Apologies if you all saw this story during Wimbledon, but somehow I totally missed the news that Novak Djokavic found Wimbledon success having followed a strict gluten free diet for a year on the recommendation of his nutritionist.
Djokovic isn't the first top athlete to benefit by following a gluten free diet, Paula Radcliffe recovered from her gastric problems and fatigue during the Greece Olympics by giving up gluten.
But what's interesting about this article in the Wall Street Journal is that Djokovic benefited from cutting out gluten not just physically (it turns out even athletes aren't immune to holding excess water weight) but also mentally, with improved mental focus.
Brain fog is a common symptom with food intolerances and I'm sure accounts for a significant portion of the glazed expressions I often see on colleagues after a sandwich or pasta based lunch.
Fortunately you don't need to be able to afford a top notch nutritionist to work out if wheat or gluten are a problem for you. Just give up wheat for two weeks and see how you feel:
Are you mentally clearer?
Have you lost some weight?
Do you feel less bloated?
If the answer to all three questions is yes then it's probably a good idea to limit your wheat intake to the occasional treat. It's also worth taking the next step and cutting out gluten too ... you might not win Wimbledon but you may feel a lot better for it.
Full article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509104576327624238594818.html
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