Have you noticed over the last few years that restaurants and grocery stores are now offering an array of gluten-free options?
It’s a way of eating that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon, and there’s good reason for that. According to Dr. Taylor Hill of Concord Naturopathic Clinic, researchers have found that four times as many people now are affected by a gluten intolerance than in the 1950s. Hill attributed the spike in recorded sensitivities to the large amount of pre-packaged foods available today.
“Wheat is such a common item to use, so gluten is prevalent in a lot of the foods that we eat,” said Hill. “And foods today are much more processed, so people are being exposed more to it.”
Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed with wheat and other grains, such as rye and barley. It’s contained in most breads, pastas and our personal favorite – beer. It’s hard to imagine a life without those three dietary staples, but sometimes the only choice people have is to give up those delicious gluten-filled foods. That’s why many places now offer your favorite foods in a gluten-free variety.
“The first step is eliminating the grains that contain gluten,” said Hill. “It’s a learning process to go gluten-free and it’s really learning a whole new way to eat.”
Some people have a slight sensitivity to gluten, while others have more of an intolerance. Ingesting gluten can lead to symptoms like gas and bloating, joint pain and fatigue. In children, slowed growth and failure to thrive are key warning signs of a gluten sensitivity. At times, the symptoms can be subtle and hard to attribute to a gluten intolerance, since they don’t always appear directly after eating.
But for those with celiac disease, the warning signs can be severe and debilitating. People afflicted with celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder of the small intestines, can’t even have their food made or cooked in the same area as gluten. And while celiac is the most severe case, the less drastic intolerances can also make life difficult.
“What research is finding is that a lot of people have gluten intolerances,” said Hill.
When Hill sees a patient with gluten concerns, the first course of action is a food sensitivity blood test. Once it is determined that there is a sensitivity to gluten, Hill will give his patients some guidance to becoming gluten-free.
“What I tell my patients is to take a week to two weeks to make that change,” said Hill. “On average, some of the symptoms, like gas and bloating, will resolve fairly quickly.”
That means slowly cleaning out your pantry of those gluten filled foods that we all love and replacing them with gluten-free substitutes.
“It’s a big change, and each person has to see it for themselves,” said Hill.
But don’t be discouraged if the symptoms linger even after you’ve rid the cabinets of gluten stuff.
“It can take time. You need to stick with it for at least a month,” said Hill.
