Toxic Staple, How Gluten May Be Wrecking Your Health - And What You Can Do about It!

by Anne J. Sarkisian

SICK and TIRED of being SICK and TIRED? Gluten may be the culprit. TOXIC STAPLE exposes how the devastating effects of gluten reach far beyond celiac disease. Over 300 symptoms and maladies are linked to this insidious protein, from allergies, arthritis, asthma, autoimmune disease, cancer, depression, fatigue, gut or memory issues, migraines, osteoporosis, reflux. . . to zits. MISDIAGNOSED, UNDIAGNOSED, OVERDOSED? READ TOXIC STAPLE and you   * Learn to recognize how gluten could be affecting your health   * Discover the revolutionary, preventative, health benefits of a gluten-free lifestyle   * Find hope in the inspirational stories of real people - substantiated by nearly 700 scientific, easy-to-read studies from around the world   * Get the scoop on cutting-edge and traditional tests that will help you detect a sensitivity   * Become empowered to transform your health and lifeGluten can affect any part of the body, on multiple systems, at any age.TOXIC STAPLE was featured by world expert Dr. Rodney Ford (NZ) on his video as one of the three books discussing the view of gluten intolerance beyond celiac disease"...I am awed by the detailed information presented in a user friendly format. Sarkisian raises valuable awareness not only about celiac disease, but about non-celiac gluten intolerance, putting this book on the cutting-edge of this topic, and is a must read for physicians and patients alike." --Martha Bishop Pitman, MD Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School; Gastrointestinal Surgical Pathologist, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA  "Toxic Staple is an exceptional book that integrates the vast amount of research on the gluten-related epidemic! It is a must-read, a gift for health-care professionals or anyone looking to improve his or her health." -- Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin, PhD, Training Director, Bay Area Family Therapy & Training Associates"Toxic Staple is an exceptional and unique book integrating the vast amount of research on the gluten-related epidemic."  --Beatrice Trum Hunter, food editor, Consumers' Research Magazine; Pioneer writer on nutrition and healthy living

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

358 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2013

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad book, but I think it doesn't go far enough. The author states that many people are gluten intolerant/unable to handle gluten. I tend to believe we ALL are unable to handle gluten and that it makes ALL of us sick in some way, shape or form. We evolved to eat a certain way and it doesn't include grains. Grains are a relatively new addition to our food supply and with how it's been modified so much in the past few decades, we'll never be able to genetically adapt rapidly enough to be able to eat wheat at the rate it has been force-evolved.

I'm completely surprised that she doesn't reference in the book AT ALL Robb Wolf, Mark Sisson or any of those in the paleo/primal world. They are about as anti-gluten as one can get, with facts, data and studies to back them up, yet she doesn't even mention them. She did mention the book By Davis, "Wheat Belly", which was awesome, as well as many other good books about the evils of gluten, but I think she could have gone a lot deeper and had the scientific studies to back her up.

Also, the format of the book was very friendly if you wanted to look up a specific disease and read about the connections of gluten and celiac disease with it. but if you were to read it straight through as I did, the repetition might get on the nerves of the reader.

It was set up like this. Disease, connections to celiac disease because of gluten, testing for gluten sensitivity and CD. Every once in a while there were personal stories mixed in which did help to lighten the monotony of the set up, but there weren't a whole lot of personal stories in the middle. The personal stories were really great, though in my eARC, it was difficult to tell where the story ended and the author's voice started up again. I'm sure it's not an issue in the actual book.

The author does rail against the medical community not recognizing the fact that gluten is so bad and is most likely the cause of many diseases that could be prevented, stopped and reversed just by modifying diet. That's because how do doctors and Big Pharma make their money, from healthy people who eat well or from sick people who eat poison? It's a no brainer for Big Pharma to try to kill any mention of personal responsibility in diet equaling health and no medication.

