Brain Drain

I find it incredible that, buried in the common advice to consume more “healthy whole grains,” is advice to consume what is, in effect, a mind-active drug. Wheat and grain consumption have very real effects on the brain, thinking, and emotions, some of which are reversible, some of which are permanent. Many of the effects are due to the gliadin protein of wheat, rye, and barley. Dr. Alessio Fasano has mapped out the segments of the gliadin protein that, upon partial digestion (humans are incapable of complete digestion of this grass protein) yield the following peptides (protein fragments): Red = direct cytotoxic segment (intestinal cell-destroying) Light green = immune-stimulating segment (responsible for celiac disease) Blue = bowel permeability segment (via zonulin activation) Dark green = inflammatory interleukin release Interspersed among these segments are shorter, 4- to 5-amino acid long segments (not color-coded) that are act as the opiates (opioids) that exert mind effects. Gliadin therefore exerts myriad disease effects, among which are powerful mind effects that manifest in different ways depending on individual susceptibility. Below is an excerpt from the Wheat Belly Total Health book discussing the reversible mind effects of wheat and grains.   It’s Not Your Imagination: Reversible Mind and Brain Effects of Grains Reversible mind effects begin with the gliadin proteins of wheat, rye, and barley that undergo digestion to smaller 4- or 5-amin...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Wheat-Free Lifestyle adhd appetite bipolar Depression emotions gluten grains mind opiates schizophrenia Source Type: blogs