Customer Reviews

Going Against the Grain: How Reducing and Avoiding Grains Can Revitalize Your Health

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I found this book in a roundabout way: My mother was diagnosed with severe celiac disease 40 years ago. She nearly died because the villi in her intestines were virtually gone and she was no longer absorbing nutrients. She weighed 80 lbs. at the time she was finally diagnosed, and unbelievably sick. Her major symptoms kicked in as an adult, and for 8 years doctors told her all her symptoms were "self-induced, in her head." Thankfully she met a single doctor who was familiar with the effects of celiac disease. She went on a gluten free diet and felt better within 2 weeks. Within 3 months she was back to her normal weight of 120.

Fast forward to me very recently: I thought my whole life that I did not inherit celiac from my mom as I was never underweight, and at a later point I put on an extra 20 lbs. that nothing would take off. I had continual digestive problems. Migraines. High blood pressure which did not respond to medication, high cholesterolol, asthmatic type symptoms even though two separate bouts of intensive asthma testing said I did not have asthma. Lots of bronchial things going on, chronic cough. The list goes on....nothing hugely debilitating, but the quality of my life was definitely affected and I went through periods of time thinking there was NOTHING I could eat that wouldn't upset me. All this time I was eating rather a lot of grain products....and I was a carb addict who loved donuts, cake, cookies etc. I got plenty of grain every single day. Dairy products also seemed to bother me. After really binging on a lot of wheat based things over two days, I had a very frightening allergic reaction one evening, so I was forced to examine this possibility and I began to research. My searching led to this book, as well as another very good one called "Dangerous Grains." This book (and the other one) really turned on the light for me. So I tested the idea by cutting out gluten products entirely. Within a day I felt better. Within 3 days I felt like a different person and nothing was upsetting me. My asthma symptoms vanished and the chronic cough disappeared. I actually had some sort of withdrawal headaches for several days, but those are now gone. After a longer period of time, I'll get things tested to see if there is improvement in those areas as well (cholesterol, etc.). But in terms of digestion, I certainly have my answer: Life is better, I feel GREAT without gluten in my diet. I don't understand the several vehemently negative reviews....all I can say is that those reviewers obviously haven't had the problems to deal with and unfortunately, a lot of people are incredibly resistant to the idea of eliminating grains from their diet.

The historical overview of grain consumption in human history, and the various studies which support the bad effects it obviously has on humans when they incorporate it into their diets are all pretty compelling. It's unfortunate that grain is so prevalent in so many of our favorite foods--it can make it a difficult thing to avoid, unfortunately. But the information in this book is well worth knowing because for some asymptomatic people, the first clue to the fact that they suffer from this gluten sensitivity is when they are diagnosed with some sort of cancer (especially intestinal type cancers, but others as well)--as both books pointed out, the cancer rate in celiacs is astronomical compared with the general population. In addition, a lot of the obesity in this country might well be related to gluten consumption. After just one day on a gluten free diet I went down 1.5 lbs from reduced bloating, and for the last 5 or 6 months I've been unable to lose anything at all despite careful, limited eating and heavy exercise. I'm hoping this trend continues until my excess 20 lbs. is finally gone. I really do think this is the key to many people's inability to lose weight. The addictive nature of gluten/grains leads to such overeating of these things that it's easy to see why so many people are overweight now. This information needs to be taken seriously.

This is an eye-opening, easy read that will change the way you think about eating from the first page on. It doesn't scare or overload on science, but rather presents the facts on grains and tells a compelling story about why they're not as good for us as we have been led to believe.

As a person with celiac disease, I have been avoiding gluten-containing grains for some time. It was not until I read this book that I understood why monitoring my intake of other grains (and loading up instead on more veggies) could further benefit my health. Having instituted some of the changes suggested in this book, I now feel I have better blood sugar control and digestion.

I shared this book with many friends and family that have varied health issues and interests. They all found it to be very enlightening - and a true pleasure to read. Every person took at least one piece of new information away from the book that has since influenced their dietary choices (whether it be to eat fruit with cheese to balance the acidity; to choose alternate snacks to rice cakes which are high glycemic; or to choose sweet potatos over white ones for better nutrition and less starch) . The suggested meal plans and recipes are also a great source of inspiration for anyone currently on, or embarking on on grain-free or low grain diet.

