Going Against the Grain: How Reducing and Avoiding Grains Can Revitalize Your Health

by Melissa Diane Smith

Diets high in grains can lead to a host of health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, fatigue, and more. Going Against the Grain outlines the disadvantages and potential dangers of eating various types of grains and provides practical, realistic advice on implementing a plan to cut back or eliminate grains on a daily basis. This book also includes easy-to-follow grain-free recipes and helpful suggestions for dining out.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Food

321 pages, Paperback

First published April 19, 2002

Reviews

[Tatjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I've been avoiding this information for a looooong time.
My stomach has hurt since the dawn of my memory. When I was a tween I was in the hospital with tummy rumblin's all the time and they were sure I was making it up.
No man, I just decided to speak up.
Unfortunately, when they said it's all in my head (or whatever the doctors said), I grimaced and bore it, hiding in my room lest I have unfortunate bodily functions in front of others. Thank goodness being a rebellious, antisocial teen was right around the corner. I could deal with my tummy pain and just be called a typical teen. Never mind that I exercised like crazy and was still overweight and have been on calorie restrictions since I was 11.
I thought meat made me woozy. Being a Vegetarian made me weak. Being a Vegan made me weaker. I tried all flavor of vegetarianism and settled on a "mostly vegetarian, whole foods diet" that Weight watchers pushed. I lost a little weight and ate lots of whole grains, lean meats and vegetables.
Then I got really sick. I couldn't move my arm. I was so tired I could barely be safe driving a car. It happened suddenly. I was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and set about taking the appropriate medication to get better. The weird thing was, I saw all of these women around me about the same age having similar problems. Some exercised their way through. Some just felt like crap and keep on. Others keep looking for a way.
Everything I've read says whole grains are the way, but the women I know who have overcome these crazy diseases (that have suddenly appeared out of nowhere) have all done it through getting rid of gluten, dairy and or all grains.
So I finally gave in and read this book, which came recommended by a very dear friend, after I said I'd do anything to feel better.
Some of the research is inconclusive., of course because there isn't a whole lot of research being done on whole grains and food additives with food conglomerates being so powerful (another book). The writing is very accessible and I would give it three stars for not having as many citations as I would like. The 4th star I give for giving a great overview of the situation in food at this moment. She is very clear that she doesn't have all of the answers and that ever Body is different. She is also very clear that the methods outlined in the book are a beginning and that the bulk of the work is for the reader to do. I like that honesty. It's exciting.
So I'm going to give it an honest try. Wish me luck.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and had tons of data to support any claims made. Ever hear of the 20 year rule? Whenever grains are introduced into a society for the first time, you can expect degenerative diseases to first appear about 20 years later. There is plenty of evidence through history that exists for this phenomenon. Definitely worth a read if you have any health problems.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: I really liked it AND it was amazing.

What an eye-opener!

I first heard from an friend about not eating grains about six months ago. I also heard from said friend about the philosophy of the paleo diet (a way of eating based on what our bodies were designed to eat and the diet of humans prior to the agricultural revolution about 10,000 years ago).

I was propelled into a insatiable curiosity. My response was quizzical... aren't whole grains good for you? Don't they lower cholesterol? Isn't that fiber beneficial? You mean my cheerios aren't making me cheery?

Myself admittedly being grain-o-maniac, I found this to be a jolting concept and riveting read. I HIGHLY recommend it for any heath-conscious individual. Especially those with digestive problems, autoimmune issues and/or excess weight.

I certainly have re-evaluated my diet and become more conscious of my choices.


