| Wheat has been used as a base of human foods | | | | disease, colitis, multiple sclerosis, and several types |
| for centuries. While there are many beneficial | | | | of cancer. All of these conditions are notably |
| properties concerning wheat-fiber, many individuals | | | | higher in industrialized countries where individuals |
| experience problems with the ingestion of wheat | | | | consume more processed wheat products. |
| ranging from intestinal upset to allergic reactions. | | | | The human intestinal tract is lined with tiny, |
| But now a new danger has emerged, that of | | | | fingerlike villi, which help us absorb nutrition from |
| wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and its negative | | | | food as it is consumed. The gluten from wheat |
| effects upon human health. | | | | products can interfere with the villi's work, slowing |
| Scientists have long known that chronic | | | | the absorption of nutrients and allowing |
| degenerative and inflammatory conditions, such as | | | | accumulation of more waste products than |
| rheumatoid arthritis, are most highly prevalent in | | | | normal. This can leave us feeling bloated and |
| those populations who regularly consume wheat | | | | sluggish. If you suffer from some of these |
| products. Wheat products, especially those | | | | symptoms, try eliminating wheat from your diet |
| processed products most often offered for sale | | | | for a week, and then have one serving, either in |
| in industrialized countries, contain lectins. Lectins | | | | a sandwich, pasta or other food; this can provide |
| are proteins within the wheat product that bind | | | | a concept of whether you may be sensitive to |
| sugars together. These lectins can bind to the | | | | wheat. |
| membranes of other substances, and produce | | | | If your symptoms suddenly reappear, you may |
| toxic results. In fact, an August, 1998 study | | | | have sensitivity to wheat, if not an outright allergy |
| published in the British Journal of Cancer discussed | | | | or intolerance. Even people who show no |
| the suspected ties between wheat germ agglutinin | | | | intolerance should consider limiting their intake of |
| and pancreatic cancer, and found a very strong | | | | wheat. The villi in the intestines regenerate in |
| potential link. | | | | approximately 72 hours, so if wheat consumption |
| Lectins are tiny and tough, as well as very | | | | is limited to once every 3 days or so, the body |
| resistant to breakdown. Since our bodies do not | | | | should have time to recover from the first round |
| conduct an effective job of breaking these down | | | | of wheat, and minimal disruption to the digestive |
| into smaller pieces that can then be eliminated, the | | | | system should occur. |
| levels of lectin acccumulate in our bodies over | | | | An interesting preliminary finding is that people |
| time. This can cause issues if the lectins block | | | | who have been using NSAID pain relievers over a |
| absorption of nutrients by our bodies. Other | | | | continued period of time may be at even greater |
| dangers of lectins within wheat products may | | | | risk from WGA, because the NSAIDs increase |
| include the promotion of inflammation, particularly | | | | intestinal permeability, potentially increasing the |
| in the gut and digestive tracts, overproduction of | | | | absorption of WGA, which can increase |
| white blood cells, promotion of cell apotosis, or cell | | | | inflammation. That can cause an individual to feel |
| death, and neurotoxicity. | | | | poorly, leading him or her to take more NSAIDs, |
| The negative effects of grain lectins have just | | | | and the cycle continues. Until more is known |
| begun to be documented, but some of them | | | | about this connection, the use of NSAIDs and |
| include a link to allergies, arthritis (both | | | | wheat products together should be undertaken |
| osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis), diabetes, | | | | with caution. |
| chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, Crohn's | | | | |