How going gluten-free can benefit your health

Friday, March 11, 2011 by: Shona Botes
Tags: gluten-free diet, health, health news

(NewsTarget) Gluten is found in many foods including rye, oats, wheat, malt and barley. While it has been found to cause mild allergic reactions in some people, it can lead to full-blown Coeliac disease in others. Many people have found it beneficial to eliminate gluten from their diets, ranging from those with ADHD to those with auto-immune disorders.

Gluten-free diets have also been shown to be beneficial to those suffering from thyroid disease, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, anemia, autism, and irritable bowel syndrome. Eliminating gluten from the diet can also be of great benefit to those wishing to lose weight.

By eliminating gluten from your diet, it is also possible to increase your energy levels, lower bad cholesterol levels and even assist the body`s digestive processes.

Gluten is found in almost all processed foods, often masked on labeling by names like shortening, natural flavouring, stabilizer agent and thickener. This makes it very difficult, and if not almost impossible, to avoid entirely as it is even found in chemical medications, some vitamin supplements as a binding agent and also in cosmetic products such as lipsticks, lip balms and chap sticks. Soy sauces and MSG can also contain hidden gluten.

Going gluten-free helps to eliminate symptoms such as diarrhoea, bloating and excessive gas. A gluten- free diet is also low in carbohydrates, therefore making it very effective for those wanting to lose excess weight. It has also been shown to reduce or even eliminate the symptoms of dermatitis herpetiformis, which is a skin ailment that causes itchy blistering. Gluten has also been shown to compromise the immune system in some individuals.

By eliminating products from the diet that contain gluten, you may find yourself instead consuming more fresh, whole and organic foods. This in itself will be greatly beneficial to your overall health, as it will mean that your chances of consuming processed foods will be virtually eliminated. Another benefit to going gluten-free is that your sugar and fat intake is drastically reduced.

One of the best ways to avoid gluten completely is to prepare meals from scratch. Ensure that utensils that are used to prepare them are kept and used entirely separately from those used to prepare foods that contain gluten.

Sources:

http://www.glutenfreehub.com/benefits-of-eat...
http://www.essortment.com/gluten-eating-heal...
http://www.hivehealthmedia.com/enjoying-bene...
http://www.suite101.com/content/a-gluten-fre...

About the author

Shona Botes blogs about green living, budgeting, saving money, natural remedies and humour (which is often combined with the abovementioned topics). Her spare time is spent tending to her organic herb garden, cycling and engaging in photography.
Her blog may be viewed here
Some of her photography work may be viewed here
Other articles written by her may be viewed here