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Do You Have Gluten Sensitivity? 10 Common Symptoms
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How can you test for a gluten intolerance?
Unfortunately, there isn’t much to go on at the moment. The only two reliable methods are blood tests and the elimination diet. Blood testing is pretty obvious, but many people are reluctant to return to their doctor after they have been told that they have no problem with gluten. This is why most people opt for the elimination diet.
If you decide to go for blood testing, see if there is a Cyrex lab close to where you live. They offer a comprehensive blood test which will screen you for all gluten and wheat proteins and enzymes to determine if you have a problem.
Otherwise, most people simply try the ease of the elimination diet. Remove everything that contains gluten from your life for at least 30 days. Most people find they have relief from their symptoms within 21 days. If nothing changes and you still have symptoms, talk with your doctor about other possibilities.
However, most people who suspect that they have a gluten sensitivity do find that by removing gluten from their lives, they feel like their old selves within about a three week period. Be certain that you remove all, not just some, gluten from your diet.
Tips for living a gluten free life:
- Shop at the gluten-free section of your supermarket and health foods store. There are a great many options so you don’t have to feel deprived.
- Always choose whole, organic foods over any type of processed food.
- Read labels and avoid anything that contains wheat, rye, oats, or barley.
- Look for other sources of gluten that are cleverly disguised with words such as soy gum, vegetable gum, malt flavoring, vegetable protein, flour, or bran.
- Look for gluten free recipes online so that you can still make your own food at home.
A note about gluten allergies:
There is a difference between being sensitive to gluten and being allergic to gluten. Although doctors pooh-pooh that there are gluten allergies, study after study shows that this is real. The main difference between a gluten allergy and gluten sensitivity is the reaction. As you can imagine, a gluten allergy is much more severe, and frequently causes swelling of the tongue, mouth, throat, and/or a burning sensation in the mouth or throat. An allergic reaction can be severe and life threatening, or it can be mild.
READ ALSO: 8 Ways Gluten is Making You Fat, Sick, and Tired
If you suspect that you, your child, or someone you care about has a gluten allergy, remove all gluten from the diet and see a doctor right away.
Remember; don’t let anyone tell you what you are feeling or what you know to be true for your own body. Only you can be the judge of how you feel and how certain foods make you feel when you consume them.
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