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.

In addition to home kits we might create drop in health shops where healthy people are given a quick set of automated tests/scans and the results made available to them online.

This is a great tool as many of my clients mention their thyroids and wonder if there was a way to monitor it.  When will this be available in the UK?

I'm not sure getting tested is as big of an issue as getting a proper diagnosis and treatment.  I know lots of women who have their their thyroids tested (at least minimally with a TSH) but the results are not properly interpreted or treated.   Usually they end up with anti-depressant meds or are told to eat less and exercise more (or both).

My thyroid was tested for about ten years (mostly with just the TSH and total T4, not the full complement of thyroid tests) for more than ten years because of two infertility investigations and later, symptoms of fatigue, etc.  I didn't ask for these tests; they were routine as part of a panel or the doctor specified them.  

My HMO network doctors failed to see that my TSH was slowly slowly rising in that decade because they only looked at the recent result and not the trend (and there was a faster rate of increase after 7-8 years of testing).  They also missed that my results  were always in the "upper end" of the reference range (in late 2002 at least two national medical boards said the upper range was suspicious of development of mild hypothyroidism and the range should be adjusted downward).  Last year when I brought these AACE and NACL recommendations to the attention of the local HMO network lab supervisor, he was unaware of of the new range recommendations and promised to look into it.  I was pleased to note the ref range was somewhat adjusted down a few months later.

So for me, the lab tests were less an issue; I had numerous TSH and total T4 tests while my symptoms progressively increased, but with little good.  

The biggest difficulty was getting a correct diagnosis and the proper treatment, instead of attempts to suppress symptoms with other meds (I felt in my gut this was the wrong approach and I mostly resisted it).  

The best treatment I've tried to date has been desiccated thyroid hormone (I'm now taking 1 grain of Nature-throid daily); to get to this it took a full three years with a continual search to find a local doctor who would use and correctly interpret the right lab tests *and* take into account my symptoms.   I hear similar stories from other hypothyroid people.

Yes, absolutely correct, Anna. Getting tested is just the first step.

Once tested, understanding what they mean is the next step. But at least you know where you start. It's certainly better than not having any data at all.

Next hurdle: Getting treatment when you need it. A topic for future discussion!

Lincolb--It is available in the U.K. by ordering.

I guess that's how CA and NY can justify putting restrictions on their sale.  Sheesh!  Reminds me of when CA was on the brink of criminalizing home-schooling.

That's great! I will recommend that to my sister and friend who were always complaining that they might have thyroid problem.
See yah!

Cathy Young
http://fashionhotcelebs.blogspot.com/

I have also been able to get my doctors to do TSH tests, but since my labs ate at the upper end of normal, they also pooh pooh my suggestion  that treating the thyroid might positively impact other issues they care about, like my cholesterol levels and my asthma.  But they would rather give me statins (which I refuse to take) and advair (which I take only because I have to be able to function.)  I think they have it in my notes that I am hypochondriac and uncompliant. So much for being proactive for my own health care! Now they think I am a nutcase!

I agree with Anna. My doc has routinely tested TSH for years. This past check up I told her I wanted more info on the thryoid because of my lack of energy and other symptoms. She ordered T3 and T4 along with TSH but nothing else. My TSH came in at 4.5 on a scale going to 4.5 which is a full point jump since my last test. My T3 is almost abnormal on the low end. However since they are within the lab's normal range, she says I am fine. I am making an appointment with doc #2 in my search for someone that knows what they are doing. I sure hope it does not take the 3 years to find him/her it took Anna!

Laura,

I'd also like to add that much of that 3 years looking for better care was also spent educating myself (I must have read every book available on hypothyroidism to get a sense of all the perspectives), so developed a sense of when to seek out another doctor's care and when to settle for "good enough for now".  

For me, the hardest part was early on -  summoning the inner strength to get over my reluctance to find new care and thyroid hormone options.  I was acutely aware that my tactic might be viewed as "doctor-shopping" or hypochondria.   Each step wasn't always very far forward, but it was still progress in some way and far more therapeutic than stagnating (it didn't always feel like progress at the time, though).

