Gluten Free Choice

Answer:  If you have tested positive for Celiac Disease, you should continue to follow a gluten-free diet for life.  Eating gluten will always provoke symptoms and exacerbate disease, and there is no such thing as a "low gluten" diet for Celiac Disease that allows you to safely eat a modest amount of gluten.

Suggestion:  The good news is two-fold:  1)  You should start to feel better in many ways on a gluten-free diet, and 2)  There are many reliable, great-tasting gluten-free pastas, and now breads are making headway.  Some cities even have their own gluten-free artisinal bakeries sprouting up.  Better yet, learn to bake your own!

Answer:  The testing for Celiac Disease is not 100%.  You may be in the early stages where the intestinal damage is not extensive enough for the test results to be positive.  You also may have any one of the following conditions which also would benefit from a gluten-free diet.  The bottom line is how you feel when you stop eating gluten:

• A true wheat allergy, which is a different type of immune response.  Symptoms may begin quickly after ingestion of the offending food or take longer to develop.
• An intolerance to gluten, similar to intolerances to the lactose in dairy prodoucts or the fructose in apple juice.
• A neurological response to the protein peptides in gluten (and or dairy), exacerbated by decreased enzyme production and a leaky gut lining.

Answer:  3,000,000 people with Celiac Disease are by definition intolerant of gluten, but the number of people with non-celiac gluten-intolerance may increase the gluten-intolerant poplulation to as high as 15-20,000,000.  This also includes children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which now encompasses those with ADD and ADHD.

Answer:  This is unfortunately a somewhat common scenario in adults, particularly those that have been ill for many years prior to diagnosis.  Children sometimes have a better trajectory toward complete recovery.  Here are some possible reasons and corresponding suggestions.

• Congratulations!  You successfully eliminated 80-90% of the gluten in your diet by avoiding gluten-containing items like pasta, bread, cookies, and pretzels.  However, some item you are still eating regularly contains hidden gluten. It could be your daily protein bar, the sauce in your chicken stir-fry, the flavoring in a beverage you drink after work, even the mustard you spread on your gluten-free bread for sandwiches.
• Suggestion:  Keep a food diary for a few days to a week, writing down every thing you eat.  Look for patterns in your routine, and examine all the ingredients in your packaged foods.  If possible, directly ask the people making your meals/restaurant staff to tell you exactly how the food is prepared.  Re-read the list of hidden sources of gluten and food additives (available from www.celiac.com and other sources, and in my resource guide).
  
• The production of food enzymes in your still-damaged intestine is not sufficient, and you have developed intolerances to other foods, especially lactose in dairy, proteins in legumes, and sucrose (cane sugar). 
• Suggestion:  You can add food enzymes to your supplement regimen.  In fact, many doctors recommend taking a pancreatic enzyme for the first two months following diagnosis, perhaps longer in adults.  Some medical practitioners feel it is best to avoid dairy products altogether for the first two to three months of a gluten-free diet to reduce discomfort and speed healing.
  
• You have other food allergies or sensitivities that you were not aware of, often one of the common allergens like dairy, soy, eggs, seafood, peanuts, tree-nuts, or even xanthan gum, which is present in nearly all commercially produced gluten-free products.  Having a panel of food allergy tests done is a good idea.  Your physician can discuss this with you.  Having Celiac Disease increases the likelihood of having other food allergies, heightens the immune response, and in contributes to systemic inflammation, which in turn prevents you from feeling your best.  Over time, with proper medical care, excellent nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction (chronic illness is both a physical and psychological stress) you should be able to regain your health (see "Success Stories" on "Articles" page.

Trident gum is gluten-free, as indicated on their website:

www.tridentgum.com

Buckwheat is in no way related to wheat, and does not even come from the grass family, as do many other grains.  Buckwheat is actually related to rhubarb.  It is on the safe list for the majority of all gluten-free sources I have looked at.  Feel free to include it in your gluten-free diet.  If it doesn't agree with your digestive system or otherwise bothers you, then exclude it.  You can buy premade gluten-free buckwheat waffles (Lifestream brand, I believe), but beware that a lot of buckwheat pancake mixes/flours contain both wheat and dairy.  Start with 100% buckwheat flour and dilute it at least by half with another gluten-free flour or blend, as it does not work well by itself.  Some other buckwheat products to try are 100% buckwheat soba noodles (a japanese staple), or buckwheat groats (used in eastern european pilafs).

Yes.  Many people experience dermatological manifestations from topical exposure to wheat protein found in shampoos and conditioners, although some medical practitioners do not recognize this fact.  Dermatitis Herpetiformis (a variant of Celiac Disease) can also occur on the forehead and scalp, although this is not a common location.  Similarly, some women who apply skin lotion or foundation can break out because of wheat protein or oat protein found in these products.  Desert Essences is one brand of shampoo and lotion that is 100% wheat and gluten free.  It comes in a variety of scents, and unscented.  Arbonne also produces some gluten-free cosmetics and skin-care products.  Look for an article soon on this subject.