Is Gluten Intolerance the Kiss of Death
When you have a sensitivity to wheat and gluten you are said to have gluten intolerance. Your diet should strive to eliminate each of these from the foods that you eat. The problem with this, is that wheat is found in foods that you would never expect, including soy sauce. Suspect are any processed foods that contain all kinds of additives that may or may not contain wheat or gluten. Further adding to this problem, is the necessity to avoid cross contamination with wheat. When there is a sensitivity to wheat, eating it causes that person's immune system to produce a response in the small intestine that can lead to damage. This response effects the tissues and results in an impaired ability to absorb nutrients from foods. The resulting malabsorption can create wide-ranging problems in many parts of the body. Some of the systems that can be effected include the kidneys, the heart, the lungs etc. The body's own immune system causes this damage. The warning signs of a sensitivity to wheat and gluten are many and are not always easy to identify. In fact, in some cases it can be silent in that there are no warning signs. Some of the more common warning signs include: diarrhea and fatty, greasy, unusually foul-smelling stools. If you are gluten sensitive you may complain of excessive gas, distended abdomen, weight loss, and generalized weakness. Other red flags include low iron, difficulty when eating dairy products, easy bruising, loss in bone mass and some skin problems. The good news is that diligence in eliminating wheat and following a gluten intolerance diet will go far in restoring good health.
|
