Gluten-free may be for you; but for me it is essential. I think it is time that the subject of gluten intolerance becomes more available to the public. Let’s be clear about it – for some it is fashionable to be gluten-free, for others it is advisable, and for people with Celiac Disease it can be critical.

From Wikipedia: Gluten (from Latin gluten “glue“) is a protein composite that appears in foods processed from wheat and related species, including barley and rye. It gives elasticity to dough, helping it to rise and to keep its shape, and often giving the final product a chewy texture.

The most obvious examples of products that contain gluten are breads, breakfast cereals, and anything using flour milled from wheat, barley, or rye. If you read labels, and we “celiacs” do, you likely will be surprised to learn just how many prepared food products include gluten. Examples of sources of gluten: some prepared mustards and soya sauces, wieners and hamburgers that include fillers, beer (gluten-free beers are available and distilled products like whiskey are gluten-free), malt vinegar, pasta, salad dressings, licorice, and etc., etc.

When our digestive systems behave, that process isn’t something we ever think about. When it acts up we become aware, sometimes acutely aware. The symptoms may range from very clear to subtle. I have always been “healthy”. I look after myself through diet and exercise. About ten years ago, as is normal to annual physicals, from a blood test I was found to be a little low on iron. The doctor told me to top up my iron using iron pills, which dutifully I did (I thought). Two years ago my doctor decided that it would be appropriate for me to go through a variety of tests to establish a health base line and to look for early indicators of health situations. One of the prescribed tests was a colonoscopy, that is an examination of the large intestine. The specialist undertaking this examination noted I was low on iron (presumably still low) and set about finding out why. From an endoscopy (examination of the small intestine) he discovered that I have Celiac Disease. In my case, due to the intestinal condition he identified, my body had stopped absorbing iron. With an initial boost from iron pills and  strict adherence to a gluten-free diet,  my iron levels have returned to normal.

Now the interesting part. Right up to the diagnosis there were no clues that I was on the verge of becoming clinically anemic. I felt great, exercised regularly, ate what I wanted and drank a few beers occasionally. Now, I am very careful about what I eat and drink and am benefiting from the increasing attention of the food industry to the market for gluten-free foods. See Gluten-Free Foods Paying Off Big  to get a sense of this growing awareness.

Gluten intolerance goes beyond Celiac Disease. Some people are simply intolerant. I’m not overly surprised that this might be so. After all domestic varieties of the offending grains (wheat, barley and rye) have only been around for some 5,000 to 10,000 years and our digestive tracts have evolved for a million or more years.

Food intolerances are generally difficult to find as the range of symptoms varies greatly. Your family doctor is a good place to seek medical advice with respect to your valuable digestive processes. For general information about Celiac Disease a source I have found to be useful is The University of Chicago – Celiac Disease Center .

And remember – be proactive about your health, it matters.