The Effect Of Gluten On The Microbiome
In addition to the inflammation caused by allergic reaction, gluten may cause inflammation of the GI tract by inducing dysbiosis, thereby destabilizing the gut microbiomes bacterial proportions. Dysbiosis means that the immune system is allowing or causing harmful bacteria to out-compete bacteria that are characteristic of a healthy microbiome. Once the microbiome is disrupted by an abundance of easy-to-consume fuel in the form of wheat gluten proteins, unhealthy bacteria can rapidly replicate themselves and displace normal microbiomic fauna, causing the immune system to generate more inflammation. Inflammation and de-inflammation cycles can then cause micro-tearing of the intestinal surfaces, causing bleeding and bloody stools.
Additionally, Crohns patients often require microbiome-disrupting treatments like antibiotics to control their symptoms. As Kresser notes, Just a single course of antibiotics can reduce the richness and diversity of the intestinal microbiota, and in many cases, people never completely regain the diversity they lost. Considering the potential detrimental effects that gluten can have on the microbiome and the generally disrupted state of the microbiome in Crohns patients, minimizing consumption of gluten may thus make the difference between a destabilized and a balanced microbiome.
Who Has Ulcerative Colitis
According to the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America, over 700,000 Americans suffer from ulcerative colitis. Most people receive their diagnosis in their mid to late thirties, after years of symptoms. The disease seems to affect men and women equally at this age. As people age, men are more likely to get this disease in their later years, than women. Research shows that this disease may be inherited, with about twenty percent of sufferers having a relative that also has the condition. But the remaining eighty percent have no know association or causes. Caucasions from European descent seem to be at a higher risk, as well as people of Jewish heritage.
Treatment For Celiac Disease
Treatment for celiac disease is far more simple.
Gluten-free diet: This is the centerpiece of treatment for celiac disease. The doctor will tell you to start eating this way before you leave the office. Most people with celiac have to avoid these foods for the rest of their lives:
- Wheat
- Spelt
- Triticale
Once you stop eating gluten, the inflammation in your gut should get better. If your small intestine is severely damaged, you may need steroids.
Also Check: Jason’s Deli Allergy Menu
How Do I Know If Gluten Free Is Right For Me
Honestly, it all depends on what you and your doctor think is best for you. I had to go gluten free because I was diagnosed with a disease that literally required me to. Yet, I know several people with Crohn’s or colitis that have gluten free diets that do not also have celiac disease. In short, if eating certain foods make you feel bad, do not eat those foods! There are other foods I avoid even though they are gluten free, such as popcorn and caffeinated sodas, because I know they upset me. It truly depends on each person and if it is going to help with your treatment for IBD.
Gluten And Dairy Foods To Avoid
- Any product that contains gluten. Make sure to read the ingredients list before purchasing a product.
- Any product that contains dairy. Make sure to read the ingredients list before purchasing a product.
- Dairy products like milk, ice cream, cheese, and yogurt
- Cereal, white bread, wheat bread, and any bread that isnt gluten-free
- All alcohol except some wines, seltzers, and ciders
You May Like: Are Dove Ice Cream Bars Gluten Free
Gluten Sensitivity In Crohns Patients
Crohns disease patients can have gluten intolerance that is separate from their Crohns pathology but augments Crohns symptoms when triggered. This occurs when B-cells of the immune system are activated by gluten consumption and consistently and incorrectly produce antibodies against it, inducing a minor allergic reaction and subsequent inflammation. While this may occur in non-Crohns patients, those with Crohns are particularly vulnerable to such a reaction due to abnormally active immune cells in the GI tract, which occurs independently of specific allergens. As a result, Crohns patients produce antibodies against many common but harmless antigens present in food, leading to heightened risk of immune activation and inflammation while still stopping short of a major allergic reaction. Although wheat gluten antigens are just one set of many other antigens which may trigger Crohns disease patients into a flare-up, gluten is a particularly common culprit one study found that 29.3% of Crohns patients experienced non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Treatment For Crohns Disease
Treatments for this condition are wide ranging and include a mix of medications, treatments, and surgery. Among the most common medications are:
Antibiotics: They help heal the sores Crohnâs can cause. They may even get rid of harmful bacteria in your intestines that kick-start Crohnâs inflammation. Commonly used ones include:
- Ciproflaxin
Anti-inflammatory drugs: These drugs help ease inflammation. The two main types in use are:
- Corticosteroids
- Oral 5-aminosalicylates
Also Check: Gluten Free Substitute For Bread Crumbs
Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Medications
Treatments for ulcerative colitis includes both medications and surgery however, there is no medication that can cure ulcerative colitis. Medicationsthat treat ulcerative colitis are
- anti-inflammatory agents, for example, 5-ASA compounds like sulfasalazine , and olsalazine , and topical and systemic corticosteroids), and
- immunomodulators, for example, 6-mercaptopurine , azathioprine , methotrexate , cyclosporine .
