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Intolerant to gluten or wheat - why it's worth getting a test

axonnutrition@hotmail.co.uk (Jo Knight) — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 17:34:21 GMT

Gluten or wheat sensitive?

For some individuals just reducing a food is enough to reduce symptoms. But does that mean that behind the scenes all is well or are things still happening in your body that could be slowly eroding your health?

Without a lab test how do you know why you react to that food, is it just the sugar types in wheat that feed certain problematic gut bacteria creating symptoms for you, or is there an immune reaction happening? And if so, which part of your immune system is reacting? Are you are having a short-term IgG immune response or a more serious life-long IgA reaction to a food?

If you are having an IgA immune response to e.g. gluten but you continue to have gluten, you will activate your immune system (which means inflammation) for at least 3 months each time gluten is consumed, even when very small amounts are consumed. This can greatly increase your risk of coeliac disease, nutrient deficiencies, autoimmune conditions (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis), as well as cancers of the digestive tract.

So, if you know that gluten gives you bloating or tummy ache, or you have had a food intolerance test which listed gluten or wheat as a problem for you, isn’t it worth going one step further and finding out exactly why it is a problem?

What is in that food that you react to?
What is it doing to your body when you do react?
How serious a problem is it for you?
How strictly do you need to avoid it?

Consider the value of an in-depth lab test, that tells you whether you have autoimmune activity and have to be strict about gluten, or whether you can happily enjoy a small amount of gluten. For some, it may be that they just need to correct some bacterial imbalances in their gut to ease IBS symptoms, and then they can enjoy gluten more often.

Lab test results could mean that you learn how you as an individual need to change your diet, how strictly and for how long. Enabling you to dramatically improve your health for the better!

3 reasons gluten sensitivity is now more common

axonnutrition@hotmail.co.uk (Jo Knight) — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 17:34:18 GMT

3 reasons gluten sensitivity is now more common

Some of the most common misconceptions about gluten sensitivity is that suddenly this modern society is more complaining and "allergic to everything". That this problem didn't exist 50 years ago. Or that it's just a fashion and a fad, a dietary choice.

There is no doubt that some people do choose to be gluten-free, perhaps as a healthier diet choice, or because they experience bloating and discomfort when eating bread and gluten products. These are all very valid reasons for following a gluten-free diet, and it is also a massive help in making gluten-free products much more widely available. However, some individuals don't have a choice whether to eat gluten or not, and their immune systems make that choice for them when coeliac disease is diagnosed.

But even the numbers of diagnosed coeliac patients has increased dramatically in the last 20 years. Below, I discuss three possible reasons for increased gluten sensitivity nowadays.

1) Improvements in testing and diagnosis

Not that long ago it was common to take many years and thousands of pounds to be assessed for, and diagnosed as, coeliac. This would take many medical appointments with specialists and expensive endoscopies/biopsies as the only medical option for assessment.

Endoscopy and biopsy remains the gold standard for final diagnosis, however, the introduction of a blood-test, that nowadays costs as little as £20, provides the ability to now screen mass numbers for coeliac. Meaning 1st degree relatives of a newly diagnosed coeliac can be screened (the condition has a genetic risk). It also means likely cases of coeliac can be detected much earlier in the GP surgery, with a simple quick and cheap blood test.

2) Modern wheat varieties have changed

Many modern wheat varieties have been bred to have higher gluten levels - this effectively makes "stronger" bread flour, which has more stretch and rises more, giving more palatable bread as desired by modern baking and consumer demands.

Although this increased gluten content makes the bread texture better, it also has an impact on the permeability of the gut lining. For any individual, whether they have a gluten sensitivity or not, gluten has an effect on the chemicals that control "tight junctions" in the gut wall. So, increased gluten intake will likely increase gut permeability, making the possibility of immune reactions to foods entering our gut more likely.

