How about acupuncture and chinese medicine? Anecdotally, they will be able to help you through monitored use of chinese herbs and acupuncture.

I'd also like to add that if one can't get good thyroid care inside an HMO network or "universal" healthcare system, it can be money well spent to go "outside" the system  for private care.  Granted, paying for non-reimbursable care isn't cheap and one has to do a lot of investigating to make sure one isn't paying for more of the same inadequate care (or worse care).  But I think too many people who can afford to pay for private care suffer needlessly by doggedly sticking to inadequate care because alternatives cause a financial dent.  But in the long run, if one can find good care even though there is added expense, it can save a tremendous amount of suffering, as well as saving money.

When I was seeing a thyroid doc out of my HMO network, I was still able to get my lab work done by the HMO approved lab  and covered by my HMO insurance (the lab faxed the results to the out-of state doc without question), though the results did go into the computerized file at my HMO network, so was visible to any HMO doc.  And my HMO insurance Rx plan covered the conventional meds prescribed by the out-of-network doc without question (but not the compounded Rx).  Yes, it cost me a few hundred dollars a year to see the doc once year, a few telephone consults, and the non-covered compounded Rx, but it well worth it.  I was finally feeling and functioning better.

And when I went back to my HMO eventually (mostly because of travel scheduling difficulties in seeing the out-of-state doc), I was in a better position to make a case for similar care with the HMO endo (I told him flat out I'd had trouble getting good thyroid care from primary care physicians in the HMO and so went "private" for a couple years, but wanted to find someone local in the HMO for convenience) .  He doesn't do compounded Rx, and typically prescribes only Synthroid, but he accepted that I prefered T3 with the T4 (and he "accepted" the "odd" way I adjust my T4 dose with different amounts of 50 mcg Levoxyl on different days to get an overall weekly dose that works - the 50 mcg tablet has no dyes added and he accepted that I preferred Levoxyl over Synthroid).  So for the first time with the HMO system, I feel my thyroid care is more of a team effort that includes my input, instead of being at the mercy of whatever is dished out to me.  And if the situation changes, I will promptly go outside the HMO again.

I would also suggest using the Armour site to look for prescriber's.  Their site has a little 'doctor finder' feature.

It doesn't mean they'll necessarily treat you, but they tend to be more open-minded that doctors who prescribe Synthroid only.

Most doctors won't use body temperature as a guide, by the way. And most won't treat Hashimoto's unless your TSH is >5. I know it's wrong, but that's how it is.

Supplementing iodine may be helpful, unless you do have Hashimoto's, then it could make it worse (so you know). But you won't know you have Hashimoto's until you get your thyroid antibodies tested.

A couple of other suggestions:

Ask your doctor for Free T3/T4 AND thyroid antibodies. If your TSH >3 and your anitbodies are high, it really improves your odds of getting treatment. Many doctors ignore antibodies, but some do pay attention to them.

If your TSH or antibodies are high at all, ask your doctor for a thyroid ultrasound. If the ultrasound is abnormal at all, it improves your odds of getting treatment too.

Just going to a doctor with a TSH of 1.5-2.0 and normal T3/T4, it'd probably be close to impossible to get treatment. It really helps if you have the antibodies or ultrasound or something else to show the doctor.

No person should break the law.

However, there might be people within the arctic circle who don't have easy access to a physician who is willing to prescribe natural thyroid, including armour thyroid.

What to do in a situation like that?

One solution:  Find a site on the internet that provides for ordering and shipping thyroid, including Armour Thyroid, without a prescription.  There is at least one site that can be found via google that will do this.

Warning:  There are significant dangers in supplementing thyroid without being under a doctors care.

Thanks, Anna.

Regarding the thyroid issues Dr. Davis has been commenting on lately, and wondering why it seems so prevalent, have you considered the possibility that diet is playing a role.

And when I say diet, it's probably not in the way you think --

Carbohydrate restriction can lower thyroid hormone output, especially conversion of T4 to T3. Those who practice caloric restriction tend to have lower levels of T3 too.

If Dr. Davis is seeing somewhat low, but still in 'normal' range T3/T4, with perhaps sluggish T3 levels, in patients AFTER they change to a no wheat, low carb diet, perhaps that is the reason why? Or perhaps that's why Dr. Davis' own thyroid had somewhat sluggish numbers?

But if people all have high thyroid antibodies too, or all have crummy thyroid levels while eating tons of carbs, that wouldn't be a reason then.

Just throwing that out there to think about.

for those who are willing to do the research and check their tsh levels then ordering online is an option. start with a low dose 15 to 30 grains and then ck your tsh. Increase dose to normnal tsh levels.  There are multiple sites for armour and synthoid that do not require a prescription. When you take this road to self medication you must realize you are toally responsible for your actions and well being. Be sure you know what you are doing
Don

Lately I've been giving a lot of thought to the LC packaged foods that many people turn to when they first embark on a LC diet, such as low carb breads, crackers, etc.  For me, it was LC pita bread a few years ago, before I essentially went grain-free.  These products, in addition to usually having a lot of soy in them, also have added wheat gluten, to reduce the starch and boost the protein content.  Low carb they are, and generally will help with the BG control and overall weight reduction or maintenance.

Both gluten-containing and soy foods are relatively new foods to the human diet (only consumed since the age of agriculture) and modern industrial processing bypasses many of the steps that earlier humans took to render them safer to consume.  Soy can be a powerful thyroid inhibitor (goitrogen)  and gluten can trigger an auto-immune response in susceptible people (genetic predisposition to gluten sensitivity is much more common than previously thought, though how widespread is subject to debate).  There does seem to be a strong connection to autoimmune thyroid conditions and issues with gluten.

So people who eat a lot of soy and gluten-enhanced LC foods might be literally be shooting themselves in the thyroid, especially those who overconsume  consume them (dieters don't ever become overzealous, do they?  ), instead of foods that are naturally low carb and/or have a longer history in the human diet.

I think ordering prescription medication over the internet from a less than reputable pharmacy, without a prescription, is a real bad idea. And if they don't require a prescription, that pretty much automatically makes them less than reputable.

And don't assume thyroid medications are completely benign. They can have side effects too.
And especially in patients with heart disease. You have to be titrated slowly and need to be under a doctor's care.

