Gluten Intolerance: Symptoms And Treatment
Do you know everything you need to know about gluten intolerance? Gluten is a mixture of glutenin and gliadin. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Gluten is the binder that forms bread dough and can be separated from flour when washed out.
Unfortunately, there are some people who can not tolerate this drug. Therefore, gluten intolerance can be dangerous to your gut health.
What is gluten intolerance and how does it occur?
In some , gluten destroys the small intestine that sticks to the walls of the small intestine. This prevents the body from processing food. Thus, there is a chronic inflammation of the intestine that prevents nutrients from being absorbed properly.
How is the diagnosis made?
You can diagnose gluten intolerance with the following tests:
- Blood test (after fasting).
- Intestinal biopsy. This test involves taking a tissue sample from the upper small intestine.
What are the most common symptoms of gluten intolerance?
- Digestive problems such as diarrhea, inflammation, flatulence or constipation.
- Keratosis pilaris or follicular keratosis on the back of the arms. This is due to a lack of fatty acids and vitamin A.
- Fatigue after eating gluten-containing foods.
- The development of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, colitis or lupus.
- Neurological problems such as dizziness or balance disorders.
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Recurrent migraines.
- Pain and swelling in the joints.
- Sudden changes in mood between anxiety, depression and euphoria.
- Problems focusing.
Treatment of gluten intolerance
To control and avoid the above symptoms, it is important to adhere to a 100% gluten-free diet. Gluten intolerance is not a disease that can be treated with medicine, but with other strategies. By eliminating foods that contain gluten, the symptoms disappear and the small intestine can recover from the damage.
This convalescence is lasting, but only as long as gluten is completely removed from your diet.
We should also mention that eating small amounts of gluten can worsen the symptoms. If you do not maintain a 100% gluten-free diet, gluten intolerance or celiac disease will become chronic.
After the first two weeks of a balanced diet, the symptoms begin to subside. Serological normalization can take between 6 and 12 months, while the convalescence of the intestines takes two years after you have started the plan or treatment.
But when it comes to infants, the results are slower. Basically, the treatment consists of removing four grains: wheat, oats, barley and rye, as well as their derivatives.
Which foods contain gluten?
Wheat and flour are fairly common ingredients in our diet. Thus, there are several foods that contain gluten that you need to eliminate from your diet.
If you suffer from gluten intolerance, some of the foods and beverages you should avoid are:
- Beer
- Cereals
- Bread and cakes
- Fried foods
- Salad dressings
- Pasta
- Alternatives to meat and seafood
- Soy sauce
- Soup
Which foods do not contain gluten?
- Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, cream or yoghurt
- All kinds of meat
- Fresh fish and seafood
- Egg
- Leafy vegetables, vegetables and root vegetables
- Fruit
- Rice and cereals
- Legumes
- Sugar and honey
- Oils and butter
- Coffee
- Soft drinks with orange, lemon and Cola flavors
- Wine
- Nuts
- Salt
- Natural spices
- Olive
- And many more!
What about vitamins for gluten intolerance?
It is important to take vitamin supplements when suffering from gluten intolerance. This is due to the damaged lining of the intestines, which leads to a reduction in the absorption of iron, calcium and other vitamins and minerals.
Furthermore, a large percentage of gluten products contain vitamins and minerals. If these are excluded, your diet may be deficient in certain nutrients. To deal with this, you should visit a specialist who can refer you to a gluten-free vitamin product that can provide 100% of the recommended daily intake.
Finally, it is important to note that gluten intolerance has a solution. It just requires a change in diet and lifestyle. However, this does not mean that if you suffer from this disease, you need to stop eating at restaurants and isolate yourself.
As long as you stick to the recommendations of a specialist, you do not have to worry. Take care of your stomach today to continue to enjoy tomorrow.
