Low Carb Wraps

WILD RICE

Another question I am frequently asked is about wild rice. Yes, it is gluten-free, but for those with a damaged gut (leaky gut) or a damaged metabolism or anyone who wants to become keto-adapted, it is way too high in carbs. It is disturbing to find that 60% of adults never completely heal from the celiac disease despite following a gluten-free diet.[53]

It has been found that only 8% of adult patients with celiac disease eating a gluten-free diet reached “normalization,” where their intestines completely recovered. However, there is new research that may help people with celiac for good! Researcher Alessio Fasano, M.D. has been on the leading edge of recent autoimmune and celiac disease exploration. In 2011, he published a paper titled “Leaky Gut and Autoimmune Diseases” which presented a new theory that suggests prevention and reversal of autoimmune disease is possible.

Testimony of the Day

“Where’s the closest bathroom?” was the first question that would come out of my mouth when we would step foot into a restaurant. From as early as I can remember I have suffered from horrible stomach pains after eating meals. I always laughed off my “digestive issues” until one day after my 2-year-old daughter saw me holding my stomach in the fetal position on the couch after a “fun” night out for dinner. She worriedly asked my husband “What’s wrong with Mommy?” I knew at that point I had to get some answers and so I began the very long road to healing my gut.

I was referred to a gastroenterologist who told me, although my gallbladder was functioning at a healthy rate, it should be removed. I was not keen on having an organ taken out of my body, so instead, he told me to stay away from butter and oils. I did just that…and lived on boring salads with low-fat dressing for years. Yes, my stomach pains did go away, but my diet was so boring! Then, slowly but surely, I started to get sick again. First it was pneumonia, then nearly once a month I would get almost flu-ish and end up in bed. My weight started to fluctuate, but the last straw was when I came down with shingles. I knew, at 28, that something bad was going on in my body. My doctor told me not to worry, and shingles were completely normal in a 28-year-old woman. It was just too much “stress” in my life…but I wasn’t stressed!

Then one night (when I couldn’t sleep…due to the steroids they pumped in me to combat the shingles) I was researching my issues and came across the celiac disease. My mind raced as every description matched mine. The next day I made a conscious decision to cut out wheat. I was ecstatic! I immediately felt a difference in my energy, moods, etc.

After a month of eating gluten-free, I decided to contact my doctor and get a test to “confirm” my allergy. He reluctantly did the tests and cheerfully called me the next week to tell me I didn’t have celiac…but possibly a gluten “sensitivity”. I was crushed! I thought I had found the answer to all my problems. But, as Maria points out, there is a large percentage of false negatives when tested for celiac.

Fast forward to today. I am ever so grateful to have met Maria! I try to adhere to a ketogenic diet, which means high-fat (butter and oils, gasp!), moderate protein and low-carb foods. I have never enjoyed such a wide array of foods in my entire life! Eating is now fun again! My stomach issues have completely disappeared  but what’s more astonishing are the other changes: my clearer thinking, my muscle definition, my energy levels, my skin, my moods. The list goes on and on. I am a group fitness instructor and most days of the week I need to be in the gym all morning strength training and teaching high-intensity cardio. I usually don’t get home until late afternoon and a ketogenic diet allows me to have the energy to do this! I sometimes even need to remind myself to eat!

And my Raynaud’s syndrome completely DISAPPEARED  This photograph is evidence of what my husband used to refer to as my “corpse” fingers. For 8 months out of the year, I would lose complete feeling in not only all of my fingers but my toes and nose as well! My husband even bought me a very expensive pair of boots that I would clomp around in…and that STILL didn’t work. I would spend hours just focusing on trying to get blood back into my fingers, to no avail. Out of the blue one day, after switching to a high-fat diet, I suddenly realized I have not lost any feeling since! It’s crazy!

One other “plus”: I have been addicted to Diet Mountain Dew since college (over 10 years ago). I used to say “If you want to kill me, lock me in a room without Diet Dew”. I would drink SIX cans a day. I was so proud of myself when I cut down to four! After eating this way, I suddenly felt ill whenever I would try to slug a can. So I completely quit my pop addiction cold-turkey. The weird thing is, my body doesn’t need the caffeine! The fats in my diet drive my energy sky-high. Now, if you would have told me I wouldn’t drink pop five years ago, I would have died laughing!

I am forever indebted to Maria…for opening my horizons to the ketogenic diet and freeing me from a life of boring salads!” Kristen

To get the results like Kristen, click here to get started. A year from now you will thank yourself!