Throughout my education many of my functional instructors would say “Avoid Gluten” or “Gluten is the cause of Leaky Gut” or some would even say “Gluten is the cause of all disease”
The more I research human health and the fundamental root issues causing chronic disease and or any health ailment you can think off the more I realize that there is a “thing” that is easily 100x more dangerous for your overall health than gluten….. GLYPHOSATE.
Is it important to limit / eliminate gluten – yes. We know that it’s an inflammatory protein which has been altered by man due to our desire to make what God created better. Wheat of your grandfathers era was OK, even though it had gluten in it. Wheat of today is NOT OK, even though it has gluten in it. The wheat of yesteryear DID NOT HAVE GLYPHOSATE IN IT. The wheat of today does. Glyphosate is 100x more inflammatory than gluten and only a handful of people are stepping up and saying “It’s Not Gluten that causes all the problems… its GLYPHOSATE”
Scientific Evidence Points to Glyphosate Is The Problem:
Glyphosate, commonly known as the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, is heavily used in conventional farming practices. But what does this have to do with wheat, and other grains.
Increased Glyphosate Use: Since the late 1990s, glyphosate use has skyrocketed, coinciding with the rise in gluten-related health issues. Farmers spray wheat crops during the growth phase and again to “dry them out” before harvest, a process called desiccation. This common practice saturates the chemical into the wheat making it impossible to “wash off”. Also most conventional wheat has contaminated organic wheat. (1)
Cross contamination of wheat products is also the leading cause of organic grains also having glyphosate residue! It is for this very reason that grains should be avoided for those living in the United States.
Gut Health Impact: Glyphosate has been shown to disrupt gut bacteria, harming the beneficial microbes that support our digestion and immune system. This disruption can lead to increased gut permeability (leaky gut), which may contribute to gluten intolerance and other digestive issues. While its a well documented fact that gluten stimulates the release of Zonulin in a neighboring intestinal cell, which then activates an enzymatic process increasing the gap-junctions between its neighboring cell; Glyphosate physically damages the neighboring cell inducing increased intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut) (2)
Inflammation and Autoimmune Response: Research suggests that glyphosate can trigger inflammation and an autoimmune response, both of which are hallmarks for most of the commonly diagnosed chronic conditions humans suffer with daily. This includes rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes, thyroid disease, lupus, MS, IBD, psoriasis, Grave’s disease, Sjögren’s disease and more.
The mechanism for this activation of autoimmune disease stems from the connection between autoimmunity and increased intestinal permeability and dysbiosis – both of which are caused by glyphosate damage to the intestinal bacteria and intestinal lining.
How To Avoid The Devastating Effects Of Glyphosate
– Adopt a grainless lifestyle: especially if you are living in the United States. It’s a completely different story in most other countries. As of now, 33 countries have banned glyphosate due to its dangers to human health. America is behind in their decision to ban glyphosate. Additionally, even if glyphosate was banned 100% in the US today, it would take centuries for the contamination to bleed through so that food supplies, top soil and ground water could be glyphosate free.
– Support Your Gut: Incorporate probiotic-rich foods to help restore your gut microbiome and use fermented foods like kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut and homemade fermented dishes and beverages.
– Educate Yourself: Stay informed about agricultural practices and how they impact your health. The American food system is destroyed. Knowing where you food comes from is one thing. Knowing the farming practices of the farmer is more important!
I think its worth shifting the conversation from “gluten free” (which still contains other grains heavily sprayed with glyphosate including corn, oats and rice ) to “glyphosate free foods” which will have a greater impact on your health.
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