Gluten Intolerance

Gluten intolerance is an inherited autoimmune disorder characterized by a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found primarily in wheat, rye and barley.(Oats used to be considered a culprit, but no longer are.) When people with this condition eat gluten, their immune systems are activated and the resulting inflammatory response damages or destroys the villi that line the small intestines and allow nutrients to be absorbed. Affected individuals may have neurological problems such as numbness, depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, even seizures, dementia and psychotic episodes. Children especially can have bloating, abdominal pain, canker sores, diarrhea, or constipation. Whatever the reason, people who get off gluten often have remarkable improvements. You can test yourself by simply stop eating all wheat, rye and barley for four weeks, then slowly add each of them back into your diet and see how your body reacts.