The wheat-free life

30. June 2007 William Davis (10)
"There's nothing else I can do with my diet," declared Whitney, a 53-year old university faculty member.

"I don't eat meat. I never eat fried foods. I can't remember the last time I used butter. My idea of having a treat is a handful of blueberries. What else can I do?"

Whitney was clearly frustrated. With a CT heart scan score of 264, she was worried that trouble was just around the corner. Her lipoprotein panel had demonstrated a severe small LDL pattern, with 70% of all LDL particles in the small category. HDL was also low at 41 mg/dl.

"What did you eat for breakfast?" I asked.

"Same as always: Either Fiber One cereal or Shredded Wheat. No sugar, just skim milk. Sometimes I have some orange juice, fresh-squeezed of course."

"How about lunch?"

"If I brown-bag it, I'll usually have a reduced-fat turkey breast sandwich on whole grain bread. About once a week, I'll have a whole wheat bagel--no cream cheese, of course."

"Dinner?"

"Sometimes I have chicken--skinless--with a vegetable, corn, or salad. I love pasta, but I always use whole wheat."

"How about snacks?"

"I try not to snack. But, when I'm desperate, I usually grab some Triscuits or pretzels."

The problem with Whitney's diet was clear: Too many sugar-equivalents, otherwise known as wheat. I suggested that her diet was far too heavily laden with wheat products. She seemed skeptical. "But this is as low-fat as I can get! Now you're going to take away wheat?"



What happens when you eliminate wheat from your diet?

Several predictable, consistent changes can be observed:


--HDL cholesterol goes up.

--Triglycerides go down.

--Small LDL particles are reduced.

--LDL cholesterol drops (the amount dropped depends on the proportion of small LDL pattern)

--Blood sugar drops.

--Blood pressure drops.

--C-reactive protein (an index of imperceptible inflammation) drops.


In addition to these measurable changes, several perceptible improvements often develop: more energy, less afternoon "slump," better sleep, sometimes less rashes.

Since Whitney was skeptical, I suggested a simple 4 week "experiment": Eliminate wheat products entirely for 4 weeks and see for herself what happens. I also warned her that, while I believe that elimination of wheat is a great strategy, she could negate the benefits by indulging in candy, soft drinks, and other junk products. It would therefore be necessary to maintain an otherwise healthy diet.

So Whitney gave it a try for 4 weeks. To make up for the dropped calories, she increased her reliance on vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils.

After losing 6 lbs over the 4 weeks without otherwise trying, she was convinced. She was further convinced when we reassessed her laboratory work: HDL went up 10 mg/dl; triglycerides down 120 mg/dl; blood sugar dropped from 112 mg/dl (pre-diabetic) to 95 mg/dl (normal). Several months later, we checked her lipoproteins. Small LDL had dropped to around 30% of total LDL--a big improvement.

It's contrary to conventional wisdom. It's counter to the USDA Food Pyramid. It's certainly not what the American Heart Association says. It could potentially disrupt the economics and politics of the enormously powerful food industry.

But, more often than not, the results are impressive to phenomenal.
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Comments (10) -

  • Darwin

    6/30/2007 8:00:00 PM |

    Saw this in my RSS reader.  Are they correct, and if so, can you recommend any other non-wheat whole grains we should consume?

  • Dr. Davis

    6/30/2007 9:52:00 PM |

    "Your arteries are happy when you eat whole grains" is patent nonsense, imy view. There are indeed subgroups of people who can do fine eating whole grains, but the majority of people do miserably.

    Oats and flaxseed are the only grains that I would recommend. Otherwise, more than sufficient fiber and nutrients come from vegetables, fruit, and raw nuts and seeds.

  • JT

    7/1/2007 12:44:00 AM |

    Avoiding wheat is something I'm familiar with.  I never thought I'd be on a wheat free diet for heart health though.  Having had a sever intestinal problem for most of my  life, gastrologists have prescribed a gluten free (wheat, barely, rye free) diet many many times.  

    Being on a wheat free diet is easier today than in the past.  That's because it used to be believed that celiac sprue was a rare condition, with possibly 1 in 3000 having the condition.  Now with DNA testing it has been found that as many as 1 in 100 have the condition.  Happly, food processors have noticed, and label more foods as being gluten free.    

