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.
Foods To Avoid With A Gluten Intolerance
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Many people avoid gluten, a group of proteins found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye, due to personal preference or a medical condition .
Celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity all involve an adverse reaction to gluten and are treated with a gluten-free diet. These conditions are considered forms of gluten intolerance .
While both celiac disease and NCGS may lead to intestinal damage and cause symptoms like diarrhea, gas, and bloating, celiac is an autoimmune condition linked to other serious health effects, such as anemia, stunted growth, and neurological effects .
Wheat allergy refers to an allergic reaction to wheat proteins, the symptoms of which may be life threatening. This condition is treated with a wheat-free diet, not necessarily a gluten-free diet .
Although people with wheat allergies must avoid wheat, most are able to eat other grains, including gluten-containing ones like barley and rye.
Meanwhile, people with celiac disease and NCGS must avoid all gluten-containing foods to control symptoms. Notably, many healthy foods are naturally gluten-free, and quite a few companies make scrumptious gluten-free products.
Here are 8 foods to avoid if you have a gluten intolerance, as well as 7 you can safely eat.
Signs You Have A Gluten Intolerance
Gluten intolerance can come in many forms, with the most serious resulting in a wheat allergy or Celiac disease. A wheat allergy is a type of immune response triggered by ingesting products containing wheat proteins such as gluten. Celiac disease, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disorder that damages the villi in the small intestine.
That said, symptoms of gluten sensitivity may not present immediately after consumption, rather an onset of symptoms often occur within 24 to 48 hours of ingesting gluten, says Abby Vichill, M.S., RDN, L.D. So, when it comes to investigating gluten as a cause of health issues, give yourself time to see if these symptoms arise:
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Diarrhea Constipation And Smelly Feces
Individuals with celiac disease experience inflammation in the small intestine after eating gluten.
This damages the gut lining and leads to poor nutrient absorption, resulting in significant digestive discomfort and frequent diarrhea or constipation (
That suggests that gluten exposure on its own may induce feelings of depression, irrespective to digestive symptoms.
When To Take Gluten Allergy Test
If you’ve read over the signs of gluten intolerance and feel that you may have an aversion to gluten yourself, then it’s time you take a gluten allergy test. The first step in taking a test is to reach out to your primary care physicians and express your concerns. Your doctor will then administer a test that will check your levels of gluten sensitivity. If your examination reveals that you are sensitive to gluten in any form, then it’s time to switch your diet over to a gluten free one.
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Getting A Proper Diagnosis Is Key
Getting a proper diagnosis is the first step toward feeling better and living a healthy life. Diagnosing celiac disease is pretty straight forward. A gastroenterologist will be able to make a diagnosis based on blood tests and a biopsy of the small intestine.
Diagnosing non-celiac gluten intolerance is a little trickier. Your physician will test you for celiac disease, wheat allergy and other things that might be associated with your particular symptoms. If you test negatively for those things, youll start a gluten-free diet. If going gluten-free for a while improves your symptoms, youll probably be diagnosed with non-celiac gluten intolerance.
If you think you might have a gluten intolerance, its important to keep gluten in your diet until you visit your physician. This is the only way the to test properly.
Gluten Intolerance Vs Ibs Vs Lactose Intolerance
Gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance IBS can all cause similar symptoms like stomach cramps, gas and bloating.
A recent review of research into gluten sensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome published in the journal, Nutrients, concluded that a gluten-free diet can benefit both gluten sensitive patients who report gluten-related symptoms as well as IBS patients who are also gluten or wheat sensitive. The researchers say, Regardless of the identification of the offending components, the scientific community agrees that the withdrawal of wheat from the diet can significantly improve symptoms in a subset of IBS patients, who can sometimes be diagnosed as NCGS.Is gluten free good for IBS? It certainly may be, especially for IBS patients who have gluten sensitive IBS.
Lactose intolerance symptoms can certainly be similar to symptoms of gluten intolerance or IBS. However, lactose intolerance symptoms are definitely brought on by exposure to one thing: lactose, which is mainly found in dairy products. Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include diarrhea, gas, bloating/swelling in the abdomen, abdominal pain/cramping, nausea, vomiting, headaches or migraines, and acne. These warning signs of lactose intolerance can arise anywhere from 30 minutes to two days after the consumption of dairy products, and can range from mild to severe.
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How To Tell If You Are Gluten Intolerant
Seen as a new age ailment of sorts, gluten intolerance is characterised as undesirable reactions to gluten a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Celiac disease and lesser warned conditions like non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy is legitimate lifestyle conditions aggravated by glutenous food and can really affect sufferers quality of life.
Essentially, it is an immune reaction. This means that the gluten causes the body to attack itself.
Over time, the immune reaction creates inflammation that damages the small intestines lining. It leads to many medical complications, like preventing the absorption of some nutrients .
The classic symptom is diarrhoea. Other symptoms include bloating, wind, fatigue, low blood count and osteoporosis.
Most people have no symptoms.
The main treatment method is following a strict gluten-free diet. Removing gluten will help manage symptoms and promote intestinal healing.
Do You Have Any Signs Or Symptoms Of Gluten Intolerance
Remember that a gluten intolerance only affects a small percentage of people.
That means going gluten-free only has health benefits for a select few.
But you may be one of them if you frequently experience one or more of the above signs and symptoms.
Always speak with your doctor or dietitian first before making any major dietary changes.
About Joe Leech, Dietitian
Joe Leech is a university-qualified dietitian from Australia.
He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in exercise science, followed by a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2011.
Learn more about him on the About page.
Joe Leech, Dietitian
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How Is Gluten Intolerance Diagnosed
As mentioned in the last section, there are no specific labs or biomarkers to formally diagnose gluten intolerance, or NCGS. It can only be subjectively diagnosed by your self-reported information.
