Many people are sensitive to wheat and may not know it. 1 in 7 people are gluten (the protein in wheat) intolerant. You may experience symptoms such as:
- bloating, cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation
- headache, memory loss, behavioural difficulties, depression
- resistance to infection, arthritis
- skin rashes, psoriasis, dry skin, eczema
- fatigue, lethargy, feeling unwell
The best way to determine if you're gluten intolerant, which is not the same as a gluten allergy, is to do an elimination diet. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, spelt, barley, rye and kamut. It seems that oats may have gluten if they are processed in the same plant as gluten-containing grains. You need to stop eating any foods containing gluten for at least 1 week and notice any changes in how you feel. Then introduce a gluten-containing food for one day and see how you feel then. Many people find that they feel great when they take gluten out of their diets, or at least reduce the gluten.
A nutritionist can help you through this process and give you meal ideas to help you get through the elimination diet.
Here is a link to a recent
CBC article about wheat: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/10/15/f-gluten-free-parents.html
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