Are Grains Hurting Your Health? Gluten, Inflammation and the AIP Diet
By Dr. Ronald Vaught | Functional Medicine | Beyond Health and Wellness, Oak Forest, IL
For decades we've been told that "healthy whole grains" belong at the base of every meal. Bread, cereal, pasta, crackers: for most Americans, grains make up a big share of what they eat every day.
But in our functional medicine practice, we see a different picture. Many patients with stubborn bloating, joint pain, brain fog, skin problems or autoimmune conditions feel noticeably better when grains come off the plate. Here's why, and how we figure out whether grains are a problem for you.
Grains are a newer food than we think
Humans have only been farming grains for roughly 10,000 years, a short stretch of our history. Before that, people ate mostly meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. Some people handle grains just fine. Others don't seem to have adapted well, and their bodies let them know.
Three compounds in grains that can cause trouble
1. Gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. About 1% of people have celiac disease, where gluten triggers an autoimmune attack on the intestine. Many more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. They don't test positive for celiac, but they still react with digestive upset, fatigue, headaches, joint pain or brain fog.
2. Lectins. Plants can't run from predators, so many protect their seeds chemically. Lectins are one of those defenses. In sensitive people they can irritate the gut lining, which is one reason grains are often linked with "leaky gut" and inflammation.
3. Phytates. Phytates bind minerals like zinc, iron and magnesium and make them harder to absorb. That partly cancels out one of the main selling points of whole grains: their vitamin and mineral content.
"But don't I need grains for fiber and vitamins?"
Not necessarily. Vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, meat and fish provide plenty of fiber, B vitamins and minerals, often more of them per serving, without the gluten, lectins and phytates. A big, colorful salad beats a slice of whole-wheat bread nutritionally.
Who should take a closer look at grains?
Consider it if you deal with:
Bloating, gas, constipation or IBS-type symptoms
Joint pain or stiffness
Fatigue or brain fog after meals
Skin issues like eczema or psoriasis
An autoimmune condition, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis
Trouble losing weight or constant cravings
How we find out: the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)
Rather than guessing, we use the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP). AIP isn't a quick fix or a short-term diet. It's a lifestyle change that happens in stages.
Stage 1: Elimination. For a period of time, you remove the foods most likely to drive inflammation: grains (including gluten), legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts and seeds, nightshades, refined sugar, alcohol, and processed oils and additives. You focus on nutrient-dense whole foods: vegetables, quality meats and fish, healthy fats, and fruit.
Stage 2: Reintroduction. Foods are added back one at a time, so you learn exactly what your body tolerates and what sets it off. Some patients find they can enjoy certain foods again. Others discover that gluten or grains were a big piece of the puzzle all along.
Stage 3: Your long-term way of eating. From there, you build a personalized version of AIP around the foods that work for your body. Most of our patients keep eating a form of it for good. It's less strict than the elimination stage, but it's built on what they learned.
Where functional medicine fits in
Diet is only part of the picture. In our functional medicine program, we may also look at labs, hormones, nutrient levels and gut health to understand why inflammation is happening, then build a plan around you. That plan includes AIP guidance at each stage, targeted supplements and follow-up visits.
Ready to find out what your body is telling you?
If you're tired of feeling inflamed, bloated or worn out, and nobody has been able to tell you why, we'd love to help. Call (708) 907-0700 or learn more about functional medicine at Beyond Health and Wellness.
Further reading: Mark Sisson, "Why Grains Are Unhealthy," Mark's Daily Apple.
Beyond Health and Wellness is located at 15000 S Cicero Ave, Suite 100, Oak Forest, IL, serving the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana.
This article is for general education and isn't a substitute for a personal medical evaluation.