    It used to be believed that only thin people with diarrhea had celiac, but now it is known that over weight constipated patients can have the genetic condition too.  This has led to some to suggest that celiac might be one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in America.  

    I've read that celiacs are much more likely to have heart disease compared to the general public.  So reading this bog makes me wonder if those that do much better on a wheat free diet for heart health could also be undiagnosed celiac.

  • Darwin

    7/1/2007 5:02:00 AM |

    Thanks Dr. Davis.  I really appreciate your advice and your blogging.

  • Ortcloud

    7/1/2007 11:53:00 PM |

    regarding the article

    "Your arteries are happy when you eat whole grains"

    It is odd that they dont say  compared to what ? compare to no wheat ? compared to refined wheat ?

    It is all relative, so maybe they are comparing refined grains, compared to whole grains ? They leave that out. Maybe on purpose as  an intententional form of manipulation to imply that eating grains is healthy.

    It would be like saying "organic mercury is healthy for you" when they compare it to methyl mercury, but leaving out the part about the methyl mercury. Both are extremely toxic, but someone reading it might think the less evil form is healthy for you. Pure deception.

  • Anne

    7/2/2007 11:51:00 PM |

    I have been gluten free for the past 4 years. I had heart bypass 7 years ago. Before I went gluten free I was having pitting edema in my legs, fatigued and shortness of breath. I stopped eating gluten and those symptoms, along with many others. disappeared. In fact, I feel my best when I stay away from all grains - especially processed grains.

    I don't know how happy my arteries are now, but I am much happier. I think they are too.

  • jpatti

    10/6/2007 8:55:00 AM |

    The article on whole grains is typical of how I see this terms used.  Some studies show that a diet in whole grains is healthier than a diet in refined grains (never mind they can't compare to vegetables).

    First thing I notice on that page is a picture of a bowl of cereal, looks like flaked wheat.  Does anyone even KNOW that the word "whole" means?  

    You cannot take a flaked wheat out in the yard and plant it and have it grow.  This is cause it's not a whole grain.  Everyone does this silliness, the AHA, the ADA, etc.  

    General Mills would freak out if people REALLY started eating wheat berries instead of Cheerios.

  • jpatti

    10/6/2007 8:57:00 AM |

    Besides oats and flaxseeds, barley is a very good grain too.

  • Anonymous

    3/27/2010 6:58:10 PM |

    about 1950, the drug lords made it practically illegal in the usa for doctors to learn about, study, and use (and tell people about) vitamin c which did, does and will prevent heart disease. big pharma so much prefers profit to health, they will simply let millions die if it means more $$$ for them.  See a spanish document translated by google for the verification, et al such as m.salaman and max gerson and linus pauling. signed jeff elohim

  • buy jeans

    11/2/2010 8:54:59 PM |

    It's contrary to conventional wisdom. It's counter to the USDA Food Pyramid. It's certainly not what the American Heart Association says. It could potentially disrupt the economics and politics of the enormously powerful food industry.

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Wheat-free and weight loss

Wheat-free and weight loss

13. October 2007 William Davis (14)
With a heart scan score of 1222, Leslie could be in deep trouble in short order.

At 64 years old, Leslie had gained nearly 40 lbs since she'd given up a lot of her activities caring for a husband who'd developed psychological difficulties and stopped contributing to the household duties. A tall woman at 5 ft 9 inches, she held her 202 lbs well, but her lipoprotein patterns were a disaster:

--LDL particle number 2482 nmol/l--an equivalent LDL cholesterol of 248 mg/dl (drop the last digit)
--HDL 38 mg/dl
--Triglycerides 241 mg/dl
--90% of LDL particles were small
--Lipoprotein(a) 240 nmol/l

Blood sugar was in the pre-diabetic range at 112 mg/dl, C-reactive protein was high at 3.0 mg/l, blood pressure was somewhat high at 140/84.

Now, with the exception of lipoprotein(a), these patterns are exquisitely weight-sensitive. A reduction in weight would yield effects superior to any medication I could give her.

