What is Gluten? Where is Gluten? and Why Should YOU Care?

Gluten is one of those topics that’s been talked about for a while, but even now, there’s still confusion and disagreement regarding the impact on anybody other than those with celiac disease. So What is gluten, Where is gluten, and Why should you care?

My Gluten Story

By now maybe you’ve read a little about my health history and know that I struggled with a variety of symptoms. There were no productive answers for years. Then one conversation guided me in exploring Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, autoimmunity, and gluten.

While every person’s experience is different, my symptoms included fatigue, anxiety, indigestion, frequent infections, lack of focus, itching, pain, dry skin, nutrient deficiencies, low blood pressure, coldness, hair loss, forgetfulness, excess weight, plantar fasciitis, and more.

I didn’t think my symptoms were related. Prior to that day, I had no one in appointments or hospital visits or before/after surgery mention diet change or autoimmune disease.

After that one discussion, I immediately eliminated gluten 100%, one week before hosting our annual Thanksgiving dinner complete with bread-based stuffing, biscuits sopped in flour-thickened gravies, and a selection of pies and cookies and more.

I dove into research instead.

Eventually I learned that I needed to ease up on my aggressive daily workouts for a time, be more strategic in what I ate and why, and begin addressing my overwhelming stress level.

It wasn’t long before many of my symptoms started to fade and then disappear.

What Is Gluten and Where Is It?

Gluten is a group of proteins that you find naturally in grains. The primary type of gluten in wheat is gliadin, and it is the most evaluated of the gluten proteins. The gluten that is typically referred to in food labeling is a grouping of wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes triticale. This is due primarily to a real-life recognition of symptom reduction and return at the elimination and then reintroduction of these grains during and after World War II and subsequent research.

These are the grains that are commonly used to make most breads, pastas, tortillas, and the batter for your favorite desserts, as well as a thickener in gravies and sauces and more.

Additionally, it can be extracted, concentrated, and then added to foods and other products to:

• increase protein, texture, and flavor
• to hold processed foods and other products together as a binding agent and/or give them shape

Gluten is also commonly found in other foods not known for gluten, but have been processed with it as an additional ingredient. Cross-contamination during processing in a place where gluten foods are processed is also a common reason for labeling. Aside from food and drinks, gluten is also commonly used in many other non-food products including:

• supplements
• medications
• cosmetics
• personal care products
• household products and craft items

When I was completing a gluten specialist certification, I was amazed at the LONG list of names for gluten and the numerous possibilities for exposure. This is one of many reasons to switch to food and products with full, specific, and identifiable ingredient labels.

What Does Gluten Do in Your Body?

There are some variations of opinion amongst experts regarding whether or not:

• some or all people have a problem with gluten
• some or all grains should be avoided

Suffice it to say, someone is at higher risk of experiencing a problem if one or more of these are true for that person:

• a genetic predisposition that supports a level of response
• nutrient deficiencies
• unhealthy levels of toxins
• other existing health challenges

Imagine falling and scraping your knee, and then taking sandpaper and reinjuring your scrape multiple times every day.

Sounds like not-so-much fun.

This is a great visual (with a little cringeworthy feeling) for reoccurring damage similar to the usually repetitive intake of gluten daily with some level of gluten sensitivity that might look like:

• a tasty breakfast that includes cereal and toast…sandpaper
• a mid-morning snack bar…sandpaper
• lunch that includes healthy soup and sandwich…sandpaper
• an afternoon cookie snack…sandpaper
• a quick pizza for dinner after a tiring day…sandpaper

In just that one day example, you’ve got the potential for 5 exposures to gluten, not-to-mention the multiple exposure possibilities within each item included in each meal.

Over time, persisting damage can increase and worsen symptoms. Those symptoms can vary dependent upon the person, their genetic makeup, plus their level of health-supporting diet and lifestyle overall relating to any combination of body system involvement.

To add to the complexity, not all symptoms are noticeable or understandably relatable. Unfortunately, they might be doing damage just the same.

Consider a person with no perceivable gut symptoms but brain fog, anxiety, and forgetfulness.

Dr. Datis Kharrazian has written a great article on this topic HERE.

If you were the person struggling with symptoms, you might go to a counselor or a general practitioner. They might prescribe anti-depressants or a benzodiazepine for the anxiety or maybe aspirin or some type of pain medication or other type of medication to calm a particular symptom, but not address the root cause of the damage.

