The Coming Gluten-Free Craze

More Gluten-Free Sports Star Successes

The rapid rise of Novak Djokovic to #1 in the tennis world after he adopted a gluten-free diet shook up the tennis world (The Diet That Shook Up Tennis?), but a single case could be dismissed as a fluke. Now other tennis pros like Sabine Lisicki and Andy Murray and other prominent athletes like Steve Nash, Raul Ibanez, and Cedric Benson (http://edwardandsons.com/blogpages/?p=85, http://glutenfreeworks.com/blog/2011/08/08/gluten-free-spells-success-for-big-time-athletes/) have reported that they avoid gluten and experience benefits as a result. Jefferson Adams of Celiac.com rightly foresees where this is likely heading in the tennis world:

"After five months on a gluten-free diet, top professional tennis player Andy Murray has more energy than before, a faster recovery time, and a new-found ability to wake up early, according to comments Murray made when asked by reporters.

The Scot says that he is amazed by the energy he's gotten from his gluten-free diet. He also says that his change in eating habits is proving beneficial on the court. ….

[I]f Murray sees anything like benefits experienced by Novak Djokovic, who credits a string of big victories to his gluten-free diet, the tennis world is in for some gluten-free excitement!" (Gluten-free Diet Now Fuels Tennis Star Andy Murray)

Once other athletes realize that not just people with celiac disease or severe gluten intolerance, but most people, can experience performance benefits from eliminating gluten-rich processed foods from their diets, it will likely become a craze amongst athletes, and once most people's favorite sports stars are touting gluten-free, I expect it will become a societal craze.

Most people don't pay much attention to scientific studies, but many do pay attention to their sports idols. Sales of gluten-free foods will likely skyrocket, with resulting temporary shortages and increasing prices. Eventually many folks will figure out that processed gluten-free foods aren't all that great either and natural, whole foods like meats, seafood, fruits and veggies are better.

Eggs beat bagels in intake study

Metro Toronto, Canada
Lifestyle
Published January 12, 2006

... The American College of Nutrition is touting results of a study that found eggs are better than bagels at curbing the appetite.

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The study, published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, found that eating two eggs for breakfast, instead of a small bagel, reduced hunger and caloric intake at lunch and over the next 24 hours.

Study participants received one of two breakfasts with the same caloric and weight value: the first group ate two scrambled eggs and two slices of toast with low-calorie jelly, while the second group ate a 3 1/2-in. bagel with cream cheese and a small container of fat-free yogurt. The results showed that the first group, who ate eggs, had an average 163 fewer calories at lunch that day. On average, over the following 24 hours, this group ate 418 fewer calories.

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My take: Not surprising, given that eggs are a natural, ancestral food, whereas bagels, cream cheese and yogurt are man-made inventions. The best chicken eggs available in stores today say "Omega 3" on the package--they are higher in healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

Dr. Mercola says the Bulk of Us Do NOT Benefit from Wheat

“Due to the fact that celiac disease was considered rare in this country, it often went undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance. My experience is that the true incidence is probably much higher still, perhaps on the order of 1 in 10 people. The bulk of us however, do NOT benefit from foods with wheat and gluten.”