The process of diagnosis usually involves:
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Ruling out a wheat allergy and Celiac disease, which may include blood and/or skin prick tests as well as an upper endoscopy procedure if needed .
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Next, you follow an elimination diet or gluten challenge that removes gluten from your diet for a period of time. The healthcare provider assesses symptoms and then re-introduces gluten to monitor your reaction.
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If a provider can make a clear correlation between gluten and your symptoms, then they can diagnose you with gluten intolerance or NCGS.
However, providers can have a hard time distinguishing between gluten intolerance and other gut-related disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, so they may order further testing and monitor symptoms.
How To Diagnose Food Intolerances The High
Depending on your health pro’s MO, he or she may choose to investigate your potential food intolerances with testing. “The best test for lactose intolerance is a breath test, of which there are two types: the lactose hydrogen breath test and the hydrogen/methane breath test,” says Whitcomb. These tests can measure how much gas is being produced after the consumption of dairy, and Whitcomb says the latter is more accurate.
NCGS is much more difficult to test for. First, it’s important to make sure you don’t actually have celiac disease, notes Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition. “There are blood tests to diagnose celiac disease, and for these tests to be accurate, they must be done while you are consuming a gluten-containing diet,” she says. “A biopsy of the small intestine can confirm positive blood-test results.”
It’s worth noting that celiac testing results aren’t always black and white. But if celiac disease and other problemslike a wheat allergy, SIBO, or other intolerances like lactosehave been ruled out, NCGS may be your issue. The only way to know for sure is to see whether you feel better without gluten in your diet.
Whitcomb’s preferred method to diagnosing food sensitivities in his practice, though, is the Mediator Release blood test . It looks at up to 170 foods and chemicals, and while it doesn’t test for gluten intolerance directly, it tests gluten-containing foods like wheat, barley, and rye.
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You Consistently Have Joint Or Muscle Aches
Chronic joint or muscle pain is a common symptom reported in studies of non-celiac gluten sensitivity .
The pain is said to be like that of Fibromyalgia, a condition which may be improved by going gluten-free, at least anecdotally.
As joint and muscle pain is a broad symptom, only consider it a possible sign if you experience several of the other symptoms.
Signs You’re Gluten Intolerant
More than 55 diseases have been linked to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s estimated that 99% of the people who have either gluten intolerance or celiac disease are never diagnosed.It is also estimated that as much as 15% of the US population is gluten intolerant. Could you be one of them?
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So Youre Gluten Intolerant What Now
Once you confirm a sensitivity to gluten, the first step is to eliminate all gluten-containing products from your diet. You can find gluten in foods that contain wheat , rye, barley, triticale, malt, and brewers yeast.
Heres a list of popular foods that contain gluten:
- Bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, and muffins
- Beer
- Einkorn
- Kamut
- Wheat , wheat bran hydrolysate, wheat germ oil, wheat protein isolate
- Batter-fried foods
- Snack foods such as potato chips, rice cakes, and crackers
- Salad dressings, soups, ketchup, soy sauce, and marinara sauce
- Processed meats and imitation crab meat
- Ice cream and candy
In addition to food and beverages, gluten can also be found in the following products:
- Lipstick, lip gloss, and lip balm
- Nutritional supplements such as vitamins and herbs
- Drugs and over-the-counter medications
If possible, you can ease into removing gluten entirely by slowly reducing your consumption to get a better sense of how it makes your body feel. Keeping a food journal is helpful during this transition, so you can make note of the foods that trigger the most serious reactions.
Heres some good news: Because of the response by grocers, restaurants, and food companies, there is now a wide variety of products and menu items to choose from that are gluten-free. And while it may take some trial and error to find what works for you, its worth putting in the time, so you can start feeling better as soon as possible.
Grain Free Blueberry Muffin Mix
Searching for a quick on-the-go gluten free breakfast? You’ve found it. This tasty Grain Free Blueberry Muffin Mix skips the grains altogether. A recipe similar tasting to that of traditional blueberry muffins, just the aroma alone will leave your mouth watering. Made in minutes, these tender and flavorful treats make for the perfect energizing breakfast or snack.
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What To Do When You Suspect Gluten Intolerance
If youre experiencing many of the symptoms on our list, it might be time to make some changes to see if you feel better. But first, youll want to see your doctor to rule out Celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or any other potential health issues that may be causing your symptoms.
Once youve ruled those out, your next step should be eliminating gluten from your diet to get relief. Read labels carefully and avoid anything that contains wheat or gluten, including:
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Bread and baked goods
How Do You Test For Gluten Intolerance
Your doctor might recommend trying a gluten-free diet to see if you do have a gluten intolerance. Keep in mind that other conditions, such as celiac disease and wheat allergies, can cause similar symptoms. If eliminating gluten from your diet eases your symptoms, this usually indicates gluten intolerance. Your doctor can test for wheat allergies or celiac disease if needed.
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You Always Experience Abdominal Pain And Bloating
Abdominal bloating is characterized by tightness and/or swelling in your abdominal region.
It occurs because of excess gas or disturbances in the muscles involved with digestion.
In a study of 59 adults with suspected NCGS, abdominal pain and bloating were the top reported digestive symptoms .
Its thought that a buildup of gas is the main cause in those who are sensitive after a gluten rich meal.
Brain Fog Or Headaches
Other reported common symptoms of gluten intolerance are headaches and brain fog. Brain fog is when you are experiencing cognitive issues such as difficulty concentrating or focusing, or a lack of mental clarity. This by itself is not a sure sign of gluten intolerance, but if you experience it along with other symptoms, then that may be the cause.
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