Hi Beautiful,
So, I know you have probably heard the terms “Celiac Disease”, “Gluten Allergy”, “Gluten Intolerant”, and “Gluten Sensitivity” by now. And like many of you , I was so confused when they became widely known terms. What exactly do these mean? How do I know if I have one of them? Why are there so many terms instead of it being generalized under one maybe two? Well, to save you the long drawn out medical terms and reasons, the simple answer is there are different levels from a mild sensitivity to the severe cases, being Celiac Disease (which is what I have), and I found out by initially watching an episode of Dr. Oz. He had Elizabeth Hassleback (she also has Celiac Disease) on, and she went through her story on how she found out she had Celiac. They then had a symptom checker and gave you a simple way of finding out if Gluten is an issue for you, the elimination diet. I literally had almost every symptom on the list, and followed what Dr. Oz said to find out if Gluten was my issue.
I spent the next 30 days following that episode completely Gluten Free. By completely, I mean reading all ingredients to avoid possible gluten. You would be surprised to see what items actually contain it, and it is not like the words wheat barley or rye pop out on every label, but that is another blog post for another day. Anyway, within the first week I noticed symptoms diminishing, I was really starting to feel better, which was awesome! After I completed the 30 days, I had dropped 20 pounds, had a ton of energy, slept like a baby, my hair, skin and nails were looking great, heart burn was gone, no more brain fog, etc. etc.
The next step was to reintroduce gluten containing foods to see if it was the cause of these issues, and sure enough the heart burn, bloating, headaches, fatigue , brain fog, etc. came back with a vengeance. At this point I knew I at least had a gluten allergy, and the only way to fix the issues was to avoid gluten containing foods from this point on. So, now that I filled you in a bit about my beginning journey to finding out I have Celiac Disease, I want to give you a simple list of common symptoms to look for. Now, if you have these symptoms, you should try the elimination diet first to see if they go away/subside, and when in doubt go to your doctor to get it checked out. I am in now way a medical doctor, and the information I am providing you is from multiple medical sources as well as my own personal experiences. Feel free to message me any questions you may have.
Gluten Allergy, Celiac, Gluten Intolerance/Sensitivity Symptom Check List:
1: Digestive Issues:
Gas,bloating, constipation, and diarrhea are the most common symptoms after eating gluten containing foods. Constipation is most common in children. Many people that were diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) noticed that their symptoms went away after cutting gluten from their
2: Mood:
Depression, anxiety, ADHD, and frequently changing moods can improve by eliminating gluten from the diet.
3: Joint Pain:
Swollen and painful joints, including the fingers and knees can be a sign of gluten sensitivity.
4: Keratosis Pilaris:
Also called chicken skin, is raised bumps commonly on the back of the arms caused by the malabsorption of fatty acids and Vitamin A. These deficiencies occur due to damage of the intestines caused by long term exposure to gluten.
5: Exhaustion:
Feeling tired or foggy after you eat a meal that contains gluten is common for people intolerant of the protein.
Many people with gluten intolerance who cut wheat and other gluten-containing grains from their diet feel a dramatic increase in energy.
6:Chronic Fatigue or Fibromyalgia:
These diagnoses generally indicate that your doctor isn’t exactly sure what the cause of your fatigue or chronic pain is. Often, gluten intolerance is an underlying factor in these syndromes, and cutting gluten out of your diet can target the actual cause of your pain and fatigue.
7: Migraine Headaches:
A 2001 study found that eating gluten can trigger migraines and intense headaches for those who are sensitive to it. MRI scanning indicated that many of these patients had significant inflammation in their nervous systems, likely due to reactions to gluten.
8: Autoimmune Diseases:
Inflammation and prolonged exposure to gluten can put the body on high alert, autoimmune diseases frequently develop in people who are intolerant to gluten. These diseases include lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, scleroderma, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and multiple sclerosis.
9:Hormone Imbalance:
Infertility, PCOS, and irregular menstrual cycles are often related to gluten intolerance. The inflammation from gluten consumption puts a significant amount of stress on the adrenal glands, which can begin to malfunction and upset the balance of the entire endocrine system.
10: Neurological Symptoms:
Dizziness, poor balance and vertigo, and symptoms like numbness and tingling can all be indicative of inflammation in the nervous system caused by gluten-induced responses within the immune system.
I know these symptoms all to well, they most certainly are not a joy to live with nor a safe way to live which is why I am sharing this information with you. Be sure to follow my blog to catch more posts I write about my journey with C.D.
source: daily health post
Angels Of Fitness 