Treatment of ulcerative colitis with medications is similar, though not always identical, to treatment of Crohn’s disease.
High Calorie Gluten Free Snacks Suggestion
Don’t Miss: Are Dove Ice Cream Bars Gluten Free
Telling The Difference Between Conditions
Obviously, there’s considerable overlap between the symptoms of celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and inflammatory bowel disease, and that can make getting an accurate diagnosis somewhat challenging.
Healthcare providers use blood tests to screen for celiac disease , and confirm the diagnosis with an endoscopy and biopsy to look directly at the lining of your small intestine to see if it’s damaged.
To diagnose Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, your healthcare provider likely will perform a colonoscopy and/or an endoscopy to look for specific signs, which are different from those of celiac disease. There’s no one blood test for inflammatory bowel disease, although more general blood testssuch as one to screen for anemiamay provide some information.
Finally, there’s no accepted medical test for non-celiac gluten sensitivity . The only way to know if you have it is to follow the gluten-free diet strictly and see if you feel better. But even that’s not definitive: you may feel better because you’ve reduced or eliminated junk food from your diet along with the gluten, for example, or just the idea that you’re doing something positive for your health may help lessen your symptoms. Still, research shows that some people do, indeed, seem to react to gluten grains with symptoms that are similar to those of celiac disease, even though those people definitely don’t have celiac disease.
Food Preparation And Meal Planning
While there is no one-size-fits-all for meal planning, these tips can help guide you toward better daily nutrition:
-
Eat four to six small meals daily.
-
Stay hydrated drink enough to keep your urine light yellow to clear with water, broth, tomato juice, or a rehydration solution.
-
Drink slowly and avoid using a straw, which can cause you to ingest air, which may cause gas.
-
Prepare meals in advance, and keep your kitchen stocked with foods that you tolerate well .
-
Use simple cooking techniques boil, grill, steam, poach.
-
Use a food journal to keep track of what you eat and any symptoms you may experience.
You May Like: Kraft Dressing Gluten Free
What Causes Ulcerative Colitis
The cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown but it is believed to be caused by a combination of several factors including an overactive immune system, genetics, and the environment.
- Overactive immune system: It is believed that in ulcerative colitis, the immune system is triggered to mistakenly attack the inner lining of the large intestine, causing inflammation and symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
- Genetics: Ulcerative colitiscan run in families. The genetic link is not entirely clear but studies show that up to 20% of people with ulcerative colitis have a close family member with the disease.
- Environment: Certain environmental factors including taking certain medications , and eating a high fat diet may slightly increase the risk of developing ulcerative colitis.
Physical or emotional stress, and certain foods do not cause ulcerative colitis, however, they may trigger symptoms in a person who has ulcerative colitis.
Dairy Is A Common Trigger Food For People With Ulcerative Colitis
Lactose intolerance is a common issue affecting the general population, as well as people with ulcerative colitis, says Themistocles Dassopoulos, MD, the director of the Baylor Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dallas. Lactose intolerance prevents you from properly digesting lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products, because the small intestine lacks the digestive enzyme called lactase. While dairy doesnt seem to cause UC flares, lactose intolerance can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea that can be mistaken for UC. Avoid dairy products or add lactase supplements to reduce these symptoms.
