Gluten impacts your health, and possibly your mood. Gluten’s impact is undeniable, whether or not you have Celiac disease.
There are billions of pills swallowed each year, with the sole intent to reduce stomach acid.
That’s not the only thin they’re ‘reducing’ by that I mean, they could be leading to a reduced state of mood… ie depression!
I’m referring to the category of acid blockers and antacids. Medications in this category play a huge role in gluten-related illness due to their well-documented interference with the digestion of your food. Undigested food proteins like gluten can leak into your bloodstream and cause problems all over your body, among them mood swings, anxiety, depression and insomnia. It happens from chronic use with proper dosing, or misuse and/or abuse of the pills.
I think these medications are creating a generation of folks with heightened sensitivity to gluten and other food allergies. I’m not referring to Celiac necessarily, that is an autoimmune disease.
With acid blockers, it’s induced and think about it…how are you supposed to fully digest your meals without your stomach acid?
You can’t!
Soon I will tell you about 3 common symptoms that come from eating gluten-based bread, pasta, cookies, muffins, bagels, soy sauce and so forth. Soy sauce is a big one! I’ve written an article about that which you can read by CLICKING HERE.
Gluten Sensitivity
There’s another interesting topic related to food-bourne discomforts and sensitivities, and it happens to be about leftovers and fermented foods. If you’d like to read my article and hear the story about my house contractor, just CLICK HERE to read, Why You Shouldn’t Eat Leftovers or Fermented Foods.
When the protein gluten breaks into smaller proteins (gliadin for example), it leaves your digestive tract through microscopic holes and gets into your bloodstream. Therein lies the problem. Your body makes antibodies to gliadin and attacks whatever tissue that gliadin has attached itself too. Your immune system is just doing its job, attacking the invader, but it’s your body that pays the price.
For years we’ve heard anecdotally about people who test negative for celiac disease but whose symptoms dramatically improve when gluten (and preferably all grains) are eliminated.
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
We are now starting to get some answers, because a separate condition called Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) has recently been officially identified. Patients with NCGS will absolutely test negative for the autoimmune condition of celiac disease, because they don’t have a classic response to wheat. But people with NCGS experience all the same unpleasant symptoms, and respond favorably to a gluten-free diet. NCGS is more common than celiac.
I’m sure you know that gluten sensitivity contributes to irritable bowel problems, obesity, as well as rapid transit time (diarrhea and gas soon after eating). But there are other common symptoms you’ve probably not considered. So with that said, I’d recommend 6 months off gluten (and preferably all grains) if you have any of the following:
- Brain fog. Perhaps you keep forgetting thoughts mid-sentence and have difficulty finding words.
Cognitive dysfunction is extremely common among gluten-sensitive people.
- Skin Problems. A painful rash called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is unique to celiac disease, but NCGS can also drive other common skin conditions, itchy unexplained rashes, rosacea, acne and eczema.
- Bad Moods. Gluten can impact your neurotransmitters. Our brains are exquisitely sensitive to fluctuations in our environment and our body’s general health. The neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA are more prevalent in your gastrointestinal tract than in your brain. (I know, hard to believe!)
If your gut lining is damaged due to extended use or misuse of potent acid blockers, or consumption of gluten, then your brain chemicals are imbalanced. This leads to depression and anxiety.
- Thyroid conditions driven by an immune assault to your own gland! It’s termed Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
It’s the undigested particles of food that might be contributing to the flare-ups, along with a whole host of other things. Use my search box to read more about this disorder because I’ve written about it several times, please use my search box to see the assortment of articles I have archived here on this topic, as well as Graves’ disease.
Avoid Antacids For Awhile
If you think you have NCGS, the simplest, most inexpensive actions you can start today are to avoid antacids and to stop eating gluten for 6 months. Consider supplements that contain DPPIV as well. There’s a good chance you’ll feel a whole lot better just by simple dietary restrictions though! Always try that first, before medications and supplements.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
