Medical Conditions

What are the most common conditions that cause people to eat "Gluten Free"?

• Wheat Allergy
• People with a wheat allergy have an immediate immune reaction to any of the hundreds of proteins found in wheat. Gluten is a mix of proteins in wheat.  So someone with a wheat allergy could have a gluten allergy or could not.
• Only 4% of adult Americans have a food allergy, so the likelihood that you'll meet someone with a wheat allergy is very low.
• Reaction
• The reaction can be caused by ingesting wheat or the person's skin coming into contact with wheat.
• The immune system reacts very fast (within minutes to a few hours) and can involve a range of symptoms from nausea, abdominal pain, itching, swelling of the lips and tongue, hives, to trouble breathing, or anaphylaxis (a life-threatening reaction).
• Luckily 65% of children out-grow the allergy, but adults with the allergy have it for life.
• Test
• An allergist can do a skin prick test for a wheat allergy.

• Celiac Autoimmune Disease
• Celiac is a genetic autoimmune disorder that causes a whole body immune reaction when gluten is ingested. I like to refer to my "gluten episodes"(times where I accidentally ingest gluten) as "the gluten flu" since it lasts 3-5 days for me and feels very similar to having the flu.
• Only 1% of Americans are estimated to have Celiac.
• Reaction
• When gluten is ingested it causes damage to the cells that line the small intestine.  This can lead to malabsorption of nutrients. There are over 300 identified symptoms of Celiac.
• Some common symptoms: anemia, anxiety, bloating, gas, constipation, delayed growth, depression, diarrhea, discolored teeth, fatigue, migraines, infertility, irritability, joint pain, mouth sores, thin bones, and tingling and numbness.
• Some of my own personal symptoms: lifelong severe allergies (I'm talking- had all carpet in the house removed, slept on a water bed, often slept with a dust mask on, would have asthma attacks if I went in a house where someone used to own a cat), lifelong asthma, broken bones, infertility/no menstruation, thyroid level issues, tonsil issues, depression, anxiety, irritability, acid reflux, IBS, migraines, carpal tunnel syndrome, my week long hospitalization for dehydration, ADHD, hot flashes, stomach pain, bloating, vomiting, bathroom issues, and I'm sure more.
• Test
• There are many tests that can be used to test for Celiac including: blood tests, intestinal and stomach biopsies, and DNA profiling.
• Very important notes: 
• No one test is very accurate.  Many of the tests have high false positive rates, as high as 50%!  This means a person can take the test, have Celiac, and there's still a 50% chance the test will tell them they do not have the disease.  Therefore, most doctors will do many tests before they make a diagnosis. 

• Duhring's Disease = Dermatitis Herpetiformis = Gluten Rash = Celiac Rash
• 15-25% of individuals with Celiac disease experience an itchy, stinging skin condition that is often difficult to diagnose.  (.25% of Americans!)
• Reaction
• Skin contact with gluten-containing foods and products has not been shown to cause outbreaks.
• The rash usually occurs around time periods of gluten ingestion and appears on the elbows, knees, and buttocks and it is typically symmetrical (meaning it appears on both sides of the body).  The rash goes away spontaneously after a week or many months.  When it disappears it can leave brown or pale marks on the skin where pigmentation is lost.
• Test
• A skin biopsy of one of the blisters is the only way to test for this disease

• Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity = Gluten Sensitivity = Gluten Intolerant
• Gluten Sensitivity is still in the earliest stages of understanding.  It was thought that people with this condition only experienced discomfort symptoms and did not have any internal long-term damage, but it has been proven recently that NCGS does and is similar to Celiac.  Currently research has not confirmed that gluten is the culprit, but symptoms improve on a gluten-free diet.
• The majority of people you meet who have a gluten food sensitivity will have this condition. It's the most commonly occurring and estimated to affect up to 6% of Americans.
• Reaction
• “foggy mind”, depression, ADHD-like behavior, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, bone or joint pain, and chronic fatigue
• 
  
• Test
• There are no definite tests or biomarkers.  Diagnosis is currently determined by ruling out Celiac Disease and Wheat Allergy, and determining if improvement is seen on a gluten-free diet.

• Preference / Diet
• Some people adopt a gluten-free life as a way to lose weight and be healthier.  The gluten-free diet is healthier for people with gluten related food sensitivities.  Others may find the diet makes them feel better, but this may be attributed to the fact that they also incidentally increase their meat and veggie intake. Gluten-free baked goods designed to be similar to popular baked goods frequently have twice as many calories as the original gluten version.

How do they treat these types of food hypersensitivities?

Diet changes are the only known way to treat these issues with gluten/wheat.  This is both good and bad.  Good:  The individuals don't have to take medicine.   At least there is a treatment! Celiac individuals should feel lucky! Other autoimmune diseases have no known treatments.  Bad: Unless the individuals only eat food they've prepared, they won't always have control of their situation. Those who are very sensitive can say no to pot lucks, fast food, and frequently dining out. Go ahead and introduce yourself now to some frequently asked questions, your diet restrictions will unfortunately come up often now.

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