Gluten sensitivity - another fad?

[Dogmama]

I thought so until I saw a naturopath. After 20 years of constant NSAID use, she says I probably have leaky gut (another controversial subject) and that gluten can be absorbed directly from the gut into the bloodstream. This sets up an inflammatory response. Additionally, I have autoimmune issues and IBS which can be further complicated by gluten.

Being overly practical, I tend to dismiss a lot of fad medical things. But, since I'm paying her out-of-pocket (ouch!) - OK, I'll give it a shot.

I went gluten free. I feel better. This is AFTER I cut my NSAID dosage in half (can't go cold turkey yet.) I'm also taking a cucurmin/boswellian blend for inflammation, some digestive enzymes and probiotics.

Has anybody else had this experience?

[Wahine]

Yes. Being mostly gluten free has made me feel much better. My primary reasons for doing it were digestive, IBS type stuff. That has pretty much resolved by cutting out obvious sources of gluten. I don't worry about trace amounts.

Interestingly enough, when I travel in Europe, I don't seem to have the same problems I do here, or at least not to the same degree. I can eat bread and pasta and my gut generally is still OK. So I don't think it's gluten so much as something else that happens in the processing of wheat in North America.

[OakLeaf]

Too bad Knott isn't still around to give you the lecture about how it isn't a fad ...

(I miss her an awful lot around here, not just for that reason.)

Just because cutting out wheat makes you feel better doesn't necessarily mean you're gluten intolerant, though. It could be one of the other proteins in wheat. As long as you don't react to very small amounts, I don't think it's terribly important to know.

[Wahine]

As long as you don't react to very small amounts, I don't think it's terribly important to know.

Totally agreed. It's funny though, when I talk to people about it, they often react very strangely and strongly. Like they just have to know what it is. I take a very laissez faire attitude about it, I know I can't eat bread and pasta, so I don't. I don't stress about trace amounts of whatever, it doesn't seem to make a difference. When I tell people this, they don't seem to think that's an adequate explanation.

It's the same when people ask me what kind of dog I have. When I tell them we really have no idea except that he's a good dog, they often try to categorize him, even though it makes absolutely no difference. In fact they often get kinda grumpy with me when I answer that he's a dog.