Gluten: in or out?

Hi everyone,

As a gut health practitioner, I get lots of questions about gluten and gluten-free foods. The other day, I received this question from one of my followers on Instagram:

Should I eliminate gluten from my diet if I?tested negative for gluten sensitivity?

Before answering this complex question, let's talk about what gluten is, where it comes from and why it can be an issue for a lot of us ( even if we are asymptomatic)

There is so much to cover so I will do it over two articles. Today, I'll cover the what, the where, and the why. In my next article, I'll share some gluten-free alternatives ( which are different from commercial gluten-free products that often contain huge amounts of refined sugars and other chemicals to compensate for the lack of taste and/or texture).

Keep in mind that going gluten-free does not mean eating low fibre and missing out on important nutrients. In my world, and the way I teach it to my clients, going gluten-free just means eating more whole unprocessed foods - which are naturally gluten-free and high in fibre.

Ok....so what is gluten? Gluten is a protein that is found in many common grains, especially wheat. Gluten?means “glue”?in Latin and that's exactly what it is: two proteins, gliadin, and glutenin, stuck together. The?gluten?proteins form a sticky network that has a?glue-like consistency. This?glue-like property makes dough elastic and provides a chewy, satisfying texture.

What's the problem with gluten? The typical human digestive function does not contain all the digestive enzymes needed to fully digest and absorb the gluten protein.?Thus, gluten?residue remains in the human intestines longer than most other common foods and can have a more substantial impact on our immune system (2/3 of which is housed in the gut).?

It’s also been shown that the?immune system is programmed to react more aggressively to the gluten protein in most people because it is “sticky” and draws more attention from our sentinel cells.?

We also know that?gluten can promote intestinal permeability in the guts of many people by promoting higher secretion of a protein called zonulin.?This intestinal permeability is a critical factor in triggering autoimmune disease and greater environmental sensitivity.?

Ok, so should I give up gluten or not? Well, it all depends on your current health state ( see next section). That being said, I DO recommend watching your intake of gluten-containing foods. Because, just like refined sugar, we consume way too much of it. I know it's tricky though because it is in a lot of foods and drinks ( more on that next week so no panic). It's very common for me to see clients send me a 3-day food diary that looks like this?:

- Cereals for breakfast

- A tuna sandwich for lunch

- A few biscuits in the afternoon?

- Chicken pasta for dinner

Please don't feel bad if this looks like your typical diet.?I am in no way criticising you as I've been there myself. However, I know from experience ( personal and professional) that ''deglutenising'' your diet a little bit can have a myriad of health benefits. There is no pressure to change today though...or at all ( the choice is always yours in the end). Just understanding the impact your current diet might have on your health is a great first step.

Back to the question...Should I eliminate gluten if I tested negative for gluten sensitivity?

I have had several clients who intuitively felt that gluten was an issue for them ( even without testing). In almost all of those cases, a total or partial elimination for 2-3 months did produce positive results.? So it's important to keep in mind that the gold-standard "test" for food sensitivity is an elimination followed by a reintroduction challenge.??

Also, remember that not everyone will have a severe reaction to gluten-containing foods, but it doesn't mean that they are not affected.

However, I recommend 100 % elimination for people who:

• have an autoimmune disease of any kind (as gluten can promote intestinal permeability which is a precursor of all autoimmune disease activation).?This is a fascinating interview with Dr. Alessio Fasano, the pioneering doctor who has identified gluten's role in promoting permeability and how this permeability contributes to autoimmune activity.
• have Type 2 diabetes.?(More specifically, in this case, I recommend elimination of all wheat but rye and barley could be alternatives - more on that next week. This is to avoid the high glycemic load of wheat in a diet for individuals who have insulin resistance.)
• have overt obesity (for the same reasons as above:?insulin-mediated body fat increase)
• have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• struggle with chronic depression ( there is increasing evidence that gluten might mediate changes in brain chemistry which promote depression )

If you fit into one of these categories, I highly recommend going cold turkey for 1 full month...You'll thank me later :)

Happy healing everyone!

Amani