Unfortunately, the problem worsens as damage continues.

Gluten Related Names

You’ve probably heard some of the common gluten terms thrown around such as: celiac, gluten intolerance, and gluten sensitivity, but to clarify just a bit on a few today:

• Wheat Allergy – an immune response (IgE) triggered by the presence of wheat. It can cause swelling/itching, hives/rashes, headaches and light-headedness, low blood pressure, congestion, GI issues, and/or anaphylactic shock
• Celiac Disease – a chronic disease causing damage to the villi in the small intestine. It can result in pain, malabsorption, nutrient deficiencies and more
• Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (sometimes called Gluten Intolerance) – a food sensitivity activating the IgA, IgM, and IgG branches of the immune system. It can result in variety of symptoms triggered by the intake or exposure to gluten. Results in a negative celiac test result

Common symptoms relating to Gluten Sensitivity are numerous but include:

• Abdominal pain, bloating
• Diarrhea and/or constipation
• Nausea, reflux, gas, burping, burning, vomiting
• Headaches and brain fog
• Nutrient imbalances
• Fatigue
• Heart palpitations
• Joint pain, tingling, swelling, numbness
• Depression, dizziness, and anxiety
• Congestion
• Insomnia
• Anemia
• Acne, eczema, itching

Why Should You Care?

To be informed and take charge of your health

Gluten interestingly ties to the experiences of many dealing with diseases, but it’s not always automatically considered by practitioners.

However, I’ve both seen and experienced amazing improvement with the removal of gluten.

And I’m not alone.

Practitioners like Dr. Tom O’Bryan, Dr. Datis Kharrazian, Dr. Peter Osborne, Dr. Izabella Wentz, Dr. Amy Myers, and many more include the removal of gluten in their protocols, books, and research.

Arming yourself with knowledge is a powerful step in driving your health management.

To Enjoy a Long Life

In Dr. Tom O’Bryan’s book, The Autoimmune Fix – pg. 106, he nicely sums up an important point from one big celiac and mortality study published by Swedish researchers in 2009:

“The researchers looked at more than 350,000 biopsy reports and found 39,000 people with a diagnosis of celiac disease defined by total villous atrophy. They also found another 3,700 individuals who had an increase in their blood markers for celiac disease but no villous atrophy. The antibodies were elevated, but they did not have a positive biopsy. Then they found another cohort of 13,000 people who did not have positive bloodwork nor positive endoscopy but who had increased inflammation in the intestines. All of these people were followed for 25+ years.”

“…those who had inflammation alone – meaning their bloodwork was negative, and their endoscopy was negative – had a 72% increased risk of early mortality. Almost double. This is a critical concept that very few doctors know.”

If there was something you could do to feel better, have more energy, and enjoy a long life to the fullest, would you?

For me, yes. I plan to stick around as long as possible and enjoy a vibrant life being with my grandkids when they get married. Hanging out and enjoying a long, laughter-filled marriage with my husband sounds great too.

Reducing risk of Leaky Gut

Thanks to the research by Dr. Alessio Fasano, we know that the intake of gluten releases a protein called Zonulin, discovered by Fasano. Zonulin triggers the relaxing of tight junctures in the walls of the digestive tract (causing intestinal permeability or leaky gut). This provides a path for microbes, partially broken-down food particles, and more to travel into the bloodstream and throughout the body.

Because of their presence where they shouldn’t be, due to the leaky gut, an immune response is launched. If it persists, it can eventually lead to troubling symptoms and a diagnosis.

What Now?

Testing options are available, although many are not always conclusive, but Cyrex Labs remains one of the top options.

I’ll definitely be writing/talking more about gluten, but you might also want to check out my posts on:

• What is An Elimination Diet – an introduction to an informative process with minimal cost to see if certain foods, might be a problem
• What is Autoimmune Disease – an introduction to the body’s decision to label and attack particular organs, as if they are threats

Don’t miss getting your free DAILY TRACKER. Start making connections between what you’re doing and what you’re experiencing.

But I also know a GREAT Coach that can listen and guide you in making smart changes. Be sure to click the “WORK WITH ME” button in the menu bar or click DISCOVERY CALL and we can talk to see if coaching is right for you.

References

1 – Jonas F. Ludvigsson et al., “Small-Intestinal Histopathology and Mortality Risk in Celiac Disease,” Journal of the American Medical Association 302, no.11 (September 16, 2009): 1171-78.