* * * SPOILER ALERT * * *
Notes I took from the book/Passages that really struck me as worth taking note of:


Naturally, I wanted to add wheat back to my diet, not only because everyone in America was eating wheat but also because I was literally crazy about it before I started my therapeutic diet. I thought as long as I avoided nutrient-stripped white-flour products and ate only whole grains, I could add wheat back. What I discovered, tough, again surprised me. I found that when I ate wheat after avoiding it for a long time, I initially felt euphoric and wanted to binge on it. A day later, though, I felt even more tired, sick, and depressed than usual and was plagued by digestive problems. Through trial and error, I eventually found similar unpleasant reactions after I ate oats and other gluten-containing grains, such as rye, barley, spelt and kamut.
Page xiii


Grain gluttony and grain-o-mania have overtaken our nation. So pervasive are grains in our diet that many of us don’t realize we’re eating grains in different forms every day, usually at every meal. Think cereal, toast or bagels for breakfast… sandwiches for lunch… muffins, doughnuts, or cookies for coffee breaks… pretzels or corn chips for snacks… pasta, pizza or Mexican food for dinner. What’s more, many of us don’t eat just small portions of grain-based foods. We long for more and more of these foods and end up eating way too many of them. Grain-o-mania, therefore, is an excessive, persistent enthusiasm, interest, liking, or craving for grains, and grain gluttony is eating grains with abandon, especially habitually.
Grain-o-mania is so common that most people find it hard to imagine life without grains. Grain-o-maniacs get so much pleasure out of grains that they share stories of “to-die-for” croissants at one restaurant, “addictive cornbread at another restaurant, and “awesome” fettuccini and tortellini at a third. Grain gluttony goes hand in hand with grain-o-mania and is so accepted in our society that most people don’t think it’s unusual to truly “pig out” on grains.
Page 3


The Major Dietary Changes
Throughout History

The Agricultural Revolution
When: About 10,000 years ago
The Defining Change: The planting and sowing of grains
Health Changes That Occurred As a Result: A reduction in stature; an increase in bone abnormalities and bone diseases; an increase in tooth decay and dental enamel defects; an increase in infectious diseases; an increase in iron-deficiency anemia; a shorter life span

The Industrial Revolution
When: The late 1800s
The Defining Change: The refining of grains and sugars
Health Changes That Occurred As a Result: Nutrient deficiencies; development of degenerative diseases in the masses

The Fast-Food Revolution
When: The mid-1900s to the present
The Defining Change: The combing of refined grains with unhealthy fat, sugar, salt, and/or chemical additives to make convenience foods
Heath Changes That Occurred As a Result: Huge increase in obesity and Type 2 diabetes

Page13


Dietary Changes from the 1970s to the Present

During the 1970s, government and health officials blamed the rise in heart disease on the saturated fat in meat: they never made the connection that too many grains – both in our diets and in the diets of the animals we were eating – were the real problem. Health officials advocated more polyunsaturated fats in place of saturated fats and consumers headed their advice by adding fats such as corn oil and corn oil margarine – more highly refined grain products! Corn is quite high in omega 6 fatty acids, a type of fat that, in excess, promotes insulin resistance, the underpinning of abdominal obesity, Syndrome X, and Type 2 diabetes. So this advice ended up worsening the heath of the nation.
In the 1980s, the fat-free movement became the rage. People responded to the faulty “fat is bad” message by reducing or eliminating meat and loading up on fat-free, usually sugar-rich, refined-grain products, such as fat-free cookies, crackers, and rice cakes. This type of diet is a recipe for obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Consequently, the incidence of these conditions skyrocketed out of control in the 1980s and 1990s.

Pages 22-23


The Trouble with Refined Grains

Refined grain products are the rule in the North American diet. They come in lots of different forms: pastas, rolls, breads, muffins, cookies, cakes, breakfast bars, cereals, bagels, tortillas and pizza dough.
Unlike whole grains, which are virtually never eaten and are rarely available in restaurants, refined grains are ubiquitous in our society, found in the fanciest restaurants and the greasiest fast-food places. Consequently, refined grains are difficult to avoid unless you’re consciously working at it. Furthermore, no one bothers to think twice about whether refined grains are good food to include in the diet. Instead, eating refined grains is simply an accepted part of being an American, something everyone is socialized to do.
And herein lies the problem: refined grain products are unhealthy foods. Of course, they don’t’ cause health problems overnight, but they’re stripped of blood-sugar-regulating fiber and countless nutrients needed for heath. Over time – as Weston Price and Thomas Cleave found out – they subtly and sneakily contribute to serious heath problems, especially in the forms and amounts most people eat.
Page 25