I would definitely recommend it for someone who is just starting out on the road to being gluten free, as it is written rather down to earth, with a lot of good resources and stories of regular people who benefitted greatly from cutting gluten out of their diet. I would also recommend anything by Robb Wolf or Mark Sisson. They have books, podcasts and blogs. All but the books are free and what they say not only makes sense, it's backed by science.

My thanks to NetGalley and Max Health Press for an eARC of this book to read and review.

[Krazybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazingly comprehensive and includes tons of medical data as well as personal stories. The author is not trying to say that every medical condition is caused by gluten every time; however, this book does point out how many medical conditions can have a connection to either celiac disease or a gluten intolerance.

As someone who diagnosed my then 9 year old son, I really understand the importance of this book. We had just switched him back to his old doctor (even though that meant a very long drive since we had moved) because his doctor could not figure out what was wrong with him. We were blessed that his old doctor was at least willing to consider it and did the test. Thankfully, the test did positively show celiac disease. If the test had come back that he didn't have it (as many people's tests do even though eating gluten-free makes them feel better), I would have just thought I was wrong, and he would probably still be a very sick little boy to this day.

Take your health into your own hands. Read this book if you even suspect you have a problem with gluten, if you have any chronic conditions, or if you just feel lousy all the time for no reason. No, gluten may not be the problem every time, but it very well could be. This book is a must read.

Copy was provided for an honest review.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toxic Staple by Anne Sarkisian is an extremely well-written book that discusses, at great length, gluten, its debilitating impact on health, and what you can do about it. Every aspect of this book, in my opinion, is relevant and quite helpful. The information is thorough, thought-provoking, and highly enlightening.

If you have questions or concerns about gluten, if you have ever wondered about how gluten may be impacting your body systems and/or influencing your overall health, or if you just need a good place to start, this book is the resource you want.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Bookshelf Worthy: Yes


A complimentary e-copy of this title was made available for review in exchange for an honest critique. The words that I have shared are my own.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many books on the market about gluten intolerance now, but this one is a winner. You don't need a degree to understand this book is well-written and easy to follow. But it is no light weight either. Ms. Sarkisian provides a plethora of evidence to support the impact of gluten on both the body and the brain. There is also growing body of research linking gluten to neurological disorders such as Autism and in terms of a range of life threatening diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. But there is a another consideration; gluten has a negative impact on children's attention and behaviour. This book is a go to manual for anyone wanting to know more, to manage the eating habits, and wanting to know how to get well again.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see from other reviewers that this book has meant a lot to many people, but it brought to mind a book called "The Yeast Connection" from 20 years ago that connected yeast to every disease under the sun. Thank god I had dna testing done through 23andMe and could check to see if I was actually allergic to gluten or genetically predisposed to celiac disease because after reading just the first few chapters I would be scared to death to eat a sandwich! I'm a firm believer in moderation and while gluten intolerance may be the answer for some, I doubt that it is the sole cause of all of the diseases that the author attributes it to. That said, if I had any one of the diseases that she lists, I would certainly try eliminating gluten from my diet to see if it made a difference in my health.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most comprehensive books with the latest research on celiac. As someone with celiac, I am an avid reader of all the research and books published on the topic. Anne's book pulls together a wide range of research that I've not found in one location before. If you are interested in learning about celiac or gluten sensitivity for yourself or someone you love, this is an essential read.Toxic Staple, How Gluten May Be Wrecking Your Health - And What You Can Do about It!

[Pam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suffer from gluten intolerance so this book was amazing, it provided me with how many health problems emanate from gluten and how following a g gluten free diet is a life source. Its a valuable source of knowledge and a must read especially if you have an allergy, shows how gluten can be a key factor in the development of neurological conditions, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other ailments.

[Deanna Wiseburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read about the dangers of Gluten. I never realized just how dangerous it could be and how much your health could be affected by a Gluten Free Diet. I love that the author shares about the struggles of going Gluten-free also and that it is not easy, but very necessary.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC free from Net Galley in exchage for an honest review. Great information on one of the most controversial ingredients of the 21st century. Not only did it explain a lot of symptoms, but gave you ways to combat an effects you may have.