Gluten Intolerance - Solutions

Gluten, which is composed of two protein groups, gliadins, which give dough its flow characteristics and glutenins, which provide dough with its elastic consistency, is found in the grains of wheat, barley, rye and oats.

Gluten sensitivity, one of the most undiagnosed yet prevalent conditions, has also been associated with infertility, miscarriage, autoimmune thyroid disease, dermatitis, depression, immune system disorders, brain development problems in infants and children, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and autism.  These conditions are mostly treated with medications when a simple change in diet could really help.

DIETARY GUIDELINES

REMOVE

• All wheat, barley, rye and and some types of oat products
• To find out if you are really gluten sensitive you must strictly follow the recommended guidelines or ask your doctor to perform the recommended testing.

TESTING

If you think you are gluten sensitive or had reactions to gluten please ask your doctor or health care pracitioner to perform the following tests.

Blood

• AGA (antigliadin) IgA,  AGA (antigliadin) IgG,  EMA (antiendomysial),  tTG (anti-tissue transglutaminase), Total serum IgA
• Genetics testing- HLA DQ2, DQ8

If your antibody screening and genetic test is positive, your doctor may recommend you undergo and intestinal biopsy (via endoscopy) to confirm the diagnosis, or, you can just chose to remain gluten free.

Stool

• Because gluten antibiodies are produced in the intestine, these tests are extremely sensitive in detecting gluten allergies and Celiac Diease.
• The stool test can also be used to determine the presence of a genetic predisposition for Celiac Diease

Saliva

• Most saliva tests do not look for the specific Celiac Disease antibodies (EMA and tTG)
• Salive tests are most helpful in determining gluten sensitivity and intolerance (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity)

What if your tests are negative?

Don't go out and celebrate with a big bowl of pasta yet. Some people test negative on the celiac panel, but may be still sensitive to gluten. Others test negative at one point in their lives but go on to develop gluten sensitivity due to toxic overload.  If you suffer from symptoms of abdominal pain, stomach aches, difficulty losing weight, bloating, gas and other digestive discomfort, bone or joint pain, skin rashes, migraines, brain fog you will want to try a Gluten free diet.

Is it okay to skip the testing?

For those people with Celiac Disease, going back to gluten just isn't an option. For pople who think they may have Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity and others who are just interested in feeling better, you may want to try the diet to see if you notice a difference in your health, lose wight, gain more energy, without being tested. 

*Please consult your doctor before embarking upon any new exercise, dietary or supplemental regime. The information provided here is not intended to be an alternative to professional advice given directly by a qualified medical practitioner.

Learn More: Gluten - the most common Protein may be secretly poisoning you, Gluten - an undiagnosed epidemic

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