The Role of Refined Grains in Accelerated Aging
The key points to remember are: Aging is the accumulation of damaged cells, and Type 2 diabetes is a classic example of accelerated aging throughout the body. Both high glucose levels and high insulin levels speed up the aging process, so avoiding foods that provoke high glucose and insulin, such as refined-grain products and concentrated sweeteners, is one of the most important things you can do to promote health and stave off disease.
Page 46


The Trouble with Whole Grains

Many nutritionists recommend whole grains in place of refined grains, and at first thought this sounds like good dietary advice. On paper at least, whole grains contain more nutrients. They also have more blood-sugar-regulating fiber. Because of that fiber, they generally rank lower on the glycemic index and offer more protection against Type 2 diabetes and heart disease than refined grains.
However, whole grains have numerous nutritional shortcomings that make these foods far less beneficial to health than they’ve been made out to be. Their key nutritional downfalls include a high carbohydrate content, antinutrients that impair the absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc, and lectins that wreak havoc with intestinal and immune function. The more that whole grains are eaten, the more their nutritional shortcomings aggravate body function and lead to serious health problems. Ironically, many people switch from high refined-grain diet to a high whole-grain diet in a search for better health but actually set themselves up for conditions such as bone problems, iron-deficiency anemia, and autoimmune conditions.
Page 47


The Lectin Connection to Autoimmune Diseases

Grains are the only foods known to be causative agents for at least two autoimmune diseases: celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. It’s important to understand, though, that grains are also implicated in the development of virtually all autoimmune disorders. Among scientists who study diseases of ancient populations, it’s generally believed that autoimmune diseases did not plague humans before they began including grains in their diets. Autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis (which leaves tell-tale signs in the fossil record), autoimmune thyroid disease, autoimmune liver disease, Crohn’s disease of the bowel, ulcerative colitis, Type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, Sjogren’s syndrome (a dry-eye, dry-skin condition), and others, possibly including allergies, skin rashes, and asthma.
Pages 62-3


The Prevalence of Celiac Disease in the United States
Celiac disease is an immune system reaction to gluten that causes damage to the small intestines and malabsorption of nutrient, sometimes without any obvious symptoms but with severe complications. Recent research in the United States shows that celiac disease is a lot more common than ever imagined. It occurs in:
1 in every 167 healthy children
1 in every 111 healthy adults
1 in every 40 symptomatic children
1 in every 30 symptomatic adults
1 in every 12 first- and second-degree relatives of ceiacs
Page 69

Conditions Associated with Gluten Sensitivity

While gluten sensitivity can present itself in minor ways, particularly in the beginning of the disease process, it also can prevent itself through serious health problems, just like celiac disease. Remember: celiac disease is a part of gluten sensitivity, so any of the complications associated with celiac disease, such as autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, infertility, and growth problems in children, can also occur in gluten sensitivity. (It appears that some people have certain genes or are exposed to certain environmental factors that cause gluten sensitivity to express itself as celiac disease and others don’t.) However, there are plenty of disease conditions associated with gluten sensitivity that aren’t found in celiac disease as often. Here are some of the more well-researched ones.
Colitis and Other Gastrointestinal Complaints
Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Psoriasis
Nervous System Disorders, Dementia, and Frequent Unexplained Headaches
Autism and Schizophrenia
Page 80 – 2


