Eat Wheat: A Scientific and Clinically-Proven Approach to Safely Bringing Wheat and Dairy Back Into Your Diet

by John Douillard

The international bestseller by the author of The 3-Season “A compelling, evidence-based approach for safely eating wheat and dairy . . . a must-read” (Dr. Rav Ivker, author of Sinus Survival).   Have you gone gluten-free or dairy-free? If so, you might not have to deny yourself the foods you love any longer. Eat Wheat is your guide to safely bringing wheat and dairy back into your diet, using a scientific and clinically proven approach to addressing food intolerances.   Dr. John Douillard, a former NBA nutrition expert and creator of LifeSpa.com, addresses the underlying cause of the recent gluten intolerance epidemic. Eat Wheat explains how a breakdown in digestion has damaged the intestinal wall, causing “grain brain” symptoms and food allergies. Although eliminating wheat and dairy from your diet may help your symptoms, it is only a temporary solution. Eat Wheat addresses the root the inability to digest well and break down harmful toxins that can lead to more serious health concerns.   Backed by more than 600 scientific studies, Eat Wheat is a revolutionary guidebook to regaining your digestive strength. Eat Wheat  Reveal hidden science on the benefits of wheat and dairyHelp you navigate around food toxins in modern wheat and dairyRetrain your body to digest wheat and dairy againFlush congested lymphatics linked to food intolerance symptomsTeach you to follow natural digestive circadian cyclesHelp bring your blood sugar back into balanceTeach you proven exercise and detox techniques to reboot strong digestion and achieve optimal health and vitality

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Food, Diets, Science

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2016

About the author

Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAP, is a youthful 60-year-old globally recognized leader in the fields of natural health, Ayurveda, and sports medicine. He is the creator of LifeSpa.com, the leading Ayurvedic health and wellness resource on the web with over 4.5 million views on YouTube. LifeSpa.com is evolving the way Ayurveda is understood around the world, with over 700 articles and videos proving ancient wisdom with modern science. Dr. John is the former Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Nets NBA team, author of 7 health books, a repeat guest on the Dr. Oz show, and featured in Woman’s World Magazine, Huffington Post, Yoga Journal and dozens of other publications. He has seen over 100,000 patients, and directs LifeSpa, the 2013 Holistic Wellness Center of the year in Boulder, CO.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short backstory...I've been on a gluten free diet since February 2011. I was having a lot of health problems and reactions every time I ate gluten. I tested negative for Celiac, but I definitely had an intolerance.

In 2016 I read a study where scientist found that people who'd been on a gluten free diet for years, still had a leaky gut. The gluten free diet might reduce symptoms, but it doesn't fix the problem. Having a leaky gut can lead to more severe health problems in the future. That made me wonder, "How do you heal a leaky gut?" As I was trying to find answers to that question I came across this book at the beginning of 2017.

I spent months going step-by-step through the instructions in this book. I took my time. I wanted to make sure I gave my body enough time to heal properly. In the process, I worked on healing my leaky gut, cleaning my lymph system, rebuilding the good bacteria in my gut, and more. Since the summer of 2017 I can now eat wheat again and I feel great.

[Aubree Deimler · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Eat Wheat, John Douillard gives another perspective to the continual rise of people cutting both gluten and dairy from their diets. While he acknowledges that those two factors are hard to digest and can cause physical issues, this process of elimination only removes the symptom, rather than addressing the bigger cause, which is a weak digestion.

So, people may feel better at first by cutting these foods, but it doesn't always last, since it doesn't address the bigger issue.

Douillard gives the other side to the benefits of wheat, including how it helps builds healthy additions to the microbiome. The issue, he says, is not necessarily the wheat itself, but how it's processed. He advocates for more ancient forms of wheat, sprouted wheat and sourdough bread.

I like how Douillard combines both modern science and ancient Ayurveda practices such as eating with the seasons and increasing digestive fire. He provides an interesting look into the role of the lymphatic system and new discoveries of a major drainage point from the brain. This explains why wheat and dairy, which slow things down and clog the lymphatic system, can result in foggy thinking and headaches. He also gives tips on how to support your lymphatic system.

