Risk Of Metabolic Disease
In addition to weight gain, people with celiac disease who follow a gluten-free diet need to be aware that eating gluten-free may put them at risk for metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of conditions that increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart problems.
Further research is needed to understand the connection between a gluten-free diet and metabolic syndrome, but it’s a point you should discuss with your healthcare provider.
Three Reasons To Go Gluten Free And Three Reasons Not To
By: Shannon Lewis, M.D., gastroenterologist, The Oregon Clinic, and Niki Strealy, RD, LD, outpatient dietitian, Providence Nutrition Services
Sitting on top of the hot list of todays diet fads is the gluten-free diet. People with certain medical conditions have very good reasons to avoid gluten, the gluey, chewy protein found in wheat, kamut, spelt, rye, barley, triticale and malt. But there are equally good reasons not to go gluten free if you dont have to. Here are the top three reasons on each side of the issue.
Gaining Popularity But For Its Intended Population
Despite the fact that a gluten-free diet is primarily indicated for those with celiac disease and non-gluten celiac sensitivity, the diet has increased in popularity, even among those who are not allergic to gluten. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, gluten-free alternatives to traditional foods accounted for nearly $1.6 billion in sales in 2015, with most of the growth driven by consumers for whom being gluten-free is not medically necessary.
On the flip side, those who should be eliminating gluten from their diets may not be doing so.
Up to 85% of individuals who have celiac disease dont know it because they write their symptoms off or change their diets without being tested, said Julie Stefanski, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Rather than diagnosing yourself, work with a reputable gastroenterologist, coupled with an experienced registered dietitian who specializes in GI disorders.
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How Do I Get Started With A Gluten
If youre interested in trying a gluten-free diet, talk to a physician or a registered dietitian. They can guide you toward a balanced eating plan that meets your unique nutritional needs.
Tips for making dietary changes if you have celiac disease include:
- Check for warnings on packages. Many products that dont contain gluten may have been processed in a facility where there are gluten products.
- Keep kitchen utensils, dishes and other food prep items that are used for gluten-containing foods separate from your utensils.
- Read ingredient labels carefully to check for any traces of wheat. Some artificial colors and seasonings also contain gluten.
- Substitute oat, buckwheat, quinoa or other gluten-free or alternative grain flours for wheat flour in cooking and baking.
Not Everyone Should Eat A Gluten
Unless you have gluten intolerance, a wheat allergy, or celiac disease, there are no benefits of eating gluten-free. Following a gluten-free diet will not make you healthier. Unfortunately, it can have the opposite effect if you dont eat a diverse and balanced diet.
If you suspect that you have problems with foods with gluten, you should consult your doctor before going gluten-free. Your doctor can evaluate your history and symptoms and provide you with the right next steps.
Eating gluten-free in an attempt to diagnose and treat your symptoms without guidance from a doctor can result in more significant problems down the line.
For example, celiac disease has a genetic link that you can pass down to your children. You can also experience medical complications from celiac disease with continued exposure to gluten.
Understanding the actual cause of your gut problems can make all the difference.
If you want to improve your gut health, you can contact our office at 806-696-4440 or schedule an appointment online.
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What About Autism Epilepsy And Schizophrenia
Some people are concerned that gluten could be linked with developmental differences or medical conditions. This is a misconception. While gluten intolerance may be more likely in these populations, there is no evidence that eating gluten causes these differences.
The following sections explore this in more detail.
Autism
concluded that there is little evidence that a gluten-free diet has benefits for the symptoms of autism in children.
Epilepsy
There may be a link between celiac disease and epilepsy.
In a small 2016 study of 113 people with epilepsy, around 6% tested positive for celiac disease.
In this study, 6 out of 7 of these patients had their seizures completely under control and were able to discontinue antiepileptic medications after 5 months on the gluten-free diet.
This suggests that people with epilepsy and celiac disease will benefit from a gluten-free diet.
Schizophrenia
People with schizophrenia may be more likely to have celiac disease.
A found that a gluten-free diet may benefit a subpopulation of people with schizophrenia who have a sensitivity to gluten.
However, more research is needed before recommending a gluten-free diet for a person with schizophrenia.
Is Gluten Free Good For Autism
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If gluten and casein were eliminated, symptoms and behaviors of autism would be alleviated. Some parents have started their children on an alternative diet for Autism at a different age than usual, and the child has developed more social skills, behavior, and learning as a result.
It has been discovered that gluten affects the intestinal barrier and the blood brain barrier in the same way that it affects the intestinal barrier. A correlation has been discovered between celiac disease and autism, and comorbid conditions have also been linked. It is critical to understand that a gluten-free diet does not guarantee that a child will meet all of his or her dietary needs . Other confound factors may still play a role in symptoms and hinder their potential benefits. According to one study, autism has improved in terms of overall traits, social isolation, and ability to communicate and interact. Parents of 80% of children with autism reported some kind of dietary intervention. In 29% of cases, gluten-free and casein-free diets were discovered.
