Before heading on with why does one need to go gluten-free?, and What are the benefits and misconceptions of a gluten-free diet? Let’s find out what we mean by gluten-free.

What’s a gluten-free diet?

Gluten is a combined protein present in the wheat, rye, triticale; therefore, commonly present in food such as bread, pasta, baked goods, cereals, condiments, soups, malt extracts and malt vinegar. It even could be available in some medicines. It is of no essential nutrients and preceding it in the diet does not make a loss or malnutrition. Lest, this protein produces autoimmune responses which are fatal, causing Celiac disease.

What’s Celiac Disease?

In the intestine, there is a lining of villi which functions the absorption. When persons resistant to the gluten, intake the food, the body counterattacks with an autoimmune reaction which aborts all the villi, causing further damage and the absorption halts, the feed will not be taken in anymore. This condition is called celiac gluten intolerance or celiac gluten sensitivity. Celiac disease and Type 1 Diabetes are both believed to have an ‘autoimmune’ nature. There are chances of celiac disease turning out to diabetes in about 5% of cases.

Symptoms of The Celiac Disease

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Bloating of the stomach
• Arthritis causing pain from above the joints
• Osteoporosis
• Infertility in women
• Fatigue or lethargy
• Anemia
• Epilepsy

What is Gluten Sensitivity?

The gluten insensitivity occurs in the persons strictly resistant to the gluten. It shows an array of symptoms which needs to be medicated along with the changes in the diet.

Symptoms for Gluten Sensitivity

The symptoms include:

• Frequent and continuous vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue making you tired for no reason and in quick time
• Unpredicted weight gain showing no valid reason
• Sleeplessness
• Inability to sleep at any time of the day leading to sleep deprivation
• Infertility in women as it affects the hormones controlling it
• Sequential abortions
• Altered menstrual cycle and Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

The above are the important signs of the uncontrollable or advanced gluten insensitivity.

Do I Have Gluten Intolerance?

If you are experiencing symptoms of above-mentioned gluten sensitivity and you have any of the below health conditions, it is likely you may have gluten intolerance (gluten sensitivity). In this case, best to approach your doctor to request a test to confirm. Medical conditions could be closely associated with (non-celiac) Gluten Intolerance is below.

• Diabetes
• Hypoglycemia
• Thyroid diseases
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) due to the hormonal imbalance
• Eczema
• Vitiligo
• Endometriosis
• Asthma
• Ulcers
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Lymphoma
• Autoimmune arthritis lupus in women
• Vertigo and recurrent vertigo falls
• Migraine attacks
• Parkinson’s disease and sclerosis
• Dermatitis.

Gluten Allergy Treatment

The cure for the gluten insensitivities is the diet plan, which includes going gluten-free, and the medication prescribed.

Going Gluten-free and Diabetes

Benefits of going gluten-free as someone with diabetic can be slightly confusing. Some argue there are no such benefits, and some believe there are. Some people volunteer go gluten free to exploit the benefits of the diet, but it’s not a compulsion to go gluten-free as it directly has no impact on diabetes progress, in fact, the gluten-free diet is more processed to add and subtract gluten causing substances, which makes it higher in carbs and sugars and calories. For example, the gluten-free flour is processed and substituted by other substances, but with the high carbs portion, which is also the case with the whole wheat flour, we escape in diabetes. However, some researchers showed that a gluten-free diet might enhance the beta cell occupancy, and rejuvenates the glucose tolerance in the body.

Going Gluten-free Benefits

Some benefits of sticking with a gluten-free diet are the following:

• Lowers the chances of inflammations
• the infertility problems caused by the celiac diseases and hormonal imbalances are lowered
• Arthritis and joint pains can be treated efficiently
• The bowel habits are improved making free from constipation and diarrhoea
• Increased energy levels breaking down the fatigue
• Decreases stomach bloating
• Empowers the immunity
• Depresses the brain fog, mood swings
• Controls the appetite
• Restores the miscarriage issues
• Help to prevent and treat Anemia and nutrient loss
• Brightens skin tone.

Gluten-free diet on a regular regime for some weeks may show up vast changes in the immunity and build a healthy body. Ditching your food cravings for a staunch gluten diet won’t be a vain effort.