TYLER TOLMAN BLOG
Gluten Intolerance | Allergies or Pesticide Damage?
Gluten Intolerance | Allergies or Pesticide Damage?
I want to take a ‘big picture’ look at the increase in people with gluten intolerance and the gluten free trend that this has created. Why? Because I’m not 100% convinced that gluten is the ‘guilty party’ to be blamed for the digestive troubles that so many people are having these days. Gluten has been a part of our diet for a really long time, so what’s changed?
For example, have you ever stopped to consider that it may be caused by all those pesticides that are being used in the production and storage of grains?
In big agri-business models, grains are often sprayed with glyphosate during the growing process and then sprayed with aluminium, fluoride or a whole range of potential pesticides before they go to massive silos.
A reaction to being exposed to these sprays is that over time our digestive system can become very inflamed and eventually get to a point where it can’t handle it anymore. The result is that we end up becoming super sensitive every time we eat this food (or in reality – these chemicals) and it causes major problems.
The mass media would like you to believe that ALL the problems with grains are due to the gluten contained within the wheat. But I don’t actually think that’s true.
For some people, that may be PART of the problem, but I think many people don’t understand what gluten is. It’s actually just a protein housed within the grain, a protein that I believe is an amazing source of amino acids essential for building muscle.
More Evidence Against the Gluten Free Trend
When I lived in Missouri with my father, he was running fasting programs. I remember he would specifically extract the gluten from wheat and make ‘fake chicken’ (it’s called seitan!). My dad, especially back then, was a glowing picture of health – big muscles, like absolutely ripped. He lived on fresh fruits, vegetables, salads and ate wheat for breakfast with honey on it!
If you look back thousands of years at the ancient Greeks and even the times of the Roman Empire and Ancient Egypt; wheat, grains and seeds were all used in abundance. Essentially that’s how these people survived the winter. I believe they were brilliant, strong and healthy.
Take the gladiators for example, they were called ‘Barley Men’ due to the fact they lived on barley. The amount of protein in this grain (called gluten) helped them be strong and build muscle.
Soaking and Sprouting Grains
I believe soaking grains is the key to making them really digestible. When you soak grains and allow them to germinate, there is an explosive amount of energy that becomes available! Soaking the grains also helps to remove phytic acid, a digestive inhibitor. So by soaking a grain or seed over a period of time it eliminates phytic acid and takes on LIFE … how awesome is that?! I believe sprouted grains should actually be one of the staples in our life.
There is a sprouted grain bread called ‘Essene bread’ which is really nutritious very and satiating. If you’ve known me for a while you’ll know having some avocado on a piece of Essene bread is one of my favourite meals. It’s very healing for the body and I actually believe people who have Celiac disease or gluten intolerance could use sprouted grains to help heal the damage that’s been caused by a lot of these pesticides.
BUT if the grain is genetically modified – absolutely not! Don’t even touch it!
Fasting to Heal and Allow Grains Back In
I’ve worked with many people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance and IBS who couldn’t eat wheat.
However, once they went through a level of fasting and detoxification and allowed their digestive system to heal; things changed. Part of the cleansing process involved using bentonite clay and other things to extract the metals that can be found in grains.
I have an amazing program called H•E•A•L (Heath, Education and Lifestyle) that will teach you how to heal your small intestine, colon, liver, lymphatic system, and pretty much your entire body!
So, please don’t be afraid of wheats, grains and seeds! Consider cleaning and healing your digestive system first; make sure you really look at the source of the grain to make sure it’s organic and definitely try soaking and sprouting grains to unlock their full energy and nutrition potential. Definitely get some Essene bread too and try a slice with avocado, tomato and pinch of sea salt – it’s just the best thing ever!!
If you’re interested in learning how to reset your digestive system and learn more about foods sign up for H•E•A•L or even consider joining me on my 10-day Know Thyself Fast program.
Thanks for reading!
