The Primary Cause of Blood Sugar Disorders

When whole grains are processed, something very serious, with potentially devastating health consequences, happens to the grain. In order to understand this, we need to recall what refined grains are... A refined grain is a whole grain that has been stripped of its outer shell (fiber) and its germ (source of nutrients), leaving only the endosperm (embryo sack). Refined grains go through a heating in addition to mechanical and chemical processing. This processing removes almost all vitamins, proteins, fats, and enzymes. In fact, almost all nutrients, including the fiber (outer shell of the grain) are removed, leaving practically nothing but pure white, ‘naked calories’. In other words, pure refined carbohydrate. When you read the word “enriched” on the label of a refined grain product, it means the manufacturer, after removing the germ from the whole grain (which contained almost all the nutrients), has attempted to replace some of the nutrients lost in the processing with chemical additives so that the label can claim some "nutritional" values. If consumed, a refined grain is very quickly broken down into simple sugars because the fiber has been removed in processing. These simple sugars flood the blood stream almost as rapidly as refined sugars do. Dealing with all of this sugar exhausts the pancreas and the adrenal glands and produces hyperglycemic (diabetic) reactions. The lifetime consumption of refined sugar is approximately 10,000 pounds per person, and the lifetime intake of refined grains, which converts very rapidly to sugar, is approximately 13,000 pounds. Friends, is it any wonder why so many people today suffer with a multitude of blood sugar problems? This incredibly high intake of refined sugar and refined grains is devastating, causing myriad psychological problems. And how are these problems dealt with? Drugs... which only exacerbate the problem. It's also the primary cause of excess weight — a problem nearly 70% of the population struggles with. As such, a high intake of refined sugar and refined grains is also the primary cause of our country's ever-increasing problem with obesity. But it wasn't always like this... Prior to 1900, practically no refined sugars or refined grains were consumed in America or any other place in the world. And, obviously, there were no refined sugars or refined grains in the diet God gave Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:29) — the diet upon which the Hallelujah Diet is based. Did God have it right? Well, consider this: Because the Hallelujah Diet contains no refined sugars or refined grains, it is the best weight loss program on planet earth. For the same reason, it also helps the bodies of persons with emotional, physiological, and depression problems fight back and overcome these problems.

Refined Grains Destabilize Emotions

Sadly, studies reveal that juvenile and adult criminal offenses are strongly related to the consumption of refined sugar and refined grains! Similar research reveals a link between mental illness and sugar derived from refined sources. Hypoglycemic reactions, for the very sensitive consumer, promote extreme irrationality, emotional instability, and often times aggressiveness, which could explain why refined sugars and grains may be as involved in mental illness, divorce, and crime as alcohol has been found to be. These refined grains and sugars also play a significant role in children's bad behavior — which often leads to diagnoses of ADD or ADHD. But more often than not, the doctor only knows to prescribe a drug (with potentially devastating consequences) instead of prescribing a diet change to eliminate refined sugars and refined grains. Through the years, I have received some wonderful testimonies from mothers reporting that after they removed refined grains and refined sugars from their child’s diet and placed them on a 100% plant-based diet (50% raw and 50% cooked), the child became a totally different and well-behaved child. Depression is also one of the most rapidly growing problems in our society, and refined sugars and refined grains are a major contributing factor of these depression problems!

Refined Grains Are Excessively Starchy

Refined grains are one of the starchiest foods a person can consume, causing digestive system difficulty and excessive mucus formation. Not to mention, since 1965, scientists have repeatedly linked high gluten consumption (i.e., refined grains) to learning disorders and schizophrenia.

Gluten is the “grayish, sticky component of wheat flour and other grain flours, composed mainly of the proteins gladin and glutenin” ~ Webster's Dictionary

Not all grains contain gluten. Examples of gluten-free grains include whole grain brown rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa and oats. Refined grains such as wheat — which is exceptionally high in gluten — can produce many physical and mental problems, in addition to celiac disease. Problems linked to high gluten intake can include:

• arthritis
• asthma
• allergies
• chronic overeating
• digestive disturbances
• gluten intolerance
• mucus and congestive disturbances
• yeast infections

(Source: “Grain Damage” by Douglas Graham, D.C.)

Refined Grains Lead To Addition And Weight Gain

Refined grains are addictive! We have found that when a person decides to adopt the Hallelujah Diet, refined sugar and refined grains are the two most difficult items to eliminate from the diet – even more difficult than eliminating animal source foods. Why? Because these sugars have a very powerful, addictive influence upon the body – some say as powerful as nicotine and alcohol. Another thing we need to remember concerning refined grains is that whenever a food has been fragmented (refined), it is nutrient-deficient, and always results in lower levels of nutrition and health. As a result, refined grains do not provide nutritional satiation at the cellular level and the body continues to be hungry, causing a person to seek adequate nutrients to satisfy nutritional needs. This, of course, leads to overeating, which explains why we have a nation of overfed, undernourished, and mostly overweight people. The Hallelujah Diet, by comparison, provides more-than-adequate nutrition to the body through high-nutrient, low-calorie foods — 100% plant-based foods. High-nutrient, low-calorie foods help to normalize weight while promoting physical strength, sound mental health, and a rock solid immune system.

Refined Grains Compromise The Immune System

Your immune system was designed by God to protect you from the germs, viruses, and bacteria of this world — it is your first line of defense! However, refined grains and refined sugar suppress the immune system, keeping it from performing its God given tasks. The prevalence of refined grains and refined sugars in our modern world should give us a clue as to why so many people suffer infections, colds, the flu, and other consequences of a compromised immune system. Since I adopted a predominantly raw, plant-based diet, free of any refined grains or sugars 38 years ago, I have not experienced any infections, the flu, or even a cold — not even once! The Bible tells us that we will reap what we sow in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Refined Grains Cause Many Other Physical Problems

Finally, refined grains are associated with not only malnutrition and decreased resistance to disease, mental instability, and excess weight, they impact our quality of life. Refined grains cause or increase the severity of PMS. They also decrease cognitive or intellectual function, especially in children. Refined grains, along with refined sugar, also contribute to our current epidemic of heart disease, and so much more:

• acne
• addiction to drugs, including caffeine and alcohol
• anxiety
• behavior problems
• binge eating
• bloating
• bone loss
• candidiasis
• depression
• difficulty concentrating
• eczema
• edema
• emotional problems
• fatigue
• food cravings
• hormonal problems
• hyperactivity
• insomnia
• mental illness
• mood swings
• premature aging
• psoriasis
• ... the list goes on

In conclusion, for almost every negative influence refined sugar has upon the body, refined grains offer an equally negative influence. If we want to have a strong healthy body, free of physical problems, we must eliminate not only refined sugars from our diet, but also refined grains! After sharing all the physical and mental problems that refined grains can create for both adults and children, don’t you think it is time we all removed refined grains and refined sugars from our homes — as well as what the family eats when outside the home? If you are not already on the Hallelujah Diet, click here to give it a try! Multitudes have made this diet change that we teach here at Hallelujah Acres, and experienced normalization of weight, as well as the elimination of almost all their physical problems.

Next week, the good Lord willing and if the creeks don’t rise too high we will return with another exciting issue of the Hallelujah Acres Health Tip. Trust you will join us and that you will share these Health Tips with friends and loved ones.