Tag Archives: intestinal

Thanks at Thanksgiving…and All Year

Miscellaneous, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As we approach this Thanksgiving Day and holiday season many of us think a little more about giving thanks for all that we cherish: our family and friends, our freedom, and our good health, among many others. I especially am thankful everyday for the excellent health my family and I enjoy. Had we not discovered we were all quite intolerant to gluten we would not have been such happy campers these last 12 years.

Knowing what I know about the devastating and degenerative hazards of gluten from having poured a decade into research and writing my award-winning book, “Toxic Staple” I can’t imagine what shape my family and I would be in if we hadn’t figured this monster out. I am fortunate to only be on one med for a hypothyroid that was very likely damaged due to gluten (autoimmune diseases are highly linked to gluten) before I even knew what gluten was, and I never get sick, and have great energy.

Many of you, however, do not bask in the sunlight of good health and great energy and may not realize that much of your poor state of health lies in your own hands. Most of you really can do something about your allergies, asthma, fatigue, autoimmune diseases, skin issues, neurological maladies, and on and on, if you want to. Naturally everything is not linked to gluten, but truly, it is incredible what gets better when you address this “toxic staple” that pervades our everyday lives and destroys your gut and other parts of the body.

Going downhill at the rate I was traveling prior to “the gluten-free lifestyle” in my early sixties, I can only assume that my longevity has been extended vastly, along with greater health, and rejuvenated energy and vitality.

I encourage you to look at your health and that of your children and other family members and friends. Many of you think it is normal to have intestinal issues, fatigue, allergies, asthma, arthritis, organ issues, migraines, depression, and on and on for more than over 300 maladies linked to gluten, but it is not. Older age does not necessarily have to mean degenerative, failing health. Your health and life can become so much more enhanced and transformed that you would not believe it. I am in better shape in my seventies than when I was in my forties. No kidding! All I did was remove the “monster” gluten (dairy also bothers many who are gluten intolerant). By the end of the first year I was only going for health checkups instead of sick calls.

But let me warn you that the vast majority of our traditionally trained doctors are not giving enough testing to track down celiac disease or gluten intolerance, nor are they aware of the numerous symptoms and illnesses linked to gluten. It’s not really their fault. Little is being done to educate every health care professional in every facet of medicine, since gluten can affect any part of the body, and many think celiac and gluten issues are rare. They are epidemic!

If you are plagued with chronic symptoms and illness please…do your body and brain a favor… you must become your own advocate in conjunction with your doctor. Get educated, get tested (you will need to request certain tests), and if positive follow a 100% gluten-free lifestyle. No cheating!

 And give mega thanks you have discovered the root of your health problems.

Please read the disclaimer above.

Please get back to me with your success story at anne(@sign)toxicstaple.com and kindly share this info with all your sick and tired friends who may be misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or overdosed! Even some of those who have rare and incurable diseases may find life can improve without gluten.

Need a speaker? anne(@)toxicstaple.com

Commentary On: Your Grain-Free Diet Isn’t Good For You Or the Planet!

Commentary, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Unless you have a serious health problem such as celiac disease (about 1 percent of the population) whole grains and good starches can and should be part of your diet.”

I take issue with the above quote from the Washington Post: Your Grain-Free Diet Isn’t Good For You Or the Planet by Marie Speck, Oct 30, 2015.

I would like to bring to light that in addition to the apx 1% of the population that has celiac disease about 30% may be intolerant to gluten, which means they should not consume this toxic, difficult to digest protein. That’s nearly 1/3 of our population!

Tens of millions of Americans are suffering from hundreds of symptoms, diseases, and associated conditions linked to gluten substantiated by thousands of studies from around the world. Many of them are “trying” the gluten-free diet and find they lose weight, gain energy, headaches and tummy aches disappear, skin, joint, and intestinal issues resolve, and a raft of other ailments get better when off gluten. Many think this is just another fad diet, but it isn’t.  If health issues resolve with a gluten-free lifestyle that tells me they shouldn’t be eating this toxic staple.

It’s important to get tested for celiac and gluten intolerance, but that’s another whole can of worms since too often not enough testing is given to detect the problem and patients are told they don’t have an issue with gluten and can keep eating it as they continue to suffer.

I spell it out in my book.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/rweb/top/your-grain-free-diet-isnt-natural-good-for-you-or-good-for-the-planet/2015/10/31/50ae19fc-7db8-11e5-b575-d8dcfedb4ea1_story.html

 

The Gluten Link To Cancer: Maybe It’s Not The Processed Meat!

