Gluten-Free: Just another Diet Fad?

Before I had to go gluten-free for health purposes, I actually thought many people were doing it because it seemed like a new fad. People tend to be followers, so I wrote off the gluten-free diet as another hoax... Until I had to go gluten-free myself.

Let's take a closer look at what gluten actually is.

Gluten is :

- The mixture of proteins, including gliadins and glutelins, found in wheat grains, which are not soluble in water and which give wheat dough its elastic texture.

- Any of the prolamins found in cereal grains, especially the prolamins in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats, that cause digestive disorders such as celiac disease. But celiac is not the only disorder associated with gluten.

When a person is gluten intolerant it creates an abnormal immune response when the gluten is broken down in the digestive tract causing stomach issues. Celiac is the most well known form of gluten intolerance, but scientists are now discovering that individuals can also be gluten sensitive without having Celiac disease. In those who are sensitive it can cause skin, respiratory and digestive problems. Many gluten sensitive individuals may also experience symptoms related with Celiac Disease which include, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue, but there intestines are not as damaged as someone who has Celiac.

For some, going gluten-free is about following the newest diet, but for others it is not a choice. It's comparable to a food allergy because your body reacts the same way it would by producing histamines. Many people are discovering more and more everyday that living without gluten has diminished many symptoms they had for years. I went gluten free because I have an enlarged thyroid (Goiter) and hypothyroidism. Once I went gluten free, weight that I struggled with started falling off. I have had stomach issues since I was a young preteen.

 I saw a gastroenterologist when I was twenty years old. I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy done. The doctor found inflammation in my colon and said I had Bacterial Colitis. All he sent me away with was instructions to take Imodium daily because I had diarrhea every day, sometimes multiple times per day.  I didn't like the idea of ingesting those chemicals everyday for the rest of my life. Since I have gone gluten free my symptoms have subsided. But if I accidentally have a no-no item, they come flushing back. My hope for you reading this is that you will be educated concerning the gluten-free diet. Don't follow the crowd. Do your research. Your health is in your hands.

For more information, check out the links below:

http://www.livescience.com/39726-what-is-gluten.html 

http://glutenintoleranceschool.com/gluten-intolerance-symptoms/
http://celiac.org/celiac-disease/non-celiac-gluten-sensitivity/

The Link between Gluten and Thyroid Disorders
http://chriskresser.com/the-gluten-thyroid-connection
http://www.livestrong.com/article/481322-gluten-free-diet-hypothyroidism/