Wheat and PN
 

We all know that people who are sensitive to Gluten can get PN. But what I didn't know that there is a cardiologist who thinks that ANY KIND OF WHEAT does the same thing.


Here's a link to a VERY INTERESTING article that was about a book written by a cardiologist. He does not like wheat in ANY form. He even links it to specific diseases and PN.

Take a look

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/e...519/story.html

Comments are most welcome.

Melody

wheat
 

I've actually been thinking about this, for some reason I seem to have developed a sensitivity to the good quality, whole wheat bread I've been eating for a long time. It just started making me kind of sick.

My younger sister maintains she is gluten sensitive and has the typical digestive symptoms. She has mentioned the problem with the hybrid. Her significant other is Sicilian and they have a friend who has a source for the ancestral, non hybridized wheat in Italy, she said that kind doesn't bother her.

I tease her about some of the things she eats (algae, yuk!) and some of her ideas, but she has been right sometimes too.

Judi

Hi.

Well, now you know another person whose food interests are on the nutty side. ME. I made the most delightful salad this afternoon. I grow my own sprouts in my kitchen. Think of it as growing one's own lettuce that one uses in a salad. I grow mine. I grow Radish, alfalfa and broccoli sprouts. To this I add some grilled Tempeh, some grape tomatoes, some toasted crumbled up seaweed (kind of like Nori but in small squares). I crumble them up, I also add a sliced avocado. A couple of sliced black olives, toss this together, add some sea salt, some fresh ground pepper, a splash of extra virgin olive oil and believe me you'll think you died and went to heaven. This is the absolute best thing I have ever eaten and I eat this at least once a day. Think of all the nutrition I get in this one simple meal. And I eat my sprouts on my breakfast sandwich, have my sprout salad for lunch and then I have a small salad for dinner (and you should see the concoctions I make for dinner. My husband thinks I'm nuts but let me tell you, this has impacted my health for the better. Best thing I ever did was learn to sprout.

No more hybrid wheat for me.

lol

Melody

Your salad sounds great except for the seaweed, I tried some but can't get around the fishy taste.

I've been thinking about growing a few sprouts, I used to buy them but they seem to have become a little chancy with respect to contamination. I don't have much room but I grow herbs to eat fresh and dry every year. Sis and SO are starting a cultured vegetable company. I don't understand the process very well, "You left that on the counter for 2 days and you're going to EAT it??!! " :D I poke fun but I'm unhappy with the food supply as well, who wants to eat frozen vegetables grown in China?

I stopped eating my bread for a month, felt better, tried it again and got sick again so I guess I won't be eating much wheat either.

Judi

I stopped eating bread about six months ago after eating it every day for most of my life. I can't say I noticed a difference, but I also don't see much value in wheat or gluten. The risks just aren't worth it, IMO.

I know this is off topic but gluten sensitivity is sometimes the cause of neuropathy, so I have a gluten question to ask.

I was thinking of purchasing a product called Seitan, which is a meat substitute. It is gluten. They sell it ready made, as a mix, or you can make it yourself by getting the starch out of flour (a very very time consuming method).

So if one wants to completely stay from gluten, I gather one cannot eat any Seitan??

Thanks Melody
P.S. Has anyone ever tried this stuff?

Looks formidable to me! AVOID IMO.

Gluten is like GLUE....I think it would tough to digest too.
When it is added for foods, it is to make the consistency tougher.
Bagels are a good example. Bagels use high gluten flour.

I stopped gluten a year and a half ago. That and lowering sugar is important for the nerves.

Well, thank god I came here and asked that question. I was about to invest in some Seitan. I am now sticking to my lovely Tempeh which, when I make it, is divine!!!!

LOL

Thanks much

Melody

Yes, stick to the tempeh.
 

Given yours (and Alan's) situations, no sense possibly adding to them with something that is so glutinous.

I know neither of you have ever tested positive for gluten issues, but I think it's better for most of us to stay away from lots of wheat anyway--even if one doesn't produce antibodies to the gluten protein, eating gluten-containing grains generally falls into the category of consuming simple carbs, which most of can use fewer of, given our tendencies to weight gain and metabolic syndrome in the US.

Even the athletes are starting to question the reliance on pasta, and looking to substitute other things.

And also, I just thought of this:

There are corn glutens and rice glutens as well. Not to be confused with wheat gluten:
They appear in ingredient lists on pet foods as well as on some human foods.

Glutinous rice:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutinous_rice

Corn gluten:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_gluten_meal

I see this often listed in food for cats. Sheba who passed recently at 24 was allergic to this.

Maybe it is more because of thyroid but there always seems conflicting about soy products?
In most pain books that talk about nutrition that state the concern for wheat and gluten. That with many other things though. Also conflicting some will say vegan some will say lean protein/less carbs,some no dairy etc etc. I guess it is about finding what works for the person and obviously if you have an allergy or intolerance not having that item.
For myself I never notice an impact on my pain from foods but some I can't tolerate on my stomach such as beans or spices. That is part of the frustration when making changes if one does not feel benefits but some I would think takes a long time?

After starting using Kefir, most of my problems with spices and other foods have gone away. The Kefir has been nothing short of a miracle for me. I thought it was just aging, but I guess for me it was a dysbiosis of organisms in my GI tract.

I can now eat again spicy foods! Yay! Life was getting very boring for me! I started the Kefir in Sept 2011.

