Could YOU Be Gluten Intolerant?

We have gone over what the heck gluten actually is... but how do you know if it is affecting you? Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 15% of the US population. (These statistics are likely to be similar in Western countries with similar health issues and dietary patterns.) 

 

 
There IS a difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is an immune reaction, a severe sudden onset allergic reaction, to the protein called gluten. This is commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. While celiac disease is initially an auto-immune disorder, it is also a disease of malabsorbtion, because essential nutrients are not absorbed. Therefore one of the most devastating symptoms of long-term undiagnosed celiac disease is malnutrition.

Gluten intolerance often has a slower onset than celiac disease, and may be hard to diagnose due to the broad range of symptoms and causes. This is what I am diagnosed with, and had a broad range of symptoms that took 3 years to diagnose.

 
So what are the specific symptoms of gluten intolerance and celiac disease? Check out the laundry list of symptoms below. This is why it's so difficult to diagnosis, and takes people an average of 10 years to get an final diagnosis.

• Weight loss or weight gain
• Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorbtion e.g. low iron levels
• Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
• Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)
• Aching joints
• Depression
• Eczema
• Head aches
• Exhaustion
• Irritability and behavioural changes
• Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage
• Cramps, tingling and numbness
• Slow infant and child growth
• Decline in dental health
• Abdominal Distention
• Abdominal Pain and Cramping
• Alternating Bouts of Diarrhea and Constipation
• Anemia
• Arthritis
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Autism
• Bloating
• Bone Density Loss
• Borborygmi (stomach rumbling)
• Constipation
• Stunted Growth and Failure to Thrive
• Depression, Anxiety and Irritability
• Dermatitis Herpetiformis (skin rash)
• Diabetes
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Malodorous Flatulence
• Malodorous Stools
• Gluten Ataxia
• Grayish Stools
• Hair Loss (Alopecia)
• Headaches and Migraines
• Hypoglycemia
• Infertility
• Joint pain
• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
• Lactose intolerance
• Mouth sores or mouth ulcers
• Nausea
• Numbness or tingling in the patient’s hands and feet
• Osteoporosis
• Peripheral Neuropathy (including either a tingling or sensation of swelling your toes and fingers)
• Sjogren’s Disease
• Steatorrhea (high lipids in the stool, which may cause the stool to float)
• Teeth and Gum Problems
• Turner Syndrome
• Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies
• Vomiting
• Unexplained Weight loss

> Undiagnosed for long periods of time, food intolerances have been found to contribute to diabetes, bowel cancer, anemia and osteoporosis.

Why are gluten intolerance symptoms so varied? It is still a bit of a mystery; gluten intolerance and allergies affect adults and children in a variety of ways, but we do know that the less stress the better. Anecdotal evidence suggests emotional trauma and stress play a large role in worsening of symptoms. 


How to diagnose celiac disease and gluten intolerance? Until recently it was challenging to diagnose celiac disease because the symptoms are varied and similar to other diseases. For example, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue, iron deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal infections can all have similar symptoms. In fact there may be a cross over between gluten intolerance and some of these illnesses; an individual may have a combination of issues worsened by unsuitable food choices.

Now doctors test for raised levels of certain auto-antibodies in their blood. These antibodies are produced when the body senses a dangerous intruder allergen, like gluten. If the results indicate an allergy to gluten the doctor may perform a small intestine biopsy. This will reveal the damage to the villi in the small intestine. It is important to eat an ordinary diet including gluten, before being tested.

If you suspect that food may be playing a role in any of your symptoms - try a week test and cut out gluten and see how you feel after 7 days. Then maybe bring gluten back in and cut out dairy and see you how feel. You will definitely notice a difference in 7 days and it will give you a good idea of what your body needs or doesn't need.


Health is the most important thing you have. Take care of yourself. Find a great doctor and fight for your health if you are not feeling well.

- Stephanie

I Cheated and I Liked It

I love to cheat. I plan out the moment and I savor it. I take my time and very small bites. It's pretty creepy when I cheat - so if you ever see me in a corner with a tiny piece of cake - let me have my 5 minutes alone with gluten before we break up again.