Cancer, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you have ever seen how hotdogs and most sausages are made you’d think twice about consuming them. But is it the hotdogs, sausages, and luncheon meats that are causing an increased risk of developing stomach/intestinal/colon cancers or is it the hotdog rolls and sandwich bread?

Did the World Health Organization experts take into account that gluten can be at the root of stomach, intestinal, colon, esophageal, and many other cancers?

Compared to the general population, celiac patients have a much greater risk of developing gastrointestinal lymphoma (24-34x), and the risk is elevated substantially for esophageal and other cancers.*

Other research reports that CD “significantly increases [the] risk of developing small bowel lymphomas by 30 to 40 percent and other gut malignancies by 83-fold.”**

“A 10 – 280 fold increased risk of small bowel adenocarcinoma” was found in celiac patients compared to the general population.***

Patients suffering a return of symptoms after reacting positively to a strict GFD should be checked for “evidence of a small bowel malignancy.”****

Is anyone recognizing the impact gluten has on our bodies beside the researchers? Do you realize the devastating and degenerative affect gluten can have on any part of the body? Do you comprehend what gluten can do to your immune system if your villi are shot to hell and not absorbing vitamins and minerals?

If cancer patients were offered more testing than is generally given for celiac disease (too often only one), including testing for gluten intolerance, I wonder what percent of those with cancer would be positive for gluten issues?

For more information on cancer related to gluten read my chapter, “Gluten Indicted: An Answer To Cancer,” in my award-winning book, Toxic Staple.

*Sahin et al. “The Patient Presenting with Renal Failure Due to Multiple Myeloma Associated with Celiac Disease: Case Report” 2011

**Ahluwalia et al. “Aggressive Burkitt-like Lymphoma of Colon in a Patient with Prior Celiac Disease” 2006

*** Potter et al. “The Role of Defective Mismatch Repair in Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma in Celiac Disease” 2004

**** Straker et al. “Adenocarcinoma of the Jejunum” 1989

 

 

Poem: Trickster or Treat?

Poems, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I have to admit Halloween has never been a favorite holiday of mine, but I was prompted to write this jingle for a local poetry group I’ve been trying to attend.

Trickster or Treat

It is a devilish trickster
In everything you know
From white flour in cupcakes
To wheat flour pizza dough

It plays with your health
In insidious ways
It can lead to cancer
And shorten your days

Neuro issues quite linked
To celiac disease
Detect if you have it
Get some expertise

Part of its schtick
Is autoimmune disease
It devastates your body
With seemingly great ease

Type 1 diabetes
Is associated you know
All should be tested
Before diseases overthrow

Over 80 autoimmune
Oh, you didn’t know
From thyroid, blood, and liver
To MS and cardio

A few symptoms
You might recognize
Reflux, fatigue, and headaches
Can be a great disguise

From intestinal issues
To weight loss or gain
To organ and skin problems
Can be related to grain

If you experience
Most any chronic disease
Consider it could be
Gluten is your sleaze

You have an opportunity
To educate yourself
On the many faces of gluten
That can deteriorate one’s health

The treat is finding out
What is wrecking your health
Once you discover it’s gluten
You’ll realize your greatest wealth

Over 300 symptoms and maladies
Linked to gluten if you please
Substantiated by world research
This is a moment to seize

By deleting this nasty protein
Your body can quickly heal
Feeling energetic, never sick
Has tremendous appeal

If you’ve been down and out
Not feeling very well
Get tested for gluten issues
Your health can excel

If your doctor says,
“There’s nothing I can do”
Don’t believe it for a minute
With gluten-free you can renew

A decade into “Toxic Staple”
Recommended for doctors too
With life-transforming info
For the sickly to pursue

So take this poem seriously
Your health may be at stake
Let the gluten-free diet
Your health vigorously remake

© Oct. 1915 Anne Sarkisian

For excellent testing information that goes beyond what is generally offered (if it is even offered), if you have chronic health issues, please check out and share with your doctor Chapters 16 and 17 in my book. Little is being extended in the way of conferences for health care professionals in all facets of medicine, and certainly not enough testing info is offered unless you have full-blown celiac disease and do test positive.  Too many folks test negative and told they don’t have a problem with gluten when in reality they are gluten intolerant.

Catch this nasty monster before it overtakes your health.

