It’s true. I talk a ton about how gluten (and many foods in general) affects the gut by displaying symptoms of gas, bloat and diarrhea.
We understand and identify with those symptoms.
I was reminded yesterday while watching Dr. Oz (<- during one of the baby’s feedings = baby bonus!) that there is more to it than the gut symptoms for millions.
I was one.
I realized that I need to re-visit my story to include these things. (I am not sure why I never put them there to begin with.)
You can take the Gluten Sensitivity Self Test to find out for yourself, but here are the various “gluten symptoms” they make note of:
Digestive Symptoms
- Frequent bloating or gas
- Diagnosed with IBS or acid reflux
- Daily diarrhea or chronic constipation
Neurologic & Skeletal Symptoms
- Migraine or headaches
- Joint pains or aches
- Brain fog
Hormonal & Immune Symptoms
- Depression or anxiety
- Ongoing fatigue
- Chronic eczema or acne
4 or more of these, and you could very well have a gluten sensitivity.
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I had: frequent bloating and gas, was diagnosed with IBD, chronic constipation, joint pains and aches, brain fog, anxiety and ongoing fatigue. When I was all-out “glutenized,” I’d get terrible headaches.
All of these (and more!), but I was never diagnosed with Celiac Disease. You don’t need to be diagnosed with Celiac to have several of the Celiac symptoms.
The immune system is not only the gut. The human gut plays a huge role in immune function, so eating foods over-and-over that we are sensitive to affects the immune system in a multitude of ways.
The reason we don’t correlate these symptoms with food is because we have become complacent in our thinking. We believe that “this is just how we’re supposed to feel.”
We’re not.
You’re not.
If you feel horrible, even slightly, day-in and day-out, perhaps it’s time to look at the foods your feeding your body.
Dr. Oz recommended consulting your doctor or eliminating gluten for 2-4 weeks to truly determine if the sensitivity is there. In other words, “Elimination Diet.”
The Elimination Diet has received a ton of buzz as of late, but it’s something I have practiced, preached and mastered over the past several years. It is the primary reason my clients have so much success with their own gut healing.
Don’t take it from me, take it from “Oz.” Figure out what is making you ill.
Today I launched the 21-day Jumpstart Your 2014 Gut Healing Program.
I’m inviting you to join us….
I’m so excited for your gut to begin healing, and your “ah-ha moment” when the other miscellaneous symptoms “magically disappear.”
Love your guts,
SKH