Could your weight problem be caused by gluten intolerance?
by Frann LeachWhen I discovered I was gluten intolerant and started cutting it out, I found I started to lose weight. This was a bit alarming at first, but I've done some research, and written this week's article as a result.
The Establishment always denies anything that doesn't match the current dogma. Look what it did to Galileo for saying the Earth went round the Sun. That's probably why there's so much misinformation out there about obesity and its connection to gluten intolerance.
There are many people that say, if you're not allergic to something (that is, that your immune system doesn't react to it), that means you can eat it whenever you like.
Tell that to migraine-sufferers who would love a chocolate bar, but would rather not get the penalty of giving in to that temptation.
Food intolerance is real. Maybe you can't do a blood test for it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. But it's probably best if we leave this attitude in the past where it belongs while we focus on reality.
The only problem with the attitude that "gluten intolerance=celiac" is that misunderstanding of certain known facts connected with celiac disease leads to a belief that if you are obese, you cannot be suffering from gluten intolerance (which, remember, they believe to be the same as celiac disease).
The reason they think this is that celiac disease leads to damage to hairs in the intestine which are used by the body to absorb certain nutrients, so celiac sufferers end up deficient in nutrition, and may lose weight or have difficulty gaining weight. But not everybody's body reacts the same way to things (which is why some people can use certain pharmaceutical products that others can't).
Instead of losing weight, some undiagnosed celiac patients experience cravings and hunger pangs, even just after eating. This is their body's response to a lack of certain nutrients. But they don't know that, they just know they need to eat more to stop themselves feeling hungry. This is how gluten intolerance can lead to obesity.
If you are overweight, and have tried all the diets, had some success and then the weight just piled back on again, you may be gluten intolerant, or maybe even an undiagnosed celiac. Certainly, if you are concerned about this problem, and have found no solution, it is worth finding out for yourself. Don't let the dogma of the medical profession hold you back. If it can't be repaired with an expensive operation or drugs, they aren't interested, anyway.
Other symptoms of gluten intolerance are: depression, aches and pains in bones and joints, diarrhea (or sometimes, constipation), and irritable bowel syndrome. Not everybody who is gluten intolerant will suffer from all the symptoms, though some will.
Since I discovered my health problems were all caused by gluten, I've never looked back. I'm slimmer, healthier and enjoy life more than I ever did before. If you would like to learn more, please read my article "How can you find out if you are gluten intolerant?" (coming up in next week's issue).
For more information about gluten and gluten-free recipes, visit Free-Easy Publications
©2010 Frann Leach. All rights reserved.
This article is included in Weekly Factsheet number 2, which also includes a recipe for Blackberry Ice Cream
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