Search Body Detox

Gluten Withdrawal

http://blog.drdavidwilliams.com/blog/dr-david-williams/0/0/gluten-withdrawal

Practically all grains contain gluten, but wheat is one of the most commonly consumed grains found in our food supply—primarily in the form of flour and bread. Cut out the bread and white flour from your diet. (It’s not that easy at first.) Depending on your degree of dependency on gluten, you may experience “withdrawal” symptoms for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Most people (doctors included) don’t understand that there is a proven additive element to gluten consumption. Gluten is a protein, and when your body isn’t able to completely digest and break down the protein, you end up with forms of biologically active peptides that interact with opiate receptors in the brain. These are the same receptors associated with extremely addictive opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. Studies have found that there are as many as 15 opioid sequences in a single molecule of gluten, and the peptides in gluten can be as much as 30 times more addictive than morphine. (FEBS Lett 92;296:107–111) (FEBS Lett 93;316:17–19)

Considering its potential addictive properties, it’s understandable that gluten withdrawal may be associated with symptoms such as:

• intense food cravings,
• irritability,
• depression,
• mood swings,
• fatigue,
• disorientation,
• insomnia, and
• brain “fogginess.”

From my personal experience in utilizing gluten-free diets, the withdrawal symptoms are not that intense in most people. However, keep in mind that a more serious withdrawal is indicative of a stronger addiction to wheat, and all the more reason to stick with a gluten-free diet.

Following this initial period, if you’re like the majority of individuals (75–80 percent), you can expect to experience a long list of benefits. Just a few commonly reported improvements include:

• fasting blood sugar levels improve,
• LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels drop,
• HDL cholesterol increases,
• bowel problems disappear,
• joint pains subside,
• excess weight begins to fall off,
• energy levels improve, and
• headaches subside.