Common Symptoms of Delayed or
Hidden Food Allergies

Delayed food allergies or food sensitivities, which often occur from eating wheat, corn, and other common foods, can cause a wide range of symptoms, depending on the individual. The most common indicators are:
• Tiredness or even exhaustion, particularly after meals, after a full night’s sleep, or combined with other food sensitivity symptoms, such as depression or gastrointestinal upset
• A tendency to gain or lose more than a couple of pounds a day
• Puffiness, swelling, or dark bags under the eyes
• Digestive ailments, including bloating, flatulence, constipation and/or diarrhea, upset stomach, or abdominal pains or cramps
• Excess mucus formation characterized by a chronically congested nose, postnasal drip, a runny nose, frequent infections, sneezing fits, or excessive phlegm
• Chronic pain in the form of rheumatoid arthritis, muscle aches and pains, or sore, stiff joints
• Headaches, especially cluster and migraine headaches
• Emotional, mental, and behavioral symptoms, such as mood swings, unexplained irritability, panic attacks, hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, and depression for no apparent reason
Page 89


Hooked on Gluten, Corn, and Dairy Products?

Research investigating the occurrence of druglike substances in common foods over the past few decades has shed new light on the mechanisms behind food allergy-addictions. Studies have revealed that cereal grains, especially wheat, maize, and barley, and dairy products contain opioid substances called exorphins. Opioid substances have a very similar sequence of amino acids to those in our natural endorphins and apparently can bind to endorphin receptors in the brain. They also have a very similar sequence of amino acids to those in addictive, narcotic-like drugs – exorphins literally mean morphine-like molecules that come from the outside environment. In simple terms, exorphins produce narcotic-like and mood-altering effects and can be addictive.


The New Wrinkle in the Allergy Story

Transferring genes from viruses, bacteria, and other organisms surely will lead to unintended health consequences, especially for those with allergies. The DNA in genes directs the production of proteins – each gene makes not one protein, but more than one – and proteins are the common sources of human allergies. In addition, the gene that’s inserted may attach in the middle of another gene and interfere with the normal functioning of the cell. It could even damage the DNA of the host, creating foods that contain allergens or toxins that people have never consumed before.
Very little human safety data on GE foods has been conducted, but there’s already evidence to show that splicing DNA from one organism into another can turn a nonallergenic food into an allergy-producing food.
Page 101


Other Alarming Aspects of Genetically Engineered Foods

StarLink corn is one of several genetically modified corn strains known as BT corn, so named because they contain a gene from the Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) bacteria. It causes the corn to produce a toxin that kills insects. Although BT is a highly effective pesticide long used by organic growers, BT corn and other BT plants have a little pesticide in every cell – an unsettling thought if you’re eating those plants. In addition, the industry’s own scientists believe that it’s just a matter of time – perhaps three to five years – before BT-resistant insects develop. Then organic growers will lose a powerful pest control, and conventional growers may increase their use of chemical pesticides.
Evidence already exists that GE foods are a threat to the environment and to wildlife. A now-famous laboratory study by Cornell University researches found that monarch butterfly larvae died after eating milkweed dusted with genetically modified corn pollen containing the BT pesticide.
Page 103


Preparing for the Challenges of Going Against the Grain

Eating against the grain isn’t easy, especially in the beginning. Physically, your body may crave grains. Emotionally, you may feel a deep sense of loss from giving up foods to which you are attached. Socially, friends and strangers alike will try to coax you into eating grains because “everyone else does.” And advertising, marketing, the media, and the government keep subtly pushing you to eat grains at what seems like every turn.
The constant pressure of pro-grain forces can weigh on you and make you feel like you have to go to Herculean efforts to avoid grains. Admittedly, dealing with these forces can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be impossible.
Page 151

Eating Against the Grain in Restaurants

Restaurants were originally places where sickly customers were served highly concentrated broths made from meat and vegetables that had purported medicinal properties. Customers literally came to restaurants to be “restored.”
Considering their origins, it is ironic that many restaurants today serve hidden and not-so-hidden sources of grains that can make people sick. If grain- and carbohydrate-sensitive people aren’t careful about what they order in restaurants, they have to avoid restaurants and eat at home to have their health restored and maintained.
By ordering against the grain, you can make the restaurants that you visit approximate the spirit in which restaurants were originally created. When you ask the right questions and order mostly meat-and-vegetable combinations, restaurants can provide dining experiences that will support your physical health and your psychological health (by giving you a break from the regular cooking routine).
Page 186

