Food can help or harm our health! Gluten can be body and brain poison.
There are proteins in gluten that our body’s recognize as intruders and mount an attack. This causes inflammation as the body goes into battle! It causes our body to make Zonulin. A protein our body makes to regulate the tight junctions in our intestinal wall.
Increased Zonulin causes diarrhea, nausea, and constipation. It also causes holes in our gut allowing harmful substances that should stay in the gut out into the bloodstream. High blood levels of Zonulin have been found in several autoimmune diseases. Which can create gluten sensitivity leading to a long list of food allergies and inflammatory diseases like :
diabetes
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
arthritis and other joint diseases
allergies
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
psoriasis
rheumatoid arthritis
There are also neurological affects of gluten sensitivity like multiple sclerosis, depression, seizures, adhd, nerve damage and 200 other conditions.
It’s not worth the risk! Bye gluten! We don’t need you! There are so many options available that make is easier. It is a lifestyle change, but you will be thankful you did it.
To eliminate gluten from your diet, be sure to consider obvious sources (e.g. wheat flour) as well as hidden, common sources where you will need to read food labels. Note that “wheat-free” does not mean “gluten- free” as there are many other gluten-containing grains you will want to avoid. The following is a list of gluten-containing grains:
■Wheat ■Barley ■Rye ■Farina ■Graham flour ■Semolina ■Durham
■Bulgur ■Kamut ■Kashi (multi-grain blend) ■Matzo meal ■Spelt (a form of wheat) ■Triticale
Though sometimes confused with gluten foods, the following are fine to eat for elimination.
(If you have celiac disease, you may also wish to look for “gluten-free” confirmation on the label, indicating no/low risk of cross-contamination during food manufacture – an extra precaution.)
■Rice, Amaranth, Millet, Buckwheat (aka kasha), ■Quinoa, Teff ■Corn and cornmeal (but make sure organic) ■Soy (but make sure organic)
■Potatoes (all types) ■Wine and distilled liquors, ciders and spirits ■Garbanzo and other bean/legume flours
■Oats (make sure they are labeled “gluten-free” as many oat products are contaminated with wheat during manufacturing/processing) ■ Potato and Tapioca starch (though I do not recommend these for regular consumption as they are very high-glycemic and can aggressively spike blood sugar)
In general, avoid any processed food ingredient that includes the words wheat.
Unfortunately many processed foods use preservatives or additives for texture that include gluten, but they can be hidden from you. In particular, this means you will need to avoid almost all baked goods unless they are specifically labeled gluten-free. To help you to be diligent in your elimination, here are some particular foods and gluten sources to be wary of and read their ingredient labels carefully:
■Breads, Rolls, and Tortillas ■Breading for All fried foods ■Cereals, Pasta and Noodles ■Crackers and Chips (besides corn and potato; nearly all “multigrain” options include wheat)
■Croutons
■Cookies, Cakes Pastries, Pies ■Soups and Gravies ■Tabbouli ■Sauces (including soy sauce unless gluten-free)
■Salad dressings
■Coffee creamer ■Beer ■Flavored coffee and tea, especially mixes
■Stuffing
■Spice and Marinade mixes and any pre-seasoned meat items (especially a key risk at restaurants)
■Baking soda and powder ■Bouillon and Stocks
■Artificial butter flavor ■Candy ■Imitation meat or seafood ■Sausages and other preserved meats
■Processed luncheon meats
■Self-basting poultry
■Medications & vitamins (gluten as binding agent)
■Lipstick and lip balms ■Toothpaste ■Postage stamps and mailing envelopes
■Play dough
Food additives you will want to avoid include the following:
Bran, Malt, Malt flavoring, Gelatinized starch, Germ, Artificial flavoring, Natural flavoring, Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Modified food starch, Modified starch, Vegetable Starch, Rice Syrup (unless product is specifically labeled gluten-free), Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Caramel coloring.
If you are ready to begin a lifestyle change but need more support with a food plan, want to detox stored toxins and fat, Shape ReClaimed may be a perfect plan for you. Click on the link to schedule an appointment with me, I would love to help you!
Information compiled from these excellent resources: www.celiac.com , http://celiacdisease.about.com/ , www.mayoclinic.com/health , http://www.webmd.com/. A mind of your own- Dr. Kelly Brogan