Thank you for the suggestion. Do you drink this or you put it on cereal? I have seen it at Whole foods. I tried that yogurt that is supposed to aid in digestion but for me it did not add I am not a fan of the taste. I usually have greek yogurt when I have it

Kefir comes flavored and not:
I mix 1/2 and 1/2 now... but I started with unflavored.

Kefir has 12 different organisms in it..much more than Yogurt:

I started with 4 oz a day, and now I have 8oz as a dessert 3 times a week.

It is not like it is expensive or anything:

http://www.lifeway.net/

The flavored ones are like smoothies. I find the Kefir very satisfying too.

My husband and I both like the pomegrante flavor best, at least so far. I've been getting it for about 2 months now.

Also, we put corn gluten down on our lawn in the early spring before things start growing to stop the weeds from coming up. We get it at a feed store, not Home Depot.

I like the peach Kefir. Hubby likes the pomegranate.

We both found the blueberry disappointing. I'd do the peach 100% if it weren't for my sugar control.

Thank you. I am going to pick some of this up. I think I will start with the plain or if they have a vanilla. Does this help with bowel movements too?
Mrs D that you feel such a difference and can eat spice again is great. I am bland city.

There is no vanilla at the store we get it at.

Plain is rather "strong" far stronger than yogurt.. I'd do one of the fruit flavors to start. It is actively fermenting in your refrigerator, so shake it very well before using. If you leave it in there too long (forget it etc), the bottle may explode! I've never had one explode as it doesn't last here a week, but I've seen a bottle swell up a bit! We had one bottle of plain get really thick, and that one I had to stir up and eat with a spoon.

It really helps me with digestion, and the terrible gas and cramping I was prone to.

Mrs. D.

I have heard of this product QUORN before, but I was never able to try it. The other day at Shoprite (in the frozen organic section), they have these packages.

I just went online and found this.

It describes QUORN as a microprotein (at least I think this is what I read).

Here's the site

http://www.quorn.us/About-Us/

Now, I can't be eating Tempeh every day for the rest of my life, and while I do occasionally enjoy a piece of chicken, I'd like to up my choices.

Have you ever eaten Quorn, and if so, what did you think (we might have covered this product years ago but I don't remember).

I wonder what this tastes like.

Melody

P.S. Just went back to the site. It's mycoprotein, not microprotein. lol

I have no idea! Maybe if you asked on the Food threads here, a Brit will recognize it and respond. It seems to be basically from England.

HI.

I'll do that when I get a chance. I also found out it comes from mold. I don't think I'll be putting this in my body any time soon.

But I will go and check out the Food threads later on.

Right now, we are getting ready to go into New York City. Getting primped and prepped and Alan has his shoes all ready. He'll be showing them off tonight. Since everybody at the meeting has some kind of neuropathy, they ALL wear special shoes. These shoes make him over 6 feet tall. I always liked walking with a TALL man.

lol

Will update about the meeting. They are going to have a pain management specialist giving a lecture.

Will advise later on.

Melody

Mrs. D. I have to tell you something absolutely fascinating. Do you know that there are people with diabetic neuropathy who wear special custom molded shoes, are on disability, cannot have one day without pain and were never told "you have neuropathy". I had breakfast with such a person this morning. I know him for years. He's 49 and has diabetic. He's also 300 lbs and eats what he wants. He has his reasons. He always says "My feet always hurt me, I wear these shoes I Have LOTS of pairs of these shoes"

I noticed his feet (they were flat) and he wore custom molded shoes.

I said "Do your feet burn?" what kind of pain?" He said "All I know is that they hurt me from my ankle to my toes." All day long, every day and the doctor won't give me anything. I pulled out my jar of Lidocain (which I carry and I have no idea why because I only use it for an ingrown toenail when I go to the podiatrist so he doesn't hurt me, lol). I showed him the lidocain ointment and said "why not ask your doctor if you can use this, I mean, you aren't using ANYTHING".

I then said "Have you ever been told that you have diabetic neuropathy, I mean, were you given a diagnosis as to why your feet hurt you?"

He said 'not really, I never understand the doctor and I know I"m diabetic".

??????????????????????????????

I then went on to describe the various meds that might be indicated for neuropathy such as lyrica, neurontin and the possible side effects. He acted like he knew what I was talking about but then he dove into his plate of potatoes.

So I just continued enjoying breakfast and went on to other topics.

I am amazed that he has never had any kind of emg, whatever kind of test.

Next time I see him (which will be tomorrow morning), I'll ask him if he has ever had the filament test and the tuning fork test by his podiatrist. I mean the guy has custom molded shoes and his feet kill him every day. He's on disability due to his feet.

My goodness

Melody

It is absolutely appalling how people with PN are treated...or should I say IGNORED by the medical community at times!

In the UK its hard as hell to go Gluten free , we are ruled by global entity otherwise known as T-E-S-C-O which is an anagram for COSTE and no Gluten free for you.

m

I sadly agree Mrs. D.

But on another note, I just came back from the PN Support Group in NYC. What a great meeting. We had a pain management specialist giving a presentation on the spinal cord stimulator and he even gave a talk on pumps. And I got the word out to the diabetics to "control their blood sugar", and all about Methyl B-12. All the new people were writing everything down.

It was a good meeting.

Melody

What can you do, other than try to have whistle blowers in there like wikileaks did to report their mismanagement ?

m

I have had quorn and found it horrible. It was the aftertaste and also did not agree with my stomach. I can't really describe the taste. You may like it though. What about making your own bean or veggie burgers? Do you have tofu?