Should You Go Gluten-Free?
Thinking of going gluten-free? If you are, you have plenty of company. Interest and enthusiasm around gluten-free diets continues to grow dramatically. You can find plenty of books, diet experts, and advertisements supporting the idea. But does it really improve your health or sense of well-being? Or might it just be a widely amplified health fad?
First things first - what is gluten? Gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, barley, and rye and provides no essential nutrients. Gluten acts as the “glue” that holds the grain together and allows it to keep its shape.
Gluten can be found in breads, pastas, doughs, baked goods, cereals, and more unsuspecting places like cross-contaminated oats, soy sauce, salad dressings, condiments, deli meats, cheeses, fried foods, candy, alcohol, medications, supplements, cosmetics, and more. If you’re trying to avoid gluten, it’s not so easy to do on a whim and paying attention to food labels is a must!
Still want to go gluten-free? Let’s talk about if you’re a good candidate.
People with celiac disease have an immune reaction that is triggered by eating gluten. They develop inflammation and damage in their intestinal tracts and other parts of the body when they eat foods containing gluten. They are able to avoid sickness and maintain much better health if they follow a gluten-free diet; you could call it essential.
If you find yourself having a gluten sensitivity (experiencing gastrointestinal distress – ranging from diarrhea, gas and bloating to constipation and irritable bowel symptoms), it doesn’t appear to be as critical to long-term health to avoid gluten – it’s more a matter of choice to avoid symptoms. The occasional slice of pizza may cause some short-term digestive discomfort, but it isn’t believed to increase the risk of serious long-term consequences. Future studies may reveal more about this relatively new diagnosis and its potential risks.
There is no compelling evidence that a gluten-free diet will improve health or prevent disease if you don't have celiac disease and can eat gluten without trouble. Of course, future research could change this. We may someday learn that at least some people without celiac disease or symptoms of intestinal disease are better off avoiding gluten.
Now you might be thinking, “okay, but everyone I know is going gluten-free and they’re not celiac or sensitive, and they keep talking about how great they feel” so let’s discuss.
Being gluten-free won’t give you the waistline you’ve always wanted or instantly make you a healthier person without combining it with other efforts. Sure, anytime you gut out a major food group you lose weight - but it’s hard to maintain that for a lifetime (unnecessarily).
What going gluten-free can do for you is:
Help you clear your brain fog
Give you more energy
Lessen your symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders
Ease joint pain and muscle cramps
Relieve headaches and migraines
Support with regular bowel movements
If this is something you’d like to explore, I would love to help you on your journey! I specialize in digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, inflammation and weight loss. I promise, I will never make eating healthy or going gluten-free feel like a restriction. Reach out to me today to get started!