DIY Armour/NTH treatments can be troublesome. If you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, starting immediately on thyroid replacement can cause heart palpitations and other symptoms of physical and mental anxiety. If you have low cortisol and DHEA (they invariably go together), you will probably need to take a low-dose steroid and/or DHEA replacement for a month before beginning thyroid. It is best to get these things tested first, even if you have to do it on your own. I think the Stop The Thyroid Madness author has put together some lab test packages for people to get the right things tested. And when you're taking the replacement steroids and hormones, you need to keep monitoring your levels every month at first, then every three-four months once you stabilise.

Google for the "Top Thyroid Docs" list by Mary Shomon for sympathetic doctor suggestions/review.

I forgot to add, the thyroid books by Dr Broda Barnes are good reading, easy to understand if you're a layman too. He had one on incidence of heart disease in patients with corrected thyroid function which is very interesting. I don't recall he mentioned wheat, but he certainly believed that we should eat good old saturated fats like butter, lard, coconut, etc, to support good health and thyroid.

Anecdotally along with the iodine I've heard a brazil nut per day suggested for the selenium. Where I live is not selenium deficient, thanks to the end of the Ice Age glaciation: this is reputed to be one reason for the longevity here. Next time I catch a doctor I'll ask if there's much thyroid disease here (they will diagnose and treat here, my TSH was 0.99 so something is working!)

That iodine dose may still be too low. Remember the RDA was set at a level just to prevent goiter, not for optimal health. Check out www.breastcancerchoices.org.
Healthy Japanese get 12.5mg (12500 mcg) of iodine per day. Probably we are all low in iodine and bromine competes for binding sites. Bromine is ubiquitous in our chemically laden environment and is used as a dough conditioner by commercial bakeries---they used to use iodine. The thyroid gets the bulk of our low iodine but it turns out that iodine is also concentrated in our gonads, adrenals and especially the breasts. Our epidemic of breast cancer and fibrocystic disease may be due to iodine deficiency.

If you cannot get this treatment on HMO, then you should look at going private. Believe me, it is not something that you can ignore

Dr. Davis,

I realize that you aren't in the business of diagnosing ailments or conditions via the internet, but I've recently experienced some hypothyroidism symptoms (low body temp. average of 96.7, fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, etc..) that my Doctor insists are unrelated to the disease.  In addition, he has also just put me on a combination of Crestor and Trilipix for an abnormally high triglyceride reading, despite this reading being a one-time fluke.

My labs are as follows:
TSH:       2.761
Thyroxine (T4): 6.4

He was not interested in doing any more thyroid testing beyond these two.

Lipids:
Total Cholesterol: 165
Triglycerides:     415
HDL:               22
LDL:               N/A

After a week on the Crestor (10mg) / Trilipx (135mg) combo, I was stricken with muscle aches and pains, tinnitus, popping ears, dizziness and a foggy out-of-it feeling.  After two weeks and finding your site, I discontinued the use of the two cholesterol medications against the Doctor's advice.  I've since starting taking an Omega 3-6-9 supplement three times daily along with my daily multi-vitamin.  I also take diazide/HCTZ for slightly elevated BP (130/96) and have recently begun following a strick low-carb diet and exercise routine.

Again, I don't expect a diagnosis from you, but would appreciate if if you could voice your thoughts on the viability of me continuing to find a doctor willing to be more open minded to thyroid issues as well as pursuing more natural remedies to lipid issues.  

Thanks for providing such a valuable resource for those of us who are getting fed up with the flawed standard of care that is currently being forced on so many people.



My labs show the following.

I agree on the iodine dose question.

The difficulty comes in trying to generate conversation through the blog for people who may or may not, for instance, have underlying Hashimoto's thyroiditis or thyroid nodules, in which case taking higher doses of iodine can trigger extreme excesses of thyroid hormone.

I had been on Sythyroid for a few years but no one had ever mentioned or tested for Hashimoto's. Still feeling horrible, I found a holistic MD, and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and started on Armour.
Do I still have Hashimoto's or is it quiet now that I am taking a different hormone?
The holistic said it would "kill" my thyroid and move on to another area, like adrenals.
I did have a positive ANA for many years and tested for Lupus, RA, etc. many times. Then routine testing showed my ANA had returned to normal values.  
Any ideas because my current endo. sure isn't forthcoming with any and doesn't/hasn't tested for antibodies.  He feels I am just hypothyroid.
I appreciate all your information!

To test for Hashimoto's you need your TPO and TGAB antibodies tested. If they are above normal range, you probably have it. The definitive diagnosis is via a biopsy, but without a nodule that isn't usually done. An ultrasound is another diagnostic tool -- if your thyroid looks enlarged, nodular or all lumpy, along with antibodies, it's pretty safe to say you have Hashimoto's.

I have never read, or heard of, Hashimoto's 'attacking' other organs after your thyroid is burnt out. That theory seems a bit out there to me.

Antibodies can fluctuate, and with thyroid hormones usually become lower over time.  Inflammation tends to be reduces with hormones too.

OK I caught one of our GPs yesterday, the selenium in the soil connection appears to be a non-starter. Her experience was that she found hypothyroid "quite often" predominantly in post-menopausal women and with incidence increasing with age. It's impossible to compare numbers with other areas since they actively look for the condition here and don't elsewhere. Also we have a lot of local longevity so more patients with systems wearing out purely through ageing.

I always wonder about something I hear frequently - the issue of "soil mineral depletion".  Not that it isn't possible, but how significant is this and how widespread?  People don't generally eat "locally" produced food anymore; food supplies are distributed from all over the globe now, though agriculture is quite intense in some places, like the Central Valley of California, or cornfield in Iowa.  Wouldn't the shipping of food products all over sort of "average out" the minerals like iodine and selenium?  Or are  all the major agricultural regions of the world growing with depleted soil propped up with little more than NPK replacement?  

I'm actually more into local, seasonal organic food than worldwide food.  LIving near the coast, presumably there is adequate iodine in the soil, but here I am, hypothyroid anyway.  Just wondering...

Hard to tell about the soil mineral depletion thing, there are major regional variations which can show in animal diseases and require supplementation, salt licks etc. as well as human disease clusters. Deficiencies can show before "deficiency diseases"

I trialled several different supplements but none of them made any discernible difference, probably a widely varying diet helps, plus fish, and local farmers who use high levels of organic manure and feed the soil as a whole rather than (increasingly expensive) stuff out of a bag and treat the soil as a sterile growing medium. Grass-fed rather than grain-fed meat, and game, probably helps too in picking up trace elements

The downside of World Trade may be that while you get more trace elements from crops from different regions you are probably also getting more pesticides some of which are banned in the West

I've been doing so great after taking 1 1/2 gr nature-Throid brand of thyroid since october 08 and stopping all statins. Taking the Now D-3 at 5,000 per softgel. Now if I can just get back in the forums again....LOL   Dennis  still no 4th heart attack since 12/04

I wish my family doctor was open to new things. I asked him about Armour thyroid he said that he has hundreds of patients on Synthroid with no problems and I don't want to start a new prescription without my family doctor knowing about it. I'm on 75mcg of Synthroid and would really like to try Armour thyroid...might have to wait until he retires (could be soon) before I see if I can get Armour..

