digestive disorders

Zinc for Skin, Hormones and Cravings

May 8, 2019 By admin

Zinc is an essential trace element, that’s found and used by every cell throughout your body. Could this simple mineral deficiency be the cause of your health issue?

It’s estimated that around 20% of the world’s population, have sub-optimal zinc status.

This nutrient isn’t usually in the spotlight, but your body’s performance wouldn’t be nearly as harmonious without it.

Why is Zinc So Important?

It is important for the functioning of over 300 enzymes and underlies the physiology of every body system.

Zinc is one of 16 essential minerals that you need to survive. you only need small amounts of it. Anytime a nutrient is considered ‘essential’ it means your body needs it to stay healthy, you can’t produce it and therefore you must get it from your food.

We don’t hear as much about it as we do major minerals—like iron, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium—which your body uses in larger amounts. But your body relies on zinc for growth, maintenance, and numerous biological functions – skin health, immunity, growth hormones, and more, so it’s definitely worth keeping tabs on your intake.

Someone I know told me that when she addressed her zinc deficiency, within days, her energy and sleep returned to normal.

What are the signs that you might not be getting enough zinc?

A weak immune system (frequent and/or long colds), poor wound healing
GI issues – Diarrhea, low stomach acid production, gut wall barrier function
Hair loss
Hormonal imbalance (PMS, hypothyroid, low progesterone, infertility, low libido)
Fatigue or Brain fog
Changes in taste & smell
Slow growth in early years
Low mood, memory, concentration
Anxiety and depression

Incredible Benefits of Zinc

Your body uses zinc in numerous ways, here are some of the key areas:

1. Significantly boosts your immune systemand helps to fight off viruses and bacteria.

It’s essential for the normal development of your immune cells, zinc supplements can be used in SOS moments to reduce the duration of a cold. It also supports the function of the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) that protects your cells from oxidative damage caused by exposure to environmental toxins.

2. It can help your skinand plays a key role in cuts and scrapes healing properly —in fact, it’s involved with every stage of the process, tissue renewal to scar formation. If it takes a while for your cuts, scrapes, and burns to heal, you may want to take a look at your zinc intake. Acne sufferers – studies have found that certain forms of the mineral can soothe breakouts.

3. Zinc may help keep your vision healthy as you age. Several studies have found that supplementing with zinc can help protect you against advanced age-related macular degeneration. This is a condition that can lead to vision loss, and it’s most common in those over 50.

4. Zinc keeps your blood sugar stable and plays a role in the synthesis, storage, and release of insulin in your pancreas. So, a zinc deficiency could negatively affect your insulin levels, which can lead to negative changes in appetite and blood sugar levels.

5. It keeps your digestion running smoothly. Zinc acts as a co-factor in a lot of gut activities – like helping your body to properly digest food(stomach acid production), absorb nutrients and may improve your gut wall integrity.

You may mistake symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea for something like a gluten intolerance. Zinc deficiency is related to digestive problems like diarrhoeaand supplementation has been shown to reduce the duration of acute diarrhoea.

6. It could help reduce inflammation: Some researchers believe that low zinc levels are associated with systemic inflammation, a condition that’s linked with everything from heart disease to cancer.

I have written before about how inflammation is increasingly thought to be a significant contributor to many chronic illnesses—from cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders and Type 2 diabetes—more so as we get older.

Chronic, low-grade inflammation is worsened by excessive fat around the middle, poor diet, lack of exercise – all the usual lifestyle factors.

Zinc is one of the body’s natural anti-inflammatories, however it is susceptible to malabsorption, particularly as we grow older, leading to deficiency.

7. Zinc benefits both male and female hormonal health, you need sufficient levels of zinc for your body to create hormones. and to maintain proper hormone balance.

Boosting fertility, as it plays an important role in increasing testosterone naturally, and is involved in the creation and release of eggs within and from the ovaries.

Research has found that zinc levels are directly associated with the following hormones,

Testosterone
Growth hormone
Thyroid hormones – T3 & T4
Oestrogen
Progesterone

If your levels are too high or too low it can cause problems with menstruation, mood swings, early menopause, thyroid and infertility.
8. When you’re under stress, whether emotional (e.g. work) or physical (e.g. trauma, overtraining), you’re at risk of using up zinc more quickly than you’re able to replenish it, and become more vulnerable to infection, as well as other health issues, such as depression.

