Gluten (Wheat) Intolerance, Fad or Myth???
It happened that my daughters’ friend came down on vacation and announced that she could not eat wheat, rye, barley and oats. She had been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. She remembered her Aunt had the same intolerance to wheat and grain products. Early on it seemed to be a rare occurrence, but now it pops up in one out of every 130 including kids and babies. This intrigued me. So, as you know, I dug into the internet consulting Prof. Google and here is what they say about what they call Celiac disease.
The symptoms of Celiac Disease (CD) vary so widely among patients that there is no such thing as a “typical Celiac.” The amount of intestinal damage that has occured and the length of time nutrient absorption has been abnormal seem to be the factors that determine the type and severity of symptoms experienced. It is interesting to note that people with CD report no symptoms at all.
Celiac disease is one of the great mimics in a gastroenterology in particular and medicine in general. Of 100 patients with CD, just over 10 percent with classical overt symptoms of malabsorption such as wight loss, diarrhea and nutritional deficiencies. About 10 percent are incorrectly diagnosed for some length of time, in some cases years. Forty percent in and atypical manner, which leads to lengthy delay in diagnosis. About 33 percent of patients have clinically silent disease and 7 percent have latent CD.
Celiac disease may also present itself in less obvious ways, including irritability or depressions, anemia, upset stomach, joint pain, muscle cramps, skin rash, mouth sores, dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis), and tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy).
Some indications of malabsorption that may result from Celiac disease include:
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating
- General weakness
- Foul-smelling or grayish stools that may be fatty or oily
- Stunted growth (in children)
- Osteoporosis
- Patterns on the tongue like a map
- Dermatitis herpetiformis
Dermatitis herpetiformis is an itchy, blistering skin disease that also stems from gluten intolerance. The rash usually occurs on the elbows, knees and buttocks. Dermatitis herpetiformis can cause significant intestinal damage identical to that of Celiac disease. However, it may not produce noticeable digestive symptoms. This disease is treated with a gluten-free diet, in addition to medication to control the rash.
The good news is that the symptoms can be controlled and the condition improved by sticking to a gluten free diet. It is a diet completely free of ingredients derived from gluten-containing cereals: Wheat (including Kamut and spelt), barley, rye oat, as well as the use of gluten as a food additive in the form of flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent. Greater news.. there has been a market response to this gluten free diet. (We are a bit behind here in Mexico, but I hear it’s on the horizon).
The bad news is.. Good-bye to cakes, pies, cookies, breads, soy sauce, oatmeal… pancakes, waffles, pasta, cereals, gravy, and sauces. There seems to be gluten or wheat in just about everything dear to our stomachs and hearts. There are some gluten free products popping up, check www.Organic-Select.com for local bakery, pancakes, and cereals, and the frozen food section at your favorite super market.
Bottom line: If you have chronic intestinal inflammations, colitis, constipation, cut down on the wheat products and see how you feel. Most of the wheat is consumed in bread, pasta, and cold or cooked boxed cereals. By the way, white flour, whole wheat, whole grain, or organic wheat, they have the same gluten. Even sprouted wheat has gluten.
Please don’t be fooled by the flourless statement on some imported breads, this has nothing to do with the gluten or wheat content of a product.
Questions.. comments?? See us at the Organic Select farm stand in the farmers co-op market at the Paradise Community Center every Saturday from 10-2
Organic Select Mexico 