10 Signs You're Gluten Intolerant By Dr. Amy Myers

[gammie]

10 Signs You're Gluten Intolerant

By Dr. Amy Myers

More then 55 diseases have been linked to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s estimated that 99% of the people who have either gluten intolerance or celiac disease are never diagnosed.

It is also estimated that as much as 15% of the US population is gluten intolerant. Could you be one of them?

If you have any of the following symptoms it could be a sign that you have gluten intolerance:

1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and even constipation. I see the constipation particularly in children after eating gluten.

 

2. Keratosis Pilaris, (also known as ‘chicken skin’ on the back of your arms). This tends be as a result of a fatty acid deficiency and vitamin A deficiency secondary to fat-malabsorption caused by gluten damaging the gut.

 

3. Fatigue, brain fog or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten.

 

4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis.

5. Neurologic symptoms such as dizziness or feeling of being off balance.

 

6. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, PCOS or unexplained infertility.

 

7. Migraine headaches.

 

8. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. These diagnoses simply indicate your conventional doctor cannot pin point the cause of your fatigue or pain.

 

9. Inflammation, swelling or pain in your joints such as fingers, knees or hips.

 

10. Mood issues such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and ADD.

[gammie]

How to test for gluten intolerance?

I have found the single best ways to determine if you have an issue with gluten is to do an elimination diet and take it out of your diet for at least 2 to 3 weeks and then reintroduce it. Please note that gluten is a very large protein and it can take months and even years to clear from your system so the longer you can eliminate it from your diet before reintroducing it, the better.

The best advice that I share with my patients is that if they feel significantly better off of gluten or feel worse when they reintroduce it, then gluten is likely a problem for them.  In order to get accurate results from this testing method you must elimination 100% of the gluten from your diet.

How to treat gluten intolerance?

Eliminating gluten 100% from your diet means 100%. Even trace amounts of gluten from cross contamination or medications or supplements can be enough to cause an immune reaction in your body. 

The 80/20 rule or “we don’t eat it in our house, just when we eat out” is a complete misconception. An article published in 2001 states that for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity eating gluten just once a month increased the relative risk of death by 600%.

[eema.gray]

Keratosis Pilaris, fatigue after eating, hypothyroid (though never given an exact diagnosis as to why), peripheral neuropathy/feeling off balance, infertility (because of hypothyroid), PPD for four solid years.

I've been off gluten for about 4 months; I feel A LOT better but not exactly normal yet either.  

[IntactivistMama]

Dumb/absurd.

Keratosis Pilaris is an extremely common, inherited skin condition that is NOT caused by diet!

Anxiety is a brain chemical imbalance - also not caused by diet.

[eema.gray]

If you're depressed because your brain is not properly producing neurotransmitters, because of inflamation from a food you eat, do you have a problem with your neurtransmitters, something that must be corrected with medication, or do you have a food problem?

Quoting IntactivistMama:

Dumb/absurd.

Keratosis Pilaris is an extremely common, inherited skin condition that is NOT caused by diet!

Anxiety is a brain chemical imbalance - also not caused by diet.

[IntactivistMama]

Horsefeathers. My anxiety and PTSD were caused by:

A violent and traumatic event.
The fact my mother also has Anxiety and PTSD.

I think the gluten thing is basically the fad of today and not based on hard data.

Of course, people with Celiac disease truly have a problem with gluten.

Quoting eema.gray:

If you're depressed because your brain is not properly producing neurotransmitters, because of inflamation from a food you eat, do you have a problem with your neurtransmitters, something that must be corrected with medication, or do you have a food problem?

Quoting IntactivistMama:

Dumb/absurd.



Keratosis Pilaris is an extremely common, inherited skin condition that is NOT caused by diet!



Anxiety is a brain chemical imbalance - also not caused by diet.

[eema.gray]

My husband has PTSD.  It is most certainly not related to gluten.  It's a documented effect of having served in the Army for 28 years and participating in every combat action between 1983 and 2004.  Gluten and other food sensitivities are not the cause of every single case of depression, anxiety, PTSD, PPD, etc.  It's not

But some cases of depression are **affected** by inflammatory foods and gluten, in sensitive individuals, is highly inflammatory.

Some cases of depression are caused by hormonal disturbances and those too can be idiopathic, caused by some other disease process, or caused by a problem with a food.  

Quoting IntactivistMama:

Horsefeathers. My anxiety and PTSD were caused by:

A violent and traumatic event.
The fact my mother also has Anxiety and PTSD.

I think the gluten thing is basically the fad of today and not based on hard data.

Of course, people with Celiac disease truly have a problem with gluten.

Quoting eema.gray:

If you're depressed because your brain is not properly producing neurotransmitters, because of inflamation from a food you eat, do you have a problem with your neurtransmitters, something that must be corrected with medication, or do you have a food problem?

Quoting IntactivistMama:

Dumb/absurd.



Keratosis Pilaris is an extremely common, inherited skin condition that is NOT caused by diet!



Anxiety is a brain chemical imbalance - also not caused by diet.

[Pema_Jampa]

My anxiety is due to my childhood abuse not my diet.

[IntactivistMama]

Show me peer-reviewed, published data with methodology etc and not the *coff* opinions (not based on clinical evidence) of one MD that appears to be cashing in on this latest fad.

:-)

[LucyMom08]

This is why my doctor tested me for Celiacs...

[LucyMom08]

Actually, having many of these symptoms is why my doctor tested me for Celiacs...I went in, and was diagnosed with IBS, but none of the treatment options to reduce symptoms worked...after a colonoscopy (ick! Haha) I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and he had a hunch. He told me to try an elimination diet with gluten to see if it would help. After LIFELONG symptoms, I was amazed at the results. The diet has also helped my children. My oldest had issues with bloating and gas (not major, just uncomfortable) and that cleared up. My youngest was the amazing transformation. She had an unexplained metabolic issue and a malabsorption issue...she was diagnosed as failure to thrive at 5 months, and was hospitalized multiple times...she had major digestive issues and it was almost impossible for her to gain weight. At 2 she weighed barely 20 lbs...she suffered from what appeared to be IBS, with alternating symptoms and was constantly passing fats when her system acted up...she's like a different child now...

Quoting IntactivistMama:

Show me peer-reviewed, published data with methodology etc and not the *coff* opinions (not based on clinical evidence) of one MD that appears to be cashing in on this latest fad.



:-)