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What Does Gluten Have To Do With My Health?
Sensitivity to gluten is quite a popular topic of discussion these days. Because of its connections to osteoporosis, acne, allergies, and other conditions, it shouldn't be a surprise there's such a buzz around gluten. But what exactly is gluten? In what ways can it effect your health? And why should you care? These are some of the questions we'll tackle now.
To begin, we'll define what gluten is and is not. Gluten is a substance (technically a protein) found in a handful of specific grains. Gluten isn't a virus or bacteria, nor is it artificial. It is a natural part of the grains in which it is found, and we call these grains "gluten grains".
Gluten occurs naturally in only three grains: wheat, barley, and rye. If you eat even a small serving of any of those grains, you are eating gluten. Don't forget that this includes flours made from these grains, as well as anything made from these grains, such as bread, beer, and pretzels.
Gluten causes health problems when susceptible individuals eat it, it causes damage to the intestinal lining and also causes the immune system to malfunction. This leads to a whole host of problems, including anemia, nutrient deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, and more.
Some confusion has arisen over whether oats should be considered gluten grains. Unfortunately, the answer is sometimes. While it's true that oats do contain a substance that is similar to gluten, it is different than the gluten in wheat, barley, and rye. This substance in oats doesn't cause problems for most people. However, the issue lies in cross-contamination. Oats are often grown near gluten grains, and are transported and processed on the same machines as gluten grains. This leads to traces of wheat, barley, or rye gluten being found in oats. Look for labels stating "gluten-free" on your oats to be sure they truly are gluten free.
Surprisingly, gluten can show up where you least expect it. Because they are dipped in gluten-flour based batter prior to frying, fried foods often contain gluten. soy sauce usually contains wheat. Shop for tamari to put on your favorite Chinese food instead, it is usually gluten-free. Lastly, gluten can be used as a food additive in foods such as candies, to provide texture and consistency.
Grains containing gluten became a staple of our diet around 10,000 years ago, as the first agricultural societies experimented with relying on cereal grains for sustenance. Our dependence on cereal grains, including gluten-containing grains, has become a global phenomenon.
It is interesting to note that the geographical areas that have had gluten in their diets for the longest period of time, also tend to have the lowest incidence of gluten allergy (celiac disease). Common scientific thought on this reveals that it likely takes many generations for our bodies to adapt to eating this gluten as a food. The fact that many of our genomes aren't fully adapted to eating gluten is likely responsible for the large percentage of the population that are sensitive to gluten.
If you now or in the past have suffered from anemia, autoimmune diseases, frequent stomach or bowel problems, arthritis, or skin conditions, you should consider that perhaps you too have a sensitivity to gluten.
Get the answer on whether gluten may be causing your health condition, visit your Portland Chiropractor for an evaluation. You should look for a Portland Chiropractor experienced in treating gluten-related conditions and begin your road to recovery.
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