.

2) Convey our comments in addition to info provided by the manufacturer or distributor.

3) Permit all the Track Your Plaque participants to leave their own comments, much like Amazon does with books.

A record holder in plaque reduction has now been acheived.  What brand of supplements was the member using? What brand of fish oil? This is when a recommendation would be welcomed!!

Nothing magical: He used Sam's Club fish oil.