 

 

Poem: A Healthy Start

Poems, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I was inspired to write this jingle after meeting a family who no doubt would benefit from reading Toxic Staple since most of them had gut issues and were getting nowhere with their doctors. Unfortunately I got her contact info wrong, so if this mom recognizes herself in this poem, please get back to me through my site. We met at Logan Airport.

A Healthy Start

I talk to everyone
To introduce my book
I encourage sick and tired folks
To take a deeper look

At Logan on our way
To warmth in the glorious sun
I met a handsome family
Whose health was being undone

Amazed, the mom said to me
“So funny we should meet
As we got out of the car
We discussed gluten and wheat”

Mom thought her teenaged son
Might have dreaded IBS
And wondered if gluten had
Created his intestinal distress

She questioned if she too
Had a tricky gut issue
As she had intestinal complaints
She needed to subdue

Her daughter she strongly felt
Might have the problem too
And was ready to devour my book
And all the info she could accrue

To the busy ticket counter
They soon did arrive
Now armed with a book
To help her family survive

Off they happily went
Into the glorious sun
If gluten is their problem
Their ailments can be undone

I tell most everyone I met
The GF lifestyle is forever
If intolerant to gluten
You must eat it…never… ever

To be sensitive to gluten
And not address its effect
Could lead to many ailments
And lives being totally wrecked

Dear reader of this rhyme
What you may not know
Gluten can crimp your life
And deliver an unhealthy blow

So read Toxic Staple
Take my book to heart
This life-transforming info
Will give you a healthy start.

© 2015 Anne Sarkisian

 

 



Scenario 1: Amazing Variety of Illness and Disease

Scenarios of Illness, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Please keep your “sick and tired” friends and their children in mind as you read this.

On a recent trip to Denver I ran into several scenarios that you or a friend might relate to. I am trying to open your eyes as to how pervasive gluten intolerance is. We drove a lot and if I had occasion to talk to someone along the way about my book and the hazards of gluten, I did. Now I didn’t talk to that many people and I was shocked at the numbers already doing the GF diet and those who had no idea that gluten could be linked to their ailments/symptoms.

  • I spotted a rib-thin child with circles under his eyes and a narrow chin (these can be typical signs of classic celiac disease); he was traveling with his parents and two siblings. We were on the concourse train at the airport so time was limited. I immediately introduced myself, and the subject matter of Toxic Staple to the mom and said, “I’m pleading with you to read the information in my book,” as the train drew near the last stop and I handed her my card. She didn’t say the child had been tested and we didn’t have time to get into any other issues he might have been experiencing (fatigue, achy muscles and bones, irritability, hungry all the time, belly ache, intestinal issues, etc.). This parent will need to be armed with testing info I spell out in the book, since the child’s doctor obviously hadn’t offered testing, or if s/he did, it wasn’t enough. I realized later I had one book with me and I was kicking myself that I hadn’t given it to her.
  • This same mom, as we were heading to the escalator, told me of a family of 4 children who were all having issues. Two were hallucinating and on psychotropic drugs; I didn’t have time to find out about the other children. Yes, psychoses and many other neurological/cerebral issues are linked to gluten. The children are off gluten and off the drugs and doing fine. I am hoping to hear back about them. (Never stop taking prescribed meds without consulting your doctors. Please see disclaimer above at http://www.toxicstaple.com). My neurological chapter is the longest in the book and links many neuro problems to gluten with great research from around the world. The All American Diet is doing terrible things to our kids and their families.
  • I met another mom whose daughter had mouth sores and was very anxious. She was pale and unwell from about the age of 8 (a teen now I think) and was diagnosed with Behcet’s disease. There is little research linking Behcet’s to gluten however it is listed on page 146 in Toxic Staple as one of many manifestations of celiac disease (Abenavoli et al, 2006). I am praying she follows through with the cutting-edge testing in my book; it is a terrible disease. This kid’s life might drastically change for the better if celiac disease or gluten intolerance was uncovered and a strict GF lifestyle was followed. Behcet’s is one of about 20 eight-syllable skin diseases you never heard of that are linked to gluten—along with eczema and psoriasis.
  • One woman whose husband was a chiropractor said her family was gluten, dairy, and bean-free because of the negative affects of these proteins on many people. If she gets a little gluten a rash develops on her hands.
  • Another woman at the airport was in a wheelchair (late 60’s early 70’s). The doctors told her she would never walk again after falling and smashing leg bones, and maybe the hip. She gets around fine, but needs help when traveling. She is on a GF diet. Osteoporosis can be a sign of celiac disease. The problem is you don’t know it until you break your hip or some other bone.
  • Another woman on GF/DF/yeast-free diet needed 14 hrs. sleep and a nap and didn’t wake up feeling rested and about 6 hrs. after dinner the heat would come on like she was on fire. She gets an itchy rash under her breasts if hit with gluten.
  • Another woman told me she had swollen ankles like she might have had congestive heart failure, she couldn’t lose weight, and had hypothyroid. She was doing great on a GF lifestyle except for the dystonia, muscular spasms affecting speech. She didn’t think dystonia was linked to gluten, but I expect it is. Numerous neuro/muscular issues are linked to gluten and much more research is needed. You will find some “brain talk” communities and enough neuromuscular research to make you wonder.
  • On one flight I heard two women talking. One was into infertility research. Wished I’d been sitting beside her because there is huge research linking celiac disease to infertility, sterility, miscarriages, lousy PMS, and numerous other women’s and pregnancy issues. But is anyone educating our doctors? The young mother next to her was talking about ADD and one youngster in the hospital. The neuro chapter has stories on ADD/ADHD, autism (an incredible story) and Asperger’s. Our poor kids don’t have much of a chance with the tainted, overly processed, high gluten/dairy diet they are being feed along with the plastics and chemicals that permeate our food.
  • One retired nurse told me her whole office follows a GF lifestyle and everyone feels better. Her husband chimed in and said his sister’s life has been totally transformed by going GF.
  • Another woman told me her very good friend is having a terrible time even though she follows a GF/DF and I think a couple other proteins are out too. It is important to detect gluten issues early and address them with an absolute diet. Some people who have a difficult time responding to the GF diet probably have a gut that is very out of whack with a destroyed gut biome. They may have other issues they need to clear up before the gut will heal.
  • One woman said she and her family ate little gluten. “Why,” I asked? “Everyone feels better,” she answered. She mentioned that she was having a problem with mold. She was still getting some gluten in her diet. Since she has been doing low gluten the blood tests won’t work so I suggested she get tested with the specialized stool test (Chapter 17). These stool tests are very sensitive and saved my family, as we were all negative on the blood tests. If positive she needs a 100% GF diet. I expect her mold problem will clear up. Mine did, along with a bunch of other allergies.

