gluten makes me feel funny...

and apparently 73% of Americans feel that way too, although they might not even know it. I know that statistic sounds extremely high, however, a gluten sensitivity needs to be thought of as a spectrum. It's not something you have or don't have, but rather you're placed on a wide range of degrees of tolerance to it (one end of the spectrum is no sensitivity, then a wheat sensitivity, and on the other far end is an extreme sensitivity, such as Celiac Disease). The prevalence of Celiac Disease is much lower than wheat sensitivities (Data ranging for Celiac Disease is between one per every 100 people and one per every 250 people in America).

(I use the words "gluten sensitivity" for people with even a slight sensitivity to wheat in this blog and in everyday life, gluten and wheat to me are interchangeable, although there are differences in that gluten comes from wheat (and other wheat-like grains) and a person with a gluten allergy is always sensitive to wheat, however, someone with a wheat allergy may be able to eat other grains that contain gluten, or just the gluten which is extracted and added to other foods-I personally actually have a wheat sensitivity and can handle some gluten without any adverse effects).

When someone with a gluten sensitivity eats gluten, it causes an allergic response and their immune system starts to create antibodies to fight the food they just ate to nourish them. This causes inflammation, which then manifests into a number of possible symptoms:

• gas/bloating
• diarrhea
• constipation
• fatigue
• depression
• anxiety
• nausea
• lack of concentration
  
• joint pains
• mouth ulcers
• infertility
• hypoglycemia
• dental enamel defects
• numbness/tingling/swelling

Often, a person experiencing these symptoms will feel a little sick or uneasy and will eat something with gluten in it to alleviate their symptoms (crackers, bread, cookies, etc.), which then worsens the symptoms. Someone with a slight sensitivity may wake up every morning a little foggy headed, tired, depressed, etc. and have no idea that gluten is affecting them at all.

I am by no means saying that gluten is evil and everyone who is tired in the morning is really suffering from a food allergy despite the fact that they might have only gotten 4 hours of sleep the night before. My personal symptoms are foggy-headedness, slight anxiety, and an unsettling feeling of not being full (from not being able to fully absorb the nutrients from wheat products and my body being like "wait a minute, this isn't food I want to use-give me more!"). The only reason I know I have this reaction to gluten is because I went on a gluten-free diet for a few months (3 months was not necessary though, a week or two would have shown the results) and then reintroduced it into my diet. The way I felt without the gluten in my diet was incredible as far as energy, attention, feeling full, and happiness went. When I reintroduced wheat into my diet it was clear after a few servings that it caused some of these symptoms for me.

I must admit, I still do eat gluten at times (it tastes good), and I know that had I never discovered this about myself I would have been ok, just a little groggy and a little uncomfortable at times, which is manageable. However, it is much nicer to eat it sparingly & to feel a lot better most of the time.