Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity: It Exists

Celiac.com recently published an article on their website regarding a 10 year study on wheat sensitivity. The study found that among test subjects who had reactions to wheat, only a portion of them were actually confirmed to have Celiac. Some were found to have multiple food sensitivities and others were found to have non-celiac wheat sensitivity. For those of us who tested negative for Celiac, but still have symptoms this is no big news, however it does mean that there is now evidence substantiating the belief that wheat sensitivities can and do exist outside of Celiac Disease. Often times patients complaining of chronic gastrointestinal distress are given the blanket diagnosis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This research suggests that it could be a sensitivity instead. The researchers behind this study are now conducting further research to determine the differences between wheat sensitivities and wheat allergies. Hopefully this will lead to more specific definitions for each.

You can read the full article at celiac.com and the research abstract Pubmed.

TUESDAY'S TIP: Malnutrition & Food Allergies

Finding the Right Balance

How do you ensure you're getting the right nutrients when you have to avoid certain, possibly nutrient-rich, foods? When you have a food allergy... or multiple allergies like me, it can be difficult to find alternatives or replacements for foods we can no longer eat. I know I can't be the only person who has looked up and down the grocery store aisles in search of an acceptable snack, lunch item, or ingredient to alter a recipe. If you're like me, you probably get frustrated too and end up saying something like, "Forget it! I'll just get a candy bar... that's got nutrients, right?" No? OK, well... maybe it's just me.

If you have to avoid certain foods for health reasons, and you don't eat enough of the right foods, you could be lacking vital nutrients. So what do you do? We need to have carbohydrates, protein, fats (yes, fats), vitamins and minerals in our diets to get everything our body needs to function properly. Let's take a look at these individually.