The difference between Coeliac Disease & Gluten Intolerance

As it happens, I am one of them, not because of preference but because my body reacts very poorly to gluten... despite not being coeliac. Autoimmunity is something I have managed and reversed but gluten is still the one thing my body won’t tolerate after more than 8 years. 

Soo let’s unpack it.

 

It is an autoimmune condition which causes villi atrophy. Villi’s are little finger like projections in your gut that help absorb nutrients. When blunted you are more likely to experience multiple nutrient deficiencies, most common one being iron and zinc. Additional symptoms can include poor gut symptoms, hair loss, joint paint, skin conditions, fatigue, depression, infertility and osteoporosis.

When “glutened” these individual often tend to experience significant reactions from altered gut function, to severe fatigue and mood problems. I remember working with a coeliac client who got “glutened” and was bed ridden for 3 days feeling fatigued and incredibly depressed, whereas previously she had no such issues. 

It can still be related to autoimmunity or not. People that struggle with other types of autoimmune conditions such as Lupus, Arthritis, Multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto's etc often find they do much better without gluten as this can be a trigger for inflammation and their symptoms. Symptoms are very similar to coeliac except these individuals don’t experience blunting of their villus. These include gut related problems, fatigue, muscular, skeletal and joint pain, skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, rashes and mood disorders such as depression. 

Gluten sensitivity is on the rise however even for those without an autoimmune condition. That's because our wheat has changed along side increased stress and poorer digestive heath. The wheat in Australia has been heavily hybridized and in parts genetically modified to withstand large doses of Roundup. This has made the gluten molecule larger and harder to break down than it used to be making your more likely to experience bloating, reflux, constipation and excess wind. On top of this you also have to deal with the heavy pesticide load sprayed on this crops which contaminate your bread and many cereal based products. 

Roundup is dangerous. It is a potent carcinogen which not only depletes the soils of nutrients, but also alters gut microbiome, inhibits CYP450 enzymes in the liver and causes inflammation. There is a lot of research on this topic which has been used to help farmers win lawsuits against Monsanto/ Bayer. Why? Because these poor people became very sick and died from cancer. 

Think about these issues, on a background of poor digestion which let’s face it most people experience. High stress, sleep deprivation, eating on the run and poor dietary choices are common for majority of us which directly lead to poorer and weaker digestive function and more food intolerances as well. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put these together. 

As a nutrition and lifestyle consultant my recommendations remain the same: 

1. Manage your stress and reprioritise your life to ensure your body and your health are no 1.

2. Get proper sleep every night – No you can’t catch up on the weekend!

3. Exercise most days and ensure daily movement in the form of walking and getting minimum 15000 steps.

4. Get educated about chemical and toxin exposures and vote with your money. 

5. And get your diet and digestion sorted…. Would you ever out rubbish petrol in a Ferrari … then why are you eating on the run and compromise on food quality? If you are struggling with low energy, poor gut health and excess weight your body may be communicating the need for help. If you need a consultation i am just one click away.

For more details please visit https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/signs-you-are-gluten-intolerant