According to our friends at the National Institutes of Health, gluten intolerance has hit an all time high and is increasing daily. The NIH has embarking on a heightened awareness campaign for health professionals. Scores of people who have symptoms are realizing they might be sufferers, as well.
It is considered to be the most under-diagnosed common disease, potentially affecting 1 in 133 Americans. You may have innocently suffered for years with the symptoms of gluten intolerance without an inkling that your health malady was caused by crusty the delicious French bread, pasta, white rice and other flour-based foods you eat every day.
Good news! If you have gluten problems, the prognosis is excellent. Sticking to a strict gluten-free diet is the only treatment that will allow your small intestines to heal and begin absorbing nutrition from food. Most people report feeling healthier almost immediately. How wonderful!
What to Look for
Read Labels! Good snacks include gluten-free rice cakes, corn chips, nuts and dried or fresh fruit. Shop online or find a local store that carries what you like, or better yet, make some of your own treats. Most significantly, educate yourself and don't forget to read ingredient labels.
When mobile, you can pack a cooler with perishable, gluten-free items such as unprocessed meat like fresh turkey breast or lean ham, tempeh, string cheese, blue corn chips, organic gluten-free food bars, rice or spelt bread PB&J sandwiches, and organic yogurt or kefir. Keep them conveniently stashed in your car or office.
Common Pitfalls
It is a chronic, inherited disease, and if untreated can ultimately lead to malnutrition, child behavioral problems, growth failure, learning and concentration problems, anemia, chronic fatigue, weakness, migraines and tingling hands.
Gluten intolerance is now a recognized cause of brain calcification, epilepsy, dementia and psychiatric disturbances. It is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon or Crohn's disease. In genetically predisposed patients, gluten is not healthy for brain function.
If you have reason to be concerned about gluten sensitivity, get tested by a PCP before treating yourself. It's ill advised to begin a gluten-free diet before being tested for celiac--you may cause the gut to heal temporarily and an accurate diagnosis will be missed.
Gluten is ubiquitous. MSG, which causes rapid heart rate, is manufactured with gluten. Sausages contain breadcrumbs. Burgers and meatloaf include bread or other wheat products as filler and binder. Fake crab sticks appearing to be made entirely of fish contain wheat flour or modified starch. Soy sauce is almost always made by fermenting soy beans and wheat together. Watch out for words like maltase or maltodextrin, both of which contain gluten.
Wheat flour is often embedded in ice cream, ketchup, mayonnaise and instant coffee. Pre-packed grated cheese is coated in flour or modified starch to prevent it from sticking together in the packet. Go for locally made organic cheese from a local dairy and grate your own as you need it. Sorry, but whiskey, beer and malted drinks are on the list of no-nos.
