Gluten Allergy - What Does Gluten Do to Your Body?

You can't go to your local allergy/asthma specialist and have them mix up a cocktail to inject you with, repeatedly, so eventually become desensitized.

This is not like your classic ragweed, or food allergy. Symptoms/reactions are so vast; it's very hard to an exact symptom list together. The symptoms, like people, are not very homogenous. Some people experience just stomach problems, while others experience neurological difficulties, such as being always dizzy and confused.

Here is a very short list of possible symptoms:

- Tired, exhausted, lethargic

- Bloated and gas troubles-Feeling of, 'trapped gas,' or excess gas

- Abdominal Pain

- Gastric reflux/heartburn

- Diarrhea and constipation -Symptoms of IBS/IBD

- Weight problems (under or overweight) - General weakness

- Catching One Flu After Another

- Chronic Illnesses-Bronchitis, Sinusitis

- Infertility-Miscarriage, delayed puberty in girls, irregular menstruation

- Joint Pain

- Clumsiness

Some find they have to completely and strictly eliminate all dairy and soy, as well as gluten. Some people are reactive to the similar protein makeup of these three foods that the body rejects.

While removing additives can make you feel better, it's not until some went gluten/dairy/soy free that some feel normal again.

I suggest the elimination approach. Eliminate ALL gluten, dairy and soy from your diet for at least two weeks. Gradually, re-introduce one at a time, over a course of several weeks and see how you feel.

Also, try keeping a strict food diary - what you ate and, what your subsequent symptoms are and the TIME. The TIME is so important, because for some, it takes a few hours, for some it takes a few days to feel a result.

A lot of people have trouble getting an, 'official' diagnosis of intolerance, or celiac, because it's not always accurate and is often debated which testing is the most accurate. The only way to really tell if you have celiac disease, is to get a biopsy of the small intestines.

If you feel better excluding gluten from your diet, you could consider yourself intolerant anyway-you just won't be formally diagnosed with celiac.

For many people this is fine: they just understand that they need to be 100% gluten free and don't feel a need to get a formal diagnosis. Sadly, some people need a firm diagnosis for their family to be able to support them, or children need one to get school accommodations.

You have to become a champion label reader. Most gluten free diets consist of meat, vegetables, fruits, corn, rice and potatoes, homemade dressings, etc., but you may not be as sensitive as others, or your triggers may be different.

Also, you have to be on the look out for, 'hidden gluten,' and for cross contamination.

So, in summary, if you are contented just knowing gluten makes you sick, just don't eat it!

I congratulate you for having found a piece in the puzzle of getting your health together!