As the stomach again and again starts acting strange, a lot of people wonder “is this gluten allergy?” Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and spelt among others. When the body reacts towards gluten it can cause damage and scarring in the intestine, making it difficult to absorb important nutrients that the body needs. Most of us can relax though. It is believed that only two percent of the population in the US is over sensitive to gluten, also known as celiac disease. However, of those 2% about 95% are unaware and therefore undiagnosed of the disease. Beside celiac disease, people may be sensitive to gluten and react in a variety of ways.

Many of them do not know that they have the disease, and the less obvious symptoms are unknown to many, which means that many go for a long time without knowing what is wrong with them.

Ludvig Sollid, celiac disease researcher and professor of immunology at the University of Oslo, says celiac disease was previously an illness believed only to give symptoms from the gut, that is, diarrhea and poor absorption of nutrients.

Diffuse symptoms

“Diffuse” indisposed symptoms, malaise, anemia and depression, in addition to intestinal ailments and joint pain can be signs of celiac disease, according to the professor.
“Warfare” between the gluten in the gut and the body’s own defense leads to an inflammatory reaction so that the surface of the small intestine is damaged. This makes it difficult for the body to take up nutrients and you risk getting iron and calcium deficiency and disorders of fluid balance. Fatigue is also common.

According to allergized.com there are three main types of symptoms that may give a hint about the disease.

KNOWN SYMPTOM: Stomach Problems

Abdominal symptoms are common, as described in both those who are gluten allergic, and those with gluten intolerance. Those who are allergic will have an extra troublesome stomach, and they may feel bloated and have stomach gas pain. Both diarrhea and constipation are common. Stool can be greasy and smell bad. Weight loss may occur. Children may be lose appetite, become apathetic and irritable. It is common that gluten gives diarrhea and vomiting in those who are sensitive, and therefore it is important to drink plenty of water.

HIDDEN SYMPTOM: Breathing Problems

As with other food allergies, gluten allergies can cause breathing problems, according to allergized.com. If you experience anaphylactic shock breathing may be so difficult that it is dangerous. Remember that if you are experiencing great difficulty in breathing, you need to seek medical attention immediately.

HIDDEN SYMPTOM: Skin Conditions
If you are allergic to gluten, it can affect your skin in several ways. Typical changes in the skin may occur immediately after you eat food which contains gluten. A few may experience itchy skin rashes or eczema. Those with skin disease ‘dermatitis herpetiformis’ often have celiac disease as well. Rash is common when it comes to food allergies, and this applies of course also to gluten.

Important to detect celiac disease

Untreated celiac disease gives a small increased risk of cancer of the rectum. In addition, untreated celiac disease may lead to anemia and osteoporosis, and thus at greater risk of breaking bones, loss of wellbeing, and lethargy.

In women it may lead to premature birth, low birth weight and growth problems in children, because untreated celiac disease can lead to lack of folic acid and folic acid deficiency during pregnancy is also a health risk.

You can request a test yourself

The treatment of celiac disease is done without medicine, but those affected must ensure to follow a gluten free diet throughout life. Many people feel much better when they go to the gluten-free diet.

- If your doctor does not think of celiac disease, you often will have to take this up yourself. Now tests are so good that it’s easy to find out if you have the disease, which is done with a blood test done at the doctors.

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My 6 year old son has been hospitalized twice since birth because of the severe reaction he has to milk products. Both times we couldnt understand how he got so sick, because everyone knows not to give him milk products. (Thinking back over the past 6 yrs i dont recall an allergy test being done.)
I have recently noticed that he seems to get extreme bloating, diarrhea, and (last nite, vomiting) after eating wheat products, and i am thinking that maybe it is a gluten allergy not a milk allergy(or maybe both). I wonder if the two allergies are similar and if they are often mistaken for one another. If anyone knows anything about this topic, i’d love some insight. My baby is miserable, its killing me!

He could be INTOLERANT of gluten. This means he is unable to DIGEST the gluten—similar to what someone with LACTOSE INTOLERANCE has—they are not ALLERGIC to milk, they just can’t DIGEST IT.
He COULD be allergic to WHEAT ALSO, or INSTEAD of INTOLERANT of gluten.
I myself, have food allergies (beef, oats, and some preservatives to name a few). I ALSO have GLUTEN INTOLERANCE…I get BLOATED—EXTREMELY, cramping, lose stools, but, haven’t vomited from that. Not to say one couldn’t….but, haven’t heard of that.

