Should You Go Gluten-Free?
If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, the answer is easy: Yes, you have to. But if you just want to give the diet a spin, know this: It's a giant pain in the butt. Giving up gluten may sound as basic as cutting out bread or eating less pasta, but this isn't just another version of the low-carb craze. Because gluten makes foods thick and tasty, it is added to everything from salad dressing to soy sauce to seasonings.
Besides the hassle, you can end up with serious nutritional deficiencies. "Gluten-free doesn't necessarily equal healthy, especially when people yank vitamin-enriched and wholegrain foods from their diets and replace them with gluten free brownies," says Case. In fact, research suggests that those who forgo gluten may be more likely to miss out on important nutrients such as iron, B vitamins, and fiber.
This is where careful meal planning comes in, which may explain why some people feel so good when they go G-free: They're eating real food instead of ultraprocessed packaged fare. "If you skip the gluten-free goodies and focus on fruits, vegetables, lean protein, dairy, and gluten free grains like amaranth and quinoa, this can be a very healthy way of eating," says Marlisa Brown, R.D., author of Gluten-Free, Hassle Free. "But you can't just wing it."(http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/gluten-free-diet)
If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, the answer is easy: Yes, you have to. But if you just want to give the diet a spin, know this: It's a giant pain in the butt. Giving up gluten may sound as basic as cutting out bread or eating less pasta, but this isn't just another version of the low-carb craze. Because gluten makes foods thick and tasty, it is added to everything from salad dressing to soy sauce to seasonings.
Besides the hassle, you can end up with serious nutritional deficiencies. "Gluten-free doesn't necessarily equal healthy, especially when people yank vitamin-enriched and wholegrain foods from their diets and replace them with gluten free brownies," says Case. In fact, research suggests that those who forgo gluten may be more likely to miss out on important nutrients such as iron, B vitamins, and fiber.
This is where careful meal planning comes in, which may explain why some people feel so good when they go G-free: They're eating real food instead of ultraprocessed packaged fare. "If you skip the gluten-free goodies and focus on fruits, vegetables, lean protein, dairy, and gluten free grains like amaranth and quinoa, this can be a very healthy way of eating," says Marlisa Brown, R.D., author of Gluten-Free, Hassle Free. "But you can't just wing it."(http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/gluten-free-diet)
WHAT IS GLUTEN: Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye. Most of us unknowingly love it, because gluten gives our favorite foods that special touch: It makes pizza dough stretchy, gives bread its spongy texture, and is used to thicken sauces and soups.
Experts once thought celiac disease was a rare disorder, believed to affect one in every 10,000 people. But an Archives of Internal Medicine study in 2003 suggests that celiac disease is far more prevalent than anyone had suspected, affecting one in 133 Americans. With increased testing and awareness, more people realized why they felt sick after eating a piece of bread, and food companies discovered a new market.
Now another problem is emerging, and experts are referring to it as nonceliac gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity can lead to similar celiac symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhea, and bloating. But unlike celiac, sensitivity doesn't damage the intestine.(http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/gluten-free-diet)
Now I am gluten intolerant. I had no idea for many years probably because I have had so many health concerns and battled so many symptoms from the chronic Lyme and neurological Lyme that some other things have been missed over the years until my body was screaming. I have pretty much been gluten free now for about 9 weeks and though the first 2 weeks were pretty difficult I am not hungry less of the time, have fewer upset stomachs and nights spent battling indigestion, I am losing weight and feel tired less of the time! I have also gotten even more creative with my cooking!
Check out the following articles below to help you on your go-gluten free journey!:
1.) How to Go Gluten-Free, Nine Steps to Ditch the Gluten By Jane Anderson. http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/theglutenfreediet/tp/How-To-Go-Gluten-Free.htm
2.) Gluten Sensitivity vs. Celiac Disease, What's the Difference Between the Two Conditions? By Jane Anderson. http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/glutenintolerance/a/Gluten-Sensitivity-Vs-Celiac-Disease.htm
3.) Recipes pinned to my board called Celiac on pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/audgenius/celiac/
4.) Gluten-Free Resource Directory http://www.glutenfreeresourcedirectory.com/
5.) Center for Celiac Disease at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu/celiaccenter
6.) Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University http://www.celiacdiseasecenter.org/
7.) Gluten-Free Recipes 24/7 facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GlutenFreeRecipes247
Please do not take possible Gluten intolerance lightly. You need to see a Doctor stat if you have symptoms of this! Non-celiac gluten sensitivity can affect nearly every system in your body, with symptoms that include digestive effects, skin problems such as rashes, brain fog, joint pain and numbness in your extremities, according to physicians who are researching this still-unproven condition.
If you think those symptoms sound a lot like symptoms of celiac disease, you're absolutely right. In fact, it's impossible to distinguish between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease on the basis of symptoms alone — the two conditions present with near-identical symptoms, experts in gluten sensitivity say.
 |
| (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLCSamKU0MTMFLpCpR6Q_QI3wCvOgp3HnN8kiaf5wapz0A7rzAG64_9mruU-N6eZrnAS9Xxuq9swAVpUpBm06YEm1O_nzJAdRILORrwSq9zOGv-XrSyjuORz1aAAukdZo0w5LmtglwvoN/s400/go+ahead+its+gluten+free.jpg) |
When your doctor hears you say "gluten allergy," you're likely to think first of celiac disease, which occurs when your immune system mounts an attack on your small intestine in response to ingestion of gluten-containing foods. Celiac affects about one in every 133 Americans.
There are more than 100 different symptoms potentially caused by celiac disease — every case is different, and in fact some people don't have any symptoms at all. But there are some symptoms that appear frequently in people ultimately diagnosed with celiac disease, including:
Diarrhea and/or constipation
Abdominal pain and/or heartburn
Bloating
Fatigue
Brain fog
Anemia
Joint pain
Rashes
Depression and/or anxiety
The absence of these symptoms doesn't necessarily mean you can rule out celiac disease: as I said, some people have no symptoms at all, or suffer mainly from neurological symptoms (such as migraines and tingling in their arms and legs). (http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/symptomsofceliacdisease/a/Gluten-Allergy-Symptoms.htm)
So as anyone who has researched Gluten intolerance or celiac will tell you there is a world of information out there. I'd start with the links I provided because the are reputable and really well researched sites and organizations! As always have a happy & healthy day everyone. Questions should be posted in the comments section but when in doubt ask an expert, not a blogger! Peace. Ya'll come back now you hear. - Audrey
My Juice Plus+ website: akortesharesjuiceplus.com
My Tower Garden website: akorteshares.towergarden.com
My e-mail (NO SPAM!): akorteshares@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment