It can be hard to know for sure, but if you are gluten intolerant (and 25 percent of the population is), you could be experiencing difficulty absorbing the needed vitamins from food and even your supplementation.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, hops (are we making beer?)and rye–So if you’re eating whole wheat, it’s in there. Gluten is the protein that causes elasticity (the bubbles of air in the bread and gives it its texture and allows the yeast to rise).

Your body’s immune system is designed to protect it from foreign invaders. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system forms antibodies to gluten which then attack the intestinal lining. This causes inflammation in the intestines and damages the villi, the hair-like structures on the lining of the small intestine. Nutrients from food are absorbed by the villi. If the villi are damaged, the person cannot absorb nutrients and ends up malnourished, no matter how much he or she eats.

People that have Celiac’s disease have a genetic predisposition for the condition–similar to diabetes. We’re unsure of all the causes, but we know that stress can trigger the genetic disposition to manifest.

So if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms (webmd) try eliminating gluten from your diet for a week. It’s not that hard–just stay away from anything with wheat, rye, and barley in it (yes, beer would be on that list).

Check out this slide show on WebMD’s site talking about the first steps in eliminating Gluten (webmd.com-gluten free diet)

Kim Wirth is a registered nurse in Austin, Texas with significant experience helping people to live full lives without the presence of gluten in their diets. Send her questions at kwwirth@yahoo.com

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