The Surprising Truth About Wheat and Your Health
Response from Dr. Ridgely:
ASA,
This is a very good article and explains why the wheat from Muhammad Farms is so much better for humans:
1. We do not use artificial fertilizers, we use composted manure.
2. We do not use any type of growth hormone.
3. We do not spray insecticides or herbicides on wheat.
4. We do not artificially dry down our wheat.
5. We take our wheat to a farmer who has a water driven stone mill, which is very slow but efficient.
6. We raise soft wheat which has less gluten than hard red wheat.
7. We store our own wheat for seed for the following year.
Therefore Muhammad Farms' whole wheat flour is the wheat to promote. So read the following information with Muhammad Farms Wheat in your mind and the painstaking care we take in producing a quality and healthy product.
Peace, Bro. Ridgely
--- On Wed, 3/3/10, Alim <alim848@gmail.com> wrote:
As a nutritional healer, I use autonomic response testing to determine the state of health of a body and what foods and supplements are right for it and those that are not. This is a very exact and accurate way of assessing health, one person at a time. It leads to individualized or personalized nutritional programs that can bring the individual who follows it to perfect health very quickly. While every person is unique, there are some amazing patterns that emerge over time.
From: Alim <alim848@gmail.com>
Subject: [Life Abundantly] The Surprising Truth About Wheat and Your Health
To: dr-alim-muhammad-email-list@newtechsoftware.org
Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010, 12:04 PM
One of the most surprising to me is the number of health issues that are caused by or related to the consumption of wheat.
During a recent 'Abundant Life on the Road' trip, I found nearly 75% of tested individuals having a problem with wheat. One woman was totally incapacitated by wheat suffering from mental fog and depression, severe body pain, thyroid disease, diabetes, digestion problems and more, only to find that it was entirely due to her consumption of wheat! When the wheat factor was taken into consideration, her long list of complaints and weak body reflexes went down to ZERO!!! Nothing much was wrong with her except the wheat in her diet. It was literally killing her. And maybe you too.
Most of us (me included) are surprised to learn this. That is because we have been taught that wheat is an excellent food for health. But what we have not known is how wheat is now grown in this country and all of the things done to it
that have now made it a danger to health and life for many, many people.Read the following 2 articles to learn as much you need about wheat -that once was good- that has now become suspect in many of our common illnesses and complaints. You should be tested to see if you are one of the many who may be suffering from the altered wheat in our diet.
(More on this important topic later)
Enjoy. Learn. Share.
More Reasons to Avoid Wheat
Wheaty Indiscretions: What Happens to Wheat From Seed to Storage
By Jen Allbritton, Certified Nutritionist
Wheat--America’s grain of choice. Its hardy, glutenous consistency makes it
practical for a variety of foodstuffs--cakes, breads, pastas, cookies, bagels,
pretzels and cereals that have been puffed, shredded and shaped. This ancient
grain can actually be very nutritious when it is grown and prepared in the
appropriate manner. Unfortunately, the indiscretions inflicted by our modern
farming techniques and milling practices have dramatically reduced the quality
of the commercial wheat berry and the flour it makes. You might think,
"Wheat is wheat--what can they do that makes commercial varieties so
bad?" Listen up, because you are in for a surprise!
It was the cultivation of grains--members of the grass family--that made
civilization possible.1 Since wheat is one of the oldest known grains, its
cultivation is as old as civilization itself. Some accounts suggest that mankind
has used this wholesome food since 10,000 to 15,000 years BC.2 Upon opening
Egyptian tombs archeologists discovered large earthenware jars full of wheat to
"sustain" the Pharaohs in the afterlife. Hippocrates, the father of
medicine, was said to recommend stone-ground flour for its beneficial effects on
the digestive tract. Once humans figured out how to grind wheat, they discovered
that when water is added it can be naturally fermented and turned into beer and
expandable dough.2
Botonists have identified almost 30,000 varieties of wheat, which are assigned
to one of several classifications according to their planting schedule and
nutrient composition3--hard red winter, hard red spring, soft red winter, durum,
hard white and soft white. Spring wheat is planted in the spring, and winter
wheat is planted in the fall and shoots up the next spring to mature that
summer. Soft, hard, and durum (even harder) wheats are classified according to
the strength of their kernel. This strength is a function of the
protein-to-starch ratio in the endosperm (the starchy middle layer of the seed).
Hard wheats contain less starch, leaving a stronger protein matrix.3
With the advent of modern farming, the number of varieties of wheat in common
use has been drastically reduced. Today, just a few varieties account for 90
percent of the wheat grown in the world.1
When grown in well-nourished, fertile soil, whole wheat is rich in vitamin E and
B complex, many minerals, including calcium and iron, as well as omega-3 fatty
acids. Proper growing and milling methods are necessary to preserve these
nutrients and prevent rancidity. Unfortunately, due to the indiscretions
inflicted by contemporary farming and processing on modern wheat, many people
have become intolerant or even allergic to this nourishing grain. These
indiscretions include depletion of the soil through the use of chemical
fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals, high-heat milling, refining and
improper preparation, such as extrusion.1
Rather than focus on soil fertility and careful selection of seed to produce
varieties tailored to a particular micro-climate, modern farming practices use
high-tech methods to deal with pests and disease, leading to overdependence on
chemicals and other substances.
