Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox (21 page)

The
recipe as written suggests adding coconut extract for a light coconut flavor, but you can substitute any natural extract, such as orange, lemon, or berry. If light sweetness is desired, you can use one of the flavored stevias available in place of the coconut extract; I used 20 drops of berry-flavored SweetLeaf Sweet Drops that yielded a light and pleasant sweetness, subtle enough to allow sipping over ice without being overly sweet. And be sure to use a carbonated seltzer without sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

Makes 8 (8.8-ounce) servings or 16 (4.2-ounce) servings

1 bottle (2 liters) seltzer (not tonic water)

3 tablespoons unflavored milk of magnesia

1 tablespoon coconut extract

Uncap the seltzer and pour off a few tablespoons. Shake the milk of magnesia, then pour out 3 tablespoons. (Most brands come with a handy little measuring cup that works perfectly.) Slowly pour the milk of magnesia into the seltzer, followed by the coconut extract.

Cap the bottle securely, then shake until all of the sediment has dissolved. Allow to sit for 15 minutes to clarify. If any sediment remains, shake again. Drink 4 to 8 ounces twice per day.

COCONUT
ELECTROLYTE REPLACEMENT WATER

The
Coconut Magnesium Water
, while a terrific option to supplement magnesium, is intended only as a way to obtain magnesium; it does not replace electrolytes such as potassium and sodium lost during strenuous exercise, summertime sweating, or a diarrheal illness, or through the fluid loss that develops with the wheat and grain withdrawal process. Here is a way to take advantage of the Coconut Magnesium Water you've made and use it as the basis for an electrolyte-rich but sippable water that you can use to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes. Additional sweetness or flavor can be obtained with stevia and/or flavored stevia drops.

We use conventional coconut water as a source of potassium; it is important to choose an unsweetened brand to minimize sugar. The baking soda provides a means of alkalinizing this solution, helping to counteract the excessive acidity that can contribute to many health conditions.

Drink this electrolyte-rich water just as you would any other water.

Makes 5 servings (5 cups)

1 quart water

½ cup
Coconut Magnesium Water

½ cup unsweetened coconut water

½ teaspoon baking soda

In a large bottle, combine the water, Coconut Magnesium Water, coconut water, and baking soda. Shake well. Store in the refrigerator.

Per serving: 4 calories, 0 g protein, 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g fiber, 158 mg sodium

HERB-
AND FRUIT-FLAVORED DRINKING WATERS

Every so often, as I steer people back to making plain water their dominant fluid intake, someone will say, “But I can't stand plain water!” Well, first recognize that this, like the desire for excessive sweetness, may be a wheat/grain-induced perception that may disappear along with the grains. But, if your aversion to plain water persists and you don't find enough variety in teas, infusions (“teas” made from herbs, dried fruit, spices, or flowers), and coffee, try making your own herb- and fruit-flavored waters. Recall that the process of wheat and grain withdrawal can involve loss of water and reversal of inflammation that can lead to dehydration. Therefore, it's important to increase our intake of fluids, as well as sodium, during the detox process. This is why a modest quantity of sodium is added to our waters as sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda.

Start with either plain (filtered, spring, or distilled) water or Coconut Electrolyte Replacement Water (see next page). In a ½-gallon or larger pitcher or a glass water dispenser you keep on your counter, add 1 teaspoon baking soda per quart of water if starting with plain water. (Skip the baking soda if you're starting with Coconut Electrolyte Replacement Water.) Then add:

Lemon Ginger Water:
half of a thinly sliced lemon and 1 tablespoon coarsely grated fresh ginger

Cucumber Lime Water:
one-quarter of a thinly sliced cucumber and half of a thinly sliced lime

Strawberry Mint Water:
3 to 4 large thinly sliced strawberries and 6 to 8 fresh mint leaves

Adjust the quantity of herbs and fruit to suit the size of your pitcher or dispenser; the quantities listed above will be sufficient for ½ gallon, or 64 ounces, of water.

You get the idea. Other flavor possibilities include halved and sliced oranges, quartered and sliced grapefruit, sliced kiwifruit, peach wedges, or fresh basil. If you'd prefer a bit of sweetness, place the fruit in the bottom of the pitcher first, mash lightly to express the juice, and then add the water. Alternatively, you can add a few drops of plain or flavored stevia or liquid monk fruit.

Another variation is to start with a sun tea, which is a tea brewed over several hours of sitting in bright sunlight. (Choose a clear glass container covered with a lid to keep out pests.) Sun tea can be drunk as is over ice or used as the base for one of the herb- or fruit-flavored waters above. Specialty tea shops now sell an astounding variety of delicious flavors that can be brewed as regular tea or sun tea, but using them as the base for herb- and fruit-flavored waters really opens up endless possibilities to suit your personal tastes.