What about supplementation with tyrosine along side the iodine? Tyrosine is a precursor to thyroxine, and there have been a few interesting studies, like this one:

Psychoneuroendocrine effects of combined thyroxine and triiodothyronine versus tyrosine during prolonged Antarctic residence. Sure, the tyrosine may be working indirectly (going into neurotransmitters more than thyroxine) ... but at the end of a day, it seems to reduce TSH by about a third, while raising free T3 by 6%, while improving mood.

Dr. Brownstein (Family physician, holistic doc in Michigan) in his book, "Iodine, Why You need it, Why You can't live without it" makes an interesting case for temporarily increased TSH (5-30mU/L higher) after correcting iodine deficiency.

In addition to just stimulating thyroid hormone production, TSH also increases the production of the iodine transport cells (NIS). Without more NIS available, iodine couldn't enter the cells and be utilized. Therefore, increased TSH makes sense during the initial phase of iodine correction.

As one increases their iodine consumption, they could experience this increase in TSH for as long as several months. As long as the T3 and T4 levels are normal, then the TSH elevation probably isn't a sign of hypothyroidism.

If you haven't yet read this book, it's worth the 2 hours it took me to get through it.

Thank you!!! Personally, I'd like to see all hospitals non-profit. Here in NC they advertise on TV. They advertise the hospital, and they advertise their treatment "specialty" (ie cardiac care, bariatric surgery).

Okay that is amazing...wow. Can't wait to read your book.
Jana

Wow, just wow.
I hope you are able to 1. Track these folks to see how they do over time, and if making these changes affects their outcomes and 2. You'll be able to publish the TYP information so that more 'open' cardiologists, etc, can see what you do works.
This country is involved in the biggest dietary trial in the history of the world, outside of famine and deliberate starvation of populations. Probably no other group of people has been subjected to malnutrition while being overfed. That our food supply has been so adulterated with no testing is beyond amazing to me.
I read your blog regularly and encourage others to do so, but many are still listening to their doctors and are fearful.
It's not going to happen overnight, but i wonder if there isn't a selection process going on here.

Hi, Jean--
Hmmm. Interesting notion. Evolution in action.

Rather than weeding out the weak by infection and predators, the weak will succumb to Kelloggs, Nabisco, and "healthy whole grains."

When you say small LDL is zero, are you refering to both LDL4 and LDL3 on the VAP? Or just LDL4?

Where do I find out how to do this? my husband has a current lipoprotein a of 213 nmol/L and want to lower them STAT

Hi, Amanda--

We use high-dose fish oil and thyroid normalization, specifically T3, to start, followed by hormonal manipulation, niacin, and dietary changes. I invite you to join our discussions on how to do this on the Trackyourplaque.com website, the website that this blog accompanies.

I’ve been on a daily D3 regimen now for some 2 years (4000-8000 iu), taking an occasional 1 week break. Things were fine (no apparent side effects) until recently when I started to experience strange chest sensations, especially at bedtime and upon rising in the morning. My heart felt stressed, accompanied with a slight dizziness. I also had this weak feeling of pain in my chest very occasionally during the day. One morning I had fairly strong chest pain sensations on my left side, and I decided to go to the hospital. The chest pain subsided fairly quickly, and following an extensive checkup with EKG and blood tests. it turned out that there was nothing wrong with my heart according to the doctors. However one doctor pointed out that my D3 intake was fairly high and that that chest pains like mine are sometimes one of the symptoms of D3 toxicity and suggested I suspend D3 supplements for a time on the off chance this may be the source of my problem.

Hi, John --

I think you got some bad advice. This is highly unlikely.

It would be like saying "Your chest pain is from your suntan."

Very interesting John. I have been very open around this community about battling what sounds like the identical type of chest feeling. "My heart felt stressed" is a great description for what I have felt. For me, it comes and goes, and is often more pronounced between meals, even hours after eating. Also, I have noticed that the feeling is completely absent after a good weight lifting session and I'm not sure what to make of that. We should keep in touch somewhow incase on of us discovers something and wants to share it with the other.

-Jack Kronk

I'm a wife of a patient of Dr.Davis, also on 8000 VD/day.  I, too, notice every so often a definite heart beat.  At one of those times I was just slightly dizzy.  It's of a nature that I definitely notice it.  It comes and goes, with no particular rhythm and I can't relate it to anything I'm doing...except I'm thinking maybe stress?  I'm in very good physical health.  I don't think there is really anything wrong with me and no new stressors.   I find it puzzling.

Hi, Jack--

This leads to an off-topic idea, but I have been using the HeartMath program for such emotional/ stress effects with good--no, great--results.

Do you believe this program could be potentially helpful in my case? What does it entail and how might I find out more info about it?

Thanks Doc.

-JK

Sorry, Jack, hard to say without knowing more. But, speaking generally, I can tell you that the information we provide here and in the Track Your Plaque program, in my view, makes conventional heart health and nutrition advice look like kindergarten play time.

Two more people with zero Lp(a) today alone!

On November 16 or 17, 2011, there was an article on msnbc.msn which warned that too much vitamin D has been found to cause atrial fibrillation, a dangerous abnormal heart rhythm.  Doctors found that this side effect occurred typically in people whose blood levels of vitamin D had reached more than 100 ng/dl.  It is hoped, they said, that the atrial fibrillation is reversable once the vitamin D is stopped and the blood level of the vitamin declines.

Doc Davis, I had an NMR lipid profile in February of 2012. my scores were fair, however, did not get LP(a) score? thought this test provided ldl sub-classes. did i mis-read the test? should i get the VAP test next? my scores were: ldl-p count, 1130, small ldl-p 101, hdl-c 75, trigs., 35, ldl size 21.7, TC 209. i am 7 years out from 5x by-pass, 3 failed, 2 minor MI, one stent. i am a  56 year  old male, never any weight issues(160#). my current doctors think my cholesterol is too high. i am on a small dose of crestor (10mg). any thoughts.

Lp(a) is a separate test, it is not part of NMR.

Yes, Lp(a) must be specified on NMR.

On VAP, it is part of the standard panel.