He did shift my perspective about wheat and had me experimenting with re-introducing it, after being gluten and dairy free for years.

[Emily-Jane Orford · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Ayurvedic Proverb states, “When diet is wrong, the medicine is of no use, when diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” Our bodies need the ability to properly digest its food in order to maintain good health. With the increasing negligence of proper eating habits, as in eating three regular meals and sitting down to relax while one eats, and the frightening amounts of additives in all of our foods, not to mention the genetically modified foods and the over-processing of foods like dairy and wheat, it’s not surprising that the human body is losing its ability to properly digest those foods that are noted to be hard to digest, like wheat and dairy. That doesn’t mean our diet should exclude these foods. Rather, it means we should further study the issue and find ways in which we can keep these foods in our diets without jeopardizing our digestive health and, consequently, our overall health.

It has become a fad of the last couple of decades (or more) to remove dairy and wheat from the diet, much like in the 1960s and 1970s, it was deemed beneficial to eliminate high cholesterol foods, like eggs, from one’s diet. There are some people who definitely have allergies to wheat and dairy and they should not try to eat these products, but, for most of the population, wheat and dairy, when included in our diet appropriately, can indeed be beneficial to one’s overall health.

John Douillard is an expert in his field. His recent book, “Eat Wheat”, takes away the myths surrounding wheat (gluten) and dairy. As he points out in his well-researched book, “The issue is not to banish wheat and dairy from your diet because they cause you sensitivity-related symptoms; the deeper issue here is that your digestion is compromised and weak, and that’s why you’re having trouble digesting these foods.” With that in mind, the author discusses the overall, very complex issues surrounding wheat, dairy and the human digestive system. Among the suggestions, exercises and even a few recipes, the author points out that historically, humans only ate certain foods in the seasons that they were available, so foods, like wheat, should only be eaten in the fall and winter when the body can and will better digest it. Something so simple and yet overlooked in the contemporary context when one can buy and eat any food, any time of the year.

This is a wonderful resource to help us better understand our bodies and our digestive system, with the ultimate goal of our better health. A very thorough guide to good digestion, even if we do decide to eat wheat and dairy.

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite.

[Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book extremely interesting. I very much liked all the science. This book covers so much more than wheat and dairy intolerances. (Notice: this is addressing intolerances, not necessarily Celiac disease.) I think the title doesn’t do the subject justice. It is all about the digestive system and the processes that need to happen to have healthy, optimal digestion. It is also about the effects on the body and mind, of both healthy and unhealthy digestion. Douillard also gives the reader specific actions to take to heal the intestinal skin, as well as many other aspects of a disordered gut. Some of the information is new to me. For example, Douillard claims it is more healthful and productive to our metabolism to eat 2-3 meals a day, rather than the 6 small meals we have been hearing about for years. I also found the discussion of the lymph system to be fascinating. That is something I’d like to learn more about. Good thing there are so many references. I would venture to say that more than half the sentences are linked to at least one reference (some have many more). What this book lacked was a clear path forward now that I have the information. There are steps listed, but there are so many options I am left a little confused. I am hoping the author’s website will be more helpful in that area. It would have been nice to have a specific protocol, but I do understand the difficulty of infinite combinations of issues to address. Each gut has its own problems. Oh well, I guess I’d rather have too many choices than choices that don’t fit the situation. Some more concrete direction would have made the book better. Someone should write a book like this in a “choose your own adventure” style.

I appreciate the gentle healing Douillard advocates. His suggestions seem to be doable for almost anyone; not requiring expensive supplements. I like his view on supplements. He says they are to be used while healing, not for the rest of your life. He does not believe in being dependent on supplements to be healthy. He believes the body can function properly when properly balanced. He also says to take your time. Your gut took years to degenerate, so take the healing slowly and consistently.