Zinc manufactures enzymes which are required for serotonin (the happy hormone) production and is also involved in the synthesis of a neurotransmitter called GABA that calms down your nervous responses.

In particular it reduces the activity of beta waves in your brain, this allows more analytical thinking.
Studies have shown that zinc levels are low in patients who are anxious or depressed.

Zinc also ….

Helps to create DNA in every cell
Is essential during growth and development in babies and children.
Provides building blocks for enzymes needed in a healthy metabolism.
Supports protein synthesis.
Allows you to smell and taste.
Can combat high blood pressure.
Boosts athletic performance through improved muscle repair.

Who may be at risk of a low zinc status:

Vegans and vegetarians are susceptible, as plant foods are less abundant in zinc than animal protein. Plants are often rich in a substance called phytic acid that inhibits the absorption of minerals.
Poor absorption – amongst those with digestive conditions (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease) and diarrhea.
Low stomach acid levels driven by ageing and stomach acid lowering medications, result in poor zinc absorption. The elderly, are most susceptible be the reason why they are at high risk of a zinc deficiency and immune issues.
High usage of zinc – due to high stress, or pregnancy, breastfeeding, high alcohol intake, and chronic use of other ‘zinc-depleting’ medications such as diuretics.

How Do You Increase Your Zinc Status?

Zinc is found in animal protein, especially red meat, turkey, oysters, and shrimp.

Plant foods also provide zinc – pulses, legumes, nuts, and seeds i.e. cashews, pumpkin seeds, beans, lentils, quinoa and eggs. To improve the absorption of zinc from phytate-rich plant foods such as pulses, grains, nuts and seeds – soak, ferment, or sprout them, this will help to reduce the phytate content.

Support your ability to handle stress by practicing a daily relaxation technique, increase your intake of calming herbs, nutrients – like B Vitamins, magnesium, passiflora and L-theanine. Using calming essential oils – lavender, clary sage and bergamot.

Support your digestion and absorption – with mindful eating, probiotics and digestive enzyme supplementation.

Consider daily zinc supplementation, especially if you are vegan, vegetarian, pregnant, breastfeeding, and for children as well, and seek the advice of a professional for tailored advice according to your unique health needs. Zinc supplementation has been shown to be beneficial for a wide range of clinical scenarios.

Improving your zinc status may well be the missing link to your path to optimum health.

What the heck is Candida & how to know if you have it

December 15, 2018 By admin

If you have any of these symptoms, you may have candida:-

A white coating on the tongue is typical.
You are sensitive to many foods
You carry stubborn weight, no matter what you do
You experience brain fog
You have ongoing tummy bloating
You are struggling with autoimmunity
Your hormones are still wonky in spite of doing many good things
You crave something sweetor anything with carbs
You have itchy ears, rectum or vagina
You struggle with intestinal distress such as constipation, bloating, or gas
You have mental/emotional aspects including depression and anxiety
You have debilitating fatigue or exhaustion
You have chronic sinus infections
Recurring vaginal yeast infections
Hypothyroidism (Candida inhibits thyroid conversion)

What exactly is Candida?

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungus or yeast, meaning that it will grow out of balance in the right conditions. We all have it in our bodies, and most of the time it’s harmless. When it overgrows, it causes major problems and symptoms.

It's a very common condition and if you suffer from digestive issues, fatigue, brain fog, recurring fungal infections, skin problems, mood swings, and more, it could be due to a Candida overgrowth.

You can beat your Candida and have your energy and vitality return, mental clarity restored, and chronic symptoms fade away.

For some women, clearing Candida is as easy as abstaining from sugar and processed carbs for 6 to 8 weeks. For others, it can take a well orchestrated effort involving a lot more.

Bottom line: Candida can be an infection that needs to be cleared for good, so you can move forward with your health.

What Causes Candida?

It could be any one from the list below, or a combination of them that reduces your good gut flora, thins your gut lining, compromises your immunity and allows candida to take over.

If you've had it for a while, it can also start start to play havoc on your hormonal and immune health.

The main causes are:

You have a diet high in sugar & refined carbohydrates and alcohol. These break down to glucose, which is candida's preferred food source to allow it to proliferate and begin to take over your intestinal tract.
You may have chronic stress - this suppresses your immune system and signals your body to release stored glucose into the bloodstream, which the candida loves!
You've been on antibiotics or birth control pills, or the antibiotics in your meat supply.
These can destroy the friendly, good bacteria in your gut that play a huge role in your immune system. With your good bacteria destroyed, the fast growing yeasts take over and can grow unchecked. Antibiotics - even just one full-spectrum round can cause it.

