Mary Souza’s Newsletter

Dear Newsletter Readers,

This summer has been incredibly busy and fun, but I thought a quick newsletter was in order right about now. I will warn you up front that most of this letter is not about local or political issues.  My mind for those things is on vacation, though I am tracking several issues like the possible 3% raise in our property taxes, the contract bids for McEuen requiring a 5% fee from contractors submitting bids (has anyone ever heard of that?), and the city ready to spend $65,000 per year for a public relations person. Let’s wait until September to talk about them, unless there’s some pressing reason to do so earlier.  Summer is too short to waste on such frustrations.  We all know the next city election in 2013 is our target, so let’s enjoy the gorgeous weather while we can.

At our house we just said goodbye to seven family members from Hawaii who came up to help celebrate my wonderful husband’s 60th birthday.  They were joined by our children, a large group from my side of the family and a number of friends as well.  We had a houseful!  It was fun from start to finish and included a great party, a three day jaunt to Glacier–the Hawaii folks were so impressed!–a wet & wild day at Silverwood and several trips to Cabela’s. (Go figure) 

The mix of loved ones from ages 6 to 83 visiting reminded us to put staying healthy at the top of our priority list.  So that’s what I want to share with you in this newsletter.

Many of you know that I have a background in nursing and a master’s degree in health education.  A few of you also know I’ve had to cut all wheat products (gluten) out of my food supply for the past year because of long term digestive issues.  I tried it to see if it would help, and it did.  Almost immediately.  So I’ve been off of wheat  ever since and feel much better.

Recently I’ve been reading “Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health” by William Davis, MD

Dr. Davis is a cardiologist in Wisconsin who treats thousands of overweight patients with high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure and many are diabetic or close to it.  He has been researching the toxic effects of modern day wheat in the human body and he believes it to be seriously damaging.  He recommends his patients cut out all wheat / gluten products, then he repeats their tests.  The results speak for themselves: His patients who follow through drop serious weight without changing anything in their diet except wheat, their lab values come into better alignment and they report more energy and increased mental focus. Many who are diabetic or pre-diabetic show a significant improvement or abatement of their symptoms.

What’s the culprit?  Modern wheat.  Modern wheat has undergone continuous genetic alteration during the past 50 years through hybridization and genetic modification.  It is not the same as old time wheat.  And humans appear unable to digest this modern wheat without serious side effects that impact almost every system in our bodies.

I cannot possibly relate to you all the clear and important information in this book called Wheat Belly.  But I will say that it contains a good balance of easy to read layman’s information and case stories, along with a substantial dose of detailed information, cited research and footnotes.

The health problems showing links to wheat damage in our bodies are those mentioned above but also include abdominal pain and bloating, food cravings and addictions, diabetes, inability to lose weight or keep it off, belly fat, inflammatory issues like arthritis and joint problems,  problems sleeping, mental fogginess and more.

I know this sounds like a laundry list of the most common complaints of middle-aged people, and that it’s highly unlikely one change in diet could cause improvement in all these seemingly unrelated problems, but it does.  Cutting wheat makes a huge difference in many ways.  If I had not done it myself, I might not have believed it either.

My husband was not having digestive issues but he stopped eating wheat at the same time I did.  He lost significant weight, has trimmed his mid section, sleeps better and feels much more energetic and focused.  So do I.

It’s worth a book, a read and a try, don’t you think?  Give it 30 days and see how you feel.  I will warn you that you have to be good…you can’t cheat.  And you will have to read labels and ask at restaurants because wheat products are in everything. Google it. Research it.  But read the Wheat Belly book, please.

That’s my summer check-in.  Hope you are enjoying yourselves as much as we are.  This is what we wait for all year and the weather right now is perfect!  We are fortunate in so very many ways.

Cheers to you all,

Mary