I can’t wait to start making sour dough bread! I’ve been meaning to try it for years. Here’s my chance!

[Kathy Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The e-book edition of Eat Wheat: A Scientific and Clinically-Proven Approach to Safely Bringing Wheat and Dairy Back into your Diet is on special right now for 99 cents. (http://amzn.to/2cHhBsv).

It's power-packed with sensible and awesomely simple information to help restore digestive health and combat allergies and other health conditions erroneously attributed to wheat and dairy. People suffering from migraines will want to read this book to see if the tips given could be their long sought after solution. The author provides a way to get rid of the temporary fixes to digestive issues and problems like the inability to sleep well or through the night and to enjoy a lifestyle of well-balanced eating and the vitality that comes with it.

I didn't see a link to the e-book here on GR. But this is the link on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cHhBsv.

[Alicia Randolph-Lucchesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a wellness coach and Ayurvedic educator, it's refreshing to hear the science FOR gluten, rather than the trend against it. As I've always told people, forget the current trend and symptoms you find online--those symptoms may be caused from another food interaction. There's a TON of misinformation online and it's great to hear the positive effects of wheat and dairy. You'll learn ho to optimize digestion, even if you don't care about the wheat/dairy debate. I recommend this to ANYONE who has stomach or bowel movement issues.

[Sarah B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to think a long time before I wrote this review, as I have mixed feelings about it..this is also the second time I read the book as I first read it cover to cover about two months ago.. even then I had mixed feelings.

I had really hoped this book was going to help me with my digestive problems but now I feel that it really won't. I really don't want to eat wheat...what this book is about is healing the digestive track so you can hopefully eat stuff that's a bit harder to digest. On the surface it sounds really good!! Just drink tea made out of this, use these spices, eat food in season...

Unfortunately it's not that easy!

I don't know about you or the other people who have reviewed this book, but I actually DO have digestive problems...they are the leftover side affects of doing a food challenge before a blood test. The things I used to be able to eat before without any problems I cannot eat now. And this book was the first one that had given me a bit of hope. Because I was looking for a way to cure my problems. And who wouldn't?

So thanks to visiting other websites and finding little bits of useful info here or there, a had managed to make a little progress in curing my issues. The constant gas in the form of burping had gone away! Then I picked up this book again and saw what it had recommended: tea made of licorice root plus some other plants. So I thought I would try drinking that..so I had a tea that had contained those things (organic too) and so I drank it. Big mistake!! The burping came right back!! So yes, the very plants the book had recommended to help heal the body actually brought my burping back!

Another chapter in the book recommends to eat a raw beet every day. I found out I cannot do that. I can't handle beet juice or beet anything..

The book does not tell you what to do if you cannot use the things he recommends. So then you are just stuck at a standstill and the book becomes rather useless.

My friend who has lots of digestive problems would not be able to use the advice either. She is very limited to what she can actually eat.

The book does contain a lot of other useful info, like on how the digestive track works, the different bits involved, how people get these various issues, how eating all of that preprocessed grain products is bad for your health...

I just wish it would have actually worked instead of giving me backwards progress! It took me months for the gas to go away and now I'm stuck with it again just because I drank some tea.. I can drink green tea ok but apparently not those particular herbs/roots. Maybe it was something on the tea bag...I really don't know. But I just feel it's the herbs themselves...

So how are you to follow the advice in the book when the things meant to help you actually make you sick??? There is no answer to that question.

[David McClendon, Sr · Rating 5 out of 5]

We were sent a copy of Eat Wheat, written by Dr. John Douillard, for the purpose of writing this review.

Many people stop eating certain foods because they cannot tolerate them any longer. They feel relief, but that does not last long. Soon, the problems return.

Eat Wheat addresses why that happens. Dr. Douillard gives us good, healthy choices that will help detox and reset the body so that we can again eat the foods we love.

This book is well-written and well-researched. It is a very entertaining read as well. Often times we find ourselves zoning out when reading books that are medical in nature. Not so with Eat Wheat.

