My family consists of all O's except for me, an A. We are pretty compliant,  we reduced, but did not eliminate wheat.  We didn't think we had any adverse reactions to it. However, I just read "Wheat Belly", by Dr. Davis, and he clarified what Dr. D has been saying all along. My family is very outdoorsy, and active, yet we have 'the belly'( well, not my 21 yr. old son). My young adult children also have acne still. So.... we are trying wheat free.

My daughter's face is much less puffy, and her acne spots are much less inflamed. She's lost 5.5 lbs. in 8 days! She doesn't have a ton to lose, but wow! I've lost 2.5, which makes sense, since my Swami says to avoid wheat.

Here's my question (finally), If we go completely wheat free, will that make the reaction to wheat when we do have it that much more intense? I can't totally control what the others eat. It's hard making lunches for my hubby, since he's an HVAC service man, and doesn't always have a micro to heat up supper's leftovers. I always send him with two thermos' of compliant food, but... sandwiches are the most portable.

By the way, another thing that is helping my daughter's acne, is Dr. D's "brew" that Andrea spoke about on the collinsonia post. The tincture of thyme, made with super high proof vodka, and thyme. Thanks Andrea!

Quoted from dawgmama

Here's my question (finally), If we go completely wheat free, will that make the reaction to wheat when we do have it that much more intense?

It is hard to say...  Most people have a more intense reaction during the healing period, then settle down to almost a nothing reaction once they are healthy...

You may see a variety of reaction levels depending on the individual, however.

On the husband.  If he wants sandwiches I would look for other types of bread.

I use flax bread when I want/need bread (which is not often anymore).

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/breads/r/flaxbasicfoc.htm


I used to use other breads.

I could handle sprouted wheat so that made it easier to make/find bread, but your family may not be able to handle sprouted.

We got over the "we must have bread at every meal" idea, changed it for salads.  My plumber hubby gets a spinach salad with Hard boiled egg, cheese, pineapple. I too use the Thermos, and send warmed up left overs.   We have been doing this for almost a year.  Occasionally, I feel the need for some kind of grain,  and have been making stuff out of oat flour.  A while back I made oat crackers that tasted pretty close to a graham cracker.  

When I was without wheat for 2.5 months and I ate a piece of wheat zucchini bread, It put me in some pain for about 30 hours.  It was enough to make me think twice about eating it again!

Thanks for the replies, the flax bread looks interesting. I made some gf bread, minus any gums, using flax and chia to help hold it up. I like it, but my hubby....he said "it's ok". I'm hoping my reminding him that 2 people out of his family of 4 had diabetes may help him turn away from wheat.

I will have to make more salads for him to take to work, maybe put the salad in a thermos, cause if he leaves his lunchbox in the truck, sometimes the salad freezes. Do you think we should go 'cold turkey' from all wheat, or perhaps just have say, a tortilla wrap here and there so our bodies don't see wheat as a total invader and make us really, really ill?

I have been totally wheat free for 8 months. I reintroduced to see any reactions - none at day one but by day four I start to get symptoms (this is the case with all the foods I react with - chicken, grapefruit, etc). I am happy knowing I can avoid these foods but when in certain social situations I can slip up with no worry. Plus, I don't crave the foods afterwards so I get back on track with no problems. It only took two years.... For me food is largely habit forming so it's nice that my cravings are sweet potatoes, trailmix and the like (now, not so much a few years ago).

My health food store carries rice tortillias that make a pretty good rollup.

Quoted from dawgmama

Do you think we should go 'cold turkey' from all wheat, or perhaps just have say, a tortilla wrap here and there so our bodies don't see wheat as a total invader and make us really, really ill?

If it is an avoid, I'd drop it completely.  You may not know how much it is affecting you until you are without it for several months to allow it to be cleared from the body.

You've got a good point there ABjoe. I just can't babysit my stubborn German husband, and if he felt really lousy after being wheat free for a while, and then getting 'wheated' I'd hear about it! or.... perhaps that would be enough to give him proof that wheat is BAD!

Thanks GCG, I will buy some rice tortillas, or try to make some. They can't be that difficult!

Gardengirl, thanks for sharing your experience. I'm hoping his bread cravings will ease. He was brought up with his mom serving bread to fill them up so she didn't have to serve so much meat! ugh!

I also agree with dropping it completely. IMO, it's better to feel a little bit ill when you do indulge in a bit of wheat (say, a holiday cookie) than to feel a little bit sick all the time and not notice the difference when you indulge in that cookie.

See if you can find spelt bread for your husband's sandwiches. It's very similar in taste and texture to wheat bread, but it's far healthier.

Thanks Ruth, I found some spelt bread at TJ. I also made the flax bread that c-sharp suggested .its pretty good! He doesn't have any obvious reaction to the wheat, other than weight gain, that we know of. It will be interesting to see if he feels better in places he didn't know bothered him!

Check RecipeBase for quinoa tortillas, I add 1/4 cup of sweet rice flour to them to make them a little more pliable.

I became super sensitive pretty quickly.  I eventually also went gluten free, after 5 years GF my reactions to all foods have mostly disappeared.  The initial weight loss is a good indicator that it caused major problems.

If you can't find a compliant bread for your husband that he will eat, but want something that at least doesn't have wheat, Udi's bread always passes the taste test.  

We stopped eating even "compliant" ezekiel bread when we started on the GTD.

Our grain servings are 1/4 cup... a day.

Find alternatives to breads for your type O husband.  Large romaine leaves work well as a replacement and also work as adding another vegetable.  Just wrap a paper towel around half the sandwich to hold it together.  

Great suggestion with the lettuce leaves KimonoKat - something I had many years ago and hadnt even thought about until I read it here.

When people talk about reactions to eating wheat after an absence - what type of symptoms?

I have found since I started the typeA and now warrior diet that if I eat an avoid (at someone's house) the following morning or during the night I feel like I am getting a cold but within 12 hours it is gone- my reaction.  Also since I started this I have been gardening and painting with oil based paint which used to be allergy problems big time and havent had one reaction to these activities.  So to me the food has reduced my allergic reaction to these activities - anyone else notice the same?

Quoted from Del

When people talk about reactions to eating wheat after an absence - what type of symptoms?

So to me the food has reduced my allergic reaction to these activities - anyone else notice the same?

The specific symptoms are as individual as people, however, wheat is very inflammatory, so it just depends on what gets inflamed - some people have stomach or joint issues.

I buy Food for Life Black China Rice Bread and also Bhutanese Red Rice Bread.....tasty if toasted and holds together for sandwiches.  

Quoted from Jane

I buy Food for Life Black China Rice Bread and also Bhutanese Red Rice Bread.....tasty if toasted and holds together for sandwiches.  

I eat this once in a while also and it makes great toast.