We all have food cravings. I have become so much more aware of my food cravings for pizza and ice cream now that I can't easily indulge in them whenever I want to. I'm all about healthy eating - but I'm not gonna lie - most days I would kill for a New York bagel or a slice of pizza. I'm often surprised by how bad I WANT these foods. 

I Cheated and I Liked It

Stephanie's First Post - My Health Rollercoaster

It’s easy to feel alone in a processed food filled world, so I’ve really enjoyed reading Lacey’s blog about her adventures into veganism and raw foods. Thank you to Lacey for this opportunity to blog with her, and thank you for giving me a chance to share what I have been learning. As of today, I do not eat gluten or dairy, and I try my best to stay away from refined sugars and processed foods. Never did I think there would be a day where I could confidently say that. I have a lot of tips, ideas and recipes to share - but for my first post, I’d like to give you my background story on how I got where I am. Bear with me as my health roller coaster will give you a much better insight about how, and why, I turned my life around. Our stories may be similar, and I hope I can be a great resource for you. 

I’ve always been a picky eater; I grew up loving chicken fingers, bagels, cookies and PB&J sandwiches. I couldn’t pass up on a soda or sugary drink. I was never interested in cooking healthy or making sure I ate my fruits and veggies for the day. Since I was never overweight and always fit in exercise here and there, I thought I didn’t have a problem. I really didn’t think that what I was putting into my body made a difference. Boy, was I wrong.

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The summer after my sophomore year of college, I came down with mononucleosis. Not fun - but I recovered with lots of rest and integrating more fruits and proteins into my diet. I felt better and start my junior year. By January 2007 I felt “off” again - shaky, mood swings, weight loss, racing heart. But with no clear diagnosis from my family doctor, these symptoms continued on and off again for two more years until I couldn’t take it anymore. 

By May 2009, I had graduated from college and was living and working full time in New York City. I had chronic fatigue, daily headaches/migraines, inflamed joints and muscles, and mood swings that wouldn’t go away. I was 22 years old and I knew I shouldn’t feel this sick every day - finally I couldn’t stand it anymore and I started my fight to get better. In September 2009 I had surgery to remove my right lobe of my thyroid. I had a cyst on my thyroid which the doctors thought was causing problems, so I hoped this to be my solution. I cut back on alcohol and caffeine, and focused on eating healthier (whole grains, dairy, fruit and veggies). In October 2009, symptoms were still there, and I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. I immediately started antibiotics and finally thought I had a solution to my problem. 

I began to eat organic and more consciously throughout the day. I gave up all alcohol and caffeine... and finally started to feel better. Of course the journey doesn’t end there. In March symptoms flared again, and I tested positive for Lyme Disease again. This time, my thyroid levels were off as well, and I started a lifetime of thyroid medication. From March 2010 through September 2010 I fell into an unhealthy spiral of all my original symptoms, and worse. I was miserable - I had the chills all day, migraines every week, chronic fatigue, joint pain, difficulty to concentrate, my hair was falling out, mental fatigue, as well as anxiety and panic attacks. I had trouble getting out of chairs and walking up stairs... how could a 23 year old be so sick? I was normally so happy go lucky, how could this be happening to me? I was so unhappy and was willing to do anything to feel better. So I didn’t stop my fight and went through several doctors until I found a wonderful doctor that tested for everything, and didn’t just try to throw antibiotics or antidepressants at me. 

Days after my 24th birthday, on 9/14/11, I was diagnosed with a gluten and dairy intolerance. I had always said I could never give up my favorite foods... but any clear diagnosis was music to my ears and I was willing to do whatever it took to get out of this health slump.

I am now in my 8th month of eating gluten and dairy free. I am happy to say my symptoms started to go away ONE WEEK after giving up gluten and dairy, and they have faded away quickly ever since. Even reliving the pain I went through for months is a scary and sad memory, and a warning to myself that the food I put into my body will make me or break me.

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Thank you for listening to my story. I can’t wait to share all that I have learned - and all that I need to work on! Please let me know if you have any questions about my diagnosis, or how I got there. I am happy to share. I hope I can motivate people to fight for their health and be truly conscious of the food they put into their bodies every day.

- Stephanie