A while back I posted about going gluten-free (see here and here), while trying to resolve some of my health crisis. After being tested I found out that I WAS NOT gluten intolerant. However, what I did find out from my personal observation of my body was that any time I have bread (home-made, although with store-bought organic flour) I have excess of mucus build up, which I find very unpleasant and aggravating. I did not notice it in the past, until I started to clean up my diet and became more in-tune with my body. So, ever since going gluten-free for two months, and actually breaking that food-dependency, I restrict my gluten intake, and only strive to get to a point where, unless I grind my own flour, I will not eat gluten-products. Now, if I observe that I have the same reaction to any other gluten-containing foods, even whole and unprocessed, I will have no problem dropping it, since I was able to wean my body off it already.
This week Dr. Brigg’s newsletter covered Gluten sensitivity, and I thought it would be a great one to share on my blog.
Enjoy!
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April 8, 2009
Good afternoon. As I pondered what to write today, I was reminded of a recent patient who continued to suffer multiple symptoms with extreme fatigue, weight gain, and sky high cortisol levels. Upon further investigation we found that she was very gluten intolerant. Treatment had to be directed to adrenal and intestinal repair with strict avoidance to gluten containing foods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gluten Sensitivity
Last week we looked at toxins and their influence on health. Today I want to touch on the condition of gluten intolerance. The big question is, why does an otherwise healthy person develop intolerance to gluten, which is found in wheat, oats, rye, spelt, and many other grains?
Part of the answer can lie in the fact that we're exposed to an abundance of solvents in our environment. Xylene, toluene, formaldehyde, benzene, and other aromatic hydrocarbons are plentiful in food, air, and water sources. These elements break down the fats in our cells. When this happens, cell walls become very porous, allowing various elements to pass boundaries they shouldn’t.
In the intestines, this can allow gluten directly into the blood stream. Since undigested gluten is considered a foreign element in the blood, the body creates antibodies against it. This creates an allergic reaction. This allergic reaction leads to swollen and damaged surface of the intestines, blocking absorption of essential nutrition.
When undigested foods are allowed into the blood stream, the body begins to create antibodies to that particular food. This is what can give rise to the anti-gliadin antibodies seen in a gluten sensitive individual.
When we look at some of the solvents used in preservatives, flavor enhancers, and colorings, it's easy to see why, over a period of time a person may develop a sensitivity to otherwise healthy foods. Many systemic problems can be due to gluten intolerance. Things like headaches, psoriasis, colitis, inappropriate weight gain or loss, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, arthritis, and chronic allergies can be directly linked to gluten allergy.
The use of herbicides and pesticides in growing wheat, combined with the use of genetically modified seeds can predispose consumers, who rely heavily on wheat products, to suffer this problem.
A term for gluten intolerance is Celiac disease. In this condition, the intestinal wall becomes swollen and there is a loss of the micro-villa that allow absorption of nutrition. Healing the intestines requires the complete avoidance of gluten in all forms.
When it comes to grains, the only safe ones to consider are rice, corn, amaranth, buckwheat, and millet. Avoid all wheat including; einkorn, emmer, spelt, kamut, wheat starch, wheat bran, wheat germ, cracked wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein, barley, rye, and triticale.
Wheat requires zinc to be metabolized, and without adequate nutritional replacement, causes reduction of prostaglandin 3 which is responsible for reducing inflammation. If you suffer lots of inflammation, you may be gluten sensitive. Try living without any of the gluten foods for a while and see if the inflammation reduces.
To treat gluten sensitivity, zinc and essential fatty acids, which are usually missing from most wheat-based foods, are essential. Use of full spectrum B vitamins assist in the repair of the intestinal tissues. Many times, the only way to get absorption of these B vitamins is through vitamin B shots due to this poor absorption. Supplements must be evaluated for wheat content. Most of the supplements I prefer to use for nutrition have some sort of wheat base. This is where I have to modify my approach. All patients are different and need their own specific program. This is where a good "nutritionally trained physician" can make all the difference in the world.
Dr John A. Briggs N.D.
20 N.E. Lillich St.
Clatskanie, Oregon 97016
503-728-4732
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time: EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!
This week Dr. Brigg’s newsletter covered Gluten sensitivity, and I thought it would be a great one to share on my blog.
Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 8, 2009
Good afternoon. As I pondered what to write today, I was reminded of a recent patient who continued to suffer multiple symptoms with extreme fatigue, weight gain, and sky high cortisol levels. Upon further investigation we found that she was very gluten intolerant. Treatment had to be directed to adrenal and intestinal repair with strict avoidance to gluten containing foods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gluten Sensitivity
Last week we looked at toxins and their influence on health. Today I want to touch on the condition of gluten intolerance. The big question is, why does an otherwise healthy person develop intolerance to gluten, which is found in wheat, oats, rye, spelt, and many other grains?
Part of the answer can lie in the fact that we're exposed to an abundance of solvents in our environment. Xylene, toluene, formaldehyde, benzene, and other aromatic hydrocarbons are plentiful in food, air, and water sources. These elements break down the fats in our cells. When this happens, cell walls become very porous, allowing various elements to pass boundaries they shouldn’t.
In the intestines, this can allow gluten directly into the blood stream. Since undigested gluten is considered a foreign element in the blood, the body creates antibodies against it. This creates an allergic reaction. This allergic reaction leads to swollen and damaged surface of the intestines, blocking absorption of essential nutrition.
When undigested foods are allowed into the blood stream, the body begins to create antibodies to that particular food. This is what can give rise to the anti-gliadin antibodies seen in a gluten sensitive individual.
When we look at some of the solvents used in preservatives, flavor enhancers, and colorings, it's easy to see why, over a period of time a person may develop a sensitivity to otherwise healthy foods. Many systemic problems can be due to gluten intolerance. Things like headaches, psoriasis, colitis, inappropriate weight gain or loss, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, arthritis, and chronic allergies can be directly linked to gluten allergy.
The use of herbicides and pesticides in growing wheat, combined with the use of genetically modified seeds can predispose consumers, who rely heavily on wheat products, to suffer this problem.
A term for gluten intolerance is Celiac disease. In this condition, the intestinal wall becomes swollen and there is a loss of the micro-villa that allow absorption of nutrition. Healing the intestines requires the complete avoidance of gluten in all forms.
When it comes to grains, the only safe ones to consider are rice, corn, amaranth, buckwheat, and millet. Avoid all wheat including; einkorn, emmer, spelt, kamut, wheat starch, wheat bran, wheat germ, cracked wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein, barley, rye, and triticale.
Wheat requires zinc to be metabolized, and without adequate nutritional replacement, causes reduction of prostaglandin 3 which is responsible for reducing inflammation. If you suffer lots of inflammation, you may be gluten sensitive. Try living without any of the gluten foods for a while and see if the inflammation reduces.
To treat gluten sensitivity, zinc and essential fatty acids, which are usually missing from most wheat-based foods, are essential. Use of full spectrum B vitamins assist in the repair of the intestinal tissues. Many times, the only way to get absorption of these B vitamins is through vitamin B shots due to this poor absorption. Supplements must be evaluated for wheat content. Most of the supplements I prefer to use for nutrition have some sort of wheat base. This is where I have to modify my approach. All patients are different and need their own specific program. This is where a good "nutritionally trained physician" can make all the difference in the world.
Dr John A. Briggs N.D.
20 N.E. Lillich St.
Clatskanie, Oregon 97016
503-728-4732
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time: EAT HEALTHY!!! BE HAPPY!!!