What is the dosage and frequency of fish oil supplements you recommend?

Your Update is amazing! My triglycerides was 496 around 9 weeks back, and just with Vit D3 and Omega 3s, it came down to 283. But Vit D3 shot up from a dangerously low of 12.2 ng/ml to 239 ng/ml. I am 'trying' to be on a low-carb high dietary fat. Should I take remedial measures to 'lower' my D levels?

Sifter--

Please put "fish oil" or "omega-3" into the  site-specific search and you'll come up with the previous posts detailing this issue, a question to which there is no "___ mg" answer.

@ Ganesh Kumar
But Vit D3 shot up from a dangerously low of 12.2 ng/ml to 239 ng/ml.

The only time I've had a high reading was a faulty test. A repeat test a few weeks later showed normal readings.
The half life of D3 is about 3 weeks. Stopping D3 supplementation should allow level to drop from 240 to 120ng in 3 weeks and then to 60ng by week 6, depending on sunshine exposure.  
Postal Vitamin D testing isn't that expensive
80ng is a reasonable natural maximum level. But as I have found it could possibly be a fluke test result. However living where you do should allow sufficient vitamin D from sunshine over the next 6 weeks and so it's best to be on the safe side and avoid supplementing while your status drops and a retest is ordered.

is it realy the omega 3 yhats is to thank for low tryglicerides ,lets look from scratch from we are coming from ,we loaded ourself with denatured refined hydrogenated omega 6 oil ,vs our omega 3 are the live healthy form one ,add to this the debate outhere on the right ratio between the 3 and 6 oils ,all this may conclude that eliminating all the junk oils and consuming only live natural organic fats ,than will find that omega 6 does reducr even more tryglicerides then omega 3 does!!!

I see these commercials for Mega Red Krill Oil that are supposedly 3x more effective than fish oil.  Is this bunk?

My last lipid test showed triglycerides at 52mg/dl.

That may have something to do with my taking 1.3 grams of EPA/DHA omega-3 fish oil three times a day over the past year.

Interesting blog. I like to take 2x 300mg of omega 3 oils per day.

Dear Dr. Davis.  I am really hoping that you will answer this note.  I have read your book and it resonates with me so much.  I am ready to drop the wheat..which is in everything!  Here is my question.  My husband has high blood pressure...he first heard about Dr. Dean Ornish for revrersing heart disease, then Dr. Esselstyn..the two doctors treated President Bill Clinton..my husband is convinced that is the way to get healthy...yet reallyquestion it..because Esselstyn has bread bread and more wheat products for breakfast and tofu...too much of it...and no meat, no dairy no cheese...

My husband wrote an email to Dr. Esselstyn asking about how a person can live with out meat or something that comes from animal protein...he actIually called us at our home.... to talk to my husband about his questions.  I am hoping that you would do that too??? 250-869-1677...or my husbands cell 250-470-0042 ...that would be such a bonus ..even call collect!

I believe in what you say...I was thought to be " a little bit Celiac"...am not actually yet my numbers can show up to 45 when I do the test...anyhow, it is just what you say, how you say, that makes so much sense to me....

What is bothering my husband is to go from no meat, oil, dairy etc allowed to it being allowed in your diet?  can you help us in this?

I just noticed I haven't received any of your blogs this year.  I tried signing up again and it said I was already signed up.  Your blogs aren't in my spam folder either.  Can you get me receiving your blog again please.

my daughter gave up weight several years ago and still does not loose her belly fat....are there other foods that you think could be interacting? she is almost 21.

Drs. Esselstyn and Ornish are doing the public a grave disservice with their fairly absurd approach to diet and health. If you read the many posts on this blog, you can see why.

The Ornish diet that I followed 22 years ago made me diabetic while I was jogging 5 miles a day. It is nonsense.

you could have been a radio or TV personality!  Glad you became a cardiologist and author instead though.  

Talking about debates, I occasionally visit the many different debating boards on the internet.  Recently I entered a debate with a couple UK medical students.  The topic was over which country provides the best medical care.  I asked if CT heart scans are being performed in the UK and they replied no and had not heard of this.  

I don’t mean to catch you up into politics too much, but if you feel comfortable answering, a couple questions I have are: Do know if counties outside of America are planning to add CT heart scannings?  If so do you believe government run health care systems are more likely to implement their use nation wide since profit isn't as large of a motivation?

Hi, JT--

Interesting thoughts.

There are a number of other countries that do provide CT heart scanning, though many have, from the start, confined their interest to CT angiography. Nearly all of the CT heart scanning for coronary calcification in the published literature originated in the U.S.

It would indeed be an interesting social observation to know whether different medical systems encourage or discourage heart scanning. Sorry, but I know of no such correlation that has been formally examined.

I recently took a calcium score test at my own expense because my insurance company does not cover the test. When I asked my insurance company why they don't cover it, they referred me to their web site at
http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/200_299/0228.html

Under the heading of Calcium Scoring, it says
However, there is skepticism about the relationship between EBCT calcium scores and the likelihood of coronary events because of the following factors:
- Calcium does not collect exclusively at sites with severe stenosis
- EBCT calcium scores do not identify the location of specific vulnerable lesions
- Substantial non-calcified plaque is frequently present in the absence of coronary artery calcification
- There are no proven relationships between coronary artery calcification and the probability of plaque rupture.

At the end it says: An assessment by the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (Bardach, 2005) concluded: "Most consensus consider EBCT, SCT and MSCT still at their investigational stage for the following: a) detection of coronary artery calcifications as a screening method for asymptomatic subjects with coronary disease; b) detection of coronary artery calcifications in symptomatic patients; and c) assessment of coronary graft viability. No study reported that calcification measuring (plaque characterization) reduces the incidence of coronary events or death."

So what else is new?

Insurance companies are famous for finding every possible means to weasel out of paying for a test that leads to prevention of disease.

Their fear: Opening the floodgates for all the people who might wish to have the test, a far larger number than those who eventually suffer cardiac catastrophes.

This is patent nonsense. Anyone who has even begun to read the published experience in CT heart scanning, or has used CT scanning in real life practice, soon begins to realize the absolute folly of the conventional methods of heart disease detection: cholesterol (a miserable failure), stress testing (ask Bill Clinton how well it served him and the thousands of others who experienced heart attacks despite normal stress tests), or death. Take your pick.

