I’ve been gluten-free for at least five years.
I decided to cut out gluten from my diet because of how I felt every time I ate it. I can describe it in one word: Awful.
More and more research is now showing that gluten may be less tolerable to the digestive system than it once was. A study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology found that Bacillus thuringlensis or BT Toxin added to Monsanto’s GMO corn is not destroyed during digestion. As a result, it may actually damage human intestinal cells, causing sensitivities like gluten intolerance and autoimmune diseases like Celiac disease. While Celiac disease is much better understood today than it was 50 years ago, it’s also diagnosed five times as often. If you look around, you’ll notice that more and more people have issues with gluten than ever did before, and GMO corn could be partially to blame.Read more about where to vacation if you have Celiac disease
Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity on the Rise
Today, one percent of the population has Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease with symptoms that include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even diminished growth rates in kids. It also causes damage to the intestines. Gluten intolerance, on the other hand, has a much bigger pool with seven percent of the population having what’s called Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), marked by gastrointestinal issues, headaches, joint pain and numbness, and even depression.
Doctors test for Celiac disease. With regards to NCGS, if you think that you might be gluten intolerant, consider a gluten-free diet for a month. Once it’s completely out of your system, reintroduce it and notice whether you have adverse reactions to gluten. You can also get comprehensive testing through Cyrex Laboratories. They test for various proteins as well as foods that mimic the effects of gluten. Your healthcare practitioner can order you the test.
Read more about places gluten may be hiding in your gluten-free diet
Below are some videos we created a few years back to give you more information on living a gluten-free lifestyle. Enjoy!
Photo Credit: Emily Mills
