How Common Is Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Dermatitis herpetiformis is most common in people of northern European heritage. One statistic states that up to 75 per 100,000 people in northern Europe have it. Dermatitis herpetiformis affects 10% to 25% of celiac disease patients. It is rare in children and in people of African American or Asian descent.
Overview Of The Gluten Intolerance/sensitivity Trend
Before you start to evaluate your own personal reasons or situation, lets start by understanding what this diet is based upon. Simply put, a gluten-free diet is one that avoids the protein known as gluten. You probably never heard of that until this recent trend became well known. Now you hear all about gluten because this diet and gluten-free products are everywhere.
The gluten-free diet came to be to help those who truly suffer from Celiac disease to manage their often-challenging symptoms. Is this sounding familiar? If not, then you may be doing it for the wrong reasons, but lets read further. For those who truly suffer from the symptoms of Celiac disease, the protein gluten cant be properly digested or absorbed by the body. This is when it causes you so much discomfort and why gluten can become problematic.
What Is The Treatment For Hives
Temporary relief: You can use daily medications or supplements from the pharmacy for a few hours relief â but you will need to keep using them for life. Many doctors have taken a new approach and realise it could be a food sensitivity causing the outbreaks. However â food intolerance is still not taught extensively in medical schools.
Permanent relief treatment: Remove the actual cause of your hives (avoid high toxin foods and substitute for other delicious choices. These days there are so many great food optionsâ itâs easy to avoid the problem ones.
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Foods Cravings May Lead To Overconsumption
So many people struggle with the idea of giving up gluten because it is in their favorite snack at night and they simply cant live without pasta and bread.
Why does this happen?
When we are sensitive to a certain food, the body can send out endorphins due to the reaction it causes in the body, making us want the foods even more.
Gluten can even make opiate-like chemicals in the brain, making us want a lot!
Food Allergy Vs Food Sensitivity
Food allergies and food sensitivities are often lumped together when it comes to the symptoms experienced after eating certain foods. However, there are critical differences between the two.
If youve felt discomfort, bloating or lethargy after eating a particular food, then you may be experiencing sensitivity to a certain food.
Food sensitivities occur when the body is unable to digest certain compounds, especially proteins found in items like milk, eggs, wheat or soy. Once your body ingests these foods, you experience those uncomfortable symptoms.
A food allergy, on the other hand, is an immunologic response. When you eat something to which you are allergic, your immune system negatively responds to the allergen. Since its your immune systems job to protect the body, your immune system tries to fight the allergen by unleashing natural biochemicals that cause the allergic reaction you experience.
These reactions vary, but may include hives, rash, swelling or anaphylactic shock.
Food sensitivities tend to show symptoms later than food allergies. For example, if you eat or drink something to which you have a food sensitivity, you may not notice symptoms for up to 24-72 hours. With a food allergy, a reaction may be immediate.
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Gluten Allergy May Cause Weight Gain
A good friend of mine suffered for many years with unexplained weight gain and painful indigestion. These problems persisted for so long with no diagnosis because it was so easy to attribute them to an unhealthy diet or just a finicky digestive system. After years of frustration my friend spent six months doing an elimination diet to find out if her symptoms were related to food allergies. To her surprise, when she eliminated gluten from her diet her symptoms stopped and at that moment she realized that she had been suffering from a gluten allergy all along. The irony of this is that my friend worked in a bakery.
Gluten, a protein that contained in wheat, barley and rye, can cause an allergy in some people and result in unexplained weight gain.
One of the most common ways that people find out that they have celiac disease, which is an allergy to gluten, is through the cravings that they experience. This may seem strange, but it has been documented by doctors around the world that people who experience an allergy to gluten will often feel cravings for foods that contain wheat, barley or rye. Unfortunately, the result of giving into these cravings can bring on some very unpleasant symptoms such as weight gain, as well as bloating, water retention, fatigue, flatulence and other indigestion-related symptoms.
Testing And Diagnosis Of Wheat Allergies
Wheat allergy symptoms can mimic those of other conditions such as gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. Clinicians at Childrenâs Hospital of Philadelphia will take a detailed medical history of your child, including information on prior food reactions, to ensure your child is accurately diagnosed and receives the correct treatment plan.
Your child with a suspected wheat allergy may be seen by clinicians in the Food Allergy Center or the Center for Celiac Disease. Testing will determine which team is best suited to treat your childâs condition. Watch this video to learn more celiac disease and other gluten disorders in children.