My copy was delivered to my PC Kindle reader first thing this morning. Look forward to reading it. Thanks.
Bill

Congratulations Dr. Davis! I just listened to you on Robb Wolf's podcast and I'll be downloading the Kindle version for my iPad this evening. I hope you have a best seller and I hope it starts a trend toward a healthier country.
Guy

Congratulations...it's so exciting to read all the breakthroughs you are making with heart disease.I bet the drug companies don't like you to much..hahah.  I enjoyed my almond-flour blueberry muffin this morning...no more wheat at our house. We are actually looking forward to our physicals in a few months.
Jana

Congratulations Dr. Davis.  I have you book tucked away in my Kindle and it looks to be very enlightening.  I've also alerted my followers on Twitter.  I have a personal friend who has been off wheat and sugar for years to reverse pretty serious medical problems, so was a believer even before I found your work.  Best of luck with the release!!

Congrats!  Looking forward to reading the book!

Michael:

There is nothing "easy" about open-heart surgery.  I have many friends, relatives, and colleagues (of my own generation) who have had various bypass operations, and to a man (and a few women), when asked if they'd ever have another one, the answer is no. No way, Jose, in fact. Too much pain, too many "complications," too much reduction in "quality of life," etc.  Plus, valve repair or replacement operations (according to the literature) are also rife with similar "complications," e.g., leakage, mechanical malfunction, etc. Nope, I have no desire to become a cyborg.

Now, if I was, say, 25, and not 68, maybe I'd think differently about it. I've already outlived the projected average lifespan for a person born in 1943 (63.95 years). I've had a pretty good life, and I have no desire to live as an incapacitated individual, mostly dependent on others for my care, etc. I'm divorced, and have no children, so no one is dependent on my survival. I also have Alzheimer's in the family tree (three uncles and two aunts).

Plus, Dr. Davis has suggested that vitamin D, for one, may help put off the inevitable for those of us with aortic insufficiency, based on his own clinical experience. It gives me some additional hope that I may be able to fight this off for a few more years, which will give me time to arrange my affairs, etc. And serving as an n=1 experiment, and then seeing what happens, may be helpful to others facing the same decision.

You said that "no amount of exercise or supplementation and nutrition will correct your current situation." Perhaps you're right, but how do you know that with any degree of certainty? Maybe it won't "correct" the situation, but maybe it will postpone the inevitable? Dr. Davis suggests that it just might do that. And getting  another 5-10 years would be a satisfactory resolution, at least it would for me. Provided I was generally healthy and independent for that entire time, and was physically able to continue the exercise, etc.

So I hope Dr. Davis will add some additional insight regarding my situation.

Joe

PS: Apparently there is only one live thread at a time here.  I wanted to reply to Michael Goroncy in the Bad Fat-Good Fat thread, but this is the only thread that will accept it. I keep getting "500" errors otherwise.

PPS: I received my copy of the "Wheat Belly" book yesterday.  It's mostly for my brother-in-law, who subsists mostly on cereal, bread, and pasta, and who has a "wheat belly" of growing proportions.  Maybe it'll help him see the light. But I may also learn a few things myself.

Thanks, Joe!

Hi, Jana-

That's okay. I'm not sure I'd like any drug company to be my friend, anyway!

Thank you kindly, Guy!

Hey, uncle Bill! Good to see you here!

Congratulations on the new book and for getting it featured in "Woman's World" cover recently.

Where else to put a new idea on eating and weight control but in a magazine that for years has featured endless weight loss articles?  I think it is a great move to get exposure there.

I'll be ordering my book soon, but will be gone for a week long bicycle camping trip as part of my keep in shape because I am too old to fall out of shape and get back easily. Then, when I rest up, I'll want the book.

I really enjoyed the wheat articles you have posted, and am beginning to feel that my escalating blood glucose reading are linkable to the previous day's carb and wheat content.  However, there is so much variability in the function of my home blood glucose monitors that I can't yet be sure of such associations being real, yet.

Bought the Woman's World yesterday. Read it in the pm today. And I Nook-ed WHEAT BELLY about 10 mins ago. Gonna read it after supper.

Thanks, Doc!

I also asked this question in the Vit D post from a few days ago.

I began experiencing tightness and soreness in my hips and lower back this year. Have been low carbing for over three years, and, except for a short period of stupidity earlier this year, have not consumed any flour products. My multi-vitamin contains only 500 IU of D3, so I am adding this to my daily supplementing. Should I start slowly, 1000 IU a day for a month, and slowly increase? Is D3 toxic? BTW I am in my late 60′s, and I do exercise 5-6 days a week as well.
I do not hang out in doctors' offices unless it is absolutely totally necessary, so I am choosing not to have any testing done.

Hi, Linda--

The best way to think of vitamin D is as sunlight exposure. However, the vitamin D in your multivitamin is, more than likely, an unabsorbable or poorly absorbed form. It should be taken as gelcap.

I know of no advantage to doing it slowly. Embrace the D!

100% wheat-free, I hope, Princess!

Hi, Dr. Buch--

I am mindful of what Woman's World is, seeing it in the checkout line at the grocery store. Please know that I did not "place" it there; I simply responded to questions posed by the reporter.

I can, with every confidence, assure you that wheat in the diet exerts outsized effects on blood glucose due to the unique configuration of branching of the glucose polymers in the amylopectin A unique to wheat.

In reply to Joe
You are 68 yo....”hope to get another 5-10yrs”
Gosh! Your attitude is negative and perhaps a different outlook may be the biggest weapon in your arsenal of 'tricks' that you have at the moment. From what you have said..I can't see why you can't be looking at  20-30 yrs more.
You can run 5k+ 3-4 p/w....I would have to wake up early and hope to get back by sunset to walk 5k.

My heart problems (self inflicted) are a tad different than yours...
MI and CAGB at age 37 (25yrs ago) Pumping on LAD and collaterals currently. Treated with medication and a similar nutrition and supplement list as your own.
Have smoked since 15yo and still do..insane! I know..will make first attempt to quit by years end..simply tired of being breathless and feeling ordinary. Also drink a litre of red wine daily (to take the edge off)
Needless to say am not qualified to be a mentor to anybody (just sharing thoughts and experiences)

Now back to you and your 'faulty parachutes'....
(1) Consult an interventional cardiologist and a holistic cardio man for opinions on surgery (write a list of all your questions beforehand)
(2) Seek other patients that have been in your position to get their feedback (google away)
(3) CHD is a scary disease that draws us into a feeling of doom and if you can cross this barrier...zippidy -do-da.

If certain farmers started growing the "old" type wheat would this eliminate the problems of  "modern" wheat?
Maybe some entrepreneurial farmers could fill this niche market at least as far as flour for home use, then we could eat bread without concern. It's hard to completely give up the all the crunchy stuff. Drinking and smoking is easier to quit  (no joke).

