Many of you are probably wondering what's with Gluten?? You may be asking what's the big deal about Gluten?? Well, it is and it is not a big deal, depending on how your body deals with it.
For individuals with Coeliac disease, this is crucial and non-negotiable, as even a microscopic amount of gluten can cause severe illness if it enters their digestive system. I will discuss this in more detail later. On the other hand, some people are only mildly affected.
Why?
Some people have a predisposition to developing an intolerance or, allergy to gluten; or Ceoliac's Disease, an autoimmune disorder. The genes that tell your body to produce the enzyme to break down gluten may be faulty, or not working at all.
To put it simply, these genes can be turned off, and something turns them on - such as major stressful event, major illness, exposure to chemicals at work, home, environment.
What's the difference between intolerance, sensitivity and allergy?
Intolerance - this is when an individual is able to eat wheat and gluten containing foods in small amounts. You can begin to experience digestive and other symptoms when your body has reached its limit; this threshold is different for everyone. If you want to know what yours is, you'll need to monitor this. Then you'll be able to prevent digestive issues, and any other issues you may experience.
Allergy, or sensitity, to wheat or gluten can be a little more serious, as your immune system is reacting to the protein, which can produce mild to life threatening symptoms such as:
runny nose
itchy eyes
nausea
bloating
constipation
difficulty breathing
Other symptoms that people may not associate with being gluten intolerant, or having Ceoliac's disease are:
in children failure to thrive, poor health
iron deficiency
brain fog
joint pain
skin rash, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis
Coeliac Disease
This is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system attacks its self; in this case your intestinal system, the lining. It damages the little hair like projects (villi) that are all over your intestines, which can become flattened. This is where nutrients are absorbed, and when there are less of these little 'hairs' then there is reduced surface area for nutrients to be absorbed.
It produces a lot of digestive issues, along with weight loss, irritability, depression, fatigue, anxiety, iron/B12 and/or folate deficiency.
What does gluten do to my body?
Once you have eaten wheat and gluten containing foods, your body obviously has to break it down. This is where the 'fun' begins, as once broken down, it produces zonulin. Now this is the main bad guy! It is the one that activates your immune system, following the 'allergy' path, which then go on to produce other chemicals in your body.
These molecules then go on to do all sorts of things throughout your body, in particular your intestinal lining. Here it can affect how nutrients are absorbed, as well as, letting unwanted components to re-enter your system. It can also go on to cause other intestinal issues such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD).
If your body is not able to breakdown gluten well, apart from the obvious digestive issues it causes you, it also produces inflammation. And, continuous inflammation can also lead to other health issues such as:
hormonal imbalances
poor concentration
overactive or underactive, immune system
develop other food intolerances
liver issues
What to do?
Some of you may want to cut out gluten altogether from your diet, and you realise that you feel so much better....which is great! Others may want to seek assistance in resolving their health issues.
Either way is great, but seeing someone like me (a nutritionist) will give you better results. WHY? Because I can identify related issues you might overlook and develop a plan to guide you toward achieving optimal health. Eliminating gluten, whether temporarily or permanently, is only part of the equation. The other involves restoring your digestive system to peak health, ensuring it functions as effectively and efficiently as possible for you!
If you would like to learn more about this, I have developed a D.I.Y course which looks at How to Navigate Being Gluten, Dairy and Sugar Free.
I hope that helps to clarify a few things for you. Feel free to contact me if you need futher support.
References
Health Direct - Coeliac Disease - https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/coeliac-disease
Harvard Health Publishing - Food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity: What's the difference, and why does it matter? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/food-allergy-intolerance-or-sensitivity-whats-the-difference-and-why-does-it-matter-2020013018736
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