CHAPTER

7

THE WHEAT BELLY FAMILY DETOX

Secret Weapons to Convert Your Family to This Lifestyle

The many thousands of people who have shared their experiences with me and encountered up-front resistance from others report that all it often takes to create believers is for your spouse and family to observe
your
health and weight transformation, your newly found calm and great mood, clear skin, youthfulness, and slenderness, and they will be convinced that they should follow your example and embrace this lifestyle as well. After all, by
following
this lifestyle, husbands can lose their bellies and man breasts, rediscover youthful energy, and reverse erectile dysfunction, while kids can increase their attention spans and get better grades, experience freedom from bellyaches and emotional excesses, and reduce or eliminate teenage acne.

But sometimes it takes
more
than that to persuade your spouse and kids that this lifestyle puts them back in control of their appetite, health, and weight without depriving them of familiar foods. As with the hard-hitting, rapid-fire 10-Day Menu Plan in this book, these “Secret Weapons” are new to the Wheat Belly program, fresh and ready to be unbundled and used to your advantage.

The recipes for the Secret Weapons provided in this chapter therefore can be used to help convert your family to this lifestyle. These Secret Weapons don't take the form of threatened physical violence or passive-aggressive withholding of favors, but instead are irresistible wheat- and grain-free recipes for foods such as
Deep-
Dish Pepperoni Pizza, Peanut Butter Cookies, and other great persuaders, all created to be safe and consistent with this lifestyle. All of these recipes are also safe for you to include during or after your 10-day detox experience since they are consistent with the Wheat Belly lifestyle. You can, for instance, use any of the dishes in our Secret Weapon arsenal as a substitute for any of the dishes in the 10-Day Menu Plan (except for Detox Shakes, which provide prebiotic fibers).

WHEAT BELLY: GREAT PERSUADERS

Many people do not want to engage in this lifestyle if they (1) do not appreciate the magnitude of health benefits that develop, (2) believe that food will become dull and tasteless and that many former indulgences will be banished, and (3) fear that, by following this lifestyle, their entire lives will become boring, colorless failures with all their friends vacating the scene.

You now understand that the elimination of wheat and grains is unmatched in its potential to help children as well as adults regain health and normal weight, while also the furthest thing from dull. Recall that, minus the taste-distorting effect of wheat and grains, foods actually
taste better
than they did before you undertook your detox
,
a reflection of the tongue-to-colon recovery of gastrointestinal health. It's not uncommon, for instance, for kids who formerly hated broccoli or Brussels sprouts to begin
loving
them.

Despite your epiphany, you may be encountering the skeptical looks of family who have watched you attempt (and fail) other diets and fads in the past, and who dismiss this as just another passing whim that you will soon fail at and forget. So maybe you don't even tell the family that they are eating wheat- and grain-free. (They may have observed your frantic clearing of the cupboards and refrigerator of all things wheat and grains, but they
may
not appreciate that a specific dish conforms to your new lifestyle.) Just serve these unique dishes and let them tell you how terrific they smell and taste and how satisfying they are. Tell them to eat more pizza and cheesecake,
then
reveal your secret!

Following are a handful of recipes for what I call the Great Persuaders, or what you and I might secretly call the Great Grain Dissuaders, since after just one taste, the eater will understand that deprivation is not a requirement to enjoy the benefits of this lifestyle. Some are sweet, others are savory: Choose the ones that you believe will pack the greatest punch at those Wheat Bellies in the family—during the 10-day detox and beyond.

BUFFALO
CHICKEN WINGS

Is the path to the heart paved in game-time goodies? Maybe so, so here is an option to help please those engaged in Monday Night Football while staying true to your wheat- and grain-free lifestyle.

Be sure to choose a safe mayonnaise for the blue cheese dressing, one free of wheat flour and cornstarch, as well as other unhealthy additives. As a time-saver, you can purchase a blue cheese dressing that doesn't contain any undesirable ingredients.

Makes about 6 servings (4 wings each)

WINGS

½ cup butter, melted

¾ cup hot-pepper sauce

2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 pounds chicken wings

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup sour cream

½ teaspoon sea salt

Celery and/or carrot sticks (optional)

To make the wings:
In a small bowl, combine the butter, hot sauce, vinegar, and salt. Mix well. Reserve ¼ cup and set aside. Pour the remaining marinade into a large bowl. Add the wings and toss to coat with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for 60 minutes, turning occasionally.

To make the dressing:
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, blue cheese, sour cream, and salt. Mix well. Refrigerate until serving.

Place an oven rack approximately 8'' from the broiler. Preheat the broiler. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Arrange the wings on the baking sheet with space between each wing. Broil for 14 to 16 minutes, turning once, or until the wings are crispy. Watch the wings closely to avoid burning.

Transfer the wings to a serving plate and spread the reserved hot sauce mixture over the top. Serve with the blue cheese dressing and celery and/or carrot sticks, if using.

Per serving: 893 calories, 42 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 79 g total fat, 24 g saturated fat, 0 g fiber, 1,301 mg sodium

CHICAGO-
STYLE DEEP-DISH PEPPERONI PIZZA