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that is great news. funny how our tastes buds change. Thank Goodness

The prudent, moderate use of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols are usually acceptable. However, some people experience negative reactions to certain sweeteners, and the risk increases with the amount used. With all artificial sweeteners, the less used, usually the better. Limit exposure to 3 daily which is simply a precaution for those that are likely to react negatively.

If you see they are slowly down weight loss steer clear

pe1895 and g8rgrl: ANA stands for 'Atkins Nutritional Approach'.

From my own experience, I've discovered that wheat products, when I ingest them, cause heartburn (GERD) although most non-low-carbers don't believe me. I've really thought I may be gluten-intolerant. What is ANA? I'm a ninny in that I haven't stopped the wheat, when I know better. Thank you Colette and thank you Audrey for your comments! Margaret

I'm going to obtain this book and read it through and through. I've experienced some of the symptons you mentioned. If I hadn't been an Atkins low-carber, I would never have thought of what I eat causing these physical problems. Thanks for the info from the book and the encouragement for us all. Margaret

Colette, I read +Wheat Belly+ the day it became available for my Kindle, which was a few months ago. I found the information to be compelling, especially in light of the improvements I have found with the removal of wheat from my diet. I no longer suffer from GERD, and noticed that Dr. Davis noted this as a common reaction. I no longer suffer from regular bouts of diarrhea, either. My general pain in my body has reduced as well. I find that I can indulge on occasion in higher carbs via starchy vegetables and nuts without these problems re-occurring.

For people who suffer from any of the ailments Dr. Davis discusses in +Wheat Belly,+ I would suggest giving wheat elimination a fair shot. It certainly can't hurt, and may very well help.

On Sunday we had communion at church, and instead of the usual crackers they had a loaf of bread. I thought O no....I was handed a big hunk and took just a little off the piece and ate it----I found I really didn't like it! It looked delicious to a bread addict like me, but having been on Atkins for 11 months with no bread, I guess I just lost the taste for it! Yay!

I know I have wheat intolerance now, my stomach doesn't hurt so bad and I can breath. Wheat used to make my nose run. I feel so much better now, even when I get sick its not as bad as it used to be when I ate wheat and sugars.

I have not been eating bread on my Stkins diet. However, I had a few slices on my birthday. I am now in Phase 1, and as a result was back in INDUCTION. They serve gluten free communion at some of the churches in our area. Ask your pastor?

Deb

I have read Wheat Belly and it is very interesting to see what wheat does to people. My husband has joined me on Atkins and has lost his heartburn and 30 lbs. We are trying to educate as many people as we can about this WOE.

What is ANA????

I have an imnportant question about sugar alcohol and Atkins carb counting. Are we allowed to eat sugar free candy which has no fiber but is the same carb count as the sugar alcohol and does that count as net carbs 0 if you take away the sugar alcohol? I am a little confused by the net carb in a sugar alcohol sugar free candy such as the ones from the juvenile diabetes by Russel Stover. I would like to occasionally have a candy cane breath mint but the sugar alcohol, thus carb count is the same, 18 per piece and if I'm trying to stay under the 20/30 carb to loose weight how do I factor that in or do I ?

Thanks,
Athena Turk

My wife read this book and I read parts of it. I have type 2 diabetes and my wife has a problem with gluten. Not celiac just insensitive. She brings all kinds of gluten free stuff into the house. Gluten or not it makes my blood sugar go up. Alot! It's the carbs that raise blood sugar not gluten. I can count on 1 gram of carb raising my blood sugar 5mg/dl no matter the form and whether it has gluten or not. I know I experimented. So, for me cutting out the glutten really does not do anything. It's carbs that matter.

I have Crohn's and don't eat any grains. My friends and some family still don't understand that "gluten free" is not enough for me. I am "grain free." I'm carb sensitive, too, but haven't monitored blood pressure related to it. I agree with you that it's the carbs that matter. I'm curious to start watching my blood pressure.

Colette, I'm glad to read what you wrote about this issue. I decided (without medical advice), that I was exhibiting all the symptoms of wheat intolerance, so I stopped all gluten a few weeks before starting Atkins. Well, I wish I had done that years ago. I found that my joints are not as sore, I can walk a lot longer, my belly is receding, and a host of other smaller benefits. All this within the first few weeks. But, being a true bread addict, I had to find another way to eat to fill the void, ergo ANA. It's the best thing I've done for my health in like forever. I started Atkins Oct. 31, and now believe that I have probably been gluten intolerant for a long long time. I'm a convert! Audrey

I am an emotional eater, and well, life has been happening for me recently. I immediately notice that I feel horible if I fall off the wagon and intake breads and pastas. I'm not sure if it's the gluten or the carbs, but either way my body is saying "NO" loud and clear.

My daughter just recently read the Wheat Belly book and ditched gluten. She's lost some weight but the most important thing is that she says she feels so much better with a lot more energy. I've skimmed the pages of the book but thought about how a lot of the information reminded me of the Atkins diet. I'm not sure when exactly but it's been something like 30 years since then. Anyway, I just signed up on the Atkins site and right now I'm in the information stage more than anything else. I have type 2 diabettes and take pills for it. I really don't want to get to the point that I must take insulin. My husband is also type 2 and takes pills and lantis. Anyway, I know if I don't do something, he won't and we both need to get healthier and feel better. I'm dragging around at least 80 pounds too much and my sweet hubby probably has more like 100 pounds of excess. I understand the site will be changing and hope that it is helpful and user friendly. I guess that's all I have to say right now. I'll be checking in for more info. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Colette!

Colette,

Thanks for that, I have always been a supporter of the wheat-belly theory. My family have never been great with wheats and carbs as it puts weight on us like that.

I recently went over to asia and ate a lot of carbs there. Over a month I gained 6 kilo's being the heaviest I have ever been and as soon as I got back home and cut out most carbs I found that your body can not support that consistant weight so it just shrinks back down. By cutting out carbs, sodium, drinking heaps of water and doing a lot f cardio I lost 4 kilos in the first week.

I was talking to a friend the other day about how you can become addicted to wheat and carbs and how hard it is to break that addiction, but once you do it becomes so much easier.

Thanks for the great articles!

Eliza

I just finished reading the Wheat Belly book. Great information! Really served to validate what I already suspected for myself, as to the symptoms caused by wheat (and grain in general) in my diet. Even if you already "Atkins", it's a worthwhile book. And if you need motivation to get back on track, this will help!

Thanks for the blog. I had not heard of this book. I downloaded it to my Kindle and read it. I agree with Lab. I had already noticed on ANA that I could control GERD. Davis' book mentioned all kinds of reactions to wheat that I had never heard of (including weird rashes... mine also cleared up with this WOE).

I don't know if his theory of hybridized wheat exacerbating people's wheat intolerance will hold up; makes sense to me. We have really altered foods in our supply in the last 100 years. And we have found out later that it was not a good idea (HFCS, and trans-fatty acids come to mind).

Does Atkins carry any bars that are gluten free? I see oats (oats are not gluten free) are listed in many of the various Atkin bar ingredients. I'd like to purchase Atkins breakfast bars, but cannot due to my gluten free diet. I have severeHashimotos Thyroiditis with off the chart antibodies, and my naturepath has me on a gluten free diet to reduce my thyroid inflamation.

Do you know if there is a comprehensive list of dairy-free Atkins products? I recently found out that I have a dairy sensitivity but I've found that Atkins works well for my diet needs.