I was off gluten for a couple of weeks when I found myself at a dinner event not wanting to ask for anything special so I just picked apart what was served to me. Meanwhile, there was a gluten-free woman seated next to me having in depth conversations with the wait staff about what she could and could not eat. I thought, I will NOT become one of "those people!" She looked over at a mini burger that I was served which I had disassembled to separate the meat from the bun. Having already discussed with her that I was newly gluten-free, she felt the need to clue me in that I could not eat the meat if it had touched the bun. I thought she was completely crazy. I proceeded to eat the meat as well as anything else that to me seemed gluten-free. I mean how hard could it be to tell what was made with wheat, barley or rye?!
I don't remember the exact amount of time after that meal I begin to feel ill, but I do recall that it lasted several days. Stomach pains, bloating, brain fog, fatigue, and just plain crappy. You would think I would have learned from that experience, but It was far from the last time I would suffer consequences from attempting to eat something that had merely touched gluten. However, it was the beginning of my greater understanding of gluten sensitivity.
I thought I knew a lot about being gluten-free... after all, I had been researching celiac disease and gluten for years because of my daughter's health. However, I really had no concept of how or why someone who is sensitive to gluten might react with minimal exposure to it after it had been eliminated from their diet.
When you are gluten intolerant, ingesting even an amount as tiny as a pinpoint - not even visible to the eye, may create an immune response in your body.
Here is my lay person way to explain the scientific explanations I have found: In those who are gluten intolerant, but have been eating gluten in their regular diet, their immune system has essentially short circuited. The daily barrage of gluten creates an ongoing system wide response. Their out of whack immune system is not able to give a clear cause and effect reaction to gluten. Once entirely off gluten their immune system begins to heal and is able to properly react against even minimal amounts of gluten. No longer confused, your body can give you a specific response to indicate that gluten is the offender.
Sensitivity to gluten ranges. Not everyone who is affected by it will find they need to keep the food they eat from even touching gluten. Although this seems to be quite common especially with those who have been off of it for considerable time and are exceptionally strict about avoiding gluten. Determining your own level of sensitivity takes time along with trial and error. In the end some people can tolerate a cookie every now and then without much consequence where others will find they get sick from a non-visable crumb.
Did you determine you were more sensitive to gluten than you expected to be? Share your experience in the comments below to help others understand the process of gauging their level of gluten sensitivity.
I don't remember the exact amount of time after that meal I begin to feel ill, but I do recall that it lasted several days. Stomach pains, bloating, brain fog, fatigue, and just plain crappy. You would think I would have learned from that experience, but It was far from the last time I would suffer consequences from attempting to eat something that had merely touched gluten. However, it was the beginning of my greater understanding of gluten sensitivity.
I thought I knew a lot about being gluten-free... after all, I had been researching celiac disease and gluten for years because of my daughter's health. However, I really had no concept of how or why someone who is sensitive to gluten might react with minimal exposure to it after it had been eliminated from their diet.
When you are gluten intolerant, ingesting even an amount as tiny as a pinpoint - not even visible to the eye, may create an immune response in your body.
Here is my lay person way to explain the scientific explanations I have found: In those who are gluten intolerant, but have been eating gluten in their regular diet, their immune system has essentially short circuited. The daily barrage of gluten creates an ongoing system wide response. Their out of whack immune system is not able to give a clear cause and effect reaction to gluten. Once entirely off gluten their immune system begins to heal and is able to properly react against even minimal amounts of gluten. No longer confused, your body can give you a specific response to indicate that gluten is the offender.
Sensitivity to gluten ranges. Not everyone who is affected by it will find they need to keep the food they eat from even touching gluten. Although this seems to be quite common especially with those who have been off of it for considerable time and are exceptionally strict about avoiding gluten. Determining your own level of sensitivity takes time along with trial and error. In the end some people can tolerate a cookie every now and then without much consequence where others will find they get sick from a non-visable crumb.
Did you determine you were more sensitive to gluten than you expected to be? Share your experience in the comments below to help others understand the process of gauging their level of gluten sensitivity.
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