In addition to learning your childâs medical history, clinicians may order tests to get more information about your childâs medical condition and reactions. These assessments may include:
Also Check: How To Check For Gluten Intolerance
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Gluten Allergies Dont Exist But Wheat Allergies Do
Its not uncommon for people to think of gluten sensitivities as being a kind of allergyor sort of like an allergybut thats incorrect. If you have an allergy, your immune system considers a substance to be a threat and overreacts to it. For people with a food allergy, even a microscopic amount of the food containing the allergen can cause a serious or life-threatening reaction. This differs from the immune response gluten causes in someone with celiac disease as an autoimmune disease, the symptoms are a result of the bodys attack upon the small intestine.
Adding to the confusion: There is no such thing as a gluten allergy, but some people do have an allergy to wheat, which can cause symptoms similar to those of gluten intolerance, including abdominal pain. However, other, different symptoms such as itching, swelling of the lips and tongue, and trouble breathing might also occur. These reactions can happen quicklywithin minutes evenafter eating a product with wheat. A person who is allergic to wheat must avoid all foods that contain it, but they may be fine eating foods with gluten in it from non-wheat sources. However, it is possible to have both a wheat allergy and celiac disease or NCGS.
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How Do You Test For Gluten Intolerance At Home
GlutenCHECK is a rapid test for use at home to detect the presence of IgA tissue transglutaminase antibodies in whole blood. GlutenCHECK is suitable for both, an initial diagnosis of gluten intolerance as well as a therapy follow-up. a-tTG-IgA antibody level should fall when gluten is removed from the diet.
Gluten: 5 Things You Need To Know
Gluten can cause health problems for some people
Cutting back may be a better option than going gluten-free
Eating gluten-free can cause weight gain and is expensive
Editors Note: Dr. Arthur Agatston is the medical director of wellness and prevention for Baptist Health South Florida. Creator of the best-selling South Beach Diet series, he is the author of the new book, The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution.
If youre confused by the gluten-free diet craze, youre not alone.
Like many people, youve probably heard about the phenomenon but really dont understand what gluten is or what, if anything, you should be doing about it. Yet millions of people in this country are turning their lives upside-down trying to avoid it.
Here are five things you need to know about gluten:
1. Its a protein that can cause problems. Gluten is the major protein found in some grains. It is present in all forms of wheat as well as in barley, rye and triticale .
But gluten can also turn up in unexpected places, like certain brands of chocolate, imitation crab , deli meats, soy sauce, vitamins and even some kinds of toothpaste.
Gluten is different from protein in other grains and in meat in that it is difficult for humans to digest completely. It can make some people very sick. But not everyone.
Unless you are part of that 1% , its unlikely that you will need to live a completely gluten-free lifestyle.
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Could A Dairy Allergy Be Your Weight Gain Culprit
Doing everything right and still unable to lose weight? One prominent doctor suggests food allergies might be to blame.
When most of us think of food allergies, we think of people swelling up after eating a peanut or unable to breathe when confronted with shrimp. But some food allergies come on much more slowly and have more subtle effects. Dr. believes that up to 60 percent of the population could be affected by a hidden sensitivity to foods like dairy.
A dairy allergy can cause an overabundance of unhealthy bacteria in the digestive tract that can lead to inflammation, irritable bowel and weight gain. A dairy allergy can also lead to lactose intolerance.
If you believe you might have a hidden dairy allergy, Dr. Hyman suggests these three steps to help identify it:
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What Is Gluten Intolerance
You’ve probably heard of the gluten-free diet, which is popular among people who don’t tolerate bread and other wheat products. Gluten actually isn’t a grain â it’s a mixture of proteins found in wheat, barley and rye. For some people, gluten can be difficult for the body to process, which leads to inflammation in the stomach and intestines.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that can be detected with a blood test. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance, though its symptoms are similar, is harder to detect because it isn’t strictly medically defined, and symptoms can vary per person. They may include stomach cramping, diarrhea, constipation, headaches or fatigue.
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Gluten Can Cause Universal Inflammation
Gluten sensitivity is a very real condition. It is different than celiac disease . Many are under the false impression that celiac disease is the worst manifestation of gluten sensitivity. It is not. There are about 190 medical conditions that gluten can cause or contribute to. Celiac is just one outcome of many possible outcomes for those who eat gluten. The diagram below illustrates some common disease outcomes of gluten ingestion over time.