It Starts with the Seed
Even before they are planted in the ground, wheat seeds receive an application
of fungicides and insecticides. Fungicides are used to control diseases of seeds
and seedlings; insecticides are used to control insect pests, killing them as
they feed on the seed or emerging seedling.7 Seed companies often use mixtures
of different seed-treatment fungicides or insecticides to control a broader
spectrum of seed pests.8
Pesticides and Fertilizers
Some of the main chemicals (insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) used on
commercial wheat crops are disulfoton (Di-syston), methyl parathion,
chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, diamba and glyphosate.9
Although all these chemicals are approved for use and considered safe, consumers
are wise to reduce their exposure as much as possible. Besides contributing to
the overall toxic load in our bodies, these chemicals increase our
susceptibility to neurotoxic diseases as well as to conditions like cancer.10
Many of these pesticides function as xenoestrogens, foreign estrogen that can
reap havoc with our hormone balance and may be a contributing factor to a number
of health conditions. For example, researchers speculate these
estrogen-mimicking chemicals are one of the contributing factors to boys and
girls entering puberty at earlier and earlier ages. They have also been linked
to abnormalities and hormone-related cancers including fibrocystic breast
disease, breast cancer and endometriosis.13
Hormones on Wheat?
Sounds strange, but farmers apply hormone-like substances or "plant growth
regulators" that affect wheat characteristics, such as time of germination
and strength of stalk.11 These hormones are either "natural," that is,
extracted from other plants, or synthetic. Cycocel is a synthetic hormone that
is commonly applied to wheat.
Moreover, research is being conducted on how to manipulate the naturally
occurring hormones in wheat and other grains to achieve "desirable"
changes, such as regulated germination and an increased ability to survive in
cold weather.12
No studies exist that isolate the health risks of eating hormone-manipulated
wheat or varieties that have been exposed to hormone application. However, there
is substantial evidence about the dangers of increasing our intake of
hormone-like substances.
Chemicals Used in Storage
Chemical offenses don’t stop after the growing process. The long storage of
grains makes them vulnerable to a number of critters. Before commercial grain is
even stored, the collection bins are sprayed with insecticide, inside and out.
More chemicals are added while the bin is filled. These so-called "protectants"
are then added to the upper surface of the grain as well as four inches deep
into the grain to protect against damage from moths and other insects entering
from the top of the bin. The list of various chemicals used includes
chlorpyrifos-methyl, diatomaceous earth, bacillus thuringiensis, cy-fluthrin,
malathion and pyrethrins.14
Then there is the threshold test. If there is one live insect per quart of
sample, fumigation is initiated. The goal of fumigation is to "maintain a
toxic concentration of gas long enough to kill the target pest population."
The toxic chemicals penetrate the entire storage facility as well as the grains
being treated. Two of the fumigants used include methyl bromide and phosphine-producing
materials, such as magnesium phosphide or aluminum phosphide.14
Grain Drying
Heat damage is a serious problem that results from the artificial drying of damp
grain at high temperatures. Overheating causes denaturing of the protein26 and
can also partially cook the protein, ruining the flour’s baking properties and
nutritional value. According to Ed Lysenko, who tests grain by baking it into
bread for the Canadian Grain Commission’s grain research laboratory, wheat can
be dried without damage by using re-circulating batch dryers, which keep the
wheat moving during drying. He suggests an optimal drying temperature of 60
degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit).27 Unfortunately, grain processors do
not always take these precautions.
Modern Processing
The damage inflicted on wheat does not end with cultivation and storage, but
continues into milling and processing. A grain kernel is comprised of three
layers: the bran, the germ and the endosperm. The bran is the outside layer
where most of the fiber exists. The germ is the inside layer where many
nutrients and essential fatty acids are found. The endosperm is the starchy
middle layer. The high nutrient density associated with grains exists only when
these three are intact. The term whole grain refers to the grain before it has
been milled into flour. It was not until the late nineteenth century that white
bread, biscuits, and cakes made from white flour and sugars became mainstays in
the diets of industrialized nations, and these products were only made possible
with the invention of high-speed milling machines.28 Dr. Price observed the
unmistakable consequences of these dietary changes during his travels and
documented their corresponding health effects. These changes not only resulted
in tooth decay, but problems with fertility, mental health and disease
progression.30
Flour was originally produced by grinding grains between large stones. The final
product, 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour, contained everything that
was in the grain, including the germ, fiber, starch and a wide variety of
vitamins and minerals. Without refrigeration or chemical preservatives, fresh
stone-ground flour spoils quickly. After wheat has been ground, natural
wheat-germ oil becomes rancid at about the same rate that milk becomes sour, so
refrigeration of whole grain breads and flours is necessary. Technology’s
answer to these issues has been to apply faster, hotter and more aggressive
processing.28
Since grinding stones are not fast enough for mass-production, the industry uses
high-speed, steel roller mills that eject the germ and the bran. Much of this
"waste product"--the most nutritious part of the grain--is sold as
"byproducts" for animals. The resulting white flour contains only a
fraction of the nutrients of the original grain. Even whole wheat flour is
compromised during the modern milling process. High-speed mills reach 400
degrees Fahrenheit, and this heat destroys vital nutrients and creates rancidity
in the bran and the germ. Vitamin E in the germ is destroyed--a real tragedy
because whole wheat used to be our most readily available source of vitamin E.
