NORTH FORK, CA – Dairy and gluten have become two of the most debated components of a modern diet. Once considered staple foods across many cultures, they are now frequently implicated in a wide range of health concerns. Corporate food companies have seen this as an opportunity to provide dairy-free and gluten-free products of dubious nutrition.
The growing popularity of eliminating these foods has outpaced public understanding of when such restrictions are truly needed. In this article I will provide some useful perspectives to consider.
Dairy and grains have been part of the human diet for a very long time. Wild cereal grains have been found on tools thought to be 100,000 years old. Storage of grains is believed to have started 10,000 years ago. A protein associated with dairy has been found on the teeth of entombed Neolithic people from 10,000 years ago. History is often just an educated guess, and we truly don’t know for sure. But humans have certainly eaten them for a very long time.
So why have these staple foods become so problematic in recent years? The answer to this could be an entire PhD thesis for each one. I will give you some of the highlights.
First dairy. For animals to be healthy and provide nutritious food for us, they need to eat the food they were designed to eat. Grass for cows, forbs for sheep, and brush for goats. And that food needs to be growing on healthy soils. This is rare today. Another issue is the protein in the dairy. Sheep, goats, and most Jersey cows have A2 proteins. These dairy products are usually better tolerated. Modern Holstein cows are bred for high milk production and have A1 proteins, and are often more problematic for humans. Furthermore, the pasteurization of milk is highly damaging to the proteins, and kills the beneficial enzymes present in raw milk. These are a few of the basic factors that make milk and other dairy products a problem today.
Gluten protein is found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale grains. The average American’s diet includes a large amount of wheat, supplying about 25% of daily calories. Most of this comes in the form of highly processed white flour in foods such as cereals, bread, crackers, cookies, pastries, muffins, pasta, etc. Processed foods lack nutrients, and often contain other problematic ingredients such as vegetable oils and white sugar. Also, when grains have not been properly prepared, they contain toxins and anti-nutrients. See the previous article, Carefully Prepare Seed Foods. Modern grains, especially wheat, have been changed by selective breeding and hybridization. Many people tolerate older varieties, such as Einkhorn, Spelt and Kamut. Furthermore, grain crops are commonly contaminated with chemicals used in the growing and storage of them, so choosing organic can help. Only about 1% of the population have celiac disease, and should avoid all gluten. Some people feel better when they cut all grains out of their diet, regardless of whether they contain gluten or not.
Raw, whole milk dairy products and properly prepared organic grains (including gluten containing grains) can be part of a healthy diet for most people. The principles discussed above can help guide you. Simply substituting dairy and gluten free foods is not likely to be helpful or healthy.
You can find previous articles here: Focus On Vibrant Health.
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Dr. Veronica Tilden can be your ally in having vibrant health. She uses traditional hands-on osteopathy and helps you take responsibility for your health, guiding you to make better choices in your life. Her office is in North Fork. You can find out more and schedule an appointment at DrVeronicaTilden.com.