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Learn More About Gluten
Do you make a point of eating gluten-free foods? According to the Institute of Food Technologists, “gluten is a protein that naturally occurs in a number of grains such as wheat, triticale, barley, rye and oats.” Gluten is actually a large protein formed from two smaller proteins, glutenin and gliadin. Gluten is formed when the two smaller proteins are hydrated and join together to form a new protein. It is responsible for giving bread its chewy texture and can be found in a wide variety of foods including everything from salad dressing to beer.
For some people, going gluten-free is an absolute necessity. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the body’s ability to process gluten the body mounts an immune response that attacks and damages the small intestine, preventing it from absorbing nutrients. About 1 percent of the U.S. population has celiac disease. Some people who do not test positive for celiac disease still experience gluten sensitivity. While not an autoimmune disorder, people with gluten sensitivity may have gastrointestinal symptoms similar to those with celiac disease.
Do you think eating little or no gluten is beneficial to ones health, even without celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten?
Will I Go Through Gluten Withdrawal If I Start Eating Gluten
Theres no scientific evidence to suggest that people actually go through withdrawal when they stop eating gluten. Some people report feeling dizziness, nausea, extreme hunger and even anxiety and depression when they suddenly go from eating a lot of gluten to being gluten-free. These symptoms usually go away after a few weeks on a gluten-free diet, but talk to your health care provider if they persist.
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What To Do If You Have Symptoms
If you have diarrhoea or you are vomiting, its important to keep yourself well hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Some people find that taking medication to treat constipation, diarrhoea or headaches can ease symptoms, but check with your pharmacist or GP.
The most important thing is to get back onto your gluten free diet to try to prevent further symptoms.
If your symptoms are very severe or do not improve, speak to your GP.
Coeliac UK support gluten free food safety for people with coeliac disease and gluten related conditions. To find out more, click here.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Celiac Disease And How Is It Diagnosed
Unlike celiac disease, where the body attacks the small intestine and creates damage, people with NCGS do not show they have elevated inflammation. NCGS sufferers also do not have the antibodies that people with celiac disease produce. But they do have remarkably similar gastrointestinal symptoms as well as non-GI symptoms , Dr. Mukherjee says.
Doctors also cant give a lab test to diagnose NCGS a GI doctor would likely make the call based on negative tests for celiac, symptoms that appear from eating gluten-containing foods, and symptoms that go away once a patient goes gluten-free, she explains.
But for both of these groups, going on a gluten-free diet is often the best course of action to control symptoms. Yet for a person managing celiac, it is even more critical to prevent the inflammation and intestinal damage that consuming gluten creates.
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Trying To Maintain A Gluten
- Going Gluten Free: Cutting out gluten, a protein found in grains like wheat, rye or barley, is truly beneficial only to some. If you are healthy, it may even carry risks.
- Gluten-Free Bread: Are gluten-free loaves more nutritious than their wheat-based counterparts? It depends on your individual circumstances.
Gluten-free substitute foods tend to have more fat, more sugar and more salt than gluten-containing counterparts, in general, Dr. Lebwohl added. Gluten provides elasticity in dough and helps thicken various processed foods, so it can also be found in products like energy bars and deli meats. To compensate for the loss of texture, Dr. Lebwohl said, gluten-free substitutes are often less healthy.
Starting a gluten-free diet can also interfere with the ability to detect celiac disease, said Dr. Lebwohl, because the two abnormalities picked up by the primary testing tools for celiac disease a blood test, which looks for certain antibodies, and a biopsy, which looks for intestinal damage can normalize after just a few weeks of eliminating gluten.
One of the frustrating scenarios for both doctor and patient is when a patient has a number of symptoms, starts a gluten-free diet, feels a lot better maybe 90 percent better but we still dont know if they have celiac or not, he said. If someone is experiencing symptoms that might be related to celiac disease, that person should get tested first, before starting a gluten-free diet.
Food Labelling And Gluten
All packaged foods have ingredient labels printed on the box, package or bottle. There are three methods of finding suitable foods by reading the labelling. These include looking for:
- foods carrying the Coeliac Australia Endorsement logo
- foods labelled gluten free’
- foods made for the general market that do not contain ingredients derived from gluten-containing grains.
Under mandatory labelling standards, all ingredients and food additives derived from wheat, rye, barley, or oats must be declared in the ingredient list of foods sold in Australia. The use of an allergen summary statement is also now mandatory gluten must be declared as Contains gluten, if present.
There is an Australian Food Standard for processed foods labelled gluten free. When foods labelled gluten free are tested there must be no detectable gluten.
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Possible Risks Of Eating Gluten
A 2015 study that reviewed records of patients presenting for evaluation in celiac disease clinics found that 11% had at some point avoided gluten without a diagnosis of celiac disease. Reasons given for adopting the gluten-free diet included lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome . A 2012 study of 579 children and adolescents found that 7.4% were avoiding gluten without a celiac disease diagnosis. The study found that the strongest predictors of participants following the gluten-free diet included irritability, family history of celiac disease, bowel movement changes, diarrhea, and autism .
