Can Gluten Free Diets Make You Sick?

   It is possible that gluten free diets can make those people sensitive to substances other than or in addition to gliadin (the gluten found in barley, rye and wheat) feel unwell or even worse. It is possible that gluten free products contain other things that make you sick. Not because they are gluten free, but because you may be sensitive to the sugars or other things in gluten free products. They are usually loaded with various sugars and other starches. So, can a gluten free diet make you sick? I don’t think so. A better answer would be to find out what really bothers you and work from there. We shouldn’t just assume that gluten is the problem for every gastrointestinal ailment.

   Other dietary triggers that can potentially cause gastrointestinal symptoms can include lactose and casein from dairy products, certain preservatives and poorly digested carbohydrates known as FODMAPS. If you are sensitive to gliadin, there has been some research done on cross-reactivity, where your body reacts to peptides similar to wheat gluten. However, as with most studies, there are conflicting results and theories.
   Since gluten is found in grasses and grains, their effect can range from non-toxic to initiating auto-immune responses (such as celiac disease). Even cutting out all grains might not solve your stomach issues, if the real culprit is dairy, or one of the many FODMAPS.
   This further reinforces that we are all different. There is no blanket treatment or diet. There is no one answer that fits all. We can do our best to be tested, if possible, and proceed with caution. I would still suggest eating real food, limit manufactured or processed foods and those foods that contain so many chemicals that you need a Masters in chemistry just to figure out what you are placing in your mouth.
   If you are suffering, I hope that you find relief soon. Take care and may you find and maintain good health.

Are bananas gluten free?

There's a debate brewing as to whether bananas are gluten free. So are they? Kinda sorta with a more detailed explanation needed. While bananas do not have any gluten in them, a person with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance may have issues with them. There's two reasons for this.

Reason #1. Bananas contain a protein called "lectin", which is also found in many “night shade” foods such as potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes. Some individuals with Celiac or gluten intolerance have trouble with "night shade" foods. Lectin is similar to gluten in that it can create an autoimmune response as the body cannot always differentiate between lectin with gluten. It's to the point where some researchers speculate that gluten sensitivity is actually a lectin allergy. Further, many "night shade" foods, including bananas, have been processed with GMOs containing lectin, thereby causing gluten-sensitivity type symptoms.

Reason #2: Bananas also contain a protein called "chitinase", which requires a specific enzyme to break it down once consumed. If this protein is not broken down, abdominal pain or other gastrointestinal discomfort may result. Someone with Celiac Disease has a compromised intestinal system already and does not have the enzyme needed to break down this protein. In addition to the gastrointestinal symptoms, some people experience flushing of skin, headaches, heart palpitations, skin rashes, and numbness or tingling of the mouth. Symptoms occur quickly ... perhaps even moments or a few hours after consuming a food with lectin or chitinase. Just like lectin, chitinase can also trigger an autoimmune response.
Want to know more, check out GlutenHatesme.com. 

Got brain fog?

Like many, one of the things Justin and I struggle with as we get older is "brain fog". You know... the moments when you feel as though you are the "Absent-Minded Professor" at work or at home because you forget all those "little things" you used to recall with ease. Whether it's forgetting to e-mail information to a co-worker, misplacing the checkbook, or driving home and not remembering the last 10 miles, it's frustrating and sometimes down-right distressing. There's hope though. During the last 8 weeks, Justin & I have been pleasantly surprised by all the rewards we have been experiencing by being on a gluten-free diet (with the last two weeks being grain-free altogether). In addition to our stomachs feeling much better, we have also discovered that our memory has dramatically improved. With "the fog lifted", we quickly recall "all those little things" such as words, names, dates, and places that we had to deliberately think about before recalling the details. In addition, we have more energy to enjoy life, can focus on tasks for longer periods of time, and best of all remember more details en route to our destination. Thinking that this could be a fluke, I searched the Internet and ran across the book, The Gluten Effect: How Innocent Wheat is Ruining Your Health by Drs. Vicki & Richard Peterson, D.C, C.C.N., which validates our experience. In their book, they share that studies show a high correlation between gluten-sensitivity and memory loss. In fact, Chapter 20 is devoted to the topic. What is really alarming to me is that dementia and Alzheimers Disease are on the rise, not only affecting the middle-aged and elderly populations, but younger adults too. Further, that research has shown that a high percentage of people experiencing memory loss are actually gluten sensitive.There is hope though... by eliminating gluten from your diet early enough, you can reverse the damage and even improve your memory too!

So what is the difference?

With so many terms flying around, it is really hard at times to figure out what each one means let alone understand the similarities and differences. For example, what is the difference between Gluten Sensitivity vs. Celiac Disease vs. Gluten Intolerance? You may also be surprised to learn that just because a label may say, "gluten-free", it may not be. For more definitive answers, here's a video courtesy of the Gluten-Free Society.