Gluten is problematic for all of us, not just those who have Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or a gluten sensitivity. Gluten causes our intestinal linings to become permeable, which allows food to leave the stomach and go into the rest of the body. When that happens, our bodies mount immune responses to try to handle the “invader.” This causes inflammation, and because we eat gluten so often, it becomes chronic inflammation. Inflammation causes your body to not work optimally. It affects every system from your digestion to your brain, heart, central nervous system, and more.
Gluten can cause inflammation for years without any symptoms that can clearly be tied to gluten (or even your gut). The symptoms can be so insidious that we don’t pay attention to them, or we write them off as part of how we feel. We can become so accustomed to feeling less than 100%, that we don’t even realize we can feel better. It takes up to 3 weeks for gluten to leave our bodies so most of us have no idea how good we can feel without it!
I recently posted some gluten-free foods – including sliced bread, tortillas, and crackers – that my family recommends, and some of you had questions. You wanted to see the proof that gluten is problematic for everyone. That’s what this post is all about, but let’s cover the basics real quick:
THE BASICS
What is gluten?
Gluten grains include:
- Wheat
- Spelt
- Rye
- Kamut
- Triticale
- Durum
- Semolina
- Barley
- Bulgar
- Couscous
- Oats are often cross-contaminated so look for those labeled “gluten free”
What symptoms does gluten cause?
Systemic and neurological symptoms:
- Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired or drained of energy
- Brain fog: Trouble concentrating, forgetfulness, or mental sluggishness
- Mood changes: Feelings of anxiety, irritability, or depression
- Headaches: Frequent tension headaches or migraines
- Joint and muscle pain: Widespread bodily discomfort or stiffness
- Skin issues: Rashes, dry skin, or eczema-like flare-ups
Digestive symptoms:
- Bloating and gas: A frequent feeling of abdominal fullness or swelling after eating
- Abdominal pain: Cramping or general stomach ache
- Bowels changes: Diarrhea, constipation, or alternating between both
- Nausea: Mild queasiness or vomiting in some cases
THE PROOF
Here are the studies and expert opinions my intuition has pointed me to as truthful:
1. The study Gluten is a Proinflammatory Inducer of Autoimmunity published by Aaron Lerner in the Journal of Translational Gastroenterology in 2024, found that gluten was a disruptor of gut permeability, stating that “gluten peptides compromise tight junction integrity, allowing foreign immunogenic molecules to reach internal compartments….The peptides become immunogenic and pro-inflammatory, inducing organ dysfunction and pathology….A gluten-free diet can prevent these phenomena through various mechanisms.”
2. The study Effect of gliadin on permeability of intestinal biopsy explants from celiac disease patients and patients with non-celiac gluten sensitivity published by Justin Hollon in 2015. The title on this one is misleading, but if you dig in, you can see the study included four different groups of people:
- People with recently diagnosed Celia
- People with Celiac in remission (at least a year off gluten)
- Non-celiac gluten sensitivity
- Non-celiac controls: people who don’t have a problem with gluten at all
The study concluded that gluten increased intestinal permeability in ALL groups, including the “non-Celiac controls” who didn’t think they had a problem with gluten at all. They found that when people are exposed to gliadin, everyone experiences intestinal permeability within 5 minutes.
As we know, anything that gets out of the stomach becomes a threat and triggers an immune response, or in other words, inflammation.
3. Andrea Nakayama, CNC, FNLP, is a Functional Medicine Nutritionist, educator, speaker, and narrator of the gap between science and lived experience in women’s health. Andrea is one of my teachers, and an incredible human. I received my Functional Nutrition Counselor certification through her Functional Nutrition Alliance program.
Andrea’s Story of Wheat is helpful in understanding why it is so toxic to us:
Wheat was once one of our ancient grains. But without proper cultivation methods, many of the nutrients in wheat are destroyed or can become rancid. These effects on the grain have left many people intolerant, sensitive, or allergic to it. Wheat has become so industrialized and is now grown in almost every country in the world—replacing most other grains that used to be consumed to offer both more crop rotation and more variety.
I want to look a bit more closely at the modern life of wheat to help us develop a throughline…
Our consumption of wheat starts with the seed. Before the seed is even planted,
fungicides and insecticides are applied to its outer surface to control disease and insects. The chemicals are intended to protect the seed and will kill anything that tries to feed on them, but they’re not acting protectively inside our bodies. While these chemicals are considered “safe” by some measures (certainly not mine), our exposure to them increases our overall toxic load, increases the possibilities of neurotoxic diseases (like ADD, ADHD, and other learning issues), and they also increase our cancer risks, to name just a few challenges.
