Gluten Free 101

As promised, I will be your encyclopedia of gluten knowledge. Therefore, I’d like to take this time to give you the opportunity to become one yourself.

First off, what the hell is gluten? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, bran, and oats. It is the “glue” that binds things such as cookies and bread together. Without gluten, ( or some sport of additive acting like the glue) the product would be a crumbly mess. Gluten gives foods that chewy texture we love so much. It also acts as a preservative that prolongs the shelf life of a processed good.

It can be found in any product that has wheat flour in its ingredients, such as pasta, cereals, crackers, tortillas, and cake.  It can also be found in many meat marinades, seeing that all marinades tend to contain soy sauce which is made from wheat. It can also be found in sausage and lunch meet due to the fact that the provider has added gluten as a preservative to make the product last. Soups and chicken broth hold hidden gluten along with taco package seasoning or instant rice. Even candy such as licorice and sushi have wheat flour in it. Oh, and don’t forget about beer. Beer and wheat are a long thriving marriage that will not be getting a divorce anytime soon. So don’t think you are pretty enough to intervene, cause you aren’t. Stay away form beer.

However, this additive called gluten is extremely hard on the human body and difficult for the small intestine to digest.  Someone who may be gluten intolerant suffers from symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, and vomiting. Other symptoms may include rashes or hives. 

Celiac Disease is an auto immune disorder that prevents individuals from ever passing any amount of gluten what-so-ever. One in 133 Americans have it. Gluten injures the lining of the small intestine of people with Celiacs as it destroys the vili in the small intestine. Vili are tiny, fingerlike projections in the small intestine that absorb the nutrients from food. Because of this, Celiacs is considered an autoimmune disease. This injury can result in weight loss, bloating, diarrhea, gas, abdominal cramps, and/or vitamin and mineral deficiencies and even death. When patients totally eliminate gluten from the diet, the lining of the intestine has a chance to heal. However, the real issue is that nine out of ten people with celiac disease do not even know they have it. 

A simple blood test can be given to decipher, but doctors never offer the test for one reason. There is no money involved in a Celiac diagnosis. Doctors will diagnosis you with everything from stress to irritable bowel before they diagnose you with a simple prescription of a gluten free diet because you have celiac disease.  Another issue is that Celiacs Disease can have a variety of symptoms.  They typical ones are extreme bloating and abdominal pain, extreme constipation, or extreme diarrhea, every day. Making it pretty hard to wear that tight dress or go anywhere that’s not five feet from a bathroom if ya know what I’m saying. However, constant migraines, achy joints, curious rashes, conquer sores, fatigue, infertility, and high liver levels are also indications of Celiac’s Disease. 

So if you have unexplained issues with your health that you are making constant excuses for, do a little research. You may find that one of your bizarre qualities is really pointing to something else going wrong in your body. But, before you start yourself on a gluten free diet, talk to your doctor first. This simple blood test will not work if you are already on a g-free diet. When you expell gluten from your system, your gut starts to heal, and you won't have the markers in your blood or your gut tissue that indicate celiac disease any longer. This will make the test results say you are not allergic to gluten when in fact you really are.

So take a little time to educate yourself. It may change your life in more ways then you even realize.