The Goods on Gluten

Many of you have been asking me what we’ve learned about GLUTEN, GLUTEN INTOLERANCE and FOOD ALLERGIES. Gluten is a natural ingredient in wheat. Gluten can be found outside of wheat products too though, as it is used as a stabilizer in many processed foods.

This past summer, AJ figured out that he is gluten intolerant. Then, in January, we learned the same thing about Jake. AJ made his discovery simply by doing a week-long detox – he basically didn’t eat anything but the very basics for a week: lemon-water, white rice, lots of fruits and vegetables, etc. Then, he began adding foods to his diet one at a time, going three full days each time before adding an additional item to his diet (see the book, The 7 Day Detox Miracle, by Peter Bennett for more information on Detox-ing – it should be done carefully and correctly). When the item he added was wheat, in the form of a bagel, he had a rather severe reaction which told him that wheat is a problem for him, and we further discovered that it is specifically gluten that’s the issue.

We recognized similar symptoms in Jake this winter and put him on a gluten free diet for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks we tested it by giving him a big fat bagel breakfast sandwich. The result was a severe reaction within an hour. Confirmation. They say gluten intolerance is hereditary – there you have it. While AJ’s symptoms are more physical, Jake’s are more behavioral. Or, perhaps it’s just that AJ’s an adult and can control the behavioral stuff more easily. Whatever it is, it’s there.

Gluten intolerance is more common than you might think. If you do historical research online, you’ll find that many regions of the world did not have wheat as a natural food source. Wheat is now plentiful throughout the world, but for centuries much of the world ate and created foods using other grains: rice, corn, etc. So, it’s not all that impossible to see how we, as humans, may not all be naturally adjusted to it. In fact, did you know that in Italy it is required by law that children are tested for Celiac Disease before they reach school age? Celiac Disease is a condition resulting from gluten intolerance. Think about that – Italy, with all of its pasta and bread. So much gluten is consumed and so many people suffer from Celiac Disease that entire populations are tested for intolerances and the effects of them. Get this…I have also read that adults in Italy that are diagnosed with Celiac Disease, get two days off a month, paid, so they can go out and find the foods they need. Wake up America.

So, what happens to you if you’re gluten intolerant?
Well, as we understand it (and we are definitely not experts), different people react in different ways. Gluten intolerance can cause all kinds of effects; both physical and emotional. It can cause stomach cramps, bloating and gas for starters. Some people have more allergic-type symptoms: swelling of the throat, headache, puffiness in the face and eyes, sinus reactions, skin irritation. Still others have even more severe reactions such as intense stomachaches, nausea, aching in joints, fatigue, and damage to the stomach lining (sometimes becoming permanent – Celiac Disease). And, then there are the emotional or behavioral effects: impatience, anger, depression, hyper activity, inability to concentrate, anxiety, mood swings, tantrums.

We have a book at home that we refer to frequently called, The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health--And What You Can Do to Take Control Now, by Shari Lieberman. This book uses specific examples of real patients and their diagnoses to describe many symptoms of gluten intolerance at different levels. The ones that amaze me the most are the behavioral issues. For instance, many children have been diagnosed throughout the years as suffering from ADHD or ADD; medicated to alleviate those symptoms, to get them through school, etc. When they were put on gluten free diets, in many cases all attention deficit symptoms went away and they were able to go off meds completely. The book also sites many examples of patients with real physical maladies that are cured or greatly reduced by going gluten free. There is even a story about a kid who was diagnosed with Autism, and a gluten free diet enabled him to go to school and lead a “normal” life. That’s the most extreme, of course.