Though every diet "simplification by food-type elimination" is necessarily a distortion of nutritional reality, which is complex, Smith's simplification by grain elimination is VERY helpful for many, if not most, typical eaters. Since most grains must be cooked to be chewable/digestible, it's obvious that grain eating is not natural in humans' evolutionary past. (Chew on raw wheat kernels to appreciate this fact.) In addition, most grain consumption, among Americans at least, is unfortunate in that wheat is the most-consumed, the most problematical regarding allergenicity, and the most commonly debased by bleaching and removal of higher-nutrient portions such as the germ and bran, etc. Refined grains, especially the bleached variety such as typical bakers' white flour, are simply an abomination and as much a health scourge as hydrogenated fats which, tragically, are often combined with refined-grain products in packaged crackers and chips of many varieties.

In the nutritional counseling I've done for four decades (I'm 72, very fit w/no gray hair, etc.), I've always recommended NO refined flour products, and greatly prefer the grains quinoa, amaranth and spelt over the more commonly available grains. In my experience, Smith's recommendations are very much on track, including her comments on the advantages of increasing pH toward the alkalinity side (away from the acidic side) by reducing grains and eating more dark-green, leafy vegetables. (Spelt and millet, by the way, are less acidic and therefore more conducive to better human biological terrain in the body than are wheat, rye or oats.)

There is no single key to the ideal diet, but Smith points most readers in a direction that is highly probable to improve their eating pattern, their energy and their emotional well-being.

Going Against the Grain is the most comprehensive resource on the hazards of consuming grains. It is thoughtfully written and easy to read yet incredibly thorough. The detailed information that helps deepen understanding is there, as well as the broader perspective and contextual information. I don't think a book on this subject could be better written. Melissa Diane Smith explains the hazards of a grain-based diet referencing scientific studies and interpreting them in an easy to read fashion. Then after a full discussion of different types of grains and their physiological effects she goes on to provide
menus, recipes and shopping suggestions referencing products made with acceptable ingredients. She even included manufacturer contact information so people can go to the source with questions.

Certainly Going Against the Grain will become an indispensable resource for people fighting celiac disease, but it should also be read by any and all people interested in true nutrition. It's common knowledge that the food pyramid is obsolete... get caught up with the times and read Going Against the Grain.

This book has been very important to my whole family! We have all improved our individual health by adhering to the principles presented in Going Against the Grain. My husband had a bad HDL to LDL ratio and high cholesterol. He lowered his cholesterol and improved his HDL to LDL ratio in ONE month by reducing the amount of grains in his diet. My children were both diagnosed with celiac disease and by staying on a gluten-free diet they get fewer tummy aches, rashes and allergies and we have seen an improvement in their mood and memory. I was on a gluten-free diet with my children and, after not seeing enough of an improvement in my overall health, eliminated ALL grains and sugar from my diet and saw a lessening of chronic fatigue and the disappearance of migraine headaches and intestinal problems like gas, bloating and diarrhea. I am so glad Melissa Diane Smith has written this book so individuals and families like mine can evaluate their own situations and improve their overall health. In this book, she gives us the tools (facts, recipes, shopping tips) to work with so we can become healthier. And yes, this book does present ideas that are against the grain of what dietitians are being taught, and against the grain of what our children are being taught (food pyramid) in school, but we all don't fit into one perfect model. If my family is any indication, most of us should go against the grain for our own health and stop poisining ourselves with so many grains. I wish I had the information in this book 10 years ago! I would have avoided years of misery! I know this book is going to help an amazing number of people regain their health!!

In a virtual sea of health books, this is one of the most original to rise to the surface. The bottom-line message is that people do need to consume some carbohydrates, but not necessarily those that come in the form of grain foods, such as bread and pizzas. Author Melissa Diane Smith makes a thoughtful and provocative case that grains are bad for the health of many, many people. This is not a rehash of the Atkins diet. Rather, Smith adroitly makes the argument that grains are a poor nutritional substitute for vegetables, which ARE a nutritional powerhouse. She covers all the issues related to celiac disease (a form of gluten sensitivity), but discusses evidence suggesting that 30-50 percent of people may be gluten sensitive in other ways -- gluten being one of the key proteins in wheat and many other grains. When you consider Smith's arguments and dietary recommendations, it's hard to disagree that grains provide an enormous amount of carbohydrates and relatively little other nutritional value, compared with vegetables. The basis of her argument is research on the hunter-gatherer Paleolithic diet, in which early humans consumed a diet consisting chiefly of fish, lean game meats, and vegetables. It sounds like a good diet that is simple and easy to adopt. If you'd rather "go with the grain," it may be at the expense of your health. It pays to remember, as one doctor friend told me, "only dead fish swim with the current."

It may be a hard pill for the nation's grain-addicted, carb lovers to swallow, but this book is right on when it explains how much better off most of us would be by substituting low-starch veggies for grains. Reading Going Against The Grain, along with my phone consults with Melissa Diane Smith, changed the way I eat and improved my health tremendously. I am a recently diagnosed type 2 diabetic who was addicted to sweets and grains. I couldn't go a day without cravings for sugary treats. And I thought I was doing myself a favor by substituting artificial sweetners, as well as stevia, for sugar. Only when I followed Melissa's suggestions to completely cut out sugar in all its forms, all artificial sweeteners and stevia, most fruits, and all grains, did I find welcome relief from cravings. Now, I feel great, have lots of energy and don't miss sweets or grains one bit. My diet consists primarily of lean protein and monounsaturated fats combined with low-starch veggies and a small amount of low-gylcemic fruits. Thank you Melissa. I've recommended your book to many people and will continue to do so. Suzy Nastaskin

This is an excellent supplement for your personal health library.
The author discusses classic allergy components of wheat, gliadins, glutenins, albumins and globulins. Surprisingly,
oats are deemed to be safe for celiacs. Scientists believe that gluten doesn't distill soy which is considered a hidden derivative. Soy-based veggie burgers and meat substitutes are
said to contain gluten. The wheat free diet consists of
Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes, Omega-3 Muesli,
Quinoa Flakes, Trader Joe's Gluten - Free Waffles and Lundberg's
Organic brown rice pasta. The author provides a sample grain-free
breakfast consisting of eggs, fruit, spinach, onion omelet,
strawberries, grilled fish taco etc. In some patients,
autoimmune disease is aggravated by an increase in Lectins which
disturbs gut permeability thereby causing bacterial overgrowth
and the classic leaky gut syndrome. The author provides a
scientific discussion to show how the immune system actually
attacks itself and how patients can deal with this phenomenom.
The book is very valuable if you have a medical history which
is adverse to gluten products.

This book will be valuable if you have a history of Crohns
Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ankylosing Spondylitis,
Celiac Disease and a whole host of autoimmune and digestive
system ailments and manifestations.

After reading this book, I thought to myself, finally, someone has stepped up to the plate and written about the causes of most of the nutrition-related health problems and chronic diseases in this country---grains. Chronic diseases are responsible for 7 of every 10 deaths in the United States and most are due to poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Most health professionals and even government recommendations are to increase carbohydrate consumption. As this message is being delivered, the incidence of chronic disease is also increasing. Is this merely a coincidence?

The book is very-well written and gives great insight into the world of carbohydrates and their detrimental effects on the body. It's not a book about eating a low carbohydrate diet to lose weight, it's about moderating or avoiding foods that wreak havoc on the body and the immune system (and you will lose weight, no doubt).

I want to thank Melissa Diane Smith for writing this book-- it might get people to start reconsidering their diets in the quest for optimal health.

I have had a history of hidden illnesses over 20 years which doctors could not explain and medication helped little. After being crippled about 10 years ago and diagnosed with chronic bowel syndrom I changed my diet since medication did not help. This was doing fine until two years ago when I developed an acne condition all over my body. Doctors could not help and used the demi-God attitude that it was just acne and live with it. This sent me searching for alternative medicine. I had periods where I cleared and than boom it broke out again. After reading this book and illiminating all Gluten my skin cleared, eyes cleared, have a better memory and am losing weight and eating more. Tests showed I have Celiac and this book led me to a better life.