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Five Reasons for the Explosive Increase in Gluten Reactions (and Buttermilk Buckwheat Pecan Pancakes)

By Dr. Jean Layton

5 from 4 votes

Oct 14, 2012, Updated Sep 26, 2017

“Auto-immune inflammatory damage, villous atrophy of the small intestine” test results is currently considered the diagnostic criteria for celiac disease.

What are villi?  The tiny absorptive fingers of our gastrointestinal (GI) tract, that become damaged and broken off without regrowth. This is the diagnostic criteria for celiac disease. Autoimmune damage has been escalating in people since the 1950s.

Gluten reactivity: Any change in function due to gluten ingestion that isn’t demonstrated by villous atrophy. Some typical symptom include gas, bloating, migraines, menstrual irregularities, and brain fog.

Why the rapid rise in Gluten intolerance? Our bodies haven’t changed genetically as quickly as our environment has changed.

1. The SAD Diet

We have moved from a grazing diet of plants with some meat protein, fruits, and nuts in season to a Standard American Diet (SAD) of primarily highly processed wheat, multiple times per day. Lacking the fiber or nutrition of whole grain, we combine it with other highly processed starches, highly processed meat, and vast quantities of sugar.

2. Sugar

Our bodies are genetically able to handle a certain amount of concentrated sugar, a larger amount of fats, an even larger amount of fiber. Our current diet turns the concentrations topsy-turvy. Every bit of that excess sugar is damaging our intestinal tract through inflammatory changes. Even the “natural” food companies use highly concentrated syrups of grains to balloon the sugar content.

3. Chemical Exposure

Environmentally, exposure to so many chemicals daily that didn’t even exist two generations back has escalated the damage to our bodies. Chemical irritants like BPA (bisphenol A) in cans and plastics, inorganic Arsenic compounds from insecticides used in the 1950s, pesticides, herbicides, sodium lauryl sulfate (a foaming agent contained in most shampoos), toothpastes and soaps, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like Aspirin all increase the likelihood of intestinal irritation.

Each of these exposures create inflammatory changes in our mucosa, allowing intact proteins to be absorbed into our bloodstreams. Intact proteins in the bloodstream provoke high-level reactivity within the bloodstream. Our immune system goes into overdrive to rid itself of these intruders. Over time, this pattern of reactivity can lead to an autoimmune response, breaking down our own tissue instead of the intruder.

4. Genetic Manipulation

Wheat has morphed from kernels of 14 genes to 42 genes count with many genetic variations in morphology. No longer a tall, low-carbohydrate/high-fiber grain, now it is a short, high-carbohydrate, lower-fiber weak plant that is easily harvested.People don’t genetically change that quickly.

It takes thousands of years for genetic changes to adapt to external environmental changes. The variation in fiber content especially changes our gut bacteria.

5. Bacteria

We’ve lost our happy, beneficial commensal bacteria in part because we’ve lost the fiber that fed them over time, lost some of the microbiome that create vitamin B-12 from foods we ingest, and decreased those bacteria that are protective in the ongoing fight for our health. When the bacteria inside our bodies are so different from the ideal conditions, our gut changes, and inflammation occurs. Studies have shown that the bacterial colonization of the typical gluten-reactive person is vastly different from a non-reactor.

What to do to keep ourselves healthy?

Avoid Gluten. Yes, all of us would do well to avoid highly processed wheat, rye, and barley.  Even for the non-gluten-sensitive, eating grains multiple times per day is just not healthy.

Repair the gut, using real foods high in glutamine.  Feel free to use tasty ones like sauerkraut, meat, and dairy. If possible use only organically grown to avoid the chemical additions.

Increase beneficial bacteria using live foods. Yogurt is not the only source of terrific bacteria, consider miso, kimchi and other pickles. By increasing your diversity of internal bacteria, you will strengthen your immunity.

5 from 4 votes

Buttermilk Buckwheat Pecan Pancakes

By: Dr. Jean Layton

Gluten-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Gum-Free, Rice-Free, and optionally Egg-Free

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

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Ingredients 

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For the Pancakes:

• ▢ 4 tablespoons Butter
• ▢ ¼ cup pecans, chopped fine
• ▢ 2 eggs, egg-free alternative: 2 teaspoons golden flax seeds, ground and 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey, preferably raw
• ▢ ¾ cup raw buckwheat flour, Grind your own green groats in a coffee grinder for this flour
• ▢ ¼ cup tapioca flour
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder

For the Pear Sauce:

• ▢ 1 ripe pear, diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon raw honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions 

For the Pancakes:

• Melt butter in pan.
• Add pecans and cook for one minute till the pecans are lightly browned and fragrant.
• Allow to cool while you mix the rest of the batter.
• Beat eggs in a mixing bowl till well scrambled.
• Add the buttermilk, honey and the pecan mixture.
• Stir well to combine.
• Add the flours, salt and baking powder
• Beat well for one minute.
• Preheat your griddle or pan till a drop of water dropped upon it sizzles away.
• Grease lightly with butter or oil
• Pour ¼ cup sized circles onto the griddle.
• Allow them to cook till bubbles rise to the surface, pop and the holes remain open.
• Flip
• cook on the second side for a minute.
• Serve with pear honey sauce

Pear Honey Sauce:

• Combine all ingredients in a small pan.
• Heat till honey and butter melts.
• Feel free to add a bit of cinnamon or ginger to this sauce - both improve it.

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 126mg, Sodium: 368mg, Potassium: 419mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 655IU, Vitamin C: 1.9mg, Calcium: 146mg, Iron: 1.7mg

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

“Villi from the small intestine” © 2011 S. Schuller, Wellcome Images, used under Creative Commons license.

About the Author

Dr. Jean Layton, is the Gluten-Free Doctor. Her background as a chef in New York combines with her medical knowledge to teach her patients how to thrive gluten-free.

As co-author of Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies, she simplifies the challenges of baking in a whole new way.

Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Plus.