ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN B?

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN B?

Many people with gluten intolerance have vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Vitamin B deficiency seems to be a common one among Celiacs. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to healthy, gluten-free sources of these nutrients.

Vitamin B is actually a complex of eight different vitamins. They are referred to collectively as B vitamins or the vitamin B complex. The different nutrients in the vitamin B complex are often found together in foods and offer many of the same benefits, so it can be useful to discuss them as a single entity.

The different types of vitamin B all have their own health benefits, but they also work together to help the body function in a number of ways. The vitamin B complex boosts metabolic function; promotes skin and muscle tone; boosts the immune and nervous systems; and promotes cellular metabolism, growth, and division. The vitamin B complex promotes cardiovascular health, improves energy, and helps prevent depression. Deficiencies in certain B vitamins can result in such illnesses as beriberi, anemia, heart disease, and birth defects.

Vitamin B is water-soluble, so it must be replenished every day. If you aren’t getting it in your diet, vitamin supplements may be necessary. Vitamins are best absorbed when you get them in their natural state; a food source.  Some natural, gluten-free sources of Vitamin B include bananas, potatoes, lentils, chili peppers, green vegetables, eggs, dairy products, and meats including turkey, tuna, and liver.

Posted in Gluten Sensitivity, Healthy eating | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Can Gluten Cause Weight Gain?

Can Gluten Cause Weight Gain?

 

If you are experiencing weight gain or difficulty in losing weight the culprit might be gluten.  Gluten can cause one to become addicted to food due to its chemical makeup. It cause can addictive response that is similar to a drug addiction. Gluten is found in many carbohydrate rich foods such as bread, pasta and desserts.  So many people tend to overeat or binge on these foods because of their high gluten content. Processed carbohydrates are often high in sugar and/or fat content causing weight gain. Many of my patients find that they are able to lose weight once they remove gluten from their diet. This must be done slowly and carefully so that one can gradually become familiar with the gluten free lifestyle.

 

 

Posted in Weight Loss | Tagged | Leave a comment

Can You have gluten sensitivity if your test for celiac sprue is negative?

Can You have gluten sensitivity if your test for celiac sprue is negative?

The answer to this question is yes. Originally screening tests for gluten sensitivity/celiac sprue consisted of blood tests against the damaging protein in gluten called gliadin (antigliadin antibodies). However, with increased awareness of the possibility of gluten sensitivity in family members of diagnosed celiacs, or in people with syndromes associated with celiac sprue, it has become clear that not all people suspected of being immunologically intolerant to gluten have positive blood tests. As a result, these people are told that they are not gluten intolerant based on negative blood tests. Many times patients themselves are able to deduce that it is wheat that causes them to feel ill or have intestinal symptoms. When blood tests are negative they are often diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome or sometimes “wheat allergy”. The reality is that they are gluten sensitive. Gluten sensitivity doesn’t just mean a reaction to wheat. It also includes barley and rye. Wheat barley and rye are ingredients that are used in millions of processed foods that people consume every day. If you have a reaction when eating these foods you are likely to have gluten sensitivity. There are millions of people who have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Their symptoms can be just as severe as those with celiac disease.

Posted in Gluten Sensitivity | Tagged | Leave a comment

Benefits of Switching to Grass Fed Red Meat

Benefits of Switching to Grass Fed Red Meat

Studies show that red meat might cause certain types of cancer. Steaks, hamburgers and other types of red meat could raise women’s risk for a type of breast cancer that is linked to estrogen. The high content of  saturated fat in red meat might cause weight gain in those who eat it frequently. If you really enjoy red meat and can’t give it up you are better off choosing grass fed beef. The difference between grain fed animal products and grass fed is dramatic. Grass fed products are much lower in total fat and calories. If you eat a typical amount of beef (66.5 pounds a year), switching to grass fed beef will save you 17,733 calories a year! If everything else in your diet remains constant, you’ll lose about six pounds a year.  If all Americans switched to grass fed meat, our national epidemic of obesity would begin to diminish. Grass fed beef also provides you with a good source of fat called Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are found in seafood and certain nuts and seeds such as flaxseeds and walnuts, but they are also found in animals that are grass fed. This is due to the fact that Omega-3s are formed in the chloroplasts of green leaves and algae. Sixty percent of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3s. When cattle are shipped to a feedlot to be fattened on omega-3 poor grain, they begin to lose their store of this beneficial fat until it is all gone. Omera-3 fatty acids are shown to help prevent certain types of cancer.

Posted in Healthy eating | Tagged | Leave a comment

Astonishing Statistics on Celiac disease and gluten( a protein found in wheat)!

Astonishing Statistics on Celiac disease and gluten( a protein found in wheat)!

Keep in mind these are not just numbers but each single digit represents a living breathing person like you and me. By the way, all numbers are for the USA.

  • It’s estimated 1 out of every 133 people have celiac disease
  • Out of every 100 people, 97 remain undiagnosed (horrors!)
  • Over 3 million people have celiac disease
  • It takes an average of 8 to 11 years for a US celiac to be properly diagnosed (oh horrors again!)
  • Up to 10% of people with celiac disease also have type 1 diabetes (another autoimmune disease)
  • Women have a celiac disease at a ratio of 3 to 1 when compared to men
  • There are over 250 possible symptoms related to gluten intolerance
Posted in Gluten Sensitivity, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Gluten Sensitivity and Hair Loss

Gluten Sensitivity and Hair Loss

Alopecia areata (hair loss) is a symptom of celiac disease for many people. It is caused by a possible immunological attack on the hair follicles. The hair loss usually shows up as patchy areas of total hair loss. This mostly occurs on the scalp but it can also appear on any hairy area of the body.  A recent study in Finland found 2% of of celiac disease patients with this symptom. Allopecia effects both men and women. Some people have bare patches and others experience hair loss. Most treatments for hair loss are limited because the underlying cause remains untreated. If the hair loss is due to an autoimmune response to celiac disease it is possible for the hair to grow back once a gluten free diet is started.  If you suspect that you have gluten sensitivity consult your health care professional before making any dietary changes.

Posted in Gluten Sensitivity | Tagged , | Leave a comment