What I Learned About Bread and Processed Foods

It could be because of processed foods, among other starchy carbohydrates.

I cut back on bread, rice, sugar, potatoes, and all processed foods during an experimental diet. In return, I had many benefits. My allergies gradually got better, and towards the end of the diet, were nonexistent. I easily lost several inches, mostly in my stomach, and generally felt better with energy to spare.

After losing much of my weight, I thought it would be a good idea to begin eating those foods again. This time I chose to eat only 100% whole wheat, brown rice, and sweet potatoes--never returning to processed foods.

After several weeks, I noticed my clothes were getting tighter, the allergies returned, I no longer had the extra energy, and I retained water like a seahorse. I was puffy all over and thought I had some kind of wheat allergy. My hands and feet swelled terribly, along with my waistline.

So, I made a visit to my nutritionist. It turns out that my symptoms were not severe as they would be if I had an allergy. What I found out was disturbing.

Well, we all know that anything made of processed white flour is bad for use, right? Right, and so do marketing firms. Wheat became the thing to eat if you wanted to be healthy and lose weight. Of course, another fad, another bandwagon.

The truth is, wheat is processed too. It also contains things that don't belong in our bodies. In fact, wheat doesn't really belong there either.

Wheat, as it turns out, is not even digestible. It stays there in our guts and ferments before it finally moves through our system and is eliminated. In the meantime, it causes gasses and toxins to build up in our bodies, which lead to the swelling I experienced.

The sad thing is that so many people don't listen to what their body is telling them. They get heartburn, they take an antacid. They swell, they take a diuretic. They get constipated, they take laxatives. They get diarrhea, they take Imodium A.D.

If it gets bad enough they may visit their physician who gives them prescriptions for these symptoms. It's an unhealthy cycle that keeps getting covered up.

You'll only know for sure if you stop eating these things and notice how your body reacts. Then, if you ever care to eat bread or processed foods again, pay attention to yourself. Has the symptoms returned?

• Stop eating it!
• Avoid anything processed. Processed is anything in a package that is not in its natural form. Such as cereal, rice, sodas and sugary drinks, canned fruits, etc. 
  
• Eat only whole natural foods. There is a lot of hype about organic, but if you can find real organic fruits and vegetables, they are better.
  
• Cut back on meat, especially red meat. Choose lean meats, and if you have access to grass fed meats, that's better too. Eat wild Salmon a few times a week if you can, or take omega 3 and flax seed oil daily. These are good fats.
  

eat some wheat bread, pasta, brown rice, whatever you like. How is your body responding?

Has the heartburn returned? The swelling, gas, constipation? Are you achy, irritable? You'll know the symptoms when they return. You may not even know you have some of the symptoms until they do.

Play around with your diet and find out what is best for you. You may break that plateau, or lose the weight you thought you'd never lose. You just might feel better.

I don't endorse any diet pills or fad diets, especially low carbohydrate diets such as Atkins. I believe that dieting is unhealthy. My advice is to experiment, as I have, and let your body tell you what is good for you. Everyone is different.