Originally Posted by
Rowan
There is a sort of parallel thread running in the Clydesdale and Athenas forum at the moment, discussing some of the issues:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...g-Clean-Anyone
cyccommute makes some interesting points about human evolution. goldfinch also has an excellent post in there. Note that they are not specific to endurance athletes.
The comments there about regional evolutionary differences is diet are, to my mind, important, and may go along way to explaining why some people are celiacs (based on their forebears never having come into contact with glutenous grains), and why others are not (based on their forebears always eating glutenous grains).
One of the problems also seems to me to be that these issues of food sensitivity are occurring in a relatively small segment of the population, yet there is a campaign for
everyone to adopt the solutions. In other words, I am being told I have to do this, and I have to do that, when really, I don't have any problems to solve (except my over-indulgence, which is a brain issue...).
Eating clean is an important aspect... we really do not need to be eating over -processed foods and fresh single ingredient items are far better as then you know better what you are eating.
Last night was BBQ roasted pork that had been marinated in garlic and oregano and was served up with fresh vegetables with a little butter.
Celiac disease is interesting in that Caucasians of Northern European ancestry compose the highest risk group and account for the majority of the cases, the sensitivity seems to have built up in a population that has a strong bias for eating wheat and being exposed to wheat gluten, and not because they had no exposure. My wife is Polish American and there is a long history of gluten sensitivity in her family... my brother in law and her father also had celiac disease.
The relative number of (reported) cases among Asians, Hispanics, and Africans is much lower and am sure dietary bias plays a part where wheat has not been consumed in such quantities.