Friday, September 11

GF Sensitive, Intolerant or just Allergic?

Which are you? GF Sensitive, Intolerant or Allergic? This is the most recent information I got from an newsarticle by the Chicago Tribune. I'm not one for believing anything the media says about anything gluten, but it does give me a starting point. See if you agree or where you think this data needs tweeking. (copied from Chicago Tribune).

Intolerance levels

Gluten intolerance is a generic, umbrella term that means your body has an adverse reaction to gluten; it includes celiac, wheat allergies and gluten sensitivity. You can't test for "intolerance," but you can diagnose the other conditions.

-- Celiac disease: An immune system reaction that causes inflammation in the small intestine when a person eats any food containing gluten, a protein found in wheat.

How to test for it: A blood test followed by an endoscopy to check damage to the small intestine. Do not go on a gluten-free diet before getting the biopsy, as it can change the results.

-- Wheat allergy: An allergic reaction to gluten.

Symptoms: Hives, difficulty breathing, nausea or a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.

How to test for it: Doctors use a variety of tools, including a food diary, an elimination diet, a skin test or a blood test, or a food challenge, which involves eating capsules of the food under supervision.

-- Gluten sensitivity: An immune system reaction to gluten.

How to test for it: There isn't yet a test for gluten sensitivity. If you've tested negative for both wheat allergy and celiac disease but still react to gluten, you may have gluten sensitivity.


This last one, sensitivity doesn't gel with me. We'll see.

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