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Health & Fitness

What The Heck Is Gluten?

An insightful look into what gluten is and how it contributes to many chronic health conditions. In additional there are links to useful websites for living a gluten-free lifestyle.

In recent years you have probably heard the term gluten. Nowadays just walk into any grocery store or most restaurants and you will see the term gluten-free.  Today there are more gluten-free foods, gluten-free recipes and gluten-free websites than ever. Gluten-free is everywhere and gaining momentum. 

However, the question we must ask ourselves is: why is there such a popular demand for gluten-free foods and does this pertain to me?

Before we get started, I’m sure that some people want to know what the heck gluten is.  Gluten is a sticky protein that is found in certain grains with wheat being the most common.  Gluten is also found in rye, barley, spelt, and kamut.  Because it is sticky, it helps bind ingredients together in a large selection of foods. It is found everywhere. Most commonly gluten is found in breads and cereals.  However, most people aren’t aware that it is hidden in sauces, gravies, soups, dips, dressings, margarines, sweets, canned meats, and almost all packaged and processed foods. 

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Ok, that’s fantastic. Gluten is found in a lot of foods but what’s the big deal?

For some people it is more than just a big deal. Gluten determines how healthy they are as well as their quality of life.

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There is an ever growing percentage of people who are being identified as gluten intolerant/gluten sensitive. Partly because we now realize the importance gluten can play in someone’s health.

This growing problem has been linked to modern day farming practices. The way we genetically modify our crops, use of pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics has altered the chemical make-up of our food chain.  The food we consume today is vastly different than the foods that were eaten tens of thousands of years ago. As a result, our bodies are not able to properly accommodate these newly modified grains and foods.

Gluten sensitivity is food intolerance. Here’s what happens to those that are sensitive: When the protein gluten is broken down by the body it begins to cause a wide variety of problems. Their body’s immune system recognizes the gluten protein as being foreign or a toxin and launches an all-out attack on it. It is this immune attack that causes an individual to suffer a variety of adverse symptoms and poor health.

One of the first things that come to mind when people hear the word gluten is celiac disease.  Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease of the small intestine.  What happens is that the internal surface of the small intestine becomes damaged as a result of the body’s own immune system attacking it, which ultimately compromises nutrient absorption. The only treatment for this is a life-long avoidance of gluten. 

Celiac disease is an extreme case of gluten sensitivity. There is a large portion of the population who suffer from a variety of chronic health conditions whose problem is related to gluten sensitivity, and they have not been identified yet. They continue to consume gluten and as a result, their health suffers.

Those identified early as gluten sensitive, typically have not reached the point of celiac disease yet, and I stress yet. They suffer from other symptoms and conditions.   

A person with gluten sensitivity can present with a variety of different complaints and symptoms.  Some of the more common issues they experience are constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas, anemia, nausea, vomiting and intolerances to other foods to name a few. 

In addition to the more common complaints, research has demonstrated that gluten sensitivity has been associated with depression, growth issues, eczema, brain fog, fatigue, infertility, thyroid problems, headaches, joint pain, memory problems, fibromyalgia,  ADD/ADHD, lowered immune system and other autoimmune diseases.

This is serious stuff, and the scary part is that many people who are gluten sensitive are not aware of it because they are not being properly evaluated by most practitioners.

These individuals present to their doctors with chronic headaches, or aches and pains, and are constantly given medications or spinal adjustments without long lasting relief. If they are not getting relief after a reasonable period of time, may there be some other cause? Or, they are having recurrent digestive issues and are given a medication for every symptom they experience. Let’s get to the root cause and not just chase symptoms.  Gluten sensitivity should be considered as a possible contributing factor.

Even if gluten sensitivity is considered, most practitioners are not evaluating the entire gluten spectrum. Most often, testing to identify gluten sensitivity consists of a blood test that looks for one component of the wheat protein called alpha-gliadin.

The problem with this is that the wheat protein consists of a large array of proteins such as alpha-gliadin, omega-gliadin, glutenin, gluteomorphin, prodynorphin, and agglutinins, any of which has the capacity to challenge the immune system and make someone gluten sensitive.

With current testing, individuals could test negative for alpha-gliadin and be told that they are not gluten sensitive. They continue to consume gluten, their health further deteriorates until they get to a point at which they are told they have celiac disease.

With a simple saliva test, we can test most of the proteins in wheat that can contribute to gluten sensitivity. This more thorough evaluation will permit early detection, and the ability to make the appropriate changes before someone’s condition progresses further and their health further deteriorates.

This is a big mouthful of stuff but the bottom line is that there is more than gliadin that needs to be evaluated when trying to determine if gluten sensitivity is a contributing factor to your health problem.

Now let’s say that you were worked up appropriately and it was determined that you are gluten sensitive.  Now what?

Well now it’s time for you to join the gluten-free revolution!

If you don’t every time you consume gluten (even the tiniest bit) your body will attack it which will lead to further health problems.  The sooner you catch it and make the appropriate changes the better your life and health will be in the long run.

Here are some suggestions to help guide you toward a gluten-free lifestyle:

1.  Work with a practitioner that is knowledgeable on the subject.  There may be other digestive,immune system, etc. issues that need to be co-managed.

2. Become well versed on gluten and a gluten-free lifestyle. It’s easier than ever to find information on gluten-free lifestyles.  Some resources on the internet to consider are as follows:  www.celiac.com, www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/,
www.simplygluten-free.blogspot.com.

3.  Change your shopping habits and learn to read labels.  As you may have realized gluten is found in a variety of products and goes by a variety of different names.  Become familiar and find alternatives.

4.  Use caution when eating at restaurants. Gluten hides in a variety of products.  Inform your server/chef that you need a gluten-free selection.  Your health depends on it!

5.  Determine if you have other food sensitivities.  Many individuals that are
sensitive to gluten may be sensitive to other foods such as dairy, corn, soy
and eggs to name a few.

So now you know a bit more about what the heck gluten is!  If you suffer from a chronic health condition and it is just not responding to your current treatment approach you may want to consider gluten as a possible suspect.  Eliminating gluten from your diet may be the life changing solution you’ve been looking for.

I wish you well with your future health endeavors and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me. 

 

Dr. Michael Kirk is theowner of an integrated chiropractic and nutrition practice in Moorestown,NJ.  He can be contacted via his website:  www.PerformanceHealthandChiro.com.

 

Disclaimer:  The content of this article is for informational purposes only.  The
information and recommendations outlined in this article are not intended as a
substitute for personalized medical advice. The medical information in this article is intended as general information only and should not be used in any way to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  The goal of this article is to highlight nutritionally significant information, and offer suggestions for nutritional support and health maintenance. Please be advised that any suggested nutritional advice or dietary advice is not intended as a primary treatment and/or therapy for any disease or particular bodily symptom.

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