Antibiotics kill bacteria—both the good and the bad. So whenever antibiotics are used, you need to repopulate the intestinal flora with good bacteria (probiotics).

Antibiotics can also thin your mucosal lining, leaving you ill-equipped to wrap up pathogens such as parasites and transport them out of the body. This can make us vulnerable to all kinds of foreign invaders and yeast overgrowth.
Your immune system is weakened - if you have an existing inflammatory or autoimmune condition, your weakened immune system gives the yeasts more opportunity to reproduce.

If Candida penetrates your gut lining so that it becomes leaky, it then opens the floodgates for undigested food particles, toxins, viruses, and bacteria to pass through your intestinal wall and into your bloodstream. This then triggers an inflammatory response from your immune system in an attempt to fight off these foreign “invaders”.

How to Test for Candida?

There are stool, blood and urine lab tests you can do for Candida overgrowth.

Stool Testing
This is one most accurate test available. This will check for Candida in your colon or lower intestines.

You need to ensure that you do a comprehensive stool test rather than the standard doctors stool test. The lab can usually determine the species of yeast as well as which treatment will be effective.

Urine Organix Dysbiosis Test
Can detect elevated D-Arabinitol, a waste product of Candida overgrowth, and determine if there is Candida in your upper gut or small intestines.

However, many people can't afford to run labs and many don’t want to go through the hassle of testing.

When that is the case, there is a fast, easy, free DIY Candida spit test you can do at home (it was also featured on The Dr. Oz Show).
For six days in a row, when you wake up in the morning, fill a glass halfway with room-temperature water (before you brush your teeth or eat or drink anything).

It’s as simple as this:
Next, work up about a teaspoon amount of saliva and spit it into the glass. Check it three times over the course of forty-five minutes to see if your saliva sinks to the bottom, stays floating on top, or if it grows legs, little spindly tails that reach down the glass.

If it sinks or grows legs, then you can suspect that yeast is overgrowing in your system. Don’t be freaked out, it happens to so many of us these days, and there is a way to cleanse from it permanently.

How do you deal with your Candida overgrowth?

In a perfect world, your good bacteria would keep the Candida in check and it wouldn’t be a problem, however we are doing so many things daily to kill our good gut bacteria.

Effectively treating your Candida involves stopping the overgrowth, restoring the friendly bacteria that usually keep them in check, and repairing your gut so that Candida can no longer enter your bloodstream.

You can accomplish this with a simple and proven four-wave attack as follows:

Part 1: First, you need to starve the Candida by removing the foods that feed it from your diet.

Eliminate all yeast, gluten, sugar, white flour, fermented foods and drinks, and most fruit. Complex carbohydrates such as gluten-free grains, legumes, and root vegetables are allowed, but should be limited. Focus on non-starchy vegetables, clean animal protein, and healthy fats including avocado, butter, and coconut oil for six to eight weeks.our text here...

Coconut oil - Take 1 tbsp of extra-virgin coconut oil daily and use in meals, where possible. Coconut oil exhibits both antimicrobial and antifungal properties and has demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of fungal infections including Candida.

Alkalise with greens - Get your daily greens by adding 1 cup of dark, leafy greens like spinach or kale to every meal or have a vegetable juice twice daily - 4 celery stalks, 1 cucumber, 1 cup spinach or kale, 1 inch ginger, 1 lemon and ½ an apple.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) - Take 2 teaspoons in a small amount of water twice daily. ACV has anti-fungal properties which can kill yeasts and prevent yeasts from reproducing.

Part 2: Attack the Candida by using herbs, oils & supplements that can help remove Candida

Use healing herbs & spices - Cook with garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and oregano. These herbs exhibit antifungal properties that prevent the continued growth of Candida. Black walnut, olive leaf and golden seal are also helpful in combating candida.

Vitamin C - Take 1,000 mg of a wholefood Vitamin C supplement twice daily. Vitamin C helps fight off the ‘die-off’ symptoms of Candida. This is when the yeast in the body releases toxins into the system as it gets killed off.

superman oregano essential oil

Oregano oil - has been used medicinally for centuries due to its potent antiviral, antibacterial & anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies indicate its efficacy in overcoming Candida overgrowth

Part 3: You'll need repopulate your gut with good bacteria using a probiotic supplement to restore your gut’s healthy microbial balance.
Build your gut and intestinal tract using a glutamine-based product, to heal your gut lining.