Some Final Words

Learning the real scoop on grains is a bit like reading a story in which the character that everyone thinks is a good guy turns out to be a villain that no one suspected. Grains aren’t the holier-than-thou health foods people think they are. Our health is actually suffering from eating the types and amounts we eat and we need to cut down our intake – or cut out grains totally – to rebuild our health.
Does it take courage to eat against the grain? Yes. Is it worth it? You bet! Try the two-week challenge and see for yourself. If you’re like most people, you will be amazed and elated by how much better you look and feel. Your life will never be the same. Your experience will make you a believer in this off-the-beaten-path way of eating, and you will want to continue to eat against the grain over the long term because you feel so much better.
Page 277

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author makes a pretty good case for giving up gluten, but i'm not convinced that all grains and beans are bad for us. What to replace these foods with? According to the author, green veggies and meat. So if you're vegan or vegetarian, the recipes and food guide aren't that helpful. And while i personally don't think swapping all carbs for meat is the answer (didn't Atkins demonstrate that this doesn't work?), i did take away some new insights.

[Allan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is by far one of the worst books I have read based on scientific dishonesty and inaccuracy. I agree with the premise that flour and sugar make modern civilization unnecessarily obese and sick. There is enough literature and popular books out there that supports this idea. However, anyone examining the statements in Smith's book critically will find inaccuracy of reporting and absences of references. Not only are references for incredible statements not provided but in one instance a reference was not available. This occurred on pg 69 at the table. I though the prevalence of celiac disease was noted in the table was high and I decided to find the citation noted as no 3, Chapter 5. I was unable to find this reference both at the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition nor could I find it with PubMed and Google Scholar. When I say "could not find" I refer to not being able to find any evidence it was published with the exception for a link at Trieste University: http://hdl.handle.net/11368/2295265

Yet there is no file associated with this link. Whether this is an honest mistake or not it makes the book suspect considering it went to a publisher and, presumably an editorial/fact checking process.

There were some claim-howlers that were interspersed while reading up to the point described above.

Pg. 23 genetic engineering creates "new fangled foods with anti-nutrients and built in pesticides." This is simply not true. The American Associations for the Advancement of Science published a letter by Nobel laureates supporting the safety of such food.

pg. 34. A massive statement made about sugar and immunity. Sugar is known to induce the Warburg effect in cancerous cells. I was interested when it was claimed sugar could "reduce(ing) the ability of white blood cells to track and attack bacteria but also reduce the production of antibodies..." Fascinating. The problem? There is no citation. Is this assertion scientific fact or opinion posing as fact?

Similarly on pg. 39: ...MSG is a common cause of allergic reaction and has caused brain damage in animal experiments. No citation. No reference to primary literature to which the reader can refer.

There is a table on pg 38 that shows common foods and their ingredients. This is the common tactic of listing ingredients that contain scientific terminology to cow the reader into paranoia. The foods listed were Wheat thins, Eggo waffles, Kraft Stove Top stuffing mix and Oreos. Some of the ingredients are in "science English." This book makes a clear point of how modern food is devoid of nutrients yet as an example, Eggo waffles listed pyridoxine hydrochloride. Menacing? No Vitamin B6.

Pgs 55-56 were laugh out loud funny. Here we are to believe that 1. all the acid food we consume has to be buffered by our "skeleton to counteract the excess acidity" and 2. fruits and vegetables are only alkaline - citrus fruits? tomatoes? No their acidity is magically alkaline.
Coffee is acid. Imagine how many people in Starbucks should have soft bones liquifying in line for their cappuccino.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's ten years old, but I have gluten-free for about that long, and have for a long time believed that I am grain sensitive. A lot of the information in this book is re-iterated in other works on this and similar topics. She covers not only the fattening effects of grains (feed lot effect on grain-sensitive people), the tenets that paleo (caveman) diet proponents use, Carb Addicts, The Zone books by Barry Sears, and the acid/alkalai balance studies. Her premise is that archeology points to a no grain diet of our earliest ancestors and the lack of modern diseases (i.e. diabetes 2, heart disease and osteoporosis). Humans began cultivating grains only about 10,000 years ago. The advent of the modern diseases increased proportionately with human dependence on grains and starchy root vegetables. Since the 1970s, with the boom of the low-fat-high-whole-grain diet obsession in the US, Americans have progressively gotten fatter and sicker. Worth reading for anyone who suffers unexplained ailments, gastroenterological upsets after eating, food or carb addiction, diabetes 2, obesity.

