Weeding Out Wheat Review

I am sitting here eating a delicious wheat-free brownie. I’ve tried a few recipes, but I think I’ve found the one I will most likely stick with. Going wheat free is a journey, and on that journey, like any other, you will have good moments and not-so-good moments. Finding this brownie recipe, or rather tasting it and liking it, was a good moment. Enough about my brownie, this is actually a review on a book titled, Weeding Out Wheat: A Simple, Scientific, Faith-Based Guide by Luke and Trisha Gilkerson.

My journey on cutting out wheat, among other things, from my diet go back a few years. I don’t write about my health issues too often. What interested me most in Luke and Trisha’s book were the two words in the subtitle, Faith-Based.

I’ve read books like The Wheat Belly, and follow numerous blogs, but those two words intrigued me. Really, I never thought about it. Is going wheat-free biblical? What does God say about wheat, bread, pizza!

I never thought about how often bread was mentioned in the Bible. Terms like ‘Bread of Life,’ have become…I hate to say, cliche, that it never entered my mind.

Weeding Out Wheat: A Simple, Scientific, Faith-Based Guide

‘Weeding out‘ sounds to me that one should go about it slowly, or at their own pace. Some people don’t do well cold turkey. I am not actually 100% wheat free, but that is the goal.

Everyone has their reasons for thinking about eliminating the wheat from their diets. Mine was related to my ill health and I dare concur that the majority fall in the same category. It isn’t until we begin to feel bad, or a loved one gets ill, that we seek to find answers.

But as the authors note, and I agree, eliminating wheat isn’t the whole answer. Changing our lifestyle and other food choices are also necessary. Weeding out the wheat is a good start though and as you begin reading and learning more about wheat, you will see why. You might just stop mid-bite into your bagel as you read the book.

Let’s look at simple. I would agree that this book simplifies the dangers of wheat, as well as the benefits of going wheat-free. The authors’ goal was for this to ‘be an easy and accessible read for the lay-person.’ I feel they accomplished that. They hit all the important issues and whet your palate to want to continue your research.

Scientific? Don’t worry, you will not get confused with biology or terms you cannot pronounce. The explanations regarding the changes in wheat and how it affects our bodies is easily understood.

They start out by describing how wheat has changed since the time of our grandparents. They even add a little history behind the man who engineered dwarf wheat and why wheat was tampered with.

They go on to explain gluten. It is sometimes mistaken that if you are gluten intolerant than you have celiac disease. Luke and Trisha explain that ‘Celiac disease is just one outcome of being intolerant of gluten.’

There are many conditions and diseases linked to gluten and Luke and Trisha talk about some of the more recognizable ones such as asthma, migraines, PMS, joint pain, digestive problems to name a few.

Side Note: I want to chime in here to say that once I changed my diet, no wheat, dairy, sugar, minimal grains such as rice, adding good fats, green smoothies and lots more green vegetables, my PMS pain disappeared. I use to get bad cramps (not bedridden thank goodness, but bad) during the first few days of my cycle as well as horrendous lower back pain. Plus, I felt tired, body tired. Now I do not get any of those symptoms. Cravings? Well, they were never really an issue with me.

So, how do you know if you are allergic or react to wheat? The authors also describe a few ways that you can determine if you have a problem with wheat, from tests to just giving it up for a few months.

There are ten pages of End Notes where you will find references to the research Luke and Trisha used while researching for this book.

Now let’s look at faith-based. Luke and Trisha say, ‘For most people, the question of whether wheat-free eating is “Biblical” has never entered their minds. But for others, this is the question where their faith and their health collide.” Like I said earlier, it didn’t even cross my mind, but it has with others.

My interest here wasn’t should I be eating wheat, it was more of a curious, what does God say? And yes, if he said thou shalt eat wheat, then I would. But he doesn’t and so the confusion is with all the times the Bible references bread. Even Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, means house of bread.

Luke talks about wheat as a provision and blessing from God, but he also notes that bread wasn’t always a symbol of plenty.

Side Note: You’ll find the story behind Ezekiel bread interesting, if not funny. I’ll look at my Ezekiel toast a little differently now.

He goes on to address the concern with taking communion and how there are gluten-free options. Talk to your pastor or priest about your condition or concerns.

Ultimately, it comes down to treating our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, taking care of it the best we know how.

Luke and Trisha don’t leave you hanging, they have a chapter on Moving Forward: Making the Wheat-Free Transition. This chapter will give you ideas for a smooth transition. They go into much more than just wheat. They talk about healthy fats, protein, sugar, planning your meals, etc. They even offer a link to their resource page where you will find helpful books and blogs.

On top of that, they have started a Facebook Group where you can interact with like-minded individuals and share about your journey to becoming wheat free. The group is called Weeding Out Wheat: Encouragement & Support.

My Take

I enjoyed reading Luke and Trisha’s book and was satisfied with the section that peaked my interest. I have the End Notes marked up and have already read a few articles they linked to. For a little book, it really packs a punch! I would recommend this book to those who are interested in learning about going wheat-free and who want a quick read.

Where to Buy Weeding Out Wheat: A Simple, Scientific, Faith-Based Guide

For a limited time, you can find Weeding Out Wheat: A Simple, Scientific, Faith-Based Guide at a really great price. Get your copy today before the price goes up.

You can find Luke and Trisha’s book at:

Amazon for your kindle – Regularly ~~$9.95~~, but it is only $1.99 for a limited time, December 30th through January 1st
Amazon as a paperback – $9.95
On Luke and Trisha’s website as a pdf – $9.95