So, AJ has been gluten free since last summer. When he eats gluten now, the effects are more severe than they ever were before. That is common. Once you are gluten free, any little bit of it will cause a more dramatic result. For instance, just a serving of gravy on meat or potatoes (just the tablespoon or two of flour that is used to make gravy) will cause great discomfort. Gluten in the tiniest amounts wreaks havoc. Makes sense. We assume that he has been gluten intolerant for most, if not all, of his life - eating pasta, bread, cereal and all things gluten at will. His body has been trying to tell him all along, but the symptoms have always been misread, and then mistreated, and then misread again, and then mistreated again – all along making things worse and worse. He felt like crap ALL THE TIME. Now, he is healthier. He has more energy, more patience, and just generally feels physically better all over. Feeling like crap all the time is not a good way to live. In this way, a gluten free diet has been life changing.

For Jake, the symptoms are similar, but not exactly the same. Now, when he eats gluten, his reaction is also severe. For Jake, the result of a gluten free diet is better concentration, more even emotions, greater patience, and generally a much happier outlook. He is more helpful, more polite, more conscious of others and better able to complete tasks, homework and studying. He has more energy and is more confident. He has some physical benefits as well, but generally, HE IS HAPPIER.

It hasn’t been all that difficult to go without. There are lots of great gluten-free products out there – even at our local grocery store, and certainly at the whole foods store. We still have chocolate cake and brownies and peanut butter cookies. We still have pasta and crackers and waffles. You can get or make most things you normally eat in a gluten free version. It’s easier for AJ than it is for Jake. When all the kids at school are having pizza, it’s tough. But, usually, he’d rather avoid the stomachache and the mood swings than have a slice of pizza. Going without beer is a drag for AJ, no doubt, and going home to his family where they eat pasta meals all the time is tough. No homemade gnocchi’s. Argh. But, all in all it’s not too difficult.

Gluten isn’t the only thing that you can look at when it comes to food allergies. There are tons of things that can affect us. People are allergic to all sorts of foods besides the obvious ones like nuts and dairy. We know people that are allergic to chicken, tomatoes, eggs, soy, wheat, and many others. And, there are tons of people that cannot eat certain food colorings, preservatives, and other ingredients used in a lot of our everyday food such as MSG and aspertame. These things can have very severe effects on people, especially kids.

We have eliminated gluten for both Jake and AJ. And, at our doctor’s recommendation, we also eliminated MSG, Aspertame and High Fructose Corn Syrup from Jake’s diet. These things can also cause an inability to concentrate, moodiness, feelings of depression, hyperactivity, etc, especially in kids. And, in eliminating those things from Jake’s diet, we’ve basically eliminated them from our house all together – which is healthier for all of us anyway.

If you are thinking that you, or someone close to you, might be affected by the foods they eat in a negative way - perhaps they have behaviors you can’t explain, or physical symptoms that just persist no matter what you do - I would recommend talking with a doctor. A holistic doctor is a great way to go. They tend to look at the body and mind as a whole. They look at your history from pregnancy to present day, and they know what effects foods and chemicals can have on the systems in the body, brain and psyche.

There are tests for food allergies and intolerances as well. There are several levels of testing, from basic ones that test for the most common food allergies, to much more in depth ones that also test for allergies to preservatives, colorings and chemicals. You can even get a test that is especially for kids and tests for the things most commonly affecting kids. You can have any doctor run these tests – a simple blood test. Or, there are companies you can find on the internet that will do the testing for you. There is loads of information on the internet. It’s well worth a good long look.

We are not experts, and I wouldn’t presume to tell anyone that they are gluten intolerant, or allergic to anything specific. But now that I’ve seen the incredibly varying symptoms and issues these things can cause, I wouldn’t rule it out. You just never know. It might be as easy as not eating chicken, or avoiding raw tomatoes, or, forbid, no more chocolate.


Here are some links for those who want to get more information right away.

An article called “Gluten Intolerance”
Reviewed by several doctors.

Celiac.com
A website devoted entirely to informing people about Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerance and research done on both.

Foods that contain gluten
A list of foods that contain gluten.

Foodallergy.org
The website for FAAN, The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
All kinds of information about allergies, how they affect different people, including a ton of information on children and allergies, chemicals in food, preservatives and colorings.