Are you Gluten sensitive?

Because we have seen increasing amounts of Psoriasis in patients related to Food sensitivities. I offer the following to you.

Gluten sensitivity is different than Gluten intolerance. Gluten intolerant patients die if they continue eating Gluten, and many times there heart is affected. With Gluten sensitivities you will more likely have the following symptoms: fatigue after eating the grain you are sensitive to, muscle soreness, fibromyalgia, skin rashes, runny nose after eating, heartburn, brain fog, etc. These symptoms will not kill you, just make you miserable.

You must also be aware that when you are Gluten sensitive, you will need to look at labels on bread. Even though the grains you are sensitive could be corn, millet, oats instead of whole wheat, it is hard to find bread that does not contain “added Gluten.” So if you have been tested on the BioMeridian as being sensitive to Gluten, but not sensitive to Whole wheat, take note that you will probably need to make your own bread, flour tortilla’s, etc because very few store breads are without added gluten. If you find one without, let me know so I can list it to our patients.

The following questionnaire can be found on the South Beach Diet website. They also have a book you can buy if you are interested in eating a Gluten free diet.

Do you often feel bloated or suffer from abdominal pain, stomach cramps, or flatulence after eating even a small amount of food?

You're not alone. People with gluten sensitivity often report feeling bloated or experience cramping, abdominal pain, and flatulence even after a small meal (especially if the meal contained any gluten). These problems lumped together (often with either diarrhea or constipation) have traditionally been classified as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But IBS symptoms are also the classic symptoms of gluten sensitivity. These symptoms can often be relieved by reducing — or in some cases, eliminating — your intake of gluten.

Do you often suffer from heartburn (acid reflux)?
Many people with gluten sensitivity also suffer from acid reflux, though it's unclear exactly why. Some postulate that diminished Heliobacter pylori bacteria in the gut flora (the microbiota of the small intestine), along with other changes to the gut flora — possibly due to an over prescription of antibiotics beginning in childhood — may exacerbate gluten sensitivity and contribute to reflux.

Do you often suffer from headaches?
Headaches are considered an "atypical symptom" of gluten sensitivity because they're not related to the GI tract. However, chronic headaches and migraines have been linked to gluten disorders. If you suffer from headaches or migraines, gluten may be a trigger. To make matters worse, overuse of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, may exacerbate symptoms of gluten sensitivity, including headaches, by damaging the small intestine similarly to the way such medications can damage the lining of the stomach.

Do you wake up with stiff joints?
If you wake up with stiff, achy joints, gluten may be partly to blame. Joint stiffness and pain are considered atypical symptoms of gluten sensitivity because they're not related to the GI tract but can nevertheless be brought on by inflammation in the body or an autoimmune response to gluten. Unfortunately, the very drugs that are commonly taken to alleviate stiff joints may contribute to the problem, as research suggests that overuse of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, can exacerbate symptoms of gluten sensitivity, including joint pain, by damaging the small intestine similarly to the way such medications can damage the lining of the stomach. The good news is that morning stiffness and joint pain frequently respond to a reduction in gluten.

Do you typically feel fatigued, even after getting enough sleep?
Fatigue is a very common (though atypical) symptom that can be indicative of gluten sensitivity. If you often feel tired, even after getting enough sleep, gluten overload may be causing the problem. People with gluten sensitivity often report that they feel energized and less fatigued after cutting down on — or in some cases, eliminating — gluten.

Do you have excess mucus, postnasal drip, rhinitis, or sinus problems?
While these common symptoms are far from the GI tract, they may indicate gluten sensitivity. The cause is not definitely known, but these symptoms have also been associated with the absence of Heliobacter pylori bacteria from the gut flora (the microbiota of the small intestine). This, along with other changes to the gut flora — possibly due to an over prescription of antibiotics beginning in childhood — may exacerbate gluten sensitivity and contribute to these problems. Incidentally, sinus issues can also be indicative of a wheat allergy, which is different from gluten sensitivity in that people who are allergic to wheat don't tend to have problems with other forms of gluten — so that's another possibility to consider.

Do you have difficulty keeping your mental focus?
Because lack of mental focus, also referred to as "brain fog," is such a common complaint, it's not always immediately associated with gluten sensitivity. However, many people with even mild gluten sensitivity report that they feel energized and less fatigued after cutting down on — or in some cases, eliminating — gluten.

Do you have a problem with depression?
Like several of these other symptoms, depression is not an obvious manifestation of gluten sensitivity — and in fact, it's not a classic symptom. But it is one of many symptoms that can improve when people who are sensitive to gluten change their diets and reduce — or in some cases, eliminate — foods that contain the protein.


Do you suffer from skin rashes?
Skin rashes can be an indication of many disorders, including gluten sensitivity (they're an atypical symptom) and wheat allergy (in which a rash appears immediately after ingesting wheat). Psoriasis is a more serious skin condition that results from autoimmunity and may also be associated with gluten sensitivity. If you think you might be sensitive to gluten and you suffer from skin rashes, including psoriasis, reducing — or in some cases, eliminating — gluten from your diet may help.