Congratulations, Dr. Davis. Looking forward to reading your book.
BTW, do you know if Europe has switched to the dwarf variety too?

Hi, Stip--

Yes, most farmers in Europe and Asia, big and small, have converted to the semi-dwarf variant. I'm told this by wheat breeding experts, as well as by Dr. Gary Vocke at the USDA, who collects all data relative to wheat worldwide.

Hi, Wayne--

Yes, it can be difficult psychologically for many.

Wheat in all its forms has been a problem for as long as humans have eaten it. We have records suggesting, for instance, that celiac disease was described in 100 AD. The modern forms have made it much, much worse, however.

I believe that a return to the forms of wheat--einkorn, emmer, non-genetically-manipulated "heritage" cultivars of wheat--would be far better, though it would not be perfect since some people will still respond with abnormal immune responses, while others react to the carbohydrates. But it would indeed be somewhat better.

Hi Dr. Davis,
I just read Tom's review over at his 'Fat Head' blog and I'm looking forward to reading the book. Do you have any idea why the Kindle version isn't available in Canada? Hopefully it's just a timing issue and it will be available shortly.

To Michael Gorancy:

No, Michael, my attitude is extremely positive. But I'm also a realist. I just don't have a desire to undergo open-heart surgery, and I never expected to live forever anyway. I'm already past my anticipated expiration date.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems; yes, they seem self-inflicted.  Most of our health problems are. I smoked for about 15 years, early in life, and thankfully quit about 38 years ago. And that you continue to smoke in your condition, well, that seems pretty negative to me. I'm fighting back; you seem to be giving up. But it's definitely your decision to do so, as it is mine.

Another "20-30" years? I don't think so. That would mean I'd be 88-98 years old at death.  Are you serious? As stated before, I have Alzheimer's in my family, and there may not be a worse disease than that. Dropping dead from a sudden heart attack or heart failure (say, while out jogging) versus perhaps decades of not even knowing who I am, needing to be confined for my own safety, and a burden to others? That's a no-brainer for me, Michael.

Your points:
1. I've already decided not to have open-heart surgery.
2. Yes, I wish I could find such patients.  But as Dr. Davis has said, it's apparently a rare condition. I can't find anything in the literature or on the Internet that's been any real help in that area.
3. Again, I don't have a feeling of doom. Quite the contrary, in fact. Someone once said that "life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a ride!"  I want to be able to "skid in broadside" when I go, not be forced to lie in a bed in my own feces.

I wish you the best of luck, Michael! But I sure wish you'd stop smoking!

Joe

I suggested to my mother-in-law that she eliminated sugar and flour from her diet.  She is overweight, and has hypertension, IBS, depression, hypothyroidism and fatigue (and, I believe, undiagnosed low cortisol based on an at-home salivary test)- she is a delight for the drug firms.  Without any exercise, she has now lost 23 pounds in about 4 months.  She is a lot better mentally and has more energy.  We will have to wait and see with her other problems pan out.

I have ordered the book from Amazon and looking forward to its arrival. It is hard to argue against bread with its biblical endorsement - your book changes this.

Was 30 pounds overweight and suffered frequent heartburn.  I ate a lot of bread and pasta as I though it was healthy.  WRONG!  After reading Dr. Davis' "Have some more" I gave up wheat entirely and lost 20 pounds of fat in four months (muscle strength has remained constant.)  I eat as Dr. Davis recommends and am never hungry.  Friends have commented that I look quite robust (I am 58.)  No more heartburn to boot!  I am spreading the word about this great site to whoever will listen.  Thank you very much!

Hello and gratz on the book.

I heard your interview on Robb Wolf's podcast. A fantastic show i must say and extremely interesting with all these stories of what wheat can do.

My son who is 1½ years old has been suffering from som nasty wounds in his head for the last 6 months.
The doctors have given the diagnosis Ofujis disease. Do you have any knowledge if this disease could be caused by wheat?
I can find nothing on the disease besides it's rare and there seem to be no cure.

Keep up the good work,

best regards
Your knew danish fan

Got the book yesterday from Amazon and already a few chapters into it. Congrats, Dr. Davis!

Left it on the dining table for friends and family to read. People have read parts of it (my plan is working!) and the verdict: it's scary. They should be scared.

Dr. Davis any comments on the CNN show last weekend with Dr. Gupta called 'Last Heart Attack'? There was an awful lot of disturbing talk about eating healthy whole grains and avoiding meats and oils. At least they talked a lot about calcium scans and interviewed Dr. Agatston. Wish they'd interviewed you instead of Ornish. Too bad.

I would also enjoy reading your opinion regarding "The Last Heart Attack". It has been discussed on other blogs as well. Many of us feel that our former president looks awful. Not at all healthy or robust. He's been taking the advice of Ornish for quite awhile and has had heart problems at the same time. Perhaps he needs a new physician!

I got my copy in the mail and read the first section before looking at the rest of the mail.  Following your advice from just this blog I've lost 70 lbs, raised my hdl and got my triglycerides to 80 and lowered my total cholesterol. I don't think any words are enough to say how thankful I am for your advice.  You're not only helping people lose weight and feel better, you're extending their lives.

I've been waiting for a post to comment on and this seemed like a good one...

Hi Michael G.,
Smoking generates myelo-peroxidase enzymes that oxidize the Apo A1 lipo-protein and then the ApoA1 component of HDL doesn't function well ... maybe you know this already.

Good work.

The book is turning up all over the place.

http://suzanneloomscreativity.blogspot.com/2011/09/roaming-ancestors-standing-still.html

Nina

Congrats Dr. Davis on the new book!  Look forward to learning more about the problems wheat can cause the body.

Dr. Davis,
I just posted a review of Wheat Belly on my blog ( see below).  I think the release of Wheat Belly will be a watershed event.  With the increased focus that has occurred recently on low carb diets and now this, the indictment of wheat as the primary culprit, I think many Americans will finally see a way out of this health nightmare.

http://cravingsugar.net/wheat-belly-book-review-william-davis-gluten-intolerance-diet.php

As I read your book I kept on running across the thoughts that "that happened to me" or "so that's what happened to one of my friends".  I think many will get the same reactions.

Congratulations on publishing such an important book!
...Joe...

+1.  As someone thats new to the paleo/primal diet and a young heart attack survivor I'm very concerned and confused after watching this.

This was meant to be in response to "The Last Heart Attack" comment above.