Good luck in your quest for better care and more thorough assessment of your thyroid function.  Be sure to get tested for anti-thyroid antibodies.

Regular Doctors are always a crap shoot. If you don't mind switching Doctors, it is better to seek out a Doctor that you know will probably be receptive to alternative therapies right from the get go. Life Extension has a list of "Innovative Doctors" here:

http://www.lef.org/Health-Wellness/InnovativeDoctors/

Another good source for Doctors that would probably be receptive to taking a patients thyroid concerns more seriously can be found at the A4M site:

http://www.worldhealth.net/pages/directory

Likewise, if lipid disorders are your concern, you can find a Lipidologist at the following site:

http://www.learnyourlipids.com/resources.php

Hope this helps.

John M.

here is the site to find thyroid hormones friendly doctors.
http://www.armourthyroid.com/con_phLocator.aspx

Dr Davis, I don't think that you are on there? LOL

Another option when faced with uncooperative doctors: order thyroid from an overseas pharmacy.

You forgot the option of saying you look Healthy so the test is unnecessary and Ridiculing you -- but finally ordering the tests, because you wouldn't leave the room till he patronizingly agreed (hey, whatever works)... and it turns out I have multi-nodule goiter!!

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Although this was not asked in the poll, I believe that it is a safe assumption that you asked with good reason: you're abnormally fatigued, you have been gaining weight for no apparent reason or can't lose weight despite substantial effort, or you feel cold at inappropriate times.

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.

Evidently the only nutrition/health reading she does is her own copy.

Thanks for posting this.  My Kindle edition did include recipes, carrot cake included.

Hi !
Great recipe, thank you ! But where could we find "clean" orange peel these days ? Only if you have acces to an organic orchard.
Offtopic> You have an outdated link  - Dr.Davis' Blog

I made this cake earlier today (it became my dinner, lol) and it was heavenly. I didn't have any nutmeg, allspice, or orange peel on hand, so I omitted them and I also had to omit the icing. Still a delicious cake! I can't wait to try out the icing next time. Thanks for mentioning this recipe; I've got lots more to try out from your book.

Carrot cake for dinner--can't beat that!

The spices can really add pizzazz, as does the orange peel. You'll like it even better when you add these components.

Good to know. Thanks, Sue!

Wonderful recipe but Doc - PLEASE - no never no splenda!!!!!!  We all know why!

While on the subject of recipes, my mom used to make these sesame crackers for my dad.  It is from the cookbook 'Very Basically Yours', by the Human Ecology Study Group of Chicago, circa 1980.  

Sesame crackers

Grind toasted or raw sesame seeds (1lb.), about a cup at a time in a blender.  Add 2 oz. sunflower or sesame oil and 2 oz. water, and blend with a fork.  Add 1T. oregano and scant T. salt.  Mix well, pat into a shallow baking dish, cutting into squares and pricking squares with a fork.  Bake at 375 degrees, (10-15 min.).

Please don't fuss about the sunflower oil - don't use it if you don't want to.  I'm not sure what size pan to use, but the dough should be about 1/4" thick or less.  Use a non-stick pan or parchment paper.  These don't cut well after baking.  If you forget, just break apart.  Pricking with a fork keeps them from bubbling up.  Keep an eye on them for the last few minutes.  They can go from done to burned quickly.  I haven't made these myself, but I can remember after 30 years how good they were!

Sounds delicious, Teresa!

I'm going to try with a little tweaking. Thanks for posting.

Hi, Mary Pat--

Because individual experiences with sweeteners vary, I try to specify something like "sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar." You might choose stevia, you might choose erythritol, some might choose sucralose. So I'm not telling anybody to choose just one, but suggesting a choice among several.

By the way, if you are referring to the rat study in which bowel microorganisms were reduced by sucralose, if true it means to me that perhaps we should not consume this sweetener habitually but only occasionally. Avoiding wheat is, I believe, a much more potent way to maintain normal bowel bacteria.

I would really love to try the carrot cake. Can you tell  me what the stats/caloric/nutrient content is?