Part 4: Manage Stress. You can take an epsom salt bath - Enjoy a warm bath with two cups of epsom salt daily. This reduces stress & draws toxins out through the skin. Add some lemongrass essential oil for its refreshing smell and therapeutic antifungal effect that has been shown to kill external candida

You can’t possibly live to your fullest potential if you’re constantly hindered by how you handle stress, on-going digestive issues, tiredness, haywire hormones yo-yo dieting, and not having enough energy to get all you need done. The list goes on….. sleepless nights..

By taking charge of your health you can take charge of how you feel and how you LIVE.

My consultations and health programmes are not your typical diet program. Instead, we focuses on fueling your body with delicious, nutrient-dense foods that boost your metabolism and help you increase you energy levels and release excess weight – and keep it off.

I will coach you through a process that has worked for me and my clients.

If you’re interested in learning more about working with me, schedule a FREE 20 minute Health Strategy Session now – email me [email protected]

Why you need to balance good gut bacteria vs the bad

July 11, 2018 By admin

Let’s start with the fact that your gut and the presence of healthy gut bacteria is linked to “the cradle of your immune system.”

There are both good bacteria and bad bacteria that live in your gut, that is often referred to as your Gut flora or your microbiome.

More and more research tells us about the importance of gut bacteria. The more we learn about the link between the health of your digestion or gut, the more clear it is that cultivating beneficial gut bacteria is critically important for all aspects of your health and well-being.

Gut bacteria has been linked to weight gain, inflammation and many other disorders, so the importance of a healthy community of bacteria in the digestive tract is very clear. Beneficial strains of good bacteria contribute to strong immune systems, maintaining healthy weight, and even our moods.

The nutritional value of your food is dependent on a healthy gut microbiome because if you can’t properly digest your food, you don’t benefit fully from the nutrients. You’re not what you eat, but rather what you digest.

Bad bacteria can cause inflammation and disease. Even autism is now being linked to undesirable gut bacteria.

The most important function of your gut is to metabolise and absorb nutrients from the food you eat, to nourish ever single cell in your body – your skin, brain, and all organs.

An upset digestive system can actually trigger or worsen acne, inflammation and rashes and can be caused by consuming too many processed foods, sugar or alcoholic drinks.

What does a balanced gut flora do for you?

Good bacteria works hard to keep the bad bacteria in your gut in check. If your gut gets out of balance and the bad bacteria outgrows or outperforms the good bacteria, then you’re more likely going to end up with gut dysbiosis, yeast, leaky gut, candida, SIBO, SIFO, and/or parasites.

You inherited your gut microbiome at birth from your mother, as you moved through the vaginal canal (or not).

After that your diet and lifestyle become more important in their effect on your microbiome. Your microbiome consists of trillions of good bacteria/probiotics that are important for several key functions:

optimising your digestion
balances your mood, improve metal health
hormone balance
healthy weight maintenance, boosting your metabolism
supporting your immune system
synthesising vitamins K and other essential nutrients
helping prevent leaky gut
to digest fibre
supporting nerve function

NEWS FLASH! New research on how probiotics can help you lose weight.

A 2017 Research study – women showed significant weight loss in just 3 weeks. The pre-obese and obese group lost 13.4 pounds, including 4 pounds of fat and 2.6 inches off their waist. The “normal weight obese” group, (body fat > 30%) also saw results — they lost only 1 pound overall but 2 pounds of fat (they gained muscle). I find this really interesting!

What are the causes of your gut flora imbalances, dysbiosis (i.e more bad than good) and leaky gut?

Sugar
Stress– physical, emotional, mental.
Poor Sleep
Alcohol and smoking
Medications and Antibiotics!!
Poor Digestion of food – increasing toxins and the load of bad bacteria in your system, fuelling the cycle.
Lack of exercise
Food Sensitivities- Even healthy food can be damaging if one is reacting to it i.e. gluten and dairy.
And ageing

Over time with long-term stressors, your gut immunity decreases allowing more toxins, chemicals, bacteria and even parasites to compromise the lining of the stomach and seep through to enter your bloodstream.

As your gut flora changes for the worse, your stomach lining becomes more permeable and results in what is now called – ‘leaky gut’.

How do you know if you have dysbiosis?

