The Less Discussed Side Effects of Gluten Intolerance

Gluten Intolerance: An immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. not the same as a gluten allergy.

 
A loaf of sliced bread with a sad face cut out in the middle.
 

Gluten intolerance/sensitivity is often confused with gluten allergy, known as Celiac disease. This gives a lot of people the impression that if their blood test comes back showing they do not have Celiac disease that they are then safe to eat all the gluten! Not true! Gluten sensitivity in humans (and pets!) is spreading like wildfire.

Why is this? There are a few reasons, but one very important one is the Standard American Diet (SAD). People are eating gluten nonstop all day long! Think about a typical day of eating for most. 

common standard american diet meal choices:

  • Breakfast: Toast, Bagels, Cereals, Pancakes, Waffles, Pastries

  • Lunch: Sandwiches, Crackers, Things on Buns and Breads

  • Dinner: Pizza, Pastas, Beer, Processed Foods (meals that come in a box)

Humans are typically eating gluten from sunup to sundown. Are you ready for the real truth? No human can properly digest gluten! So, we continuously eat gluten all day, every day, NEVER properly digesting it. Over time, this begins to create inflammation and starts damaging the lining of the small intestines, creating holes that eventually begin passing through small pieces of food out of our intestines and directly into our blood stream. Whoa! Now there are these pieces of undigested food rolling around in your bloodstream which activates your immune system to come in and take down these “foreign invaders”. We have now created an immune reaction and inflammation traveling through our bodies, which leads to a slue of serious health complications.

It is rather common now to hear about side effects of gluten, with gluten-free choices popping up on menus everywhere. Symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, belching, fatigue, brain fog, and headaches. Unfortunately, most have no idea they are even experiencing these side effects. Why? Because we live in a “sick” nation. Headaches are normal. Spending time in the bathroom after a meal…normal. Feeling sleepy once you eat your lunch…normal. THIS IS NOT NORMAL! Therefore, without even knowing, we continue eating the same way we always have because these are not side effects, they’re normal. Over time those side effects snowball into serious chronic illnesses.

The less discussed side effects of gluten intolerance:

  • Depression & Mood Disorders

  • IBS & Digestive Disorders

  • Inflammation in the Heart

  • Autism

  • Alzheimer’s Disease

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis

  • Osteoporosis

  • Cancer

These are the less discussed side effects, when obviously they should be the first! All starting from that daily morning bagel, that turned into inflammation, damaged our guts, passed through our intestines, red flagged our immune system, and sharing the inflammation with all the other parts of our body. Thanks a lot gluten!

Where to go from here? If you suspect that you are gluten intolerant (this is a likely yes!), try cutting it out of your diet for 30 days and then “test” it. Test it by eating gluten containing foods in large quantities for up to 3 days and take notice how you feel. Of course, if you experience a severe side effect right away, stop the testing, you are gluten intolerant! Symptoms can arise for up to 7 days so be sure to listen to your body. Do you have a headache, digestive issues, brain fog, etc.? If you are one of the lucky few who experience no symptoms, good for you! Keep it that way! Remember, no human can fully digest gluten. Think of gluten containing foods as a treat. Eat them only on occasion to keep that build-up of inflammation from happening.

 
Woman sitting at table with coffee holding her hand up to say “no” to the bread offered.
 

Is cutting out gluten something you want to work towards but have been having a hard time? Consider working with a health coach. We are full of tips and suggestions to help you make the right choices and locate the foods in your cabinet that contain gluten.

Gluten intolerance, sensitivity, and Celiac is an incredibly complex topic. This is just a small crash course.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and question the answers!

It’s your health!

Have you battled your way through gluten intolerance?

Share your warrior story in the comments.

LifestyleKatie Shermanhealth, functional medicine, gluten free, gluten intolerance, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, alzheimer's disease, cancer, IBS, gluten