Food allergies are funny—I had the skin testing done a while ago, and they caught SOME of my allergies, but, the control didn’t even register properly. (but, then again, I WAS on allergy medicine, and they told me to only NOT TAKE IT THAT DAY, and alot of them take more than 12 hours to completely clear out of the system). Since then, I have developed the beef and oat food allergy. I also have asthma, so even though the test did or didn’t say I was allergic to something, I judged by how my asthma did on how I was going to deal with certain situations….if I KNEW that cut grass bothers me, I make sure to try to avoid it when I can, OR take my medicine BEFORE HAND.
Unfortunately, gluten intolerance/allergies aren’t so easy. Neither is MILK allergies. Milk is HIDDEN in SO MANY products….and, sometimes, not clearly labeled. Sometimes, for the milk, you HAVE to look for LACTOSE as well as milk (someone told me once that perhaps WHEY as well…although, not sure on that–I think that would be more if they were allergic to ALL dairy, like cheese).

There isn’t any magic pill for Gluten intolerance or allergy—avoidance is the only thing that usually works (although some health food stores may sell herbal or other pills for this….don’t know how they are). I stick to rice, potatoes, and corn….and mix it up a bit….tortilla chips or rice cakes, the McCain SMILES are gluten free last I checked (but, ALWAYS read the package EVERY TIME as they DO CHANGE ingrediants and processing methods).

Good luck to you….see if your doc can refer you to a nutritionist or someone you can talk to to better learn about this and how to work around this for preparing meals safely and easily.

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I am having a surprise b’day party for my friend who is allergic to milk and gluten. She can, however have eggs and nuts. Any good ideas? Thanks in advance.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Beer Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free ale
8 Tbs. unsalted butter or Earth Balance Shortening
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated cane sugar
¾ cup sour cream or Tofutti Sour Supreme
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon gluten-free vanilla extract
2 cups All Purpose Nearly Normal Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1 Tablespoon baking soda
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
(Note- you will need a large saucepan for this recipe, not a mixer and mixing bowl!)
Butter a 9-inch springform tube or springform pan (if using plain springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper).
In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla.
Pour the 1-cup beer into a large saucepan (drink the rest!). Add the butter and heat just until melted over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and the sugar until smooth.
Add the egg mixture into saucepan mixture and whisk. Add the flour and baking soda until mixed. Pour into the greased pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack and remove from the pan when fully cooled.
Frost the top of the cake with a gluten-free cream cheese or white frosting of choice.
Easy Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese (can use fat free!)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
½ cup heavy cream (can use half & half, but use less than ½ cup)
Whip the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then slowly stir in the cream to make spread-able consistency.

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My friend has a pretty severe gluten allergy. I want to invite her over for a good home-cooked meal, but I don’t want her having seizures in the dining room. Can I serve quinoa, or should I stick with rice?

Quiona is fine. The red is really pretty.
PLEASE be aware of the cross contamination potential of your cooking pots, pans, and utensils, cutting board, cleaning sponges, etc.
What I really like my friends to do when they insist on cooking for me is to come to my house and make the meal here. It is a LOT safer that way and I don’t spend the evening tense and scared that I am going to get sick or insult my friend. Also, let her check every ingredient before you put it in (gluten can be hidden in cheese, dressings, etc.).

Here are some good sites to get meal ideas from:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

http://gluten-freerecipes.blogspot.com/

she has a whole section on cooking quiona, by the way.
Thanks for being such a good friend, I am sure she will enjoy it!
oh, go here for alt. flours if you can’t find them in local stores:http://www.bobsredmill.com/home.php

Here is a great recipe:

Quinoa Salad with tangy vinaigrette (serves 8 and perfect for a party!)

This salad is so versatile and nutritious.  Sadly I don’t have a picture because it was eaten very quickly.  I’m making this again for my husband’s birthday party and will post a photo then.

1 cup of Quinoa, uncooked
2 cups of water, chicken broth or veggie broth
1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas
1 small can of sweet corn
1 ripe avocado
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1/2 red onion, diced (rinse with water and salt 2-3 times if you don’t like the taste of raw onions)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Vinaigrette (pour all ingredients into a blender and, well, blend)
The juice of two limes
The zest of one lime
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the broth to a boil, add the rinsed Quinoa.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Add a splash of olive oil and fluff with a fork.  This will prevent it from clumping together once it cools.

Pour the chickpeas, corn, tomato, and onions into a salad bowl.  Add the cooled Quinoa and herbs along with some of the dressing.  Mix well and taste.  Continue adding dressing until the desired taste is achieved.

Garnish with thin slices of avocado and enjoy a salad packed with protein and fiber.

Note: Don’t be afraid of cooking this delicious “grain”.  If you use too much water you can always drain the excess when it’s cooked.  If you don’t have enough water, just add more.

