Gluten is a protein found in wheat, spelt, barley, rye and sometimes even oats are contaminated with gluten. There are some people with autoimmune diseases like Celiac or Crohn’s disease and other people who have been diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity whose bodies react to gluten as a foreign substance. The immune response produced causes damage to the surface of the intestines which leads to a malabsorption of nutrients and food.
People with gluten allergy or gluten sensitivity must be very careful not to ingest gluten in any form because this could lead to a cascade response where Malibu sorption occurs and can further lead to symptoms like gas, chronic diarrhea, acid reflux, fatigue, joint pain, muscle cramps, delayed growth in children, and a huge list of other symptoms.
The bad news is that gluten is everywhere! It’s found in baking powders, pastas, beer, and cottage cheese. It can even be found in the adhesives used for stamps and envelopes. This makes elimination of gluten a potentially overwhelming challenge.
The first step in changing to a gluten free diet is proper diagnosis. See your position and have a blood test done to see if you have sensitivity to gluten. If you do test positive for gluten sensitivity you want to start a whole food diet.
This means staying away from processed foods. Go back to eating the old fashion way when our grandmothers cooked for us. They bought meat, fruit, vegetables, and rice. That’s all you ate. That’s a whole food diet. No protein bars, potato chips, frozen dinners, or boxed cereal. All that stuff is processed. When you buy meat, look for organic meat. If the chicken you’re eating was not found a gluten-free diet, then the chicken itself won’t be gluten-free.
The best advice I can give you is to educate yourself on what is and what is not gluten-free. Plan your meals and keep gluten-free snacks available so you are not tempted to eat something you’re not supposed to. For more tips on healthy living follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. I’m Dr. Julio reminding you to turn your illness into wellness.