Processed wheat products were a big problem for Leslie: whole wheat bread, pretzels for snacks, whole wheat pasta. Yes, they sound healthy, even endorsed by the American Heart Association, often bearing "heart healthy" labels on the packages. Don't you believe it.

In particular, Leslie had the number one cause for heart disease in America: small LDL particles, a pattern that is magnified 30-70% by wheat products. Endorsed by the Heart Association? (As I often tell people, if you want heart disease, follow the diet advocated by the American Heart Association.)

Leslie was skeptical, worried that she would be hungry all the time and would have virtually nothing left to eat. Instead, when she returned to the office three months later, she reported that eating was easy, finding healthy foods not containing wheat was easier than she thought, she felt great, finding more energy than she'd had in years.

She'd also shed 30 lbs.

Leslie's lipoprotein patterns also reflected the weight loss. She achieved her 60:60:60 Track Your Plaque lipid targets, small LDL shrunk dramatically, blood sugar and blood pressure were back in normal ranges.

I see results like Leslie's several times every week. For those of us with patterns like Leslie's, or just obesity that accumulates in the abdomen, going wheat-free is among the most powerful single strategies I know of.

If you need convincing, try an experiment. Eliminate--not reduce, but eliminate wheat products from your diet, whether or not the fancy label on the package says it's healthy, high in fiber, a "healthy low-fat snack", etc. This means no bread, pasta, crackers, cookies, breads, chips, pancakes, waffles, breading on chicken, rolls, bagels, cakes, breakfast cereal. I find elimination of wheat easier than just cutting back. I believe this is because wheat is powerfully addictive. It's very similar to telling an alcoholic that a drink now and then is okay--it just doesn't work. They need to be alcohol-free. Most of us need to be wheat-free, not just cut back.

You won't be hungry if you replace the lost calories with plenty of raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds; more liberal use of healthy olive oil, canola oil and flaxseed oil; adding ground flaxseed and oat bran to yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.; and more lean proteins like lean beef, chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs.

The majority of people who go wheat-free lose weight, sometimes dramatically. Most people also feel better: more energy, more alert, better sleep, less mood swings. Time and again, people who try this will tell me that the daytime grogginess they've suffered and lived with for years, and would treat with loads of caffeine, is suddenly gone. They cruise through their day with extra energy.

Even without weight loss, going wheat-free usually raises HDL, reduces the dreaded small LDL dramtically. It also reduces triglycerides, blood sugar, C-reactive protein, blood pressure. Blood sugar control in diabetics is far easier, with less fluctuations and sharp rises in blood sugar.

Success at this also yields great advantage for your heart scan score control and reversal efforts.
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Comments (14) -

  • Anne

    10/13/2007 3:49:00 PM |

    I was overweight by only about 15lbs and I was having pitting edema in my legs and shortness of breath. My cardiologist and I were discussing the possible need of an angiogram. I was three years out from heart bypass surgery.

    Before we could schedule the procedure, I tested positive for gluten sensitivity through www.enterolab.com. I eliminated not only wheat but also barley and rye and oats(very contaminated with wheat) from my diet. Within a few weeks my edema was gone, my energy was up and I was no longer short of breath. I lost about 10 lbs. The main reason I gave up gluten was to see if I could stop the progression of my peripheral neuropathy. Getting off wheat and other gluten grains has given me back my life. I have been gluten free for 4 years and feel younger than I have in many years.

    There are many gluten free processed foods, but I have found I feel my best when I stick with whole foods.

  • wccaguy

    10/13/2007 4:13:00 PM |

    Hey Doc,

    How is it that you're always making posts about subjects I've got questions about?

    About wheat...  I've got weight to lose and I've been doing a low carb thing and have lost 12 pounds in 5 weeks (including a week where I cheated for an event and got thrown off for a few days).  By the way, thanks for turning me on to Jimmy Moore.

    There are some low-carb breads out there.  I picked up a loaf ("Rudy's") last night at the local Whole Foods.  It has 5 net carbs per slice.  Not bad for a twice a week binge.  But now I'm wondering if, despite the low carbs, the wheat content in the bread will be out to get me.

    Thoughts?

