Gluten Intolerance

gluten intolerance: an introduction to gluten sensitivity

Recently, it seems as if everybody knows somebody with a gluten intolerance. However, they may not know what it is or how it develops. Gluten intolerance which is also called celiac desease is a condition that affects the intestinal lining of some people. When people in the gluten intolerance group come into contact with gluten, it destroys the villi on their intestines. The villi are small areas in the lining of the intestines, and their destruction disrupts a person’s ability to absorb healthy foods.

gluten intolerance symptoms

Each person that has a gluten intolerance or a gluten allergy actually has different symptoms. That is one of the reasons that it often takes quite a long time to diagnose. Although the symptoms differ from person to person, there are a few symptoms that seem to occur in a large percentage of people with gluten intolerance. As it affects the intestines, there are a number of gastrointestinal symptoms. These include things like stomach pain, a bloated stomach, a feeling of trapped gas, constipation or diarrhea, and puking. In addition to these signs, people may notice that they do not feel hungry, that they experience an aversion to dairy products, and that their poop smells worse than normal.

In addition to these gastrointestinal symptoms, there are other potential symptoms of celiac disease. These symptoms are ones that occur because the person’s general health has been poorly impacted due to their body’s inability to absorb key vitamins and nutrients. These general symptoms are similar to the symptoms of malnutrition and include things like frequent bruising, feeling depressed or anxious, feeling exhausted, not growing if you are a child, losing hair, feeling itchy, missing periods, developing mouth ulcers or canker sores, having frequent bloody noses, experiencing seizures, or feeling cramps in muscles.

gluten intolerance: treatment

The best treatment for gluten intolerance is avoiding gluten and eating only gluten free foods. Once a person is able to start and stick with a gluten free diet, their intestines will not suffer from any extra damage, and over time, the villi that were damaged will heal themselves.

Foods that contain gluten

Gluten is is found in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats. When a person with gluten intolerance decides to start a gluten free diet, it is not just as simple as removing bread from their diet. To be gluten free, they will need to check the labels on everything. They will have to avoid most baked goods, most beers, and pasta as well as many items that they probably never even realized contained gluten.

gluten intolerance: conclusion

Although no one is sure what causes gluten intolerance, everyone knows that it can have a horrible impact on its sufferers. It has a wide range of symptoms as discussed above, and in the very worst cases, it can even kill people if it goes untreated for too long. However, if gluten intolerance is diagnosed quickly and if a person sticks to a gluten free diet, it can be a very manageable disease.