Sensitivity or intolerance to gluten such as that found in people with celiac disease can cause a host of painful symptoms including the most common, experienced as neuropathy, or nerve damage causing painful shooting sensations and numbness in varying body regions. Digestive upset, inflammation, nausea or spasms may also accompany gluten intolerance. Chronic pain can be difficult to manage and disrupt your daily life. The role of gluten in the neurological experience of pain is not fully understood but eliminating it from your diet may help control pain symptoms.
Dietary Gluten
Gluten is a protein found in whole grains including wheat, barley and rye. In people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder of the digestive system, gluten must be eliminated from the diet completely because it causes damage to the small intestine resulting in painful inflammation. Gluten sensitivity in non-celiac patient's is not fully understood. But minimizing consumption of dietary gluten can reduce the pain and discomfort experienced by individuals with possible intolerance to the protein. Before removing gluten-containing foods from your diet consult your physician for recommendations based on your specific health needs.
Gluten-free Foods
The majority of foods with gluten are categorized as grains like breads, pasta and cereals but grains that are naturally gluten-free include corn based products such as cornmeal, pure corn tortillas and hominy grits. White rice, cream of rice, potatoes and starches made with buckwheat, quinoa or amaranth are also gluten free. The majority of fresh fruits and vegetables contain no gluten. Whole, low fat or skim milk, whipping cream, and aged cheeses are gluten-free. Non-breaded seafood, baked and grilled poultry, dried beans, eggs and pork are also gluten-free.
Gluten Removed Foods and Foods To Avoid
The rise in demand for gluten-free products has inspired many packaged food manufacturers to remove gluten from common products. Seek out food packages that are labeled gluten-free or read the ingredients to determine if gluten has been removed. Many pastas, oats, snack foods, imitation or processed meats and even beer beverages are being marketed as gluten-free. Avoid any food labeled as enriched, modified or containing artificial flavors. If you are trying to eliminate gluten completely, avoid these ingredients: malt, wheat germ, couscous, farina, kamut, semolina, monosodium glutamate, graham flour and spelt.
Gluten-free Meal Samples
A gluten-free breakfast idea may include fresh apple slices, a scrambled egg and a half cup of cream of rice cereal topped with blueberries. Add a glass of gluten-free skim milk to nutritionally balance your meal. Try a mixed greens salad with baked chicken chunks and topped with almonds for lunch but check the dressing label to ensure no gluten is in the ingredients. Bake a salmon patty topped with fresh garlic and pepper, add a baked potato with gluten-free cheese and a side of steamed broccoli for a hearty dinner.
Considerations
Removing gluten from your diet also means removing some key nutrients that generally come naturally from whole grains. Although you can get grain servings from non-gluten products you may miss essential B vitamins, fiber and some minerals in your diet. Consult your physician regarding ways to supplement your diet with these nutrients to avoid deficiency problems.
References
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Chronic Pain
- MayoClinic.com; Gluten-Free Diet; January 29, 2010
- Tri-County Health Department; Gluten Free Diets; 2009
- Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology; Gluten-Free Diet; Frank W. Jackson M.D.
- "Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry"; Gluten Sensitivity as a Neurological Illness; M. Hadjivassiliou et al.; 2002
- Current Treatment Options in Neurology; Peripheral Neuropathy and Celiac Disease; R. L. Chin et al.; 2005
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