Should you eat gluten?!?!?

I wrote this a bit ago and thought I would share here if anyone was curious or struggling with this.

I have Coeliac Disease, and was diagnosed when I was 7, 13 years ago. My mother is also a Coeliac and it runs on her side of the family.

In the past 13 years (past 5 or so specifically), I have seen a huge improvement in the array of gluten-free foods available, mostly because the gluten-free diet has become so popular among people trying to lose weight. Great for me, but I want to clear some stuff up.

COELIAC (CELIAC) DISEASE
Coeliac Disease is an auto-immune disease affecting an estimated 1% (1 in 133) of North Americans. In patients with Coeliac Disease, gluten (the proteins found in wheat, barley and rye) damage the villi of the small intestine, causing the inability of the body to absorb the proper nutrients. Common symptoms are anemia, chronic diarrhea, constipation, cramps and bloating, weight loss fatigue, irritability, dermatitis. Personally, if I eat enough gluten, I vomit. If one has been eating gluten regularly, a blood test can be used to diagnose Coeliac Disease. However, it is not 100% accurate. Alternately, a bowel biopsy can be used.
After diagnosis and removal of gluten from the diet, the villi in the intestines can repair themselves and the body can once again begin to properly absorb nutrients.

For more info:
www.celiac.ca/?page_id=882
www.livescience.com/39726-what-is-gluten.html

NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY (NCGS)
This one is a highly debated topic. Of the many people that claim to have issues with gluten, an estimated 0.6-6% of Americans "suffer from NCGS." These people have not tested positive for Coeliac Disease, but report many of the symptoms common of Coeliac Disease, such as bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue, among others.
Many people are quick to disregard NCGSm which is why many experts have taken an interest. A study published in February 2015 "tracked 59 [Italian] participants through a placebo phase, when each received a small amount of rice protein every day, and a study phase, when each received gluten. Three patients exhibited more symptoms during the gluten phase." ( www.healthline.com/health-news/is-non-celiac-gluten-sensitivity-a-real-thing-041615#2 ) This suggests that a very minuscule number of people are sensitive to gluten without being Coeliac. So, other possibilities for reported sensitivity to gluten? They could be allergic to wheat or in the early stages of developing Coeliac Disease. Alternately, they may be sensitive to fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPS), which are a group of small carbohydrates. These can be found in many legumes, grains, vegetables, fruits, sweeteners and milk products. "They draw fluid into the bowel and bacteria ferment the FODMAP molecules to produce hydrogen and methane gases." ( www.cdhf.ca/bank/document_en/32-fodmaps.pdf )
One other possible reason for an assumed intolerance to gluten is simply a placebo affect. Food is a powerful thing, and the ideas and views that people have of different foods greatly affects their reaction to it. Simply believing that gluten is bad for you might make it so.

In conclusion, should you eat gluten? Honestly, it's up to you. I'm not going to tell you to eat gluten or not (unless you are a Coeliac. In that case, avoid it!! I promise you will feel so, so much better). If you really want to know, try eliminating it from your diet for a month. If you feel significantly better, maybe try to eliminate it or at least limit your gluten intake. Alternately, if you are thinking of going on a gluten-free "diet" simply to lose weight, that alone will not work. Us Coeliacs still have plenty of gluten free ice cream, cookies, candies and burgers that we can eat. It is a conscious choice to eat healthy, nutritious foods that will ultimately lead you to lose weight and be healthy.

Hopefully this helped some of you. Happy healthy eating!