Ask Dr. Lani – Gluten Intolerance and the Wiley Protocol

Question:

Dr. Lani, can a person have an allergy to gluten but not test positive for celiac disease?

Answer:

Absolutely! You can have food sensitivity to just about any food. Some people simply have sensitivity to wheat but are not necessarily gluten intolerant.  Others suffer from non-celiac gluten intolerance (NCGI). I tend to think that these folks often wind up with celiac down the line, often after some stressful event such as menopause enhances the intestinal reaction. With food sensitivities removing the food completely from the diet for 3 to 6 months is often long enough to stop the symptoms. Reintroduction of the food 1-2 times a week is usually fine. If you have a stronger intolerance, you may need to look into eliminating wheat-based products from your diet.  Find out more at my free webinar, “Food Allergies: Fixed vs. Cyclic,” on Wednesday, May 12 at 7:00 pm.

Question:

Dr. Lani, what do you think about the Wiley Protocol for bio-identical hormones?

Answer:

I think the protocol is dangerous. The Wiley protocol was created by T.S. Wiley and endorsed by Suzanne Somers in her book, Ageless.  They recommend dosing menopausal women with extremely high levels of bio-identical hormones, equivalent to what a 25-year-old woman would produce. Part of the rationale of the protocol is that 25-year-old women are less likely to get breast cancer. This absurd statement does not consider the multitude of problems that can arise when you add estrogen and progesterone at such high levels later in life. While some women will feel better initially on the Wiley protocol many will experience other problems down the road, most notably a decrease in thyroid function and/or adrenal problems.

While I do feel hormone therapy is appropriate for some, I recommend only low doses. A small amount can stop bone loss during peri-menopause, when a woman can lose up to 20% of bone mass. Hormone balancing can also relieve hot flashes, brain fog and depression. However, I believe that nutrition and exercise should always be the foundation of any program. Yes, you can get too much of a good thing. Avoid the Wiley scam!

Do you have a question for Dr. Lani? Send it to doctorlani@gmail.com!