Losing Weight On A Gluten
The best way to find out whether a gluten-free diet could help you lose weight is to give it a try for a period of 4 to 8 weeks. Start by weighing yourself and measuring your body at strategic places, such as breast, arm, waist, hip and thigh. Eliminate all sources of gluten from your diet. Read the ingredient list carefully and when eating out, ask the waiter how the food is served and prepared to prevent both gluten contamination and cross-contamination. After your gluten-free trial period, you will be able to determine whether a gluten-free diet could help you reach your desired goal weight.
Recommended Reading: What Makes Food Gluten Free
Gluten Causes Weight Gain
Gluten-free diets are often touted as a weight-loss solution, even among people who don’t have a diagnosed gluten sensitivity. But does gluten actually cause weight gain? It’s not a simple yes or no answer.
For people with gluten sensitivity, going gluten free might help reduce bloating, which could result in a flatter, leaner look that resembles weight loss. If gluten is inflaming your gastrointestinal tract, you’ll retain less gas and water once you choose to cut it out.
But weight loss really depends on what you are eating, not what you choose to cut out. Gluten is found in carbohydrates like bread, pasta and pastries, which are low in nutritional value and can cause weight gain if eaten in large quantities. If you’re eating less of these, and instead consuming nutrient-dense foods filled with protein, fat and complex carbohydrates, you’re likely to lose some weight.
Read more:What to Eat for Dinner to Lose Weight
However, most gluten-containing foods have gluten-free alternatives that are just as nutritionally deficient. If you replace your regular bread and pasta with gluten-free versions but continue to eat them in excess, you’re unlikely to lose weight. In fact, you may even be depriving your body of the probiotics and vitamins found in gluten.
Whats The Difference Between Celiac Disease And A Gluten Sensitivity
Though the symptoms and the existence of Celiac disease may be rather obvious, that may not always be the case. There are times when you really need to evaluate and understand the main differences. It is important to note that the terms gluten insensitivity and gluten intolerance are thrown around and used interchangeably. There are slight differences and instances where intolerance may be worse. The issue here though is that most people with either an intolerance or insensitivity never actually get evaluated, and therefore no true conclusion may be found.
With Celiac disease gluten actually triggers the immune system activity that causes the damage and resulting symptoms. Thats because true Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. This means that it is not gluten doesnt really cause the actual damage, but rather it is the way in which your immune system reacts to it in your system.
It may be associated with thyroid problems or other autoimmune conditions as well. It is a true condition and avoiding gluten altogether may offer significant relief. By avoiding gluten you may not only relieve your symptoms, but you may also help your body to get back to absorbing nutrients the way it is supposed to.
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Can Gluten Intolerance Lead To Health Problems And Weight Gain
With all the news about gluten and gluten-free diets, you may be wondering can gluten intolerance lead to weight gain? In fact, if your body cant process gluten you can have many problems including weight gain. However, weight gain isnt as common as weight loss.
With gluten intolerance, your body has trouble absorbing the protein gluten thats found in wheat, barley, and rye. As you continue to eat these foods you may have a wide array of digestive problems weight gain being one of them.
Gluten intolerance can cause gas, cramping, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. The symptoms you experience will be individual. One of the best ways to discover whether or not youre tolerant to gluten is to eliminate gluten from your diet and see if symptoms subside.
Many people find that a gluten-free diet can promote weight loss and better digestive health. A lot of that is because foods that are high in gluten also tend to be high in refined sugars, fats, and artificial ingredients.
But if you continue to eat gluten and you have an intolerance, you could actually end up having problems with too much weight loss. This isnt the kind that helps you shape up for summer its the kind that sends you to the hospital and makes you very ill.
Gluten intolerance can exacerbate problems such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and other auto-immune disorders because it causes inflammation in your body. It can even cause a severe allergic reaction called celiac disease.
Action Steps: Tips For Avoiding Gluten
If you are making the commitment to avoid gluten and truly doing it for all the right reasons, you should get serious about it. You want to really focus on what it means to avoid gluten altogether. This is going to be an adjustment like anything else, but you can do it if you are truly committed. If you make this your mission you can adapt to gluten-free eating in a couple of weeks and hopefully get some relief from your challenging symptoms.
In order to make this your new way of life, here are a few tips to help you in avoiding gluten moving forward.
Gluten-free diets may be all the rage, but you know if its truly right for you. If you focus on doing it for the right reasons then you can get something out of it. If you are trying to manage your symptoms then this may be the diet for you. Understand if you truly have Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance or insensitivity and this comes from an appointment with your doctor.
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