What is all this fuss about gluten?
Is there really a health concern, or is it just another trendy diet fad?
Evidence is now very strong that eating gluten is detrimental to your health, even if you do not have any outright symptoms of sensitivity, and even in very small amounts. Why is this?
First of all, there is no enzyme in the human digestive tract that properly breaks down gluten. It causes inflammation in everyone, even if there are no symptoms. Gluten causes the production of a hormone called zonulin which damages the integrity of the intestinal wall, causing gaps between the cells. This leads to the absorption of food molecules that are not meant to be in your blood stream. These abnormal food molecules cause an abnormal activation of the immune system which can lead to tissue damage from auto-immune disease.
Autoimmune disease disrupts the normal function of the immune system and causes damage to the cells of a variety of glands and organs in the body. This results in chronic inflammation and reduces the ability of your immune system to eliminate disease, including viruses and cancer. Affected organs and glands are unable to function optimally. Often times, you will not notice symptoms associated with gluten-induced inflammation until the condition is quite advanced and the damage is much harder to repair.
There is actually an advantage to having a direct intestinal reaction to gluten every time you eat it. Why? You are more likely to stop eating it sooner than those who have no immediate symptoms.
Having a healthy gut is essential to good overall health. 70% of your immune system resides in your gut, so without a healthy gut, your ability to eliminate disease, including cancer is diminished.
Gluten also causes damage to the blood brain barrier, leading to inflammatory changes that lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Gluten is a component of common grains including wheat, rye and barley. It is also found in non-grain ingredients as an additive to many processed foods.
Where is gluten found?
*Grains and grain products from wheat, rye, and barley
*Beer(gluten-free options are available)
*Soy sauce
*Skin and hair products
*Cross-contamination at restaurants
*Vitamins and supplements
*Many food additives contain gluten(see resources for the list)
Look for gluten-free labelling!
Is avoiding gluten just a fad – definitely NO!! Chances are that your health will be dramatically improved if you stop eating gluten. But don’t believe me, try if for yourself, and see if you see improvements such as more energy, less brain fog, fewer aches and pains, better sleep, healthier skin and more comfortable digestion.
For a complete list of food ingredients that can contain gluten, go to: https://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsafe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Unsafe-Ingredients/Page1.html
To your health!