Why certain things have happened to us because of food is addressed in Eat Wheat. Once David stopped drinking a name brand diet soda water for awhile. His blood sugars improved. Then, he treated himself to one 20 oz. diet soda water. His blood glucose went crazy. Dr. Douillard explains why that happened.

If you are having health problems of any kind, we suggest you get a copy of Eat Wheat and see if it might be caused by diet. Of course, ALWAYS consult your medical provider before you start any nutritional program.

We give Eat Wheat all five stars and two snaps up in a circle. We would give it a bag of chips, too, if they are baked, not fried, and do not contain preservatives or overly processed ingredients.

[Mónika · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was by far the worst book I have ever read. Choked myself through half of it before abandoning all hope. I picked up this book thinking it would actually provide insight into gluten intolerance and sensitivity, but I was proven wrong from page one.

First of all, this guy spends the entire book peddling his "scientific" and "clinical" methods to reintroducing wheat into your diet. He fails to consider when making his "reboot your guts" argument that many people simply revert to the traditional American diet when switching between gluten-free and wheat-filled diets.

He regularly makes the argument that "people eat too much wheat". While this may be true, he does not realize that wheat (or ancient forms of the grain) has been a common staple in the diet of humans going back tens of thousands of years. He even states this is the book! I would argue that most people have decreased the overall variety of foods they eat, which in turns results in poor nutrient diversity.

Don't even get me started on his scientific sources... He manipulates real science to favor his argument. Then he draws on Ayurvedic naturopathic medicine to support the claims of real science taken out of context.

Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone as it does not contain factual information based in authentic science.

[EagleRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate Dr. Douillard's approach in this book. I have read many books on health and nutrition this summer and not one of them has touched the need to address the lymphatic system for healing. Dr. Douillard is a good teacher as well and the book does not drag like some can. One of the things I appreciated most is that I am a detail person and have always learned better by understanding the "why" behind what I am told. For example, others have said, "It's important to breathe through your nose" but Dr. Douillard took a step further by explaining that nose breathing increases the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system and decreases the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system. This is important in decreasing the stress response of the body. Also, nose breathing "employs the entire rib cage to act as a lymphatic pump with every breath." Now that I know why nose breathing is important I will be much more likely to catch myself mouth breathing. I wish that he had discussed gut infections, he only briefly mentioned them and his healing diet is contra-indicated in most literature that speak of infections such as Candida and SIBO. Overall though the book was very informative and I will probably be re-reading it soon. Thank you, Dr. Douillard.

[Richard J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Book

I read this book with some initial skepticism since I have embarked on a sugar, wheat, dairy free diet for digestive issues and asthma. I found the science to be well explained and very helpful. I am particularly appreciative of the focus on the lymph system as an important part of digestion and health. I plan to do the 4 day fast to reboot my digestive processes and follow the plan for seasonal eating and gradually adding back in some ancient wheat sourdough bread. What an adventure!

[Rich Van Ollefen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting to read, his premise is that we eat too much of genetically modified grains. A result of how modern food and farming methods and a poor diet have decimated many peoples digestive systems causes an inability to deal with these grains. I have oversimplified his argument, of course.

There was not a lot of scientific information in my view, and the clinically-proven claim was illustrated mostly by individual cases studies. This is not a reason to reject his premise, if you are a bread-lover or generally concerned about the modern diet, it is worth a read.

[Lisha Doucet · Rating 4 out of 5]

An acquaintance recommended this book after a meditation retreat where I had all sorts of stomach issues. I am also allergic to wheat. I found that it was based on ayurvedic principles which seem to work with my body. The book is well laid out with steps for first repairing your intestinal skin, then moves to the other things you can do to heal your gut. I'm willing to try the recommendations. Not sure if it will allow me to eat wheat at some point in my life. At this point I just want to fix my gut issues.

