6 Reasons to Go Wheat-Free (At Least For a Bit)
By Sara Novak, Planet Green
Food trends come and go. One moment were shunning fats and the next were drinking flax oil down by the spoonful. One moment carbs are low fat and the next were removing the bun from our burger. Its rather hard to keep up. But then there are some diets that seem to have a little more traction, and more importantly, have motivations beyond just weight loss.
Just today a Facebook friend proclaimed that she had gone wheat-free for a month and had never felt better. Last week in a yoga class the girl one mat over explained that since giving up gluten she felt the weight of depression lift. While there have yet to be enough studies to back up such claims, holistic practitioners say its a diet thats working in a big way.
Why are we giving up wheat? What are the benefits?
1. Celiac Disease
This is by far the most studied reaction to wheat. Wheat has gluten in it and those with Celiac Disease have a severe intolerance to gluten. Much of the early popularity stemmed from doctors beginning to diagnose Celiac Disease, an illness that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents the absorption of nutrients in the body. Celiac Disease affects 1 out of 133 people and even still 97 percent of people with Celiac Disease go undiagnosed, according to Eco Salon.
