Gluten Intolerance Can Lead to a Number of Health Problems

by | Nov 6, 2012 | Health And Fitness

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An increasing number of people are finding that a diet of processed grains and various other foods that are commercially sold in highly industrial societies like the United States cannot consume products containing gluten without suffering health risks. Everything from a deficiency in Vitamin D to a thyroid imbalance and even cancer can result. Such conditions of course have their own ramifications and symptoms, as well.

Gluten is a protein that can be found in all kinds of items, particularly in the grains that are used in processed foods. It adheres to the carbon dioxide that is produced by the fungi yeast in the fermentation process and helps baked goods to expand while retaining form and consistency. Gluten is therefore the molecule responsible for foods that can stretch and rise, most notably baked goods that many people love, like bagels and cake and cookies, bread and pizza. Gluten can also be found in beer, toothpaste, pasta, and other less likely food items.

The human digestive system did not naturally evolve to process gluten, so when the intake is a significant amount (as it is for anyone who consumes many of the food items commercially offered in American culture), the human body doesn’t really know what to do with it. Antibodies are often generated by the immune system in order to treat it as an invader, and through the course of time the entire immune system more or less resides in a constant state of red alert, so much so that it may even begin to attack the body’s own tissues.

For people who have an extreme reaction to gluten, known as gluten intolerance, the immune system is in such a sensitive state of over-compensation that it begins to destroy the structures of the small intestine that digest nutrients from your food to power your body, which means tissues will begin to shut down and damage organs, leading to various serious diseases. Irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid imbalance (a thyroid imbalance has a multiplicity of its own complex symptoms, including weight gain or loss), and extreme malnutrition can occur as a result of gluten intolerance.

There are natural alternatives for gluten intolerance, and even if you are not gluten intolerant, it is a good idea not to consume too many foreign substances that the body is not made to handle. Some of these include products made from natural almond or rice flour, teff flour, and baking products derived from king wah or amaranth plants.  Many grocery stores now offer organic and health aisles that offer several different kinds of brands that provide gluten-free food products for those who suffer from gluten intolerance.

The Hills Medical Group in West Lake Hills, Texas offers both conventional and alternative health treatments for people suffering from a variety of symptoms associated with gluten intolerance, thyroid imbalance, and other associated health problems. We seek to resolve underlying conditions and not just deal with signs or symptoms. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment. We are located at 4201 Bee Caves Road, Suite B112 in West Lake Hills. Call us at 512-327-4886, or contact us via our website at http://www.centerforhealthandhealing.org/

 

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