Also of note is that these chemicals function as xenoestrogens in the body. Xenoestrogens are estrogens that come from outside the body that sit in estrogen receptors inside the body and can disrupt our hormonal balance. There’s now clear evidence that links our exposure to xenoestrogens (which also come from using plastics, among other things) to:
- earlier puberty
- fibrocystic breasts
- breast cancer risk
- endometriosis
- infertility
- and a host of other estrogen-dominant diseases in women and men (our men and boys are experiencing more estrogen dominance as well)
The adulteration of wheat starts with the seed, as I’ve outlined, but it continues with growth, and the stalk. Farmers routinely apply hormone-like substances—either “natural” or synthetic to the stalk to help with strength and speed time of germination. The natural substances are ones that are extracted from other plants yet still have no traditional place in the life cycle of wheat. The synthetic growth regulators are chemically derived in laboratories specifically for this purpose.
One of the most commonly used synthetic growth regulators, introduced in the 1960’s, was Cycocel. It has precautionary labels that explain what to do if the chemical is swallowed or gets in the eyes or skin – all reasons for calling poison control. The label also states: “This product is toxic to wildlife. Keep out of lakes, streams and ponds.” Why do we want to spray such a thing on one of our most widely consumed crops?
The assault on the grain of wheat continues into storage. Bugs can readily infiltrate grain storage facilities, so the grains are sprayed with more insecticides. If any insects are found after this, fumigation is applied.
The offense to poor wheat doesn’t end after its growth and storage, but continues on into the milling and processing.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century that white breads and cakes became part of the modern diet. Prior to that more WHOLE foods were used. We’ll look more at the difference between a whole and a refined grain in just a bit.
For now, consider that flour was originally made by grinding grains between two large stones—this meant it was used in smaller quantities than it is today and it contained all key parts of the grain when consumed. (And if you’re wondering whether or not that means that eating the ancient grain will be OK, hold on. We’ll get there. But for now, remember that in Functional Nutrition we’re not just thinking about the food — instead we’re considering where food meets physiology. The quality and derivation of the wheat is only one part of the equation.)
Back in the day, flours were also processed in smaller batches (and thus fresher) because there was no viable storage to prevent rancidity. Natural wheat germ goes rancid at about the same rate as milk becomes sour. That’s pretty fast! This is when the most nutritious parts of the grain—the bran and germ that are the parts that can become rancid—were removed to support shelf-life.
Wheat and wheat flour were also some of the first foods that were approved by the FDA for irradiation in 1968. This was implemented to control insects. Irradiation of wheat involves the use of high-energy radiation to break chemical bonds and ionize the molecular structure of the grain.
So why would this be of concern to us? Well there was a concerning study on the dangers of irradiation that was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition back in 1975. Ten malnourished children were divided into two groups of five. Blood samples were taken and examined for each. The children were then given the same diet except the wheat for the experimental group had been irradiated two or three days prior with a dose recommended for grain dis-infestation. After four weeks, more blood samples were taken. The blood showed abnormal cell formation in four of the five children given irradiated wheat. None of the kids in the control group showed similar signs of abnormal cell development. This is a small study, but there have been more studies looking at the contaminants in grain products since that time.
Now we’ve become accustomed to the mass-produced and devitalized wheat in our breads and baked goods and it’s impossible for us to remember what wheat was and what it actually tasted like!
To sum it up, it’s the over-processing that has made wheat not only void of nutrients, but also problematic for optimal health with exposure to chemicals, hormones, and radiation.
Andrea’s explanation of the “The Opiate Addiction Effect” of gluten is also helpful:
“As I’ve seen both in my practice and amongst the children that I know socially, children will begin to restrict their foods to things that contain gluten. This opiate effect is why some children are limited to eating the white-stuff—they are actually getting a bit of a high off their food. They’re having a narcotic effect. Broccoli: no high. Pancake: high. And this is why you too may crave bread or crackers or pasta and feel like you are unable to give them up. There are actually 10-20 peptides in wheat that have been found to be 20% more potent than morphine itself!
An opiate is a narcotic analgesic that directly depresses the central nervous system. Again, opioids attach to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found not just in the brain, but also the spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract. When these opioid receptors are activated — meaning something has parked in that receptor parking spot, they block the transmission of pain messages to the brain. Opioids also tend to induce euphoria by affecting the brain regions that mediate pleasure — leaving feelings of warmth, drowsiness, and content. Opioids relieve stress and discomfort by creating a relaxed detachment from pain and desires. They can cause constipation, a widening of blood vessels, and depress coughing and breathing reflexes.