Frequent gas or bloating
Brain fog, anxiety and depression
Food sensitivities
Skin issues – acne, psoriasis, eczema
Micronutrient deficiency
Chronic bad breath
Loose stool, diarrhoea, constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Frequent “stomach bugs,” gastroenteritis, and/or food poisoning
History of prolonged antibiotics such as for acne or sinusitis
Carbohydrate intolerance, particularly after eating fibre and/or beans
Fatigue or low energy
Achy joints
Autoimmune conditions – Hashimoto’s, psoriasis, or multiple sclerosis
Sinus congestion
Difficulty losing weight
Cramping, urgency, and/or mucus in your poop once per week

If you have five or more symptoms, there is a good chance you have dysbiosis.

Using probiotics can help with overcoming dysbiosis

Dysbiosis can be tricky to diagnose and even harder to correct, and your rehab program will depend on the state of your gut and how committed you are to make changes.

Probiotics have been shown to improve intestinal barrier function and reduce inflammation.

eat your probiotic-rich food such as cultured vegetables, sauerkraut, and kimchi–it’s a great way to jump start gut health repair.
Choosing the right probiotics
The two most common probiotics to start balancing your microbiome are Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria bifidum – also very helpful for IBS.I would always suggest you take probiotics as a supplement rather than a probiotic drink. Many of theses drinks are loaded with added sugar, not good for controlling yeasts and other negative bacteria in your gut.

This is a good probiotic to start with and have recommend it to many of my clients over the years.

Click on the link to order on amazon, otherwise contact me if you live in a country without amazon to order your probiotic.

Some Research on the benefits of probiotics:

One of the first reports, published in 1961 by a physician Robert Siver was using lactobacilli to treat skin conditions. 300 patients who were given a probiotic and found that 80 percent of those with acne had some clinical improvement.
Probiotics also have the potential to protect against sun-induced damage. In one mice study, researchers found consuming probiotics provided protection from UV damage. In this study, one group of hairless mice were given oral administrated live Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult for nine days, and another group consumed fermented milk containing the strain for 14 days. During the final four days of the study, the mice of both groups were irradiated using UV light for each day. Then, after a period of 24 hours, the skin was evaluated to determine elasticity, appearance, and interleukin-1beta levels (a marker for inflammation). The researchers found that there was a significant level of prevention through consuming the probiotics with both groups compared to a control group.
Probiotics have been shown to reduce systemic markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are elevated locally in those with acne.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG has been found to reduce the severity of atopic dermatitis in those with IgE-sensitive reactions
Lactobacillus rhamnosus TB helps with eczema.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 subjects who had acne consumed either LSP1 or a liquid without the probiotics. There was a 32 percent reduction in acne in the treated group, and they also had a 65 percent increase in the IGF1 and FOXO1. The placebo group experienced no changes.

Also maintaining a healthy, balanced diet rich in fibre is incredibly important in ensuring your gut stays healthy, plus drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and trying to minimise everyday stress as much as possible.

The Gut health is also linked to…..

Your hormonal issues and symptoms may be linked to your gut – due to dysbiosis/Candidiasis.
The gut has a direct relationship with the liver as good bacteria promotes Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification and the excretion of oestrogen. Bad bacteria interfere with it.
Stress and high cortisol promotes dysbiosis and dysbiosis promotes high cortisol. Excess adrenal activity interferes with reproductive and thyroid hormone function
Then there is the direct relationship of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone and the gut – more complex and less understood.

When you begin to replenish the friendly flora in the gut, you may feel some changes in your digestive system as the microbiome starts restoring a healthy balance. These changes are a positive shift that will bring you amazing benefits.

So now that we know all about the advantages of probiotics, what’s the next step? Probiotics come in all shapes and sizes and are made up of different “breeds” or strains, each of which can have a special benefit.

If you feel you have dysbiosis, leaky gut, skin issues, digestive troubles and want to know how you could benefit from using probiotics – please contact [email protected]

or book a FREE mini CONSULT, please call me on +27 72 7903125 or you can

click HERE and to book your appointment.

I’d love to chat on the phone/skype if you’re looking for more support managing your fatigue, low energy, hormonal imbalances and skin issues.

I so enjoy talking to women and helping them with their health. Please feel free to share if you have friends or family who might need help.

If you want to sign up for my regular updates and newsletter, you can sing up here and get my free gifts.