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North America seems fairly accommodating for those with a wheat or gluten allergy, but I am wondering if it will be difficult to travel in Europe- particularly places like Italy where pasta is such a dietary staple and part of the culture.

From what I understand, in the larger cities it is rather easy to get food. However, you may have to ask for some products at the pharmacy instead of it just being out in a store b/c of the health care laws there covering specialty foods.
I have found that there are many, many gf travel sites online, so I would recommend that you spend some time educating yourself. Personally, I used those and then contacted local celiac support groups in advance to find out where the best/safest places to eat, where to buy foods, etc. so when I finally got to my destination I already had specific stores and restaurants in mind (and addresses in hand). Good luck!

In most european countries you can find it easily. In larger cities no problem at all, not necessarily in supermarkets, but in bio-shops and,of course, pharmacies and most drugstores.
In the countryside you probably need pharmacies. As for the post communist countries it is more difficult, countries like Hungary, the Czech republic will be more advanced in this
respect than poland, bulgaria, romania, etc. as for ex yugoslvia,  Slovenia should not present a problem to you. The so-called island-hopping tours (Greek isles) would be difficult to do for you.

As for turkey- istanbul is no problem, Anatolia still is…

Italy:

You should be able to find gluten free products quite easily. My cousins just visited from Italy and they said that they have everything there that I can eat in their stores. The grocery stores are big there, and you should find everything you are looking for.

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A gluten allergy is just like any allergy and releases histamines and causes issues like hives, sniffles, and anything else that your body can do reacting to it.

Celiac disease is a gluten intolerance caused by the gluten changing the lining of the small intestine, flattening the villi in the intestinal wall and eventually leaking through into the body where it causes problems. Plus the changes in the intestinal wall and flattening of the villi cause malabsorption of nutrients and disruption in the digestion and elimination cycles of the body.

The malabsorption of different nutrients can cause different symptoms that makes celiac disease hard to diagnose. Also the disruption in the digestive cycle also makes celiac disease mimic other symptoms and masks the diagnosis.
Now to complicate things, people can have either a gluten allergy or gluten intolerance or both. They could also have just a wheat allergy and gluten intolerance. All sorts of combinations.

People with celiac disease have to watch for cross contamination just like someone with an allergy. One reference I have read estimated that the tip of a knife of a piece of cake was enough gluten to cause troubles for a celiac. So not much gluten to cause problems.

Celiac disease is a condition in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged by an allergic reaction to the food protein gluten which is present in a number of grains. It is said to be an auto-immune disease since antibodies produced by the immune system against specific gluten components, namely gliadin, cross react with intestinal tissue which contains similar proteins.

Gluten consists of many long elastic chains of proteins lined along each other, giving it the characteristics of a dough. Not all of them cause Coeliac disease, but some can cause irritation to the small intestine, enough to hinder the cells of the lining from enzymes production to break down foods. To confirm if a person is Non Coeliac Gluten Intolerant – NCGI – they should do an elimination diet.

Avoid all gluten food for at least two weeks and then introduce it. If symptoms return, and previous tests were negative or inconclusive then it shows that the person is NCGI. People with NCGI suffer from similar symptoms of food intolerance and Glutenzyme that is capable of breaking down gluten proteins can be the solution for a normal diet reducing or eliminating symptoms associated with NCGI.

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Through a process of elimination,  I have come to the conclusion i have a gluten allergy. Can someone please tell me what type of foods have gluten in them. I can remember seeing on a pack of something (contains gluten) -  does all packaging have this label.

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Allergy to chocolate or cocoa is very rare. A survey shows that only 1 out of 500 who believe they have chocolate allergy, in fact tested positive to the chocolate.

The most frequent complaints are headache or migraine after ingestion of chocolate. These reactions are probably more intolerance or sensitivity than food allergies.

Most probably these reactions are due to other ingredients of chocolate such as milk, soybean, lecithin, gluten and nuts.

There are 380 known additives in chocolate. They can have pleasant and unpleasant effects.

Signs and symptoms of chocolate allergy

There are several symptoms experienced by people that have an allergy to chocolate or chocolate ingredients. These symptoms may be caused by the chemicals in chocolate or by the other ingredients. Reactions to chocolate may include:

• Headache
• Heartburn
• Rectal itching
• Hives
• Confusion
• Breathing problems

In severely allergic people, chocolate allergies may trigger anaphylaxis – an allergic reaction involving two or more body systems that can lead to the potentially life-threatening anaphylactic shock. Symptoms of anaphylaxis may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Chest pain or tightness
• Confusion
• Severe drop in blood pressure
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea or stomach cramps
• Loss of consciousness

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