Read Also: Substitute For Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
Gluten Crohns And Ulcerative Colitis
Diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease in her teens, Varda Meyers Epstein always thought fiber caused her digestive problems until she tried a ketogenic, gluten-free diet.
I had applied through my health fund to have bariatric surgery because I felt hopelessly overweight. Then a neighbor urged me to give a low-carb, high-fat diet a chance, says Meyers Epstein, 57, a writer in Efrat, Israel.
Adopting a ketogenic diet, she lost 60 pounds in six months but that wasnt the only change: My severe flatulence left me. When I dramatically lowered carbs in my diet, fiber stopped bothering me. My stomach distress had always been about grains and sugar, apparently. I can now eat salads.
Carbonated Beverages May Increase Abdominal Pain
Fizzy drinks may cause gas or bloating in some people, possibly leading to increased abdominal discomfort. Many soft drinks or carbonated energy drinks also contain caffeine, which can stimulate the intestines and worsen diarrhea, according to Mayo Clinic. Drinking sugary soft drinks can contribute to obesity as well, which raises the risk of heart disease and other health problems.
An analysis of drinks published in May 2019 in the journal Medicine found that a high intake of soft drinks was associated with an increased risk of developing Crohns disease, while a high intake of tea was associated with a lower risk of the inflammatory bowel disease. For a refreshing beverage, choose fruit-infused water or herbal iced teas.
Also Check: What Does Gluten Free Mean
Back Up: What Is Ulcerative Colitis Exactly
Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes ulcers and sores in the lower quarter to third of your digestive tract. Typically, these ulcers are found in your rectum or in the inner lining of your lower intestine . This can cause bloody diarrhea, the most common symptom of ulcerative colitis, but you might also experience things like abdominal cramping, constipation, and a general sense of fatigue. Weight loss and a loss of appetite can also crop up, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Diana Whitehead, M.D., director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, explains that though ulcerative colitis has a strong genetic component, symptoms are often set off by a triggering event that activates inflammation in the lower intestine. Basically, your immune system is not doing what it should do, which is to protect you, but its gone kind of into overdrive, Dr. Whitehead says. In other words, even though the exact causes of ulcerative colitis arent fully understood, experts consider it to be an autoimmune condition thats set off by this overreaction in the gut.
Reading Up: Does Gluten Affect Ulcerative Colitis
One day, my stepmother asked if I had read the book titled “Wheat Belly.” She suggested I read and consider whether gluten could be a trigger for my ulcerative colitis. After reading, I questioned whether my food choices were, indeed, exacerbating my UC.
What I learned is that our society no longer eats the wheat our ancestors once ate. To avoid droughts, to evade destructive bugs, and for faster production, the grain we eat today is hybridized. With this hybridized wheat come new proteins that have led to many health issues such as higher rates of celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic inflammation.
As a person who never attended medical school, I dont claim to understand all the enzymes that are produced in my intestinal wall when breaking down gluten in todays new wheat. All I do know is that once I eliminated wheat from my daily food intake, I noticed my ulcerative colitis flares changed.
Recommended Reading: Are Dove Ice Cream Bars Gluten Free
Eating When You Are In A Flare
There are certain foods you may want to avoid when you are in an IBD flare, and others that may help you get the right amount of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals without making your symptoms worse.
Your healthcare team may put you on an elimination diet, in which you avoid certain foods in order to identify which trigger symptoms. This process will help you identify common foods to avoid during a flare. Elimination diets should only be done under the supervision of your healthcare team and a dietitian so they can make sure you are still receiving the necessary nutrients.
Some foods may trigger cramping, bloating, and/or diarrhea. Many trigger foods should also be avoided if you have been diagnosed with a stricture, a narrowing of the intestine caused by inflammation or scar tissue, or have had a recent surgery. Certain foods can be easier to digest and can provide you with the necessary nutrients your body needs.
