Thirteen years ago I visited a doctor who told me for the first time that I was sensitive to wheat and dairy, and that I should also avoid soy, corn, and for that matter most grains.  Considering myself fairly health conscious (I thought) this came as a big surprise to me.  At the time I consumed plenty of whole grains, probably a gallon of milk a week and considered soy a healthy protein. The idea of not eating pasta, bread  or cheese was extremely hard for me to get my head around. This little clip from Brian Regan sums up how I felt.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH1UtGUSvrE[/youtube]

I asked my doctor, “you mean I should never eat wheat again?”  He simply replied; “You’d be healthier.”  So I gave his diet a try for 6 weeks, and though I didn’t want to admit it, I felt much better. The chronic aches in my shoulder and wrist went away, the stiffness in my back went away and my digestion, which I had though was fine, actually felt better. I often hear form patients who are as suprised as I was about what a proper diet should be, and the common refrain is “why didn’t my other doctor tell me this.” Modern medicine is slowly (very slowly) catching on that what we eat, and the source of our food plays a huge role in our health, but they don’t quite seem ready to admit that the cause of many of the illnesses that plague our country is the food we eat. The food supply in just the last 20 years has been forever changed through genetic modification.  Changing the practices of food corporations like Monsanto, who are responsible for most of the genetically modified foods that have shown up in our food supply is going to take a grass roots movement.  If people refuse to buy these foods, then they will no longer be economically viable to produce. This TED talk by Robyn O’Brian is a powerful presentation on how our food supply is affecting families, and what can be done about it. Thanks to Dr. Batten for passing this on to me. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]


    19 replies to "What Happened To Our Food?"

    • Jayson Pearson

      Shannon.. I agree but it can not be stopped.. what will happen is we as species will have to adapt to our new food supply.. it will come with a pain for many but.. maybe we can alter our genes to speed up the process.. we left being “natural” the day we stoped being hunter gather and built a civilization.

      • Dr. Shannon Weeks

        Dear Jayson,

        As Ms. O’Brian points out in her talk, much is already being done about it. Companies like Kraft and Walmart reformulate their products for Europe and Canada where GMO foods are banned. This means every product that Kraft makes with GMO corn syrup (which is nearly everything) they also make without it, just not for Americans .

    • Lenka Dresselhaus

      Wow. Robyn O’Brian’s ability to see the big picture and break it down with such clarity is astounding. Knowing that she’s getting this important information to the masses makes me hopeful about the future of our food supply. Knowledge is power. Thanks for sharing!

    • Dereck

      Dr. Shannon,

      Thanks for putting this together. It seems like more and more people I know who run into this similar problem.

      And thanks to companies (like you mentioned) Monsanto… things are only going to get worse before they get better. It’s actually kind of scary all the things they are proposing.

      Also, I’ve lost a great deal of faith in our “western medicine”. As far as I’m concerned, it’s ND (Natural Path) before MD any day.

      I’d rather fix the problem than treat it.

      Thanks again!

      _D

    • Andy Nathan

      That is really interesting how much cutting out certain foods helped you improve your life. Cool info to know about what to eat.

    • Willena Flewelling

      I can vouch for the truth of that too, Dr. Shannon. When I eliminate wheat and several other foods out of my diet, I have no more lower back pain, and I lose weight much faster than just going on a healthy diet.

      I write this as I am eating cake and ice cream, in celebration of my son’s 20th birthday….. 😉

      Willena Flewelling
      Willena Flewelling recently posted..Relationship Building – Removing YOU from the EquationMy Profile

    • Lynn Jones

      Dr. Shannon, That video clip is a real eye opener. I am aware that our food is depleted. It’s probably on purpose, so we get sick, so we need a doctor, so we can get drugs……Then who makes the money. I know that sounds like a bold statement. Thankfully we have doctors like you who get to the root of our problems instead of treating just the symptoms. I have experimented with Spelt flour and like it.
      Have a wonderful day!
      Lynn
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    • Melodie Kantner

      So many foods available are not good for us at all. Even things we think are ok, we learn they have done something to it so it’s not good anymore.
      Melodie Kantner recently posted..Day 21 EFT For Self-Esteem – Confident Outside of My Comfort ZoneMy Profile

    • Sheila J. Hill

      Thanks for the great video you have shared to us…I hope you can post more of this…
      Sheila J. Hill recently posted..Zumba Fitness Workout – Fitness Can Be Fun?My Profile

    • Richard

      Thank you for sharing this amazing information. Robynn O’Brian really did a great job by sharing this kind of information. Millions of people could be saved from food allergies.
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    • Shery Chive

      The video is really nice and I am glad you have included it here…
      Shery Chive recently posted..insurance for kids onlyMy Profile

    • Casy William

      Hi…Love the videos you have included in this post and it helps a lot for me…
      Casy William recently posted..pregnancy fitnessMy Profile

    • Louise Steiner

      This is a subject very close to my heart. I too have achieved remarkable health improvements with fairly radical changes in my diet. I have felt for some time that many of today’s ailments are caused by the food we eat, so it is interesting to hear that I am not alone in my thinking.

      Thank you for this most interesting post.
      Louise
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    • Sharon Johnson

      Thank You So Much Dr. Shannon
      The video was so awesome, I can not do dairy products, but I’m really glad to know about all the other products. I will be doing my own research, to fined healthy foods. I have notice a lot of health problems in myself and my family do to certain foods.I will be returning for more great information
      To Your Much Success
      Again Thanks
      Sharon
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    • Aidan Gibson

      It is amazing how we can change our habits and change our life in the process. And the way our food is grown is not always mentioned on the packaging and this can lead to doubt about what we are actually consuming.

      I also changed my diet slightly and this has helped my joints. Just simple steps and now I sleep better because of it.

      Thanks for the advice!
      Aidan Gibson recently posted..Are Christmas Trees Eco Friendly?My Profile

    • Kevin DeRoo

      Hey Shannon,

      Loved your article. It is an excellent reminder of the age old saying “you are what you eat.”

      It’s interesting to read the awesome effect the change in your diet did for your overall health.

      Thanks for sharing Shannon.

      Kevin
      Kevin DeRoo recently posted..Video Marketing – Uploading Your ProductionMy Profile

    • Rachel Lavern

      I am just beginning to learn how our digestive tract is a main path of entry for offensive substances—bacteria, allergens, heavy metals, molds, fungi, chemicals, trans fats—that can get past the gut’s defenses turn into an undiagnosed food sensitivity or allergy. I understand that many of people who are struggling with weight gain actually have one or more digestion-related issues–food
      sensitivity, low gastric acidity, yeast overgrowth, parasites, an imbalance of digestive enzymes and gut bacteria, or an overburdened liver and immune system.
      Rachel Lavern recently posted..What Are Your Limitations?My Profile

    • Larissa

      When I was 19, I had a huge problem with my endocrine system. The doctors told me that the only thing that may help me out is a small pill which I’m suppose to take every day for the rest of my life. After a few months I found a Naturopath that change my nutrition in 180 degrees. No soy, no chicken, only spelt bread. But , you know what- it helped! Food is everything.
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    • Nina

      I never thought that eating no wheat at all will be healthy for us. But maybe, it depends upon the health of the person. Bad thing about our food today is, adding great dosage of preservatives. And we often like eating products that have different kinds of preservatives.
      Nina recently posted..skin care tipsMy Profile

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