5 Steps to Great Gut Health & Ditch The Bloat

Gluten Could It Be Affecting Your Health

August 25, 2017 By admin

Is the Gluten Free Diet Just a Fad?

What is Gluten?

It’s a sticky protein found in rye, barley, and wheat kernels. Gluten (from Latin, “glue”) is a protein and it gives bread its airy and fluffy texture and dough its sticky texture. It’s used as a stabilising agent in many processed foods, such as salad dressings, soy sauce and mayonnaise. It’s in almost everything from beauty products to packaged foods to medications and supplements.

The prevalence of wheat products, especially processed and refined varieties, have led to a greater percentage of the population developing an intolerance or an allergy to gluten.

We’re no longer eating the wheat that our parents ate. In order to have hardier wheat that can survive drought, insects and grow faster, the wheat has been hybridised.

It’s estimated that 5 percent of the proteins found in hybridised wheat are new proteins that were not found in the original wheat plants. These “new proteins” are part of the problem that has lead to increased systemic inflammation, widespread gluten intolerance and higher rates of celiac.

In our modern world with the convenience of bread and fast food, we’re eating much more wheat than our ancestors ever did.

Why Would You Avoid It?

There are many reasons, for those with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder it affects the small intestine lining and can lead to severe malnutrition and digestive problems, consuming too much gluten can damage or irritate their bowels. People diagnosed with celiac disease must be very careful to limit or completely remove gluten from their diets.

Gluten intolerance is now 30 times more prevalent than celiac disease and affects 1 in 7 people, who tested negative for celiac disease.

People of European are more likely to have gluten intolerance or celiac disease in their families.

How does gluten affect your gut and cause intestinal permeability or leaky gut?

Regulating your intestinal permeability is one of the basic functions of the cells that line your intestinal wall. In people sensitive to gluten it can cause the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart the tight junctions holding your intestines together.

When your meal reaches your gut, an enzyme (tTG) is produced in your intestinal wall that breaks down the gluten into its protein building blocks, gliadin and glutenin.

As these proteins make their way through your gut, the immune system in your gut, reviews them for potentially harmful substances. In people who have no issues with gluten, the proteins are absorbed.

In those with gluten sensitivity, the gut identifies gliadin as a dangerous substance and produces antibodies to attack it. In celiacs, these antibodies don’t just attack the gliadin, they attack the enzyme (tTG) as well, which is what originally broke down the gluten into its two parts.

Once these tight junctions in the digestive system get broken apart, it becomes a leaky gut. This then allows toxins, microbes, undigested food particles and antibodies to escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via your bloodstream. The antibodies that escape are the ones that your body produced to attack the gliadin in the first place.

It’s these antibodies that can end up attacking other organs and systems, from the skin to the thyroid to the brain. This is why gluten intolerance is now being linked to autoimmune conditions and why those with celiac disease are at risk of developing a second autoimmune disease.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance include:-

Low immunity – Consistently runny nose and sneezing
Skin – eczema, acne, psoriasis, hives
Digestive disorders – IBS symptoms diarrhoea, abdominal bloating, sluggish bowel movements
Headaches
Difficulty losing weight or unexplained weightloss
Joint pain
Extreme fatigue
Hormonal imbalance – irregular menstrual cycles, weight gain or loss, hot flashes, low energy levels, erratic sleep
Anxiety, low mood and depression
ADHD
Brain fog
Autoimmune disease – Rheumatoid Arthritis, Vitiligo, Type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s dx, Multiple Sclerosis

If you’re already experiencing these types of symptoms, first consult a health professional rather than diagnosing yourself.

The bottom line is that gluten sensitivity can affect processes in the body beyond the digestive tract, wrecking havoc on your skin (our largest organ!), joints, bones, mouth, endocrine system and more.

Your myriad of symptoms that don’t make sense to the doctor may mean that they’ve no clue that you’re reporting back to them the signs of gluten sensitivity.

There are long standing beliefs that consuming gluten can also aggravate some existing autoimmune system diseases that you may already be experiencing. This includes multiple sclerosis, eczema, Crohn’s disease, and a lot more.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that consuming gluten is the root cause of the disease: rather, it exacerbates these existing conditions, contributing to flare-ups.

There is also evidence that consuming gluten can add to overall body inflammation that leads to other side effects, such as joint pain, depression, and fatigue.

