Page 46 - Summer2014

Much of this In addition to blogs and the Internet point- disaster as the diverse diet encouraged by the

information ing us in the direction of gluten-free baking WAPF is the only diet that I know of that does
and cooking, all we need to do is visit any com-
not condemn any food groups such as meats,
has scared mercial grocery or health food store. The grand fruits, complex carbohydrates, saturated fats,
the common proof that we have at last found the latest health and other foods, including those that contain
sense out of panacea of the moment lies in the fact that shelf gluten. WAPF encourages us to eat from all the
after shelf groans under the weight of gluten-
food groups while focusing on the healing of our
anyone who free foods to appease even those of us who have gastrointestinal system or, as I like to call it, the
would dare to never been bothered by eating gluten! Further, body’s “central processor,” so as to be able to
put a slice of a sizable library of books, and some written by enjoy and receive nourishment from all of it!
good doctors newly crowned the super-stars of
Yes, I put the bag of almond flour back on the
wheat bread the gluten-free craze, bolsters the faith of the shelf and came home to dig into the gluten-free
in his mouth! recently converted. Unfortunately much of this craze a little deeper. After nearly six months of
information has served to hurt the wheat industry meetings via email, reading many books, and
as a whole, and has also scared the common sense numerous private phone conversations with some
out of anyone who would dare to put a slice of fantastic authors, business owners, and growers
wheat bread in his mouth! of ancient and heritage grains, I respectfully sub-
Sensing that there was something wrong mit to you my findings. After a long absence due
with this picture and noting a definite departure to my perceived fear of gluten, I now sit down to
from what I’d been used to eating, I, too, came a delicious, warm slice of real sourdough bread
under the spell and found myself at one of those and homemade butter. Ah, to eat what Grand-
stores looking for a sack of (gluten-free) almond mother served so frequently, and of which we
flour! Of course I wanted to be sure I purchased relished every last bite, always eager to be right
the best organic almond flour I could find! This there when the fresh loaves were taken from the
brazen act was perpetrated in spite of the fact oven. This in my opinion is the way it should be,
that almonds and other gluten-free flours have and I hope by the time you’ve read the rest of this
some distinct disadvantages when compared to article, it will be your opinion also.
organic grains. So why was I looking to feed
my family a wholesale diet of cookies, cakes, THE TRUE GLUTEN-FREE CANDIDATE
breads and numerous other foods made from Possibly the only true candidate for a totally
gluten-free flours while choosing to ignore the gluten-free diet is a person who has damage to
nutritious grain recipes in books like Nourishing the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small
Traditions? intestine called villi. Villi allow nutrients from
Something inside me asked whether I could food to be absorbed into the bloodstream. When
also perhaps be succumbing to the message? damaged, the body cannot absorb nutrients
Just maybe I had not done my homework. It properly, leading to malnutrition—regardless
genuinely bothered me to see the proliferation of the quantity or quality of food eaten. This is
of the gluten-free credo in a good many of the celiac disease and those suffering from it must
WAPF-friendly blogs and websites. I wondered abstain from gluten in all forms. Unfortunately,
how we could prevent the situation we recently celiac disease can be misdiagnosed as irritable
experienced with the popular Paleo diets which bowel syndrome, Cohn’s disease, diverticulitis,
were misunderstood to be a re-interpretation of intestinal infections, iron deficiency, anemia and
the WAPF and ancestral diets. My instant conclu- even chronic fatigue syndrome. It is estimated
sion was, here we go again! that about one percent of the U.S. population has
Suddenly, I felt I absolutely must investigate celiac disease.
this issue further, and a faint sadness settled on Although this article is not meant to discuss
me to think that going gluten-free may now also or address celiac disease as such, I am including
be misinterpreted as being endorsed as part of the information about the necessary testing that may
diet espoused by the Weston A. Price Founda- determine whether a complete gluten-free diet is
tion. For newcomers that fallacy could be a real even advisable. The results of a blood test can
46 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2014 Wise Traditions

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