Detrimental health effects of gluten

When you are sensitive to or intolerant of gluten, your body reacts as if it is being poisoned when you ingest it. Different individuals have different levels of sensitivity, and not everyone has the same symptoms. Below is a list of possible symptoms that some who don't realize they are gluten intolerant might be experiencing. Those people usually feel better within a few weeks of going totally gluten free, but they will see these symptoms start to subside within only a few days. I was so swollen that I lost half a shoe size within 5 days of going gluten free and my face looked 10 to 15 years younger as the swelling went down -- that's pretty drastic! If you are experiencing any of these issues, you may want to try cutting gluten out of your diet for about four to six weeks and see if gluten is the cause. 

Intestinal discomfort/bloating/gas
Heartburn/acid reflux

Nausea/Vomiting

Irritable bowel

Leaky gut
Anemia
Severe vitamin deficiencies

Blood sugar issues

Joint pain/arthritis

Headaches/Migraines

Depression and other mental health issues
Neurological conditions

Moodiness/irritability

Anti-social and Impulsive behavior

Memory loss/possible brain damage

Confusion/lack of focus/ADD

Auto-immune issues/Lupus/Fibromyalgia/MS

Weight gain/weight loss

Inflammation/swollen face, nose, throat, feet, and internal organs including your brain

Skin problems -- acne, hives, psoriasis, rashes, eczema, dermatitis herpetiformis (aka skin celiac)

Asthma

Fatigue

Dizziness/trouble with balance

Anxiety
Osteoporosis/bone loss
Infertility
Cancer
Dental problems/gum disease

  

I'm sure this is not an exhaustive list. Generally speaking, gluten weakens your immune system and the inflammation damages every organ in your body if you are gluten intolerant. As the inflammation persists and your immune system weakens, you will start to suffer from chronic conditions. For me, going on a totally gluten-free diet diminished and/or reversed many of my symptoms. 

The wrong way to go gluten free

I believe a gluten free diet is a healthier way to live even for those who do not have any gluten intolerance issues. 


However, recent news reports have recommended that going on a gluten-free diet is, at worst, not healthy for those who don't need to and, at best, a waste of money. And if you don't go about it the right way, then yes, I agree, it is not good for you and it is a waste of money. 


Going about it the right way means eating healthy, fresh, unprocessed foods and avoiding anything that contains gluten, which is mostly processed food. 


The wrong way is simply substituting bread, pasta, cookies, brownies, etc. with the gluten-free version. This is what most people seem to think a gluten-free diet is, and that's what generated the need for those recent news reports. There is more fat, sugar and overall calories in the gluten-free version of anything than in the regular version. These are not healthy foods and you will not lose weight or feel better if that's all you're doing. So if you take that route -- what I call the wrong way to go gluten free -- you will not be doing yourself or your health any good.