Earlier this year, I found out with certainty that I have gluten sensitivity. Wham! The hammer hit hard. It is not a "sentence" you want to receive -- especially since it is for life, but it has been a huge blessing to me. Because of this new-found knowledge, I will be doing relevant posts on the subject fairly frequently.
Celiac vs. Gluten Sensitivity
I am just learning about the subject in more depth this year, so there is still much that I need to research, but I have learned so much already. A dear friend of mine (who is definitely not the only one!) has had Celiac disease her whole life and I have known her for years, so it is not new to me, but gluten sensitivity is. Although gluten sensitivity is not full-blown celiac, it often has similar symptoms and has the same "sentence." That "sentence" is to never eat any gluten in any form (including being very careful of any cross-contamination, such as using the same knife for both gluten-free and wheat breads, etc.) for the rest of your life. This is not so hard to do at home but gets very tricky when eating out or at a friend's home or the like. Luckily it is getting easier as the world is getting more educated on the subject.
Celiac disease usually leads to gastro intestinal problems, whereas gluten sensitivity can lead to gastro intestinal problems, but more often to neurological problems (for me, that meant horrible migraines). Since being gluten free, my almost lifelong, twice per month, 3-5 day debilitating migraines have all but stopped--which is an utter miracle!! When I do get the occasional headache (usually do to poor sleep, dehydration, or going too long between meals), it is markedly different and much less painful and all-consuming.
Gluten Sensitivity in the Genes
I found that I have two alleles (gene copies) which mark a gluten sensitivity tendency (which doesn't mean you have it but that you could be prone to it with a certain trigger in your life). I apparently have had the trigger, since I do have gluten sensitivity and actual malabsorption because of it (which means my body is attacking itself with antibodies and that not all the nutrients are being absorbed as they should -- which can lead to all kinds of health issues, depending on your genes and environment, such as heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes, etc., etc.).
With two alleles, it means that both my mother and father had at least one each (since I have matching ones from both mother and father). This said, I'm all but certain that my father had gluten sensitivity while he was living and that it was a significant contributor to his horrible migraines (and likewise, mine), kidney issues, and even heart problems. I wish I would have known about this in time to have him checked. His life could have potentially been much more pain free (and even longer) if he had known. At least I know what I know now to improve and lengthen my life and my child's life (who has at least one allele from me, which could be triggered in his lifetime).
My brothers and sisters could also benefit from checking the symptoms lists and seeing if they should be tested, knowing that our parents each had the alleles.
Reducing Gluten Consumption Is Good for All
All that being said, I'm of the opinion after my much research that EVERYONE could significantly benefit from reducing the amount of wheat consumption in their daily diets. Celiac and gluten sensitivity are alarmingly common. I'm certain this is due mainly to our over consumption of processed foods (fast food and anything boxed, bagged, or even canned sometimes) that almost all have some form of gluten--whether it is expressly listed or not (I have learned all sorts of ingredient names that include gluten such as maltodextrin--unless specifically listed as being from corn or rice).
The other main reason for the gluten issues people have today is likely due to the actual change in the type of wheat we consume today. Over the last decades, wheat has specifically been bred to be high in gluten because of people's preference for baked goods and refined foods that are more fluffy due to greater gluten content.
Thus, on this blog, I will frequently add gluten-free recipes that are not only for those who KNOW they have a problem with gluten, but for all to improve your diets and hopefully keep from developing a problem with gluten.
Symptoms List for Gluten Issues
It is quite difficult to know just how problems with gluten will be made manifest (since the resulting malabsorption can rear its ugly head in many ways). Enterolab (one of the leading testing labs for gluten and other issues states:
"Although there may be no detectable symptoms of the immune response to gluten, the typical symptoms people develop occur when the reaction begins to damage the intestines. The symptoms, resulting from malabsorption or improper digestion of dietary nutrients, include abdominal bloating or pain, diarrhea, constipation, gaseousness, or nausea with or without vomiting. It appears that acid reflux in the esophagus, manifesting as heartburn, may be a potential symptom as well. Other symptoms people experience include fatigue, joint pains, mouth ulcers, bone pain, abnormal menses in women, and infertility" (http://enterolab.com/StaticPages/Faq.aspx#symptoms).
From additional research, I have learned about the neurological issues that often stem from it (such as migraines). So, I would add migraines to the list.
Research and Testing Sites
EnteroLab.com (with Dr. Kenneth Fine) is an excellent source of information on the subject of gluten issues. If you are interested in learning more, I would start there. Dr. Tom O'Bryan is good too and does other types of testing through Cyrex lab (although I prefer Enterolab's testing). See http://www.thedr.com/ for more info and research. You can also get a ton of information on the web through Google searches (just make sure you verify the source).
Just doing a Celiac panel to test for gluten issues with your regular doctor will NOT be enough. If you have full-blown Celiac with significant damage already done to the villi in your intestines, then the test is very accurate in testing positive for Celiac. (Your villi are the "carpet fibers" in your intestines that grab the nutrients, etc. to be distributed to your body. If significant damage has already been done to these villi, they will be more like berber carpet when they should be like shag carpet, and therefore, not able to grab the nutrients)
To find out if you have a problem with gluten (either gluten sensitivity or Celiac before significant damage has been done), the typical Celiac panel will not detect it. It's a good place to start, but if it is negative, it doesn't necessarily mean you don't have a problem with it. The cheapest way of knowing if you have a problem with it is very strictly going off gluten for a few months and journaling along the way to see if your health improves. If you want to know for sure from a test though, you will need to do either a stool test (and genetic test, if you'd like) through EnteroLab.com or a blood test that tests for more than just the one protein tested for in typical Celiac panels through Dr. O'Bryan and Cyrex Lab (http://www.thedr.com/).
Hopefully, this post is enough to get you aware and interested in the subject whether for yourself or those around you. We all need to better understand the issues faced. There really is a wealth of information out there on the web, but not much through typical avenues of information (esp. regular doctors). Let me know what you find in your research efforts.
For those of you knowledgeable on the subject, I would love to hear your recommendations for more information also.
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