Thanksgiving is approaching!  I am thinking of roasted turkey, pureed cauliflower, salad, green beans..Now what about stuffing?  Can you come up with a nongrain stuffing  type of thing for us to make?  And oh, what about a cranberry dish?

Will do, Louise! You are thinking along the same lines as I am.

No, sorry, Babs, I intentionally left it out to convey the notion that calories and fat content are NOT important.

Hello, I've just finished reading Wheat Belly and want to try some of the delicious sounding recipes.  I'm a cook and baker, and as such have several ideas of my own, but first a question about the flaxseed contained in many of the recipes.  Does ground flaxseed = flaxseed meal?  I've been eating and using flaxseed meal in dishes for years, so I really hope they are one and the same.  

Thanks, Dr. Davis, for producing such wonderful sounding recipes along with the eye-opening book.  Have you considered writing a recipe book?  I imagine it would be well received.

I read Jeff's article, if I'm not mistaken, a while back.  They served his father, dying of diabetes and reactive hypoglycemia, orange juice and toast in the hospital, if this is the same author.  The article was gripping, and I'm sure the book will be too!

It looks like we in the US are leaders in lower extremity amputations from diabetes--
http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/our-chronic-disease-care-aint-1-ctd/

EFA researcher Brian Peskin in his book "The Hidden Story of Cancer" says it's common practice in chemotherapy treatment centers to give cancer patients cookies, candies, sweets & fruit juices for energy.  But since cancers & systemic fungus operate by glycolysis, the fermentation of sugars, the carbs actually just feed the cancers the massive amounts of sugars they need to grow & proliferate. The level of ignorance in health care & many practitioners is downright criminal.

I too had to find my own way out of pre-diabetes. I still have normal blood sugar and insulin levels after 5 years. It's so sad that conventional wisdom and the ADA won't teach it. But, the ADA gets millions from drug companies, and there's no money curing diabetes with good food...

Hi cancerclasses,
For tumor cells to shift to aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) the isoform splicing of Pyruvate Kinase M2 has to be activated; this M2 isoform is what we normally use during embryonic development and influences how body's glucose directs downstream pyruvate to go. As adults we have the M1 pyruvate kinase form; and in experiments with cancer cells that replaced M2 with M1 pyruvate kinase isoform the Warburg effect in that cell is stopped (as evidenced by decreased lactate output and greater oxygen useage).
See decade of published research from H.R. Chriatofk.

As for limiting glucose to reverse cancer, there likely is a limit to how effective that is all by itself;  this seems to currently be implicated as an adjunct to other treatments.
For an excellent  2010  comprehensive technical detail review see http://
sdjohnston.faculty.noctrl.edu/360/targetingcancermetab.pdf
Also, see decade of published research from E. Gottlieb

Hi Doctor Davis,
Server blocked me where relevant so finally writing this here:
I think your wife's athletic competitiveness may benefit from brown rice Amazake; I have data for a low and double dose. High brown rice Amazake  dose took my fasting blood sugar of 96 in 1st 15 min to 120, and in 1st hour to 117; but then every 15 min. back up to 125, 134, 120 and by 2nd hour to 139 (note:  was sedentary during 2 hour test span) .  A lower by half  dose of brown rice Amazake had blood sugar declining steadily after 2nd hour to finish only 1 point above fasting blood glucose reading.

I take this to indicate that a reasonable dose of  brown rice Amazake provides not only the initial spike in glucose,  but  that after 1 hour the brown rice Amazake remnant molecules in the intestines are still being metabolized by gut bacteria . My surmise is there is enhanced ability of gut bacteria to utilize the brown rice Amazake substrate results resulting in a progressive absorption of energy by the body ; since this seemingly is still going on in significant amounts well into the 2nd hour post-prandial (ex: 2 hour glucose of 139 is highest  of any earlier readings, even compared to initial blood glucose from amylose rush ).  Thus brown rice Amazake may be an ideal way for a performance athlete to benefit from their need for carbohydrates,  either in training or possibly even during competition; I  will discuss Amazake more if you  want.