Gluten is hugely affecting our population and those around the world. You must empower yourself by getting educated on the hazards of gluten. Request the panel of blood tests if you are having health issues. If negative on the blood tests then do the stool testing. (Chapters 16 & 17)

 

Is The Gluten-Free Diet Just Another Fad? Absolutely Not!

Gluten-Free Lifestyle, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The gluten-free diet has become a fad, but it is definitely not just another fad.

It’s no wonder all the gluten-free faddists feel better, lose weight, have more energy, headaches and skin problems disappear, intestinal issues subside, reflux and PMS get better, etc. My take is this: if you have chronic or troublesome health issues that get better with a gluten-free lifestyle, you are most likely gluten-sensitive to some degree. You are somewhere on the path or continuum of having a gluten problem. Of course you feel better when you remove the toxic staple, gluten.

But there is a problem just trying the gluten-free diet. I named my book Toxic Staple for a very good reason: gluten is at the root of huge illness. There are thousands of studies from around the world linking gluten to major ill health. So it’s important to get tested to see the results in black and white. It really helps one stay on the GF diet if intolerant, but to do the blood tests you need to keep eating gluten. If you just think you are a little sensitive and don’t fully comprehend the implications of being intolerant or having celiac disease, you may have the temptation to cheat. No, a little bit of gluten is not ok if you are intolerant or have celiac disease.

Gluten is a toxic protein for a huge part of the population (about 30%). It slowly whittles your health away and devastating, degenerative disease may not appear until years or decades later when your body has become quite compromised. That’s why it’s so important to get tested. Find out if this insidious monster is lurking in your closet before more serious issues manifest. If so, then face the GF lifestyle with an A+ attitude and see how your health, energy, and vitality may change. You deserve a healthier and stronger life, and your family needs you to be healthy.

Please read the disclaimer on my site above.

 

Tom Brokaw’s Journey With Multiple Myeloma: Are Celiac Disease And Multiple Myeloma Linked?

Toxic Staple, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I recently watched Dateline featuring Tom Brokaw and his journey with multiple myeloma (MM). Although there is little research linking MM to gluten and celiac disease some does exist. One study that I write about in my chapter, Gluten Indicted: “An Enhancer to Cancer,” questions whether MM is a “more severe form of gluten intolerance than celiac [disease].”*

As I have researched since 2004 I have found such cancer-related terminology as lymphoma, lymphatic, leukemia, leukemic, myeloproliferative, malignant, and more linked to gluten and celiac disease. Many blood and bone disorders are linked to gluten, and some of the cancers associated with celiac disease are throat/esophageal, stomach/ intestinal/colon, and many more.