RE: The Last Heart Attack, my suspicion is that any diet that gets people off of factory produced food is a giant step in the right direction, whether it's Dr. Davis's, or Ornish's, or Esselstyn's or Agaston's.  These doctors all blame different foods, but they all advocate eating natural foods and staying away from processed ones.

Wow, Joe! You wrote a basic primer on the Wheat Belly project!

Very nice. And thanks!

Thanks, soul! Stay tuned. On both The Heart Scan Blog and the Wheat Belly Blog, I will continue to chronicle the growing wheat-free experience, as well as better ways to enjoy diet while remaining 100% wheat-free!

Hi, Nina--

That's great . . . provided I don't receive any unmarked packages with a ticking sound!

Thank you, Tom, for sharing your experience. Simply telling your story will catch the attention of a few more people, who will then return and post their experiences, which will then . . . and that's how you and I build this grassroots effort to buck the nonsensical "cut the fat and eat more healthy whole grains" nonsense that passes for dietary advice today.

Hi, Vin--Thank you!

What I told Linda a few comments above applies here as well. The world has been misled by the faulty logic: If something bad (white processed flour) is replaced by something less bad (whole grains), then more of the less bad thing is great. This is faulty, and potentially fatal, logic, but the basis for the entire nationwide advice to "cut your fat and eat more healthy whole grains." Gupta fell for it, hook, line and sinker.

Hi, Linda--

I admire Gupta's intentions. But he fell for the same nonsense that passes for conventional advice in health and heart disease prevention.

In particular, the world has been misled by the faulty logic: If something bad (white processed flour) is replaced by something less bad (whole grains), then more of the less bad thing is great. This is faulty, and potentially fatal, logic, but the basis for the entire nationwide advice to "cut your fat and eat more healthy whole grains."

I obviously don't have access to Mr. Clinton's health records, but he has every sign of being a small LDL particle kind of guy. He might also have Lp(a). I'd be surprised if either of these have been identified.

Interestingly, while I admire much of Arthur Agatston's work, he has stated publicly that coronary calcium cannot be reduced. Anyone following these discussions knows that this is not true: coronary calcium can be reduced, even to extreme degrees. But the solution does not involve cutting fat, whole grains, and does not necessarily involve statin drugs.

Thank you, Jesper. Sorry, I know of no association of wheat consumption and your son's condition. However, I have to say that the reach of wheat into multiple health conditions even continues to surprise me.

I wish the best for your son.

Thanks, Dave! And thank you for coming back to share your experience.

It's stories like yours that build the experience. Please continue to come back and report your progress!

Hi, Paul--

Congratulations to your mother-in-law!

In Wheat Belly, you will learn that the wheat of the Bible is different from the stuff being passed off to us today--it's completely different.

Hi, Mike--

Sorry, no idea. I can't imagine that will continue.

Did you notice Bill Clinton's odd red face? While it could be that he simply drinks too much, I've seen this rash in many, many people who have odd responses to wheat; accordingly, the rash goes away with wheat elimination. Interesting. I suspect Clinton has a wheat addiction, since programs like that advocated by Ornish cultivate this sort of thing.

Hi Dr. Davis. I'm reading "Wheat Belly", and one thing that really jumped out at me were the studies about reduction of intake of wheat-based foods from naloxone administration. Did these studies have any control to measure the amount of appetite reduction for non-wheat foods? Thanks.

Hi, Dave--
The researchers didn't look specifically at wheat foods, but made statements like "the reduction in unhealthy fatty and sugar foods like cakes, cupcakes, and pie were reduced." So there was a bit of extrapolation on my part, but the final message, I thought, was pretty clear even though the investigators with their pre-existing dietary biases did not see it.

Yes, Peter. I agree.

An argument could be made for this approach in some genetic types, e.g., apo E4. Note also that neither of these docs are cardiologists and have probably treated as many heart attacks or dealt with real heart disease as the kid working at Home Depot.

We should learn from them what lessons might be useful for people outside of the exceptional apo E4. It was the Ornish diet that, 20 years ago, made me gain 30 lbs, pushed my HDL to 27 mg/dl, increased my triglycerides to 350 mg/dl, and made me diabetic. Going off their diet and eliminating all wheat and sugars corrected everything, including no more diabetes. Having seen a similar scenario play out many, many times, these guys are, in my view, flogging a dead horse. The horse ran a good race while it was alive, but now it's dead.

Dr Davis, you seem to have nailed it in my opinion.  Still trying to get my wife on board.  It was that (Ornish) diet that gave me a heart attack two years ago (34 yo and 155 lbs).  HDL was 16!  TC 115!  I just very recently found the whole Paleo, or eat fats, not grains, diet and I really hope this works for me.  I am very very confident it will.

Right. And presumably they were looking at binge eaters, and I suspect most people don't have a problem binging on foods which don't contain wheat and/or refined sugar.

Just as an FYI, from my Canadian IP, going to the Kindle version of the page ( http://www.amazon.com/Wheat-Belly-Weight-Health-ebook/dp/B00571F26Y ), it says "This title is _not available_ for customers from Canada". The 'not available' links to the following explanation: "Due to copyright restrictions, certain Kindle Titles are not available everywhere...". So it appears to be something to do with the publisher.

Dr. Davis,

I heard your interview on Robb Wolf's podcast and I'm eager to read your book after your very convincing appearance! As a Cardiothoracic Surgeon (in Norway), I've put my head on the block by both publicly and on my blog recommending people to take grains out of the diet. Imagine my disappointment when I found that I can't buy the e-book because I'm situated in Norway! Is there any way I can get around "the ban of Europe"?

Best regards,

tg

I'm looking forward to reading the new book. I'm going to download it to Kindle as soon as I finish The Art and Science of Low-Carb Living. Based on what I've read on you blog in the past, I'm sure I will be recommending it to our RDs and Personal Trainers at Life Time Fitness.

Thanks, Tom!

Dr. Geisner--

I saw your question over on the Wheat Belly Blog. I will need to check into what is going on.

Thanks for asking!

Looks like a great book. It's startling to know--for a beginner like me how twisted the food production process has become from the books and documentaries i've seen since i've converted to eating healthy.