    Thanks again as always!!!

  • Anonymous

    10/14/2007 12:37:00 AM |

    Dr. Davis:  Do you concentrate on wheat because it is the most prevalent grain, or should we get all grains out of our lives?  

    I have lost weight since I got most wheat out of my life, but I could still stand to shed a few more pounds.  I am still eating steel cut oats for breakfast on occasion, as well as teff (an Ethiopian grain) with spiced lentils.  Should I get every grain out of my life?

    And what about carbs from fruit - are they just as bad as grains? I'm eating 3-4 fruits a day -- not the high glycemic stuff -- but carbs nevertheless (apples, plums, berries, grapefruit).

  • Dr. Davis

    10/14/2007 2:07:00 AM |

    I believe that the intensity of your efforts depends on how far you've got to go in weight loss. For full effect, I've found--time and again--that full elimination is most effective.

  • Dr. Davis

    10/14/2007 2:11:00 AM |

    The low-carb strategy is a tool for weight loss, not necessarily for health beyond weight loss effects.

    Fruits are part of a healthy diet that, I believe, should only be eliminated if you are employing a low-carb strategy for weight loss.  

    I'm undecided how far we need to go with the entire grain world. I have had good experiences with oats and flax. Unfortunately, I have no experience with teff. Wheat is th ebiggest problem by a enormous margin.

  • Anonymous

    10/15/2007 2:47:00 AM |

    hello again- can you talk about calcium - vit. D and men.
    I am a 51 year old man and have heard that calcium/vit D are good for weight loss and health. But also have read that calcium/dairy is associated with a prostate cancer. How much is too much?
    Thanks!

  • Dr. Davis

    10/15/2007 12:40:00 PM |

    Sorry, I have never heard of any association with calcium and prostate cancer. However, this Blog and the accompanying website focus on heart disease, for which vitamin D is fabulously effective, in my view.

    For more discussion, see both the multiple blog posts on vitamin D, along with extensive reports on the www.trackyourplaque.com websites.

  • G

    11/15/2007 4:33:00 AM |

    Low carb is associated with slowing prostate cancer growth... *hot off the press!*

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20071114/hl_hsn/lowcarbdietmayslowprostatetumorgrowth;_ylt=AqKywxO4nIE22JRYZeq0O53VJRIF

  • Anonymous

    7/3/2009 8:30:12 AM |

    This blog have helpful content and information. Is there any formula to control diet and keep muscle tone with fitness? For more log on
    Personal Trainer- www.just4ufit.com

  • health

    7/21/2009 11:51:09 AM |

    Hello Dr,

    wow some really good solid inforamtion there, i hope you don't mind I took severalnotes to share with my family over dinner.. I might add if i may that coconut oil is a good health resource, it consists of short and medium chain fatty acids and be re-used a couple of times

  • Weight Loss News

    7/25/2009 9:53:11 AM |

    Hi Dr,

    wow thanks for sharing this powerful info with people, I thought the some of the foods stuffs you mentioned with wheat in them were actually good for you... perhaps in moderation or.... should it be cut out all together?

  • Jennifer

    2/27/2010 5:10:27 PM |

    I've tried various low-carb, low-calorie, and low-fat diets for the past couple of years. Although the Atkins diet is very popular, it made me feel somewhat unhealthy.
    The diet plan I'm on right now is the Medifast Diet. The caloric intake is roughly 800-1000 calories. However, it doesn't make my body feel weak. It is a bit of a pricey diet, but there are plenty of coupons available on the internet (i.e. http://www.swoopup.com/stores/deals/Medifast-Diet). You should never pay full price.
    My advice is just choose a diet plan which your body reacts positively to. No one knows your body better than you do!

  • buy jeans

    11/3/2010 6:59:31 PM |

    Processed wheat products were a big problem for Leslie: whole wheat bread, pretzels for snacks, whole wheat pasta. Yes, they sound healthy, even endorsed by the American Heart Association, often bearing "heart healthy" labels on the packages. Don't you believe it.

  • weight loss

    1/15/2011 1:18:36 AM |

    Wheat free diet is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. I am using that kind of method for over a year now and it gives me an amazing result.

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