[Elizabeth Sears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend

Modern day validation for ancient lifestyle practices that are more critical than ever in today’s fast food, couch potato world. It’s nice to have the science, all footnoted, and in one place so that I can reference articles with clients as we determine what their own diet and lifestyle plan might look like.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Douillard gets up close and personal with our digestive system, basing his study and recommendations not only on published research but on Ayurvedic medicine as well. Written in an easily readable format which includes organized programs for digestive health. And a healthy digestion = a healthy body.

[Brian Glass · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the book a lot. It had a lot of useful information about Ayurvedic approaches to healing the gut. The reason I gave it a 4 is that it seemed like it could have used a good editor. There were countless errors in the text.

[Mskychick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, as a western medicine practitioner, this book is getting more and more outlandish. I’m DNF’ing at 50%

[Rinda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read. I feel you can find a book on eating that will support however you want to eat. I enjoyed this book. Much food for thought on healing the digestive tract.

[Rachel Ramey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I've been looking for! Regardless of your view on origins, everyone knows that man has been eating gluten-containing grains for thousands of years AT LEAST. And widespread sensitivities to wheat and gluten are pretty new -- as in, decades, not centuries. So the idea that wheat sensitivities occur because "the human body can't digest wheat" has always struck me as bad science. But no one assuming the problem is the wheat was asking WHY we can't digest it! Thank you, thank you, thank, Dr. Douillard, for asking the right questions -- and finding answers.

Toxic bodies and damaged guts are the primary factors (with several lesser contributors mentioned, as well). I'd suspected this, but Dr. Douillard confirmed, with plenty of research to back up his claims. This is a very well-documented book, with over 600 references! The author walks us through the science of what's really happening (and how we've been misled) in the first section of the book. In the second section, he gets into fixes.

Dr. Douillard is an Ayurvedic practitioner, so there are a lot of Ayurvedic principles here. He supplements the ancient understanding, though, with modern science that backs up what the ancients knew. The instructions are detailed and specific, so anyone can follow them without confusion or fumbling to figure things out. And although some of these are radical LIFESTYLE changes for many people, all are gentle for the body.

I disagree with Dr. Douillard's assessment of wheat and other gluten-containing grains as traditionally a fall-harvested, winter-only food. (And, oddly, wheat is found on the other seasonal food lists, as well.) But I agree, in principle, that it probably comprised a larger PROPORTION of the winter diet than the spring or summer diets, because it keeps well, where fruits and greens do not. Apart from that, I have some minor disagreements, but nothing that would substantially impact any of the key recommendations.

As a nutritionist in training, I appreciate that most of these recommendations are basic healthy lifestyle recommendations. And yet, there's an acknowledgement that many of us have damaged digestion and "clogged" detoxification pathways and these need intentional help to heal. You'll find that here.

The book could have used one more editing pass. It's pretty good overall, but there were a few places where it looked like maybe things were reworded and the sentences didn't quite get fixed, so there are fragments, and a couple places the numbers that are supposed to be superscript hyperlinks to references are actually just regular numbers and unlinked. That's a very minor quibble, though. Overall, the formatting is clean, with profuse hyperlinking to make it easy to move about the book (especially to the numerous references), and there's even a pretty thorough index (also hyperlinked)!

Basically, whether you can eat wheat or not, if you're American, just buy and read the book. It's well worth it.

[Simon Fjellander · Rating 4 out of 5]

very insparid by Indien medicin

[Kandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource for anyone with digestive issues. I would highly recommend this book, as well as the 3 Season Diet book by the same author.

[Margot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book, through kismet, just after finishing Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition. And it was a perfect follow-up. While Cure Tooth Decay was written by a passionate lay person and was a little light on the science, Douillard (a globally recognized natural health and Ayurveda expert) in Eat Wheat delivers arguments backed vigorously by an army of scientific studies. His methods are also backed by decades of practice with real patients suffering digestive issues and increasing food intolerances.

