macronutrients or ‘energy yielding’ nutrients
(carbohydrate, protein and fat).
To put this into perspective, if you were to
build a house you would need a huge variety
of tools (nutrients) and hard labour (energy). If
you lacked key tools it would be very difficult
to build that house. Further, if you neglected
some key tools and instead bought more of
some you already had – 10 hammers when
you need a welder – you are not going to
build a better house. It often seems today
that protein is like these hammers, with its
requirements being overestimated and the
other tools, such as calcium, iron and B
group vitamins, being neglected.
Grains and dairy
Whole grains truly are little powerhouses,
containing
over
26
nutrients
and
phytonutrients which help nourish and
maintain health. According to the Grains and
Legumes Nutrition Council, eating whole
grains daily is linked to a reduced risk of
chronic disease, including cardiovascular
disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers
by 20 to 30 per cent. It is also linked to a
lower waist circumference, a lower risk of
being overweight and a lower risk of weight
gain over time.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines, based
on the highest quality studies, say that
consumption of milk, cheese and yogurt is
linked to a reduced risk of heart disease,
stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes,
metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer.
These are currently some of the biggest
causes of death in Australia. Regular dairy
consumption is also linked with a healthy
weight and has been shown to play an
important role in sport, development of lean
muscle mass and exercise performance.
Who should avoid what?
So who should be avoiding dairy and gluten
(found in wheat, barley, rye and oats)?
Gluten and coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is an inherited medical
condition in which the lining of the small
intestine becomes damaged when it is
exposed to even small amounts of gluten,
a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and
possibly oats. Coeliac disease is estimated
to affect 1 in 60 women and 1 in 80 men in
Australia. A strict, lifelong gluten free diet
is currently the only recognised medical
treatment. By eliminating the cause of the
disease, a gluten free diet supports the small
bowel lining to repair and the symptoms to
resolve. Individuals with coeliac disease
will have been born with the genetic
predisposition. The major genes linked with
susceptibility to coeliac disease are HLA
DQ2 and HLA DQ8. Both, or just one, of
42 | NETWORK SPRING 2016
these genes are present in most people with
coeliac disease. While 30 per cent of the
population carries the gene or genes, only
1 in an