Who's your BFF? Gluten: Friend or Foe?

Who's your BFF?  Do you hang out with them everyday? A few times per week? Or just once in while?  Whatever your response, I bet you hang out with gluten more than your beloved best friends, family and co-workers!  Wanna bet?   Here's another question:  What did you eat today?  Did it come from a package or was it "sandwiched" in between 2 slices of your favorite bread, rolled up in a wrap or slathered with a tangy sauce?  Maybe it was a bowl of your favorite cereal, or better yet - your daily vitamins and supplements.  If you read labels and know anything about food preparation then you know there is gluten galore in nearly everything we eat - particularly if it's processed.

If you're thinking "What the heck is gluten?", I'm sure you're in the majority.  Most people don't know what it is nor heard of it until recent years, but truly still don't "understand" it.  Gluten is a protein that is present in wheat, barley and rye.  It's not harmful unless someone is managing celiac disease.  Roughly 1% of the population is affected by the disease - which prevents them from digesting the protein.  Some of the symptoms include bloating, abdominal cramps, constipation, chronic fatigue and unexplained weight loss.  If celiac disease is not properly treated it can be fatal. 

Now, let's attempt to determine if gluten is your friend or foe.  I'll give you the broad strokes of the pros and cons and leave the rest of the investigative work up to you.  Here's what I do know:  According to the website www.knowswhy.com and the dozens of health practitioners I've studied say 40%  of the population is gluten sensitive.  And while people with a gluten sensitivity can consume wheat with gluten on occasion without any side effect, those with celiac disease have to avoid gluten completely.  Have you allowed gluten to become your BFF and is it now acting more like an enemy?  If so, it might be a good idea to reevaluate your relationship with this protein.

Here's the major reason why in my opinion, we should strive to eliminate or at least decrease our exposure to gluten.  It destroys our small intestine over time and could lead to a nasty condition caused leaky gut syndrome.  The small intestine turns food we eat into fuel. That fuel is used by our cells for nourishment.  So, if the small intestine is damaged, body will not get fed and a number of problems can develop.  Some of those include autoimmune diseases like asthma and arthritis, stress, Lupus, chronic pain, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), thyroid issues and a host of other maladies.

If you are one of my dedicated readers, you know I avoid getting too technical or medical.  And the issue of gluten intolerance/sensitivity is one of those topics that venture into those territories.  Therefore, without offering any medical advice, I will offer you my two cents.  If you have any chronic condition or experience any of the symptoms, an elimination diet could be a way to determine if gluten is your friend or foe.  Please, talk to your health care practitioner or seek the advice of a certified or licensed holistic/nutrition specialist who can help you navigate through this. There are many whole-food substitutions that can replace gluten in your diet and you won't miss it at all. 


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Take care and feel free to share your healthy and wealthy tips and questions in the blog comments section, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ritechoicenutrition or on twitter @AliciaBettes.