Gluten Free and Wheat Free Diets - It's a Wheaty Issue!
Wheat, cultivated centuries ago by our ancestors, is still ever
present in our dining tables today in the form of fresh breads,
scrumptious pasta, baked goodies, decadent sweets, “healthy” cereals,
energy bars, health drinks, and many other stuff displayed in
supermarket counters. Hence, we believe this main food ingredient is all
good for us. Right? Wrong.
Wheat—along with its cousins rye, barley, and other related
grains—contain a protein substance called gluten, which is identified as
the main culprit for the development of an autoimmune digestive disorder
known as celiac disease. Gluten attacks the thin lining of the small
intestine, triggering an inflammatory reaction that affects the ability
of the intestine to absorb nutrients from food. Celiac disease,
otherwise known as gluten intolerance, carry a wide range of symptoms
from recurring diarrhea, abdominal cramps and bloating, weight loss,
stunted growth in children, constant fatigue, erratic mood changes,
depression, to tooth discoloration caused by the wasting away of tooth
enamel and even numbness of the lower extremities. While some people
experience most if not all these, others exhibit very mild or no
symptoms at all. Take note that if left undiagnosed, celiac disease can
progressively result to carcinoma or lymphoma in the gastrointestinal
tract.
Aside from celiac disease, another disorder linked with gluten
hypersensitivity is dermatitis herpetiformis, a skin disease
characterized by intensely itchy plaques and blisters scattered all over
the body particularly on the elbows, knees, scalp, the back, and even
the buttocks. The burning and itching sensations in the affected parts
causes major discomfort in patients.
The only known effective treatment for these gluten-caused disorders
is strict adherence to a 100-percent gluten-free diet. This sounds easy
but can be quite challenging since we sometimes ingest gluten, even in
minute amounts, without knowing it. A gluten-free diet means eating
anything made from wheat, barley, or rye. Unless these are scrapped from
the menu, healing of the intestinal linings can never begin.
A first step to healing is always proper diagnosis. It won’t hurt to
go to the doctor and consult about your problem. Intolerance to gluten
is usually confirmed by blood tests. If the results are positive, the
doctor may recommend symptomatic treatments as well as lifestyle and
dietary changes. A dietician is always the best person to go to when you
want to start your gluten-free diet. Ask questions and as much as
possible follow religiously what the dietician instructs. They know what
to do, that’s why they’re the experts.
A gluten-free diet allows intestinal healing and prevention of any
further damage. Some patients observe improvement of their symptoms
after a couple of weeks. Normally, healing is completed within an
average of three to six months for children and young adults, and
longer, even a few years, for older adults. In rare cases, patients may
be unresponsive to this type of diet because their intestines may have
undergone almost-irreparable damage by the time the diet is begun.
Health workers, doctors, and specialists strongly advise that a
gluten-free diet should be started only after gluten intolerance is
diagnosed. It is said that starting the diet before the disorder is
confirmed will make the diagnosis difficult. Once confirmed, however,
the diet much be started immediately and must be followed for the rest
of the patient’s life.
Note that although gluten intolerance affects only 1 percent of the
U.S. population, one can never be sure if he or she is safe. So before
you gobble another helping of creamy pasta or sink those pearly whites
into that tempting butter cake, think about your gut. Remember that
anything that harms the gut harms your overall health. |