I couldn't get Mighto's link to work but with a bit of searching found this.
Targeting metabolic transformation for cancer therapy

On the subject of Diabetes Lustig's latest video " Interventions to Reduce Sugar Consumption has a remarkable graphic comparing soda per capita with diabetes incidence.
See also Metabolic and behavioural effects of sucrose and fructose/glucose drinks in the rat

HI, Might--
Nice thought. Thanks.
My wife and her triathlon friends do indeed struggle to find reasonable high-carb fuel sources for their extended workouts. The bananas and sweet potato thing gets a bit old, and many of them have reactions to Goo, or try to avoid fructose sources, or have reactions to components like maltodextrin.

Oh I agree there is very poor education about heart disease and diabetes but you need to use your own common sense too. Maybe I should say your mental health needs to be monitored more carefully too. Like for instance, my mother in law caved into a depression, quit exercising and  started eating 3 cartons of icecream a week! I am not joking here at all. Now she is not only diabetic but due to complications from the diabetes, she has end stage heart failure and even with the best heart rate monitor her life may be extended due to constant monitoring but we all know what the end result will be. But the sad thing is, when she has been hospitalized she was given sugary foods while they knew of her diabetes!!!

Look: I think the blogess wrote this poem just for you...
http://thebloggess.com/2011/08/i-can-only-assume-theyve-never-read-my-blog-before/

There once was a girl from Nantucket,
Who bought Imperial Sugar by the bucket.
She scarfed candies and sweeties,
‘Til she got diabetes.
Then she lost both her legs and said, “F*ck it”.

Dr. Davis, what do you think of Krill Oil as opposed to fish oil as a source of EPA and DHA?

Well, the one published study that I've seen was very promising. I have no personal experience, however.

I'd like to see more data generated before we jump in deeper.

Dr. Davis,
What about fish oil supplementation for people who are taking Warfarin? I see on our bottle of fish oil a notice to consult a health care professional if you are on an anticoagulant.  What can you tell us about this?  Thank you.

Hi, Barbara-

Because of the mild platelet-blocking, blood thinning effect of fish oil, you'll find that warning on all preparations. In our patients, we have never seen any meaningful interactions--no bleeding, no strokes, no other adverse consequences of the combination. In fact, in my view, the combination is beneficial.

However, legal concerns force me to say that you should always consult with your doctor first.

Let me add that taking fish oil with warfarin is no more risky than eating salmon or other oily fish every day while on the drug.

Thank you, Dr. Davis!
I understand that you are not giving specific advice here, but it is helpful to have your professional perspective on these matters.  From your posts, it certainly sounded like you must have some patients who are on warfarin and taking fish oil, too.

My husband had a PE (cause undetermined) last January and has been on warfarin since then.  As he was lucky enough to survive the PE, he decided to get serious about improving his health.  I had been nagging him for some time before his near-death experience, to no avail, to try the Protein Power plan. As I've mentioned in other posts, he's lost quite a bit of weight (now 50 lbs) with the low-carb way of eating and is feeling better than he has in years - younger, actually, and he looks it, too!  I've benefited, too, much to my delight.  We can still each lose a few more pounds to be at optimal weights, and we're getting there, slowly but surely. We're never going back to wheat and sugar, that's for sure.

BTW, I just finished Dr. Malcolm Kendrick's book, The Great Cholesterol Con, and I think it's a great read (I was highly entertained - I enjoy his writing style!) and helpful in understanding heart disease.  Your comments on this book would be a great blog post, although I'm sure you have a long reading list!  

Thanks again.

Hi, Barbara-

I've not read Dr. Kendrick's book but, based on your comments and those of others, I'm adding it to my list.

A reader also brought some of his webcasts to my attention:

Part 1: Cholesterol: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XPPYaVcXo1I
Part 2: Familial Hypercholesterolaemia: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xrr8MjDJ78
Part 3: About Statins: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jE_RIQY53ys
Part 4: Stress and the HPA axis (Bjorntorp): http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fHIA8usGxEM
Part 5: CVD Populations and Stress: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Na_Ear8OdJM
=

Say someone switches to a high-potency preparation of 360 mg EPA and 240 mg DHA, providing a total of 600 mg omega-3 fatty acids per capsule, or twice the dose of the low-potency preparation. Would you expect double the effect?

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.