January 23, 2014
The Glutenless Gut
My entire life, I have had a glutenless gut. Yep, that is right, I have an autoimmune disease that makes it to where I can't eat gluten. It's called Celiac Disease. Today, the word "gluten free" is a common word filled with a lot of meaning. Heck, what am I saying! Most Hollywood stars are going gluten free because it's the diet to do. Some stars like Elizabeth Hasselback actually have Celiac Disease. Some are allergic to gluten rather than having Celiac, such as Rachel Weis. Although some really do have Celiac Disease, many are doing the diet because they feel better, and feel that they look better. Common diets out there are like the Paleo diet, etc. I believe in eating healthy. I believe that we may not need as many grains as we once thought we did. But, I struggle with the fact that many are excluding healthy grains all together and honestly it makes me sad.
You may still ask what is gluten, it's ok I'm a little slow at times too. Gluten is a protein that makes up wheat, some oats, barley, rye, and caramel coloring. You may think, well that's not so bad, but gluten is in everything. It's not only in bread, drinks, or cinnamon roles (the only bread coming to my head). It's in things like soy sauce, seasoning, and spices. Let's just say if it has flavor, tastes good, and most people eat it, I can't. Most individuals have a small intestines like a carpet. When you spill something on the carpet, you can watch the carpet soak it up. My small intestines is like a wood floor. It won't absorb the gluten, and then causes major issues in absorbing nutrients.
There is a small population out there that deal with this same autoimmune disease. They are showing that 1 in 133 Americans have Celiac Disease. I have known about it since I was around the age of two. People accused my mother of malnourishment. At that time I had a disease that was considered very rare. There were times I did eat gluten. Some shared with me that they thought I didn't really have Celiac. They didn't see the consequences of eating that piece of bread in the 10th grade, or the other times I didn't follow the diet. (Things like projectile vomiting, having massive chest pains, headaches, or rashes, and other major issues.)
Now that I've shared about being glutenless, I want to encourage you to be wise when it comes to what you eat. I believe that moderation is the key unless you are allergic or have the autoimmune disease. If you are curious about the disease and/or having stomach issues, I would encourage you to talk with you doctor. Now all you have to do is take a simple blood test to find out!
Our new Catching Fire Nutrition Guide is 100% Celiac friendly. Our Hiit Nutritionist who wrote the book, Ciara Foy - is Gluten-Free. And our community manager who edited it, Taylor - is a celiac!