Douillard, You got me at "Eat Wheat." Can't eat gluten because of painful joints? Does your stomach rebel when you eat dairy? I am on the milder side of digestive issues, in relative terms. Not effected to a noticeable degree by wheat, only mildly by dairy, but with pretty strong, lab-tested food sensitivities to both. Everyone's digestion suffers as one ages, and Douillard has done a great job of demonstrating why that is--how our organ function begins to fail us as we grow older and the backup of garbage from all the garbage-y foods we Americans eat begins to take its toll. But we don't have to accept this sub-par standard of aging!

The protocols in this book are easy-to-follow homeopathic remedies like sipping hot water throughout the day, making teas out of whole herbs, etc. My only wish with this book was that it should have included an additional appendix section where it quickly summarized all the tips/practical recommendations for easy reference as one sets out to fix their own digestion. As it is, I now need to go back through the book to all the items I highlighted and recapture those into a journal or something for easy planning and reference. Though, Douillard does have a website with plenty of other free learning resources, including a free cleanse regimen which is probably exactly what I'm looking for.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard about gluten being linked to increased intestinal permeability in many people. Yet whole grains (including gluten-containing grains) are a part of the healthy Mediterranean diet. So who's right?

"Eat Wheat" looked briefly at the scientific studies that indicate benefit or harm from gluten or dairy. And it's clearly not as simple as "gluten is bad." The author explained the "leaky gut" link that gluten-free advocates are talking about but then pointed to a deeper, root cause of food sensitivities and digestive troubles--in the lymphatic system.

He explained how the lymphatic system works, why it might not be working well, and what you can do to heal your lymphatic system and leaky gut. He included some Ayurvedic principles, like eating more seasonally, but cited scientific studies to back up many of his recommendations. He sometimes recommend Indian foods and herbs, but you can find many of these in a good health food store. I felt like a person could more easily (and more cheaply) follow his healing program than some of the "heal your leaky gut" programs I've read about.

I felt that the author had many convincing arguments, and I intend to read through the book again. My brother's girlfriend has repeatedly done "elimination diets" and removed foods (including removing gluten) to the point that she can hardly eat anything. This book should help her heal so that she can tolerate many of those foods again. I'd also recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand leaky gut or the current gluten-free trend.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent resource for healing the body's digestive system naturally and gently, without harsh or stressful cleanses, and a useful guide to navigating the modern food world and keeping the body healthy in the future. It comes packed with scientific research to back up its claims, counteracting the latest hasty health fads sweeping over the country today. The goal of this book is not to appease surface symptoms as is the modern Western approach, but to understand the innate workings of the body to help it heal itself. I was a little disappointed at the lack of customization - I would have liked to see more information on the different doshas and how certain body types may manifest unique symptoms of impaired digestion (perhaps including the ever-familiar prakriti quiz to gauge where one may be prone to imbalances).

Overall, if you are suffering from a sensitive digestive tract and are experiencing food intolerances or other symptoms, this book will lead you step by step to heal yourself - WITHOUT creating a lasting daily dependence on supplements (a particular pet peeve of mine in the natural health world). But if you're looking for more of an introduction to Ayurveda - understanding the doshas, your individual body type, and how to use that knowledge to create a healthy, sustainable lifestyle - I would recommend also reading one of Dr. Douillard's other books and taking advantage of the multitudinous resources available on his website lifespa.com.

[Downward dog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an advanced copy of this book to write an honest review for Netgalley.


This books explains why so many people are having issues digesting wheat today. The beginning chapters explain how our food has changed and the effects these changes have on our body. Then, the author gives suggestions on natural ways to improve the stomach and the overall health of the body. None of the suggestions are outrageous and seem easy to incorporate into any lifestyle. I found this book informative and easy to read and I plan on trying the suggestions and see if they help. I would suggest this for anyone with stomach and digestion issues.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Douillard makes so much sense I couldn't stop reading. In Eat Wheat he outlines steps to take to strengthen the digestive system and restore health.

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better books on healthy eating that I've read in quite a while.
Based on Ayurvedic principles and common sense.