Read Summary: Wheat Belly ...in 30 Minutes for Free Online

stretchy and easy to rise. Hybridized wheat has been engineered to increase the types of glutens that make wheat good for baking. But these types of glutens also tend to provoke inflammatory and allergic responses in the body.
    â€œThe bigger your wheat belly, the poorer your response to insulin, since the deep visceral fat of the wheat belly is associated with poor responsiveness, or ‘resistance,’ to insulin, demanding higher and higher insulin levels, a situation that cultivates diabetes.”
    â€” Dr. William Davis, Wheat Belly

HEY, MAN, WANNA BUY SOME EXORPHINS? THE ADDICTIVE PROPERTIES OF WHEAT
    Overview
    According to Davis, wheat is one of the few foods that can change our behavior and alter our moods. Studies show that when people completely eliminate wheat from their diets, they initially experience feelings of withdrawal; only eating wheat can alleviate these feelings. Additional studies observe that people suffering from schizophrenia, autism, and ADHD experience more severe symptoms of the diseases when wheat is present in their diets. These findings suggest that adopting a wheat-free diet will potentially improve mood and overall health.
    â€œ[W]heat is one of the few foods that can alter behavior, induce pleasurable effects, and generate a withdrawal syndrome upon its removal.”
    â€” Dr. William Davis, Wheat Belly
    Chapter Summary
    According to Davis, wheat induces feelings of pleasure for some people. When interpreted as cravings, these feelings can eventually lead to a wheat addiction. As wheat is digested, the glutens degrade to a mix of special polypeptides (chains of amino acids that form part of a protein molecule) that are able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier that separates the brain from the bloodstream. Once these special polypeptides, called exorphins, enter the brain, they bind to the brain’s morphine receptors. Scientists believe these exorphins are responsible for a wheat-induced feeling of euphoria and the associated addictive response. In experiments, when the exorphins are blocked, people eat less wheat and lose weight.
    Dr. F. Curtis Dohan at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Philadelphia observed that exorphins also affect the moods and behaviors of patients suffering from schizophrenia. After four weeks on a wheat-free diet, doctors reported the patients experienced reduced auditory hallucinations, fewer delusions, and less detachment from reality. When they placed these same patients back on a diet that included wheat, the symptoms resumed normal levels. Studies suggest that autistic children and those suffering from ADHD may also show improved behavior on a gluten-free diet, although these findings are less conclusive. While Davis says it is unlikely wheat caused these problems, it appears to be associated with worsening of the symptoms.
    Davis claims that wheat is one of very few foods shown to alter moods and create addictive behaviors. Taking it one step further, he suggests that because wheat can cause pleasure, pushing us to want more, it is an appetite stimulant. Continuing this argument, Davis says a wheat-free diet will diminish hunger and cravings, and lead to fewer mood swings, improved ability to concentrate, and deeper sleep.
    â€œUnderstanding that wheat, specifically exorphins from gluten, have the potential to generate euphoria, addictive behavior, and appetite stimulation means that we have a potential means of weight control: Lose the wheat, lose the weight.”
    â€” Dr. William Davis, Wheat Belly

YOUR WHEAT BELLY IS SHOWING: THE WHEAT/OBESITY CONNECTION
    Overview
    According to Davis, the dramatic rise of obesity and diabetes in the United States came at the same time that nutritional experts began advising us to eat more whole grains. In an effort to be healthy, Americans began eating wheat in unprecedented amounts, driving blood sugar levels higher. These spikes in blood sugar led to an accompanying growth of visceral fat, a