January 2017

DIET
Why Gluten-Free?
by Michael Biagni Hopkins Sr.
As many of us know, gluten is a
naturally occurring protein found in
several grains, particularly wheat,
barley, and rye. The word is derived from
Latin and means glue. Gluten is used
in the food industry as an additive, and
helps make food
products hold or
stick together.
We can think of
gluten sensitivity
as being on
a continuum;
it can cause
mild to severe
symptoms.
Some people
have an allergy
to wheat. Wheat
allergy symptoms usually begin within
minutes to hours after eating wheat.
Symptoms of a wheat allergy can range
from mild to life-threatening. Many who
have been diagnosed with a wheat
allergy carry an epinephrine auto-injector
to prevent anaphylaxis in case they
accidentally eat wheat.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune
disorder wherein an allergic reaction to
gluten damages the villi in a person’s
small intestine. The villi are important
to our foundational health because
they facilitate absorption of nutrients.
Damaged villi can lead to malnutrition.
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)
is a condition that affects many
with symptoms that may not be as
immediate or severe as the symptoms
associated with an allergy to wheat
or Celiac disease. The true way of
knowing if you are sensitive to gluten is
to temporarily eliminate it from your diet,
then reintroduce it to see if you have
symptoms.
Some common symptoms of gluten
sensitivity can include:
Wheat Allergy: Nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea.
Celiac Disease: Bloating, gas, diarrhea,
constipation.
Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: Mental
fatigue (brain fog.)
For more information on Celiac disease,
visit celiac.org.
Michael Biagni Hopkins Sr. is the
owner of Big Mikes Gluten Free Bakery
in Coral Springs. P
96
JANUARY 2017