Once about 5 years ago, I experimented by cutting out everything that seemed to make me feel ill. So, I cut out all grains, potatoes, and dairy. It was hard, but mind-blowing. I felt better than I had in 20 years and lost weight so effortlessly that I didn't realize that I had; even though over a year's time, I went from a size 16 to a loose 10. It was just so gradual, and I wasn't consciously trying to diet or exercise -- nothing else had changed about my life. Gone was the bloating, gassiness, diarrhea, sinus pain, asthma and yearly colds that often turned into bronchitis or pneumonia. Fast forward to now, when all that illness is back... along with grains, potatoes, dairy... etc. Goat cheese and white corn tortillas were my gateway drugs. Soon, rice pasta and GF breads joined them with potato chips following close behind. Almost back to my worst weight too. So, I decided to read this in hopes of recommitting myself to the lifestyle. It's harder the second time.

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! Extremely well-researched and well-written. Absorbing and informative guide to understanding underlying causes of diseases and tools for preventing (and possibly remedying) them. I have been eating "against the grain" and low carb (avoiding ALL grains and keeping total carbs to under 50 grams per day) and feel tons better in many ways and have lost 10 pounds in 2-3 months. Nothing else has worked that way for me, without feeling restricted. No more joint pain, no more stomach aches, no more intestinal pain and bloating, no more hypoglycemic dizzy or headache episodes. No more feeling hungry & unsatisfied. This is terrific! The only thing I did not like is that the author seems to miss the idea that animal fat is important and good for us (in one recipe she suggests taking the skin off the chicken and discarding it. No way! That is an important part! Do not trim fat off your meat. Buy organic, grassfed beef when possible, of course, but eat the fat!) Thank you for the great and helpful book! I am telling others about it!

[Nancy Schober · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I think it is incredibly unwise to eat only one food, I don't think that if it's bad in excess means that you shouldn't eat it at all. Even so there is a heck of a lot of wheat in everything we eat.[return][return]My guru says this books is alarmist and the best thing to do is to eat an isocaloric (equal parts; carbs, fats & protein) consisting for the most part of whole unprocessed foods.[return][return]Saying that I think it is not general knowledge about how we should eat a ph balanced diet, which is easily correct by eating more...vegetables.[return][return]Are grains the devil? Well, yes if you're full blown celiac. But if you're not then grains eaten in moderation along with a varied diet are fine. And don't forget to move. The human body was designed to move.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I liked this book and it definitely made me more aware of how much grain is in my diet at the expense of higher nutrient, lower calorie fruits and veggies. I think that grain is over implicated in obesity in this book - though refined carbs certainly play a role, so does activity level. If you are quite active and still having a hard time losing weight - check out this book and consider eliminating some or all grains from you diet.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avoid grains. Rice? Eat meat and veggies. Lots of veggies. Supplement chromium, b vitamins and stuff for liver cleansing. Meal plans are included but it is really just about getting past the learning curve and also deciding how much meat, if any, to add to diet. If one still eats grains, make them less than 30% of diet. (bread, pasta, etc.)

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I learned from this book was the key that finally helped me lose weight and keep it off. I was amazed to learn that even whole grains can be unhealthy!

[Bjorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://lynnfikstad.wordpress.com/2012...

[CM Boryslawskyj]

Very scary about the grain - especially wheat. This book is eye-opening to the truth behind the grains.