3) Lectins in genetically-modified (GM) foods

Often GM foods are more resistant to insects and pests, which is one of their big benefits to enable higher yields. This is often achieved by increasing something called Lectin (different to lecithin), which is a natural chemical in a plant, particularly found in grains and seeds (e.g. wheat or in seeds in fruit such as strawberries).

Lectin is a plant's natural defence against being eaten by insects/animals. Lectins cause immune reactions and digestive irritation. This means that an animal will learn not to eat too much of that plant because they'll feel ill each time they do, making them less likely to eat it and increase the survival rate of the grain/seed to grow into a plant.

So, by increasing the natural lectin levels of a plant it becomes more of a problem to insects eating the plant. However , more pest resistant GM grains/seeds with higher lectin content (such as wheat or corn grain) can also cause more digestive and immune reactions in humans too!

Since the 2nd World War there has also been an increase in antibiotics and chemical usage in farming and food production, which can influence gut bacteria and immune reactions. Creating ever increasing challenges for digestive and immune health.

In conclusion

It's not all in the imagination, there are probably more diagnosed coeliac's nowadays, and probably more people with gluten sensitivity, but some of this is because the problem is better recognised. With some of due to improving laboratory testing and perhaps changing food manufacturing and farming practices.

Come on, one piece of cake won't do you any harm

axonnutrition@hotmail.co.uk (Jo Knight) — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 17:34:15 GMT

"Come on, one piece of cake won't do you any harm"

One of the hardest challenges of going gluten-free is the social pressures around food.

People assume you are not eating cake because its fattening and unhealthy (especially if you are under-weight due to coeliac disease). They may take this as a judgement on them eating the cake and want you to participate in sharing their "guilty secret". They may feel you are refusing their gift, their expression of love, that you are putting a "fad" above politeness and their feelings.

Food is how we celebrate, it's how we often show love to others, it's how we come together and feel part of a tribe, whether our family, friends or our community.

And this obviously doesn't stop at the cake - it is the whole buffet, the set menu at a wedding or work meal, or the home-cooked meal of family favourites.

If you have gone gluten-free I am sure you will relate to some part of this. And I can't say that there is an easy answer to this problem - it is an important part of our culture, sharing and giving around food. But it does get easier with time, and the most important thing I can say is that, having just that one piece of cake will do you harm.

Social indulgence in gluten just to "make things easier" can come in many forms - cake, beer, buffets, or normal gravy poured across the gluten free meal. But for someone diagnosed with coeliac, each time they have just one piece of gluten, they trigger antibodies that last 3 months. Creating harm in the body for the next 3 months.

So, imagine the scenario...

Indulging with just one mince pie at Christmas
Oh, and that bite of a hot-cross bun at Easter
Then there was that burger at Simon and Hannah's summer barbeque
And, of course in October I couldn't completely refuse the birthday cake Granny had made for me (she struggles to understand this "wheat thing")

Oh, we've only had 4 incidents where we've "slipped" but we've spent 12 months with antibodies and damage to our body caused by inflammation and our immune systems reaction to gluten!

So, it really is worth saying no, every time.

Some ways to make this easier can include, asking in advance how you can make it less stressful for them (they may be really worried about "poisoning" you by mistake), what to expect/what substitutes would fit in best, offering to bring the pudding - a gluten-free indulgence together. Or bringing your main dish and instant gluten-free gravy, so that they can provide you with vegetables to go with it.

Acknowledging people's feelings can help - appreciating their efforts to bring everyone together with a meal. Saying that you appreciate the love they have put into that, but...

Sometimes this can be easier if you describe it in a way that people can relate to. Sometimes this is using the term "wheat allergy" so people take it more seriously. Sometimes it is saying "if I eat that it will be like me giving myself food poisoning for a week". Or "I really miss sharing a piece of cake with you, but unfortunately it makes me ill so I'd love to find something else we can share instead".

Finding the right thing to say can take time and practice and often depends on the person you're speaking to. But it does get easier, and you do find new ways to share with others. Just remember to love yourself and your body first, so you have the health to enjoy sharing in new ways with loved ones.