Literally dozens of dough conditioners and preservatives go into modern bread,
as well as toxic ingredients like partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and soy
flour. Soy flour--loaded with antinutrients--is added to virtually all
brand-name breads today to improve rise and prevent sticking. The extrusion
process, used to make cold breakfast cereals and puffed grains, adds insult to
injury with high temperatures and high pressures that create additional toxic
components and further destroy nutrients--even the synthetic vitamins that are
added to replace the ones destroyed by refinement and milling.
People have become accustomed to the mass-produced, gooey, devitalized, and
nutritionally deficient breads and baked goods and have little recollection of
how real bread should taste. Chemical preservatives allow bread to be shipped
long distances and to remain on the shelf for many days without spoiling and
without refrigeration.
Healthy Whole Wheat Products
Ideally, one should buy whole wheat berries and grind them fresh to make
homemade breads and other baked goods. Buy whole wheat berries that are grown
organically or biodynamically--biodynamic farming involves higher standards than
organic.34 Since these forms of farming do not allow synthetic, carcinogenic
chemicals and fertilizers, purchasing organic or biodynamic wheat assures that
you are getting the cleanest, most nutritious food possible. It also
automatically eliminates the possibility of irradiation31 and genetically
engineered seed. The second best option is to buy organic 100 percent
stone-ground whole-wheat flour at a natural food store. Slow-speed, steel
hammer-mills are often used instead of stones, and flours made in this way can
list "stone-ground" on the label. This method is equivalent to the
stone-ground process and produces a product that is equally nutritious. Any
process that renders the entire grain into usable flour without exposing it to
high heat is acceptable.
If you do not make your own bread, there are ready-made alternatives available.
Look for organic sourdough or sprouted breads freshly baked or in the freezer
compartment of your market or health food store. If bread is made entirely with
l00 percent stone-ground whole grains, it will state so on the label. When bread
is stone ground and then baked, the internal temperature does not usually exceed
170 degrees, so most of the nutrients are preserved.28 As they contain no
preservatives, both whole wheat flour and its products should be kept in the
refrigerator or freezer. Stone-ground flour will keep for several months
frozen.28
Sprouting, soaking and genuine sourdough leavening "pre-digests"
grains, allowing the nutrients to be more easily assimilated and metabolized.
This is an age-old approach practiced in most traditional cultures. Sprouting
begins germination, which increases the enzymatic activity in foods and
inactivates substances called enzyme inhibitors.1 These enzyme inhibitors
prevent the activation of the enzymes present in the food and, therefore, may
hinder optimal digestion and absorption. Soaking neutralizes phytic acid, a
component of plant fiber found in the bran and hulls of grains, legumes, nuts,
and seeds that reduces mineral absorption.32 All of these benefits may explain
why sprouted foods are less likely to produce allergic reactions in those who
are sensitive.1
Sprouting also causes a beneficial modification of various nutritional elements.
According to research undertaken at the University of Minnesota, sprouting
increases the total nutrient density of a food. For example, sprouted whole
wheat was found to have 28 percent more thiamine (B1), 315 percent more
riboflavin (B2), 66 percent more niacin (B3), 65 percent more pantothenic acid
(B5), 111 percent more biotin, 278 percent more folic acid, and 300 percent more
vitamin C than non-sprouted whole wheat. This phenomenon is not restricted to
wheat. All grains undergo this type of quantitative and qualitative
transformation. These studies also confirmed a significant increase in enzymes,
which means the nutrients are easier to digest and absorb.33
You have several options for preparing your wheat. You can use a sour leavening
method by mixing whey, buttermilk or yogurt with freshly ground wheat or quality
pre-ground wheat from the store. Or, soak your berries whole for 8 to 22 hours,
then drain and rinse. There are some recipes that use the whole berries while
they are wet, such as cracker dough ground right in the food processor. Another
option is to dry sprouted wheat berries in a low-temperature oven or dehydrator,
and then grind them in your grain mill and then use the flour in a variety or
recipes.
Although our modern wheat suffers from a great number of indiscretions, there
are steps we can take to find the quality choices that will nourish us today and
for the long haul. Go out and make a difference for you and yours and turn your
wheaty indiscretions into wheaty indulgences.
--
Posted By Alim to