Whats the deal with Gluten free?

Gluten sensitivities pervade our society these days and are contributing to a myriad of health complaints. While some are diagnosed with Celiac disease and know well to avoid foods that contain gluten, there are still many who test negative for the disease yet are still profoundly affected. Most just feel lousy in one way or another and don’t know why.

The severity of symptoms range from mild to severe and can often be subtle and insidious in nature. For example: gastrointestinal upset (constipation and/or loose stool), weight gain or inability to lose weight (especially in the abdominal area). Those without any gastrointestinal symptoms tend to notice things like skin blotchiness or irritation, fatigue, allergies and body ache. Its very tricky tracing this back to gluten. The way of discovery is really to try cutting it out for a while to see if you notice a difference. This means eliminating foods such as traditional breads, pastas, beer, baked goods, gravies, sauces and cereals. These items can be replaced with rice, risotto, potato, buckwheat, quinoa, millet and amaranth, as well as legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas. In the very least you’ll have hopefully reduced your dependence on refined carbohydrates for a few weeks.

While we don’t recommend loading up on “gluten free” products (whole foods are always best), it an be fun to see what’s out there and experiment a little. Gluten free products are widely available and come in many forms: bread, wraps, deserts, noodles, cereals etc. While some are different than what you are used to, try to keep an open mind and explore your options. You may be pleasantly surprised:)

Christina Burns L.Ac OMD FABORM CPC