So I have been doing A LOT of research on grains. And know gluten is a problem for me. So it is OUT for life. But I have been experimenting with alternative grains. Baking and such and having a good time. But I am still not well and I want to do what I can to help my body get better.

I read that grains are indigestible basically because they have a. enzyme inhibitors that make them hard to break down and b. they have phytic acid that once released into your intestines binds with your calcium, zinc and a few other minerals so you cannot absorb them. This leads to deficiencies. This not good.

What to do?

Well I learned that if you soak the grains with a few tsp of vinegar or lemon juice and water over night it inactivates the enzyme inhibitors and gets rid of that phytic acid.

So I tried it with buckwheat. It didnt affect the taste, but made the consistency softer. Fine. Texture is no big deal. And they cooked A LOT faster. This is a bonus. And easier to digest. All good.

I am soaking rice (started soaking it this am) to cook for dinner tonight.

You have to use less water than normal. Like 1 cup of soaked rice to 1 1/2 cups water instead of 2.

This "soaking" rule also applies to nuts and seeds. So I am soaking them as well. It is VERY hard to digest nuts and seeds in general, especially if hard and roasted.

So the experiment continues........

Has anyone tried digestive enzymes and do they work?

I use digestive enzymes too. They have helped me a lot with my digestion. Right now I take Digest Gold. It covers everything.

Soaking the rice made it quite tasty and seemed to digest much better.

Tonight it is soaked quinoa.

I use digestive enzymes....AFP Peptizyde, No Fenol, and Zyme Prime (Houston Nutraceuticals).

I actually have worse problems with the alternative grains (quinoa, amaranth, sorghum, buckwheat) than I have with gluten.

The majority of my intolerances are not due to the foods themselves but an inability to break them down. Some of it is caused by enzyme dysfunction. I dont react to the food....I react to the build-up of certain food compounds that should normally be broken down and eliminated.

Oxalates are one of these compounds....and the alternative grains are particularly high in oxalates.....so they tend to cause significant inflammation/damage. Yeast also produce oxalates...so if you have a yeast problem oxalates can be elevated already. Oxalates are toxic when they accumulate.

Other natural chemicals that I have difficulty eliminating are phenols/salicylates, amines and sulfur/sulfites. Because certain enzyme systems are down these chemicals accumulate.

I dont soak anything because soaking = fermentation....which causes reactions (for me).

So if you find that your experiment makes you feel worse (and hopefully that wont happen) these are some possibilities as to why that might be.

Good luck.

Im actually feeling quite good today!!

Two portions of soaked grains and all is well. I only soak them overnight, then drain, rinse and put in fridge till I cook them. Not a lotta fermentation going on. And if the grains are "alive" they should start to "sprout" and not "ferment". Old rancid grains would "ferment" no doubt.

I have been supp. iron and Vit D pretty strongly for a month now and since I believe I am better able to absorb my nutrients now, this is helping me get well. Dark circles disappearing from around my eyes. My lips have color!!! No longer pale. They are a healthy shade of pink.

I avoid all the alternative grains. One of my caregivers advised it. I eat corn and rice.
I did eat some bread with millet the other week and my shoulder hurt. I will try it again someday, but may just not handle grains real well.

BTW - This experiment failed. I digested them too well and got blood sugar spikes. So for now....I am grain free.