What the Heck it's the Wheat?

Why Your Daily Bread Might Be Messing With More Than Just Your Gut

Let’s get something straight: this isn’t an anti-bread rant. I love a warm slice of toast slathered in almond butter as much as the next person. But if you’ve ever wondered why your tummy’s been off, your brain’s in a fog, or your energy’ tanks every afternoon - even when you're eating "healthy" - you might want to take a closer look at what's in your wheat.

Spoiler alert: it’s not just about gluten. And it’s definitely not just about your digestion.

Australia, Glyphosate, and the Wheat Dilemma

Here in Australia, there’s something a little sneaky going on with our wheat. Farmers often use a chemical called glyphosate (yes, the active ingredient in Roundup) not just for killing weeds—but as a desiccant. That means it's sprayed on wheat crops just before harvest to dry them out faster and make them easier to process (heads up, they do it t our chickpeas too).

Convenient for farming? Sure. Great for our bodies? Not so much.

So, What’s the Problem With Glyphosate?

Research shows that glyphosate:

• Disrupts gut bacteria (especially the good guys that help you digest and stay balanced)

• Interferes with important enzymes your body needs to detox

• Can affect your hormones, immune system, and potentially your brain

• Has been classified as a “probable carcinogen” (yes cancer causing) by the World Health Organization

And when we eat wheat treated with glyphosate, we’re getting a nice little side-serving of that too. Yum? Not actually. 

Dr. Tom O’Bryan – The Wheat Detective

Dr. Tom O’Bryan is a leading voice in understanding how wheat impacts our health - especially our brains. And no, you don’t have to be coeliac to be affected.

In fact, he often says that wheat can negatively impact your brain in at least 14 different ways. That’s not a typo. Fourteen. Yes this is science backed data not speculation.

Some of the big ones?

• It can reduce blood flow to your brain (this is why we experience brain fog)

• It contributes to leaky gut and leaky brain barriers - this causes immune responses and can contribute to most autoimmune diseases

• It can activate your immune system in sneaky ways, leading to inflammation and even autoimmunity

• It disrupts your mood, your energy, and your mental clarity ( Um, why did I walk into this room again)

In one study that caught Dr. O’Bryan’s eye, neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter found that every single one of ten patients with chronic migraines had 10 lesions on their brain—and all of them were gluten-sensitive.

I know. What the heck, it’s the wheat!

So… Should You Panic? Nah.

This isn’t about fear—it’s about informed choices.

Some people can eat wheat and feel totally fine, until they don't. Others? Not so lucky. The key is to get curious about how your body responds. Do you feel bloated? Tired? Moody? Foggy? Maybe it’s not "just getting older" or "normal stress."

What You Can Do

• Try a wheat-free experiment. Even two weeks off wheat can reveal a lot.

• Buy organic when you can. Organic wheat is not treated with glyphosate.

• Support your gut. Load up on gut-healing foods like bone broth, fermented veggies, and prebiotic-rich plants.

• Listen to your body. It’s always trying to tell you something - sometimes it just speaks Wheat.

Wheat’s not evil. But modern wheat—with its chemical companions and complex effects - isn’t the innocent pantry staple we grew up with.

Many experts call modern wheat “Frankenwheat” because it has been so heavily hybridized that it no longer resembles the original grain our ancestors ate - it's higher in gluten, lower in nutrients, and often sprayed with chemicals like we mentioned, glyphosate. This altered wheat can confuse the immune system, potentially triggering inflammation, gut issues, and even neurological symptoms.

So next time someone says, “It’s all in your head,” you can smile and say, “Well, technically, it might be in my wheat…”

You can read more HERE about How Food Intolerance affect our Emotions and can contribute to anxiety and Depression

Read more HERE about how I got rid of over 10 symptoms using diet that most Dr's would've had me on a plethora of drugs.

When I discovered the research on this, and also heard our fave aussie Nutritionist Cyndi O'meara talking about avoiding wheat I knew I needed to try it. 

It absolutely overhauled my health. 

For the most part I avoid wheat and eat a mostly whole food diet yet I do enjoy my husbands made from scratch and with love, homemade pizzas on special occasions. For these special occasions I support my Gut with Dr Zach Bush's ION gut Health Supplement.

From his Site: It's sourced from 60-million-year-old soil, ION Gut Support is a gut-strengthening mineral supplement that naturally supports microbiome balance. It reignites the circuits within your gut and has been shown to support the integrity of tight junctions in the gut lining — even in the face of damage from environmental toxins (including glyphosate). It aids the digestion of gluten. It regulates the flow of nutrients and water by soothing inflammation so the gut can digest gluten. (READ more HERE - I'm NOT an affiliate I just find this really helps me)

Yes! I seriously take this stuff so I can eat pizza every now and then.. A gals gotta do what a gals gotta do. 

In a Nutshell...

Wheat today isn’t the innocent loaf it once was. Between chemical sprays, Frankenwheat genetics, and brain-boggling side effects, it might be worth asking: Is my daily bread serving me—or sabotaging me?

The good news? You don’t need to panic, toss everything in your pantry, or swear off toast forever. Just get curious. Try tuning in to how your body feels, experiment with alternatives (hello, buckwheat (its a seed not wheat), and friends!), and start making choices that feel aligned with your health.

Because sometimes, the biggest “aha” moments come from the smallest tweaks. And when it comes to wheat, awareness might just be the best first step.

So next time something feels off, you can smile, shake your head, and say it with love:
“What the heck, it’s the wheat.”

Larissa xx

Whole - Self Heath and Healing