I couldn’t believe the information on autoimmune hepatic liver and sclerosing cholangitis. These two diseases can resolve with a gluten-free lifestyle. My father died of liver cancer and it was thought by his doctor, much later after reading the stunning research, that he had these two disorders before they turned cancerous.

If you have cancer or know someone who does (doesn’t everyone?) it might be important to determine if they are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease. There is a catch 22, however! The test results for celiac disease (CD) might be affected by chemo and other heavy-duty drugs so the results might not be a true reading: if you tested negative you might really be positive. You need to request a panel of blood tests (the typical one may not be enough to detect intolerance), and if negative on the blood tests do your body a favor and do the specialized stool testing (Chapters 16 & 17).

If you have undetected celiac disease or gluten intolerance or don’t address a gluten issue with an absolute gluten-free lifestyle your body can become quite compromised over time. CD can affect any part of the body and can hugely affect your immune system. How can your immune system even begin to fight any cancer cells if it is drastically compromised? And where do those cancer cells come from anyway? Might it have something to do with all the inflammation from celiac disease or antibody reactivity? I strongly expect so!

If you have most any chronic health issue lingering for 2-3 months it would be important to detect whether or not you are gluten sensitive. Over 300 symptoms and maladies are linked to gluten….that doesn’t leave much to your imagination!

Some of the latest webinars** and presenting forward-thinking doctors are saying if you have a healthy gut you’ll never develop cancer or autoimmune diseases. You don’t have a healthy gut if you have undetected or unaddressed CD.

Many folks are diagnosed with a miserable, life-altering cancer without manifesting any symptoms. “But I’ve been healthy my whole life,” they say. Don’t wait for this most serious diagnosis to hit your family. Especially if you do have health issues. It could be time to look your symptoms and diseases/maladies square in the face. You may be able to turn your health around before something really traumatic consumes your life.

I’ve tried hard to reach out to some folks who have gone through cancer treatment or who have other serious life-threatening diseases, but most of them go to the best doctors (who never mention celiac or gluten) and they expect their doctors would know this vital information. But there is little being done to present conferences to educate all our doctors in all facets of medicine. It’s like banging your head against the wall. It will need to become a grassroots movement much deeper than the faddish movement folks are trying now. And it will take decades for all doctors to begin to understand the full implications of what gluten is doing to much of the human race, but the research is there.

Kindly share http://www.toxicstaple.com and this blog with your ailing family and friends.

*Juranić et al., “Antibodies Contained in “M” Component.”

**The Truth About Cancer, and The Autoimmune Summit

 

 

 

 

 

“Gluten Is Not YOUR Problem!”

Testing, , , , , , , , , ,

You may have tested negative on the one blood test often given and been told, “Gluten is not your problem.”

Unless your blood test is positive, denoting full blown-celiac disease, the one blood test you may be given is very likely not enough testing to track down the insidious gluten sensitivity. It is important  to REQUEST a panel of four blood tests (there is more likelihood to detect it with more than one blood test), and if negative on blood testing it would behoove you to follow up with stool testing.

I met a woman recently whose life is miserable with stomach/intestinal ailments and fatigue. She tested negative on the typical one blood test her doctor thought to give her and was told gluten was not her problem. The doctor didn’t know what was making her so sick. The woman’s granddaughter has so many food sensitivities that there is not much she can eat. The child’s mom has Crohns. I urged the gram to read my book (testing info that will likely detect a sensitivity/intolerance to gluten) and to look further into the more sensitive stool testing. I expect gluten is at the root of most of their issues and I expect they all could have a much better life with a bit of gluten detection and a gluten-free lifestyle. This is a common scenario: doctors unaware of the hazards of gluten and adequate testing.

Please do not postpone getting screened for celiac disease/gluten intolerance if you are suffering, especially from stomach/intestinal issues (but there is so much more). Life seems to only get worse over time. It could take decades for serious ailments to evolve —ailments you don’t ever want to deal with. If you are already dealing with serious health issues you may be able to turn many of them around. It’s never too late to detect the cause, delete the “toxic staple,” and realize better health, as exemplified by the numerous success stories in my book, TOXIC STAPLE.