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Gluten Intolerance
An amazingly large number of patients come to
Caring Medical with
symptoms of GI disturbances such as gas, bloating, indigestion,
diarrhea, constipation and the like. They also may notice that they
experience joint pain when they eat certain foods like pizza or
pasta. When we test them for food allergies, we often find that the
patients have allergy to wheat and/or gluten.
Another related condition is
Celiac disease, which is an intolerance of the small intestine
to gluten.
Celiac disease (CD) is also referred to as gluten
sensitive enteropathy (GSE), gluten intolerance, or celiac sprue. It
is considered to be one of the most under-diagnosed common diseases
today, potentially affecting 1 in every 133 people in the USA. It is
a chronic, inherited disease, and if untreated can ultimately lead
to malnutrition. Gluten intolerance is the result of an
immune-mediated response to the ingestion of gluten (from wheat,
rye, and barley) that damages the small intestine. Nutrients then
quickly passed through the small intestine, rather than being
absorbed.
To develop
Celiac disease (CD) three (3) things must be present: 1)
you must inherit the gene, 2) consume gluten, and 3) have the gene
triggered. Common triggers may include stress, trauma (surgeries,
pregnancy, etc.), and viral infections. Approximately 1 in 20
first-degree relatives could have CD triggered in their lifetime.
Natural medicine physicians have
known for years that Gluten intolerance is a very common finding in
the chronically ill. Many people with chronic fatigue, chronic pain,
insomnia, digestive complaints, and stomach pains are found to be
allergic to gluten (sensitive to it) when they undergo food blood
allergy testing.
A recent study confirms that the natural medicine physicians are
correct. When a gluten intolerant person is taken off of the above
foods, many of their symptoms stop. Yes, we are saying that the
allergic response to gluten could actually be causing the patient to
develop terrible chronic pain or chronic fatigue, due to the body’s
immune reaction to the gluten in the food the patient is eating.
Most people fail to realize (as do many doctors) that 50% of the
immune system lines the bowel walls. This lymph tissue is called
GALT which stands for Gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Consuming an
allergenic food causes the immune cells in GALT to then attack the
food via the production of antibodies. This is seen as redness on
the intestinal lining. Yes, that is correct. Colonoscopy or
endoscopy results show redness, however, most of the time it is
diagnosed as “gastroenteritis” or “gastritis.” The itis on
the end of those words means the doctor saw redness during the test.
Redness is from what? Inflammation! What causes inflammation in the
intestines, food allergies.
What
is the cure for gastritis, stomach pain, irritable bowel syndrome,
or chronic gastroenteritis? You are right-it is not Prevacid,
Zantac, Tums or the little purple pill. The cure begins with finding
the cause of the excess acid or redness, which is very commonly due
to food allergies. See a natural medicine physician and get food
allergy testing. If your results show
allergenic foods – stop eating them! You will be amazed at how good
you feel!
Our patients with food allergies are typically helped tremendously
by a few supplements. |
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of quick fix diets that don't work? 