DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is for informational purposes only. No material in this article is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here.
6 Myths About Gluten and Why We are Gluten Free
I will admit, when I heard people order gluten free at a restaurant or purchase gluten free items at the grocery store, I assumed it was trending and the cool thing to do at the time. It did not impact our house in any way, so I went about my business. Fast forward to present day. I have spoken in other articles about my child’s struggles with anxiety, constipation and focusing. When I say we have tried everything, we have tried everything. A good friend of mine told me about gut health and its relation to the brain. Long story short, I had a stool test done on my child, and it was determined that he has an extremely high gluten allergy. The physician who ordered the test reviewed the results with me and noted that if we adjust his diet, as well as put him on some supplements, we will notice the anxiety and focus issues decrease and we should see some massive improvement in his bowel movements.
She was right! We slowly started to eliminate gluten from all of the food in our home and added some supplements to my child’s daily routine – including by not limited to, glutathione, probiotic, gut health powders, fish oil.
Here are some myths about GLUTEN ALLERGIES that were debunked when my gut world changed:
1. Gluten allergies do not exist: they do!
Some people could be doing it to be “trendy,” but the majority of people do it because they need to in order to feel better. My son only had a bowel movement twice a week if we were lucky; now it is at least twice a day. Going gluten free really does work! Folks with Celiac disease really do need to avoid gluten.
2. Gluten free only diets are healthy.
If you only eliminate gluten and do not focus on anything else in your diet, you may find eating healthier harder. A lot of products that are marketed as gluten free can contain more sugar, fat, and salt than the gluten contained foods. Unnecessarily removing gluten from your diet may not provide any health benefits.
3. Gluten is only found in wheat and derivatives.
Gluten is actually a mix of proteins that can be found in wheat, rye, barley and other derivatives. You can find it in wheat flour (cake mix, breads), pastas, cereals and baked goods.
4. Celiac disease is the same thing as a gluten allergy: No!
They are not the same thing. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the gluten actually causes the immune system to react poorly. A gluten allergy is like any other allergy, in that the body can have adverse reactions to consuming gluten. For instance, my child has NCGS (non – celiac gluten sensitivity) and his reactions seem to have shown more in his gut health and in his brain chemicals. Scary, huh?
5. It is hard to find gluten free options.
I won’t say it is hard, but I won’t say it is not challenging. Just like any diet or lifestyle change, you need to allow yourself a grace period for getting acclimated. I plan to write another article on gluten – free grocery lists and gluten – free recipes. Stay tuned!
6. Gluten is evil.
Gluten itself is not evil or malicious. For most people, gluten is completely safe to consume in a normal day to day diet. But, for celiac disease individuals, gluten can trigger responses in the body that can cause damage to vital organs and for those with NCGS, consuming gluten can bring on unwanted symptoms.
This whole experience has made me realize that a healthy diet does not just impact us physically, but our overall mental wellness, too.
The following comes directly from BEWELL NOLA – and it is so true:
There is also more information about the connection between our gut health and our mental health. The gut is often referred to as the second brain. Did you know that 90% of all serotonin (the hormone nicknamed the “happy hormone”) is produced in our digestive system? That’s amazing! Physical symptoms of stress and anxiety can often be experienced in our gut. (Anyone ever experienced “butterflies” in their stomach?!)
