The “Home Cure” for Celiac Disease

Heather came in to the office with “fatigue.”  She has felt tired for years.  She has been to other doctors and found to have normal thyroid and other hormones. No cause of her fatigue had been found.  She also had mild asthma and allergies, as well as some bloating when she eats.  We performed a blood test for antibodies against gluten and they were positive, so she started on a Gluten-free diet.  Over the next several months Heather was relieved of all her symptoms.  She even had dry skin and hair that resolved on the diet.  She was eating well, but was able to lose weight.  She had the energy to get through the day, and was able to quit using her inhalers and nasal spray.

In studies done on “Celiac disease,” it seems that about one percent of every population that eats wheat has gluten intolerance.  Many of them have little or no intestinal problems, but manifest this allergy in other ways, such as with Heather.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in all grains.  It’s what makes dough sticky and bread chewy.  Because it makes the dough sticky, it holds in the gas that yeast produces, allowing bread to rise.  Extra gluten is sometimes added to dough, such as bagels, to make them more chewy.

Why do people react to gluten?

Only the type of gluten found in wheat, rye, barley and spelt causes a reaction.  The reason for this problem is