First, let’s examine the definition of gluten from Webster’s dictionary to understand the word’s foundation. It is a defined Latin noun meaning ‘glue like substance.’ It is a gray, sticky, nutritious protein substance containing gliadin, found in wheat and other grains. An amorphous ergastric protein found combined with starch in the endosperm of some cereals, notably wheat, rye, and barley. It constitutes 80 percent of the proteins contained in wheat, and is composed of the proteins gliaden and glutenin. Gluten is responsible for the elasticity of kneaded dough, which allows it to be leavened, as well as the “chewiness” of baked products like bagels.

The awareness of gluten in food has become a modern trend in human health with the emergence of specific digestive and immune system disorders such as celiac disease (also known as gluten intolerance) food and wheat allergies. Celiac disease (CD) is a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 133 Americans or about 29 percent of the general population. Those affected suffer damage to the “villi” in the lamina propria and crypt regions of their intestines when they eat specific food-grain antigens that are found in wheat, rye and barley.

In 2003, researchers the University of Maryland (my alma mater) conducted an extensive survey of more than 13,000 people that found CD was very prevalent but far more people are gluten-sensitive. Doctors only diagnose CD if the villi in the small intestine are flattened, which only occurs in extreme cases.

People can be gluten-sensitive but not have CD; all patients who have CD are gluten-sensitive. Many of you may be low-level gluten sensitive without identifiable and easily recognizable symptoms or with symptoms so mild that you do not pay attention to them. Feeling less than 100 percent often becomes “normal” for many people.

Blood test that are used to identify CD generally do not pick up gluten sensitivity unless the person has full-blown symptoms, it is said to be missed 30 percent of the time when a diagnosis is made. Special saliva or stool testing can definitively identify individuals who are gluten-sensitive. Genetic testing is now used to identify those that have a high probability of acquiring gluten sensitivity.

Once a person becomes gluten–sensitive, there is no going back. There is no medical solution. The only solution is a strict gluten-free diet: no wheat, barley, or rye in any form. Some of our nutrition patients who have relatively minor sensitivity have been known to “cheat” a little and eat a small amount of gluten occasionally…but they usually pay with symptoms appearing soon there after!

A gluten-free diet is also a way I have discovered to find out if a person is gluten-sensitive. It is one of the first things I recommend to my patients when they begin a nutritional program; no wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats for the first month. This means eliminating virtually all foods made from these grains regardless of weather these foods contain gluten in the very strict sense. Thus, “gluten-free” has become shorthand for “foods that don’t harm celiacs.”

Celiac is not a well-researched disease. Most of what is known has been found in the past 20 years and gathered from anecdotal evidence. In addition, because of the celiac’s sensitive digestion, it is not uncommon for celiac sufferers to have difficulty with other foods besides grains, such as milk or casein intolerance, or difficulty digesting fats.

There is also a great deal of controversy about which grains affect celiac’s and which don’t. For example, along with corn and rice, buckwheat is one of the three common grains left on the “safe” list for celiacs. However, some celiac societies list buckwheat as “unsafe” because there is anecdotal evidence some individuals react to it as they do to wheat.

There is still yet more controversy in what levels of gluten actually constitutes being “gluten free.” There are new Codex standards in preparation and a proposal to set the limiting level of gluten but to date, no level has been decided on by the USDA.

If there are any questions regarding this article please write the author at the following address: bamashogun@aol.com OR VISIT WWW.ALTERNATIVE-CONCEPTS.COM