Many people do not realize they have gluten intolerance symptoms, or would even believe that foods like bread or cereal could be making you very sick. Others might suspect that something they are eating is causing health problems, but finding the exact cause can be tricky.
Gluten intolerance is when the body cannot process gluten, a protein that is found in foods such as wheat, barely, and rye. Many foods have hidden sources of gluten, such as malt products. For someone with a gluten intolerance, even the smallest, most minuscule amount of gluten can cause big problems.
Many people confuse gluten intolerance with Celiac Disease. While those with Celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, the primary difference is that those diagnosed with Celiacs not only have the symptoms of gluten intolerance, but they also have visible damage to their intestines from ingesting wheat protein.
Getting tested for gluten intolerance poses a lot of problems for many people because blood tests are often inaccurate, especially if the person has not eaten a lot of gluten prior to the testing. Other procedures for diagnosing Celiac disease may not be accurate since a biopsy is only done on a very small part of the body and therefore could easily miss where there is damage.
Another problem is that many doctors and health care professionals do not want to believe that gluten could be causing all of your problems. Many people who are sensitive to gluten often take matters into their own hands without getting a definite diagnosis, especially if they do not have health insurance. Going from doctor to doctor to finally find one who will test you and taking all of the diagnostic tests can be very time consuming, as well as expensive, especially if you do not have health insurance.
While taking gluten out of your diet is not going to magically heal you overnight, millions of people have already discovered that a gluten free life helps them feel better and live a healthier life. For many, after just a few weeks of starting a gluten free diet, chronic health problems such as digestive problems, sinus problems, and others begin to completely fade away.
Gluten intolerance symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. For many it includes symptoms related to problems with the digestive tract, such as stomach pain, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and fatty stools. However, some people may not have or notice these problems at all and may instead notice these symptoms:
Irritability
Brain Fog
Fatigue
Skin Rash
Cysts
Bone or Joint Pain
Numbness in hands and feet
Tooth Decay
Infertility
Nutritional Deficiencies
Chronic Colds, Flu, Sinusitis Etc.
When you believe you are gluten intolerant, there are two things to do. The first thing to do is talk to your doctor, and make sure you rule out any other underlying problems. If you can convince your doctor to test you for gluten sensitivity, then you will not want to cut any gluten out of your diet just yet – otherwise your tests will not be accurate. You may want to consider talking to an immunologist, which is a doctor that specializes in autoimmune disorders.
Even if your tests come back negative or you are suffering a lot of unexplained symptoms and health problems and your doctor can’t find a cause or solution, you may want to consider going on a gluten free diet for 30 to 60 days. For some, this diet will need to go on longer, but for most, many see a noticeable improvement in just a short time when they have effectively managed to eliminate gluten from their diet.
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