Thyroid – Hashimoto’s & Graves Disease

There’s just no question that many people that have Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism have gluten sensitivity. For some patients, it’s life-changing when they go gluten-free.” Dr. Datis Kharraziac.

The health of someone with non-celiac gluten sensitivity can improve significantly when it is eliminated; for example a woman who struggled in vain for nearly a decade to lose weight, lost 40 pounds easily when she cut gluten from her diet. This of course does not mean that if you give up gluten you’ll automatically lose weight.

So, What Does it Really Mean to be Gluten Free?

Being gluten free means eliminating gluten foods or products from your diet. Following any type of diet is challenging but adhering to this diet can be even more difficult. But with patience, time, and some creativity, you can find ways to effectively substitute gluten free products and still enjoy the taste of your food.

Being Gluten Free Is Not Just About Giving Up Pasta and Bread

Experts also recommend paying close attention to your fiber intake; a diet loaded with vegetables, fruits, quinoa, and many other non-gluten grains should do the trick. Individuals are also advised to take multivitamins to ensure that they are getting sufficient vitamin D.

These days, more and more food manufacturers are providing gluten-free alternatives of their products, from bagels up to pasta. However, the prevalence has led to a lot of misconceptions. The term “gluten free” is widely linked with being healthy, but often in the sense of a dieting fad. Not everyone stops to think about what gluten free really means and why individuals should or should not eat certain foods.

Many foods are naturally gluten-free, such as nuts, vegetables, fruits, fresh meats, and some dairy products. To be gluten free means avoiding bread, desserts, pasta, cereal, beer, and many other foods on an extensive list.

Can Anyone Really Go Gluten-Free?

There is really no serious danger in eliminating gluten. However, if you are eliminating a particular ingredient, take some precaution and be careful in replacing this ingredient. Experts recommend sticking to foods that are naturally gluten-free like vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and dairy. However, double check labels for sugar and sodium content.

Do You Need to Give Up Eating Cereal, Bread, and Pasta?

Definitely not! Fortunately, there is a wide range of products available these days that are good and delicious substitutes for gluten-based products. Although these products were once only found in specialty health food stores, most of these products have now gone mainstreams and can be found in most grocery stores. Although these products may differ in texture, taste, and consistency, you will no doubt be able to find some that suit your taste buds.

Gluten shows up in unexpected places, like in foods containing soy sauce, which often contains hidden traces of wheat. Gluten is also found in potato chips, hot dogs, candy bars, lunch meats, prepared eggs, and salad dressings. Since the lists of ingredients do not usually include the term “gluten,” it can be tricky to spot unless package specifically indicates that it is gluten free.

You want to avoid things that say, “malt flavor” or “malt extract.” Experts have also found gluten in rye, barley, wheat, and brewer’s yeast. Even if these foods are labeled with “gluten free,” they might contain gluten due to cross contamination.

Avoid self-diagnosis; if you believe that gluten is the cause of your health issues. If you’re following the advice of a doctor for any type of gluten-sensitive disorder, then you should also consult a health care practitioner to help you plan your meals.

The Challenge

Eating out is very tricky because you generally don’t have any idea about the ingredients of your dish. But, it is easy—and becoming more common—to ask your server to find out if any barley, wheat, or rye has been used in your requested dish. Another challenge is learning more about food additives that contain gluten or wheat such as couscous, food starch, brewer’s yeast, and spelt bran.

The good news is, many of today’s eating establishments and food stores provided excellent offerings and food labels in response to the growing number of people who have decided to go wheat-free or gluten-free for a happier, healthier lifestyle.

Testing for Gluten Intolerance

The of the best way to determine your sensitivity to gluten, is to use avoidance and provocative testing i.e. the elimination diet. You eliminate all gluten sources in your diet for 30 days and then try adding it back to see if symptoms re-occur.

Food intolerances differ from full-blown food allergies so antibodies may not show up in blood tests.

Keep a log of all the food you eat and the symptoms you might experience for a few weeks. After eliminating gluten, the suspected food is eaten to see if symptoms re-develop. In some cases, people are able to gradually build up their tolerance to foods that previously bothered them.

Final Thought

Bottom line the wheat plant has changed due to the demand on production and we’re also consuming far more gluten than our bodies were ever meant to. It’s about knowing your body, what works for it and what doesn’t.

You may have been struggling with low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight, you might have tried a number of diets and strategies that haven’t worked for you.

I know how frustrating this can be, and how confusing it is to try to make sense of all the conflicting nutritional information out there.