Perhaps William Davis is correct in the claims he makes in Wheat Belly. And perhaps not. Time will tell. Many have made nutritional proclamations about a number of things, including the “fact” that eggs should be avoided, or that red meat can and will certainly cause heart disease, or that we must stay away from anything white, including flour, milk, and yogurt. And now the claim is that wheat is an opiate that must be eschewed at all costs.
Has wheat been genetically engineered—with deleterious effects—for mass production? Probably. But what hasn’t been? Davis recommends eating salmon…is that wild caught or farm raised? Even if advertised as wild caught, how do we know this? There has been some unresolved controversy over mislabeling, and serious concerns over mercury and PCB content in some salmon. Eggs are recommended by Davis— “not in the once a week” style as we’ve been taught—but as often as one’s body tells one to eat them. But what kind of chickens produce these eggs and what are they eating? How do we know? The same holds true for the other recommended items on the Davis diet. Even if all of the “cage-free, grass-fed, wild-caught, organic, super organic, sustainable, pesticide-free” goods were accessible and affordable to the average American (a separate topic, of course), there are all sorts of issues about authenticity—some of which probably won’t surface for years. It’s not necessarily possible for us to each have a plot of land with our own chickens, cows, pigs, vegetable gardens, and spring water.
Among other issues, there are two things that are especially troubling about Davis’s work. One is the polemical tone that allows for nothing less than everyone going off of every form of wheat--and not having wheat in any quantity ever again (unless one wants to face uncomfortable and even dire side effects). Regardless of family history, exercise, indigenous foods, cultural background, etc., the message is the same for everyone. The second troubling feature is that those who write positive reviews on Davis’s blogs are often commended by him, while those who write in to say that perhaps his stance is a little extreme are not even addressed (and perhaps not included?). “Pascal” from Davis’s blog on oatmeal, for example, writes in to say that his glucose level after eating a regular serving of oatmeal is nowhere near what Davis prophesied that it would be—and says that his is not an isolated case. There was no response to this.
Walter Willett, MD, and Chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard Public Health Department, argues that it’s not at the starting line that we determine whether or not a particular diet is effective. It is not over the course of three or six months, or even a year or two. All the “before” and “after” pictures in the world don’t really matter if five or ten years down the line, the individuals in question have gone back to their “before” weight and numbers—or worse. What counts is that which can be sustained over a lifetime…and this takes time and resources to chart and scientifically assess. (As a sidebar, Willett promotes certain types and quantities of whole grains, in conjunction with a number of other food types, as well as exercise).
Time will tell whether or not Davis’s work is the best thing since sliced bread—or not.

If you're going to go on like that, I think it would be best to leave a name or identifier. Nothing like throwing rocks and then running.

One issue: There is absolutely no question that wheat has changed genetically. Ask any agricultural geneticist. This is not concealed; in fact, it is openly talked about, even proudly. The incredible thing is that it is not seen as the cause of multiple health problems.

And I have to pick my battles. Some are simply not worth fighting.

Please forgive me if my response seemed too strong. As I say, you may be right about everything in your book; you certainly make some fine points and have given people good things to think about. My point was simply that some claims in Wheat Belly may need to be mitigated or adjusted over time—and that there are medical professionals, researchers, and scientists with varying opinions on the topics you present.  Hopefully that is a good thing in that it encourages further thought and study in an ever-changing field. Your diet may work perfectly for some people, and that is great. For others, perhaps your recommendations work in modified form. And for yet others, maybe another nutritional plan works best. Hopefully that’s okay. Thank you for taking the time to respond, and for helping people to consider such an important topic. And thank you for helping me to think carefully about some new ideas.

Ah, THAT anon.

Please keep in mind that it is a book. It is not a round table discussion.

From where I view the world, wheat looks to me like the biggest nutritional blunder ever committed on a large scale. Removal of it yields some of the most incredible weight and health turnarounds I have ever seen. It doesn't have to work for everybody and it's okay with me if this makes some people angry. My concern is that people need to hear the side of the argument that few are talking about . . . while being inundated with proclamation of the benefits of "healthy whole grains."

I just bought your book today.  I'm only about a quarter-way through it, and it's excellent so far.  Intriguing, and very well written.  

I'm full blooded Mexican born and raised in the US on a pretty typical American diet.  Rice and beans were staples in my house, but we favored bread and flour tortillas over corn tortillas like good Americans.  Everyone in my family has struggled to varying degrees with weight.  I'm by far the thinnest because I've worked very hard to stay fit and trim.  I work out about 4-5 times a week, lifting and doing cardio.  I can't eat like most other guys who seem to be able to consume 50% more than I do, workout less, and look just as good or even better.  When I was younger I thought maybe Mexicans were just prone to more pudge around the middle.  Even at my thinnest, fittest, and buffest I still maintain some semblance of a belly.  It's frustrating.

When I was 15 I traveled to Mexico for the first time to visit extended family.  I wasn't in as good of shape then as I am now (at 35), and had more belly fat.  A very curious thing happened on that trip:  In spite of eating copious amounts of my grandmother's delicious food for a solid month - 3 hearty meals a day including "cena", the last Mexican meal of the day which happens right before bed - I shed pounds.  To my American friends this seemed implausible.  "But Mexican food is soooo fattening!"  "Eating right before bed?  That's the worst!"  "All that cheese?"  etc.  Still I lost weight without any physical effort, and while eating way more than I did as a self-conscious teenager back in the States.  

I've since traveled to Mexico more times than I can count, and every single time without fail, I eat more and lose weight, noting the difference especially in my belly.  Chilaquiles (fried strips of corn tortilla with cheese), chiles rellenos (stuffed peppers with cheese), tamales made with lard (yes, lard), etc.  Doesn't matter.  Pounds come off without additional exercise, indeed without the exercise I'm used to in the States.  It dawned on me one day that maybe there's something about the American diet and our processed food that makes it so challenging for me to stave off gut flab.

I just spent a month there this summer, and this time I did do a little exercise (push ups and sit ups in my hotel 3 times a week and running on the beach just a few times - far less than I do at home), but I certainly didn't skimp on food.  By the end of my trip, my stomach was the flattest it's ever been in my life, finally exposing those two elusive cans on my lower abdomen to reveal my six pack.

A couple of weeks after my return to the States, I was back to my four pack in spite of eating much less and ostensibly healthier food, and working my ass off at the gym.

All this to say, maybe it's the wheat.  (You nod.)  When I'm in Mexico my main source of carbs is corn not wheat.  Could it be that that simple switch is why my belly flattens out when I'm in my ancestral homeland?  I'm going to put it to the test, and will let you know how it goes.  

Hi, Alejandro--

Wonderful observations! You seem to have a gift for connecting cause-effect relationship.

While corn is, by no means, without its own set of concerns, given a choice of corn vs. wheat, I'd pick the corn. Perhaps that's at least part of the reason you experience the weight loss with each trip.