Another problem with these opioids, besides inviting addictive behavior, is that they disrupt brain function by attaching to receptor sites normally meant for neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that help dictate our personality, moods, behavior, bodily function, and more. This opiate effect on neurotransmitter receptors explains why gluten plays a role in so many cases of ADD/ADHD, autism, or behavioral problems in children; or brain fog, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, anorexia and migraines in adults.”
4. Dr. Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN, is a world-renowned functional medicine practitioner, author, and speaker who specializes in gluten-related disorders, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), Celiac Disease, and their direct links to chronic autoimmune conditions. He teaches with the National Institute of Functional Medicine and National University of Health Sciences.
In 2016, Dr. O’Bryan published Betrayal The Autoimmune Disease Solution They’re Not Telling You with transcripts of 85+ expert interviews and 25+ patient case studies.
In his 2016 book: The Autoimmune Fix: How to Stop the Hidden Autoimmune Damage That Keeps You Sick, Fat, and Tired Before It Turns Into Disease, Dr. Tom O’Bryan explains how gluten triggers inflammation, increases intestinal permeability, and contributes to chronic health issues even without immediate digestive symptoms. This book won the “National Book Award.”
Andrea Nakayama interviewed Dr. O’Bryan on her podcast, the 15-minute matrix:
Mapping Gluten with Dr. Tom O’Bryan Part 1
Mapping Gluten with Dr. Tom O’Bryan Part 2
5. Dr. Rodney Ford, M.D. is a pediatric gastroenterologist, allergist, and former associate professor of pediatrics. He is known as the “gluten expert” and was one of the early pioneers who still “pounds the academic pavement” to talk about how problematic gluten is for us all. He asserts that gluten causes us symptoms through its damage to the nerves and brain. Dr. Ford has written over a hundred scientific papers, and ten books, including “The Gluten Syndrome.”
WHAT ABOUT INTUITIVE INFO?
As you all know, I am an Intuitive Healer. I connect with my Highest Self and my clients’ Highest Selves. These versions of us are in the 12th dimension, on the God level. They have access to unlimited information. I trust this information more than I do most studies. Scientific as they may seem, studies are conducted by humans. They can be bought. They can be biased. They can be just plain wrong.
Mainstream medical and nutritional organizations maintain that while Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity are well-documented medical conditions, there is no robust scientific evidence showing that gluten is inherently toxic or harmful to healthy individuals who can digest it normally. I do not agree with this. Neither do the studies and experts mentioned above.
My intuition points to gluten being highly toxic for all of us, as does that of an Intuitive Healer who has helped hundreds of thousands of people heal from chronic illness including those deemed “incurable” by traditional medical doctors. Anthony William, the Medical Medium is a chronic illness expert, originator of the global celery juice movement, and a #1 New York Times best-selling author with more than 10 books. Anthony was born with the unique ability to converse with the Spirit of Compassion, who provides him with extraordinarily advanced healing medical information that’s far ahead of its time.
Anthony categorizes gluten as a top-level offender for anyone looking to heal from a chronic illness of any kind. He says, “Gluten is a protein found in many grains. The forms of gluten to which people are especially sensitive are in wheat, barley, rye, and spelt (a type of wheat). (When it comes to oats, be aware that growing and processing sometimes cross-contaminates them with grains that contain gluten. Oats can be a very good food for people who are less sensitive, though. Look for those that are labeled gluten-free.) Grains that contain gluten also contain multiple allergens and proteins that can trigger any condition. They create disruption and inflammation, especially in your intestinal tract and bowels. They also confuse your immune system—which is your primary defense against disease— and often trigger celiac disease, Crohn’s, and colitis. Eating these grains makes it very difficult for your body to heal. If you’d like to recover from your illness as quickly as possible, minimize grains of any kind.”
So what do we eat instead of gluten?
Here are the best substitutes for gluten in order from most to least healthful:
- Vegetables, such as cassava/yuca and potato starch (not corn)
- Legumes, such as chickpeas and lentils (not soy), AND nuts, such as almonds and walnuts
- Oats labeled “gluten free” and millet
- Other gluten free grains such as rice and quinoa
Please note: While better than gluten, corn and soy are not healthy replacements. Almost all corn and soy are GMO at this point, which means they are also inflammatory and can trigger health issues.
When the replacements are this delicious, it’s worth a try right? Switch to these for three weeks, and let me know how you feel!
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