Do you fall sick often? 

Are you experiencing unexplained gut symptoms?

Have you been trying hard but cannot find a cure for them? 

In all possibilities, you are suffering from ‘Wheat insensitivity,’ wherein you cannot digest wheat as you are allergic to it. 

Wheat insensitivity is popularly called gluten intolerance or glucose insensitivity. Gluten intolerance is the body’s inability to digest gluten protein abundantly found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. Due to the inability to digest gluten, the intestine gets damaged, and its ability to absorb food is greatly reduced.

Due to difficulty in the absorption of food, the patients have trouble attaining proper height and weight, developing chronic anaemia, diarrhoea, and weakened bones.

 

Occurrence of gluten intolerance

Gluten intolerance is increasingly found in people these days. Currently, about 80 lakh people are suffering with gluten intolerance in India. Most people are silent sufferers of gluten intolerance due to a lack of awareness. 

Earlier, gluten insensitivity was called ‘the disease of the west’ as it was prevalent only in western countries. About 6 to 8% of the western population has a gluten allergy. But gluten intolerance is now increasingly found in India due to changing weather climate, stress, and other factors. It is no longer called the disease of the west.

If a gluten-sensitive person consumes gluten-containing food like aforesaid mentioned grains, they may experience discomfort in different parts of the body. It is a long-term autoimmune disorder; the only solution is a lifelong gluten-free diet.

 

Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance

Due to the absence of typical symptoms of gluten intolerance, the diagnosis remains undetected for most people. But, if gluten intolerance remains undetected, then it may become fatal. 

Here are some symptoms that you must look for to detect gluten intolerance:

• Diarrhoea/ Constipation
• Bloating
• Flatulence/gases
• Anaemia
• Fatigue
• Osteoporosis
• Joint Pain
• Stomach ache
• Mood Swings
• Headache (usually throbbing headache is felt on one side of the head along with light and sound sensitivity)
• Neuropathy (Numbness of arms or legs / or people often experience the sensation of needles in arms and legs).

 

In Children, the following symptoms of gluten intolerance are seen:

 A study done in 2019 found that the most common symptoms of gluten intolerance for 0–18-year-old included:

• rash 
• loose stool
• bloating 
• emotional and behavioral issues
• Skin problems

 

Often, medical assistance is needed to detect gluten insensitivity. If you notice the symptoms mentioned above, you must visit your doctor.

 

Often, a blood test is done to check the allergic reaction to gluten. But, with my experience and exposure, I have observed that blood tests should not be taken as the only basis of gluten intolerance. Usually, I prefer to keep the patient on a gluten-free diet for a few months and then reintroduce it. If the symptoms show up again on resuming, the person undoubtedly suffers from gluten intolerance. At times, gluten intolerance is specific; for example, in India, people from North and East are more gluten intolerant, unlike in South and West.

 

When do symptoms appear?

 

The symptoms appear within a few hours of consuming a gluten-rich diet. The symptoms may occur in a few hours to a day after consuming gluten-rich food. The symptoms may disappear as soon as gluten is removed from the diet. Some people may not experience any symptoms due to gluten insensitivity. 

 

Weakened immunity due to Gluten Insensitivity

 

Gluten insensitivity leads to a leaky gut due to regular disturbance caused by gluten intolerance. In due course, the small intestine gets less efficient in fighting amoeba, bacteria, and parasites. Consequently, the intestine gets filled with toxins released by bacteria. 

 

The gluten also alleviates IgE resulting in food allergy.

 

Thus, people with gluten insensitivity face a weakened immune system that remains unattended until they can detect gluten insensitivity.

 

Can you suddenly become glucose intolerant?

 

You can develop gluten intolerance suddenly based on your genetic composition. It shows up early in life for some, while others don’t have symptoms until they grow older. 

 

How to replace wheat?

People with gluten intolerance must replace wheat with millets like jowar, bajra, ragi, kuttu, rajgira, kakum, kutki, etc. Apart from being gluten-free, these millets promote weight loss and increase fitness, for they are power-packed with proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Millets are particularly rich in calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and zinc and are gluten-free, making them perfect to be consumed by gluten intolerant people. 

 

Foods to avoid in gluten intolerance

Whole wheat foods must be avoided like wheat, barley, oats, rye, and maida. Moreover, it would help to avoid anything made from these grains like pizzas, bread, noodles, pasta, wheat flakes, breadcrumbs, soup sticks, semiyan, dalia, burgers, upma, biscuits, kulcha, naan, parathas, rotis, pooris, etc.

 

Other recommended foods to consume in gluten intolerance

Food items made of maize, soya, rice, tapioca, and arrowroot can be consumed. All pulses and dals, rice flakes, cornflakes, freshly cooked vegetables, fruits, whole/ground spices, milk, and milk products like paneer, cheese, and curds must be consumed.