Wheat Intolerance

Wheat Intolerance and You

Wheat Intolerance — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:22:59 +0000

You feel awful most of the time. You’re tired, achy, and it seems like you’ve either got diarrhea or constipation almost constantly. Maybe your skin itches and flakes, or you get unexplained rashes or hives. You may even throw up occasionally, for no obvious reason.

If you’ve sought medical help for your problems, you might have left the doctor’s office frustrated– feeling as if you weren’t being taken seriously. Perhaps the doctor threw out terms like irritable bowel syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome, leaving you just as confused as when you came in. So you started looking online, and you found something interesting. Is it possible that you suffer from a food allergy or intolerance?

In short– yes. It’s very possible.

There are many types of food intolerance and allergies, and wheat intolerance is one of the most common. But all wheat sensitivity is not created equal. Broadly speaking, health problems related to wheat consumption fall into three categories:

1) Celiac (or Coeliac) Disease

Celiac disease is an immunological (allergic) response in the intestinal tract to a very specific protein contained in wheat and several other grains, called gliadin– a gluten protein. It has many other names, including gluten allergy, gluten enteropathy, gluten intolerance, and coeliac sprue. Over time, it can cause damage to the intestinal tract, but it can be effectively treated with a gluten-free diet. The bad news is, people with celiac disease have it for life. There’s no cure, and they don’t “grow out of it”. The good news is that much of the damage done to the body can repair itself after gluten is removed from the diet.

2) Wheat Allergy

Wheat allergy is also an immunological response to wheat. Unlike celiac disease, however, it includes allergic reactions to many different proteins found in wheat and related cereal grains. It can be gastrointestinal, but it can also be similar to hay fever, causing asthma-like respiratory symptoms, hives, rashes, contact dermatitis, cough, runny nose, and itchy eyes. Sometimes called “baker’s allergy”, wheat allergy may be exacerbated by exercising or taking aspirin, causing a very violent and dangerous– even life-threatening– allergic condition called anaphylaxis. Once again, avoidance is the key, though some wheat allergy sufferers are able to tolerate alternative gluten-containing grains such as barley and rye.

3) Wheat Intolerance

Confusingly, celiac disease is sometimes called “gluten intolerance”. However, wheat intolerance generally refers to a non-allergic negative reaction to eating wheat. Wheat intolerance is not usually as violent or acute as wheat allergy, and can be a lot harder to diagnose because the symptoms may manifest many hours after the consumption of wheat; even up to a couple of days later. Though poorly understood, it’s still an immune-related response, but one which affects a totally different part of the immune system than that which causes a ragweed sufferer to sneeze or someone with a peanut allergy to go into anaphylactic shock. Avoidance is still the main approach to solving the existing problem in individuals with wheat sensitivity, but there’s good news– with careful management, some people may be able to build up a tolerance for small amounts of wheat over time.

If you think you may have a form of wheat sensitivity, there are a range of testing and treatment options, which we will cover in future articles– along with some great tips and recipes for living gluten-free… with style.

Technorati Tags: celiac, coeliac, wheat allergy, wheat intolerance

Health Insurance Company Cancels Coverage of Teen with Celiac Disease

Wheat Intolerance — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:48:59 +0000

In another outrage against people with celiac and gluten allergy symptoms, healthcare giant American Community Mutual Insurance cancelled 17-year-old Brianna Rice’s coverage after her diagnosis of celiac disease, citing earlier non-specific complaints like dizziness and fatigue as evidence that her parents had lied on her health insurance application.

Now, with the family facing financial ruin and after significant pressure from media and government, they have reversed their decision. But does this sort of thing go on all the time?

Hidden Gluten Hazards for Children

Wheat Intolerance — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:21:59 +0000

Every parent of a child with wheat intolerance or celiac disease worries about accidental exposure to gluten. Foods containing gluten seem to be everywhere. But food isn’t the only potential source of gluten exposure.

One source that you may not have thought of is– of all things– fingerpaints. Yes, fingerpaints generally contain gluten, and with children of a certain age, you can bet that fingers, and the paint on them, will end up in little mouths at some point. While it just kills us to see children excluded from normal childhood activities, their safety and health has to come first, right?

Fortunately, one company has taken steps to put the messy fun of fingerpainting back in the lives of children with gluten intolerance. Bluedominoes now produces safe, certified gluten free and lead-free fingerpaints, as well as Play Dough, another commonly gluten-contaminated childhood staple. Both use food grade ingredients, all of which are listed on the packaging. They have also been approved by the Celiac Sprue Association.

If you have children who can’t tolerate gluten, consider supporting this innovative company by visiting http://www.bluedominoes.com.

Technorati Tags: celiac, celiac disease, coeliac, foods containing gluten, gluten-free, wheat intolerance

Wheat Intolerance & Celiac Disease Make 2009 Top Ten Food Stories List

Wheat Intolerance — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:14:59 +0000

The Globe and Mail have published their Top Ten food-related stories of 2009, and the increasing prevalence of wheat intolerance and celiac disease is right in the thick of things.

Probiotics and Gluten Allergy

Wheat Intolerance — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:04:59 +0000

Have you considered starting a probiotic regimen to increase your digestive health? Studies have shown that certain probiotics can be beneficial to celiac sufferers who have been accidentally exposed to gluten.