Some evidence indicates that there are significant drawbacks to following the gluten-free diet. For example, gluten-free processed grain products are often lower in fiber, iron, zinc, and potassium . The gluten-free diet also may increase the risks for nutritional deficiencies, especially in B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals . In addition, gluten-free products continue to be significantly more expensive. A 2015 study found that gluten-free bread and bakery products were on average 267% more expensive than gluten-containing breads, and gluten-free cereals were found to be 205% more expensive than gluten-containing cereals .
Gluten And Health Benefits
Gluten is most often associated with wheat and wheat-containing foods that are abundant in our food supply. Negative media attention on wheat and gluten has caused some people to doubt its place in a healthful diet. There is little published research to support these claims in fact published research suggests the opposite.
In a 2017 study of over 100,000 participants without celiac disease, researchers found no association between long-term dietary gluten consumption and heart disease risk. In fact, the findings also suggested that non-celiac individuals who avoid gluten may increase their risk of heart disease, due to the potential for reduced consumption of whole grains.
- Many studies have linked whole grain consumption with improved health outcomes. For example, groups with the highest intakes of whole grains including wheat compared with groups eating the lowest amounts were found to have significantly lower rates of heart disease and stroke, development of type 2 diabetes, and deaths from all causes.
Gluten may also act as a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria in our bodies. Arabinoxylan oligosaccharide is a prebiotic carbohydrate derived from wheat bran that has been shown to stimulate the activity of bifidobacteria in the colon. These bacteria are normally found in a healthy human gut. Changes in their amount or activity have been associated with gastrointestinal diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome.
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If You Are Allergic To Wheat
For people with a wheat allergy, avoid foods that contain gluten. Although not all grains contain gluten, many also have the protein that triggers an immune response in their bodies and can cause symptoms such as a skin rash, headache or sneezing. People with celiac disease can still eat grains other than wheat, including barley and rye.
People With Celiac Disease
A gluten-free diet is necessary for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune response to gluten that causes the body to attack the small intestine, causing belly pain, nausea, bloating or diarrhea. People with celiac disease cant tolerate gluten in any form, and need to follow a gluten-free diet for the rest of their lives. If you have celiac and accidentally eat gluten, youll probably experience the same symptoms you did before you went gluten-free.
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Who Really Has A Food Allergy
Although many people are self-diagnosing coeliac disease, a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance, experts think milder cases of coeliac disease often go undiagnosed.
If you’re experiencing symptoms, it’s important to rule out coeliac disease by being tested, especially if you have a family history of it.
According to the NHS, continuing to eat gluten can lead to serious complications for those with the disease, including osteoporosis, iron-deficiency anaemia, and vitamin B12- and folate-deficiency anaemia.
Less common and more serious complications include some types of cancers. Coeliac UK research finds the average time it takes to be diagnosed is 13 years.
Gluten Is The Protein Present In Grains Like Wheat And Sooji And If You Have Diabetes You Must Consume Foods That Maintain Keep Your Blood Sugar Levels Stable Let’s Find Out If Gluten
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High blood sugar diet: Different types of wheat include a protein called gluten. It aids in the preservation of food by essentially serving as a glue to hold the food together. However, some people are unable to consume gluten. In fact, this applies to any food that has gluten, a protein that is typically present in wheat, semolina, cereals, and a number of other grains.
The American Diabetes Association estimates that 1 in 100 people have celiac disease. There may be a hereditary connection between diabetes and celiac disease conditions since it is believed that 6% of persons with type 1 diabetes also have celiac disease. Both illnesses have an inflammatory component that triggers the immune system to attack body tissues or organs like the pancreas or intestines.
And if you have diabetes, you must eat foods that are free of gluten in addition to foods that maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Maintaining a gluten-free diet that is suitable for diabetes management is challenging.
Although you should talk to your doctor to learn how to manage your blood sugar while following a gluten-free diet.
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Can Make Socializing Difficult
Many social situations revolve around food.
This can make it difficult to socialize if youre following a gluten-free diet. While many restaurants have gluten-free options, theres still a risk of food being contaminated with traces of gluten .
Celiac disease is also associated with a significant social burden, which can make traveling and eating at restaurants more challenging .
That said, you can still socialize while following a gluten-free diet. It simply requires a little extra preparation beforehand.
For example, if youre eating out, call the restaurant beforehand to see if they have gluten-free options. If youre going to a social gathering, you can eat ahead of time or bring your own food.
Summary
People who follow a gluten-free diet may be at risk of nutritional deficiencies and prone to constipation. Following a gluten-free diet can also be quite expensive and may make social situations difficult.
These tips can help you follow a gluten-free diet successfully:
If you dont have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, theres no need to follow a gluten-free diet. While it has many health benefits, it also limits some foods that are great for overall health.
Summary
Though certain situations may arise that can make it hard to stick to a gluten-free diet, taking steps such as reading food labels and planning ahead can help.
