The bumpy road of food intolerances...
“Wheat intolerance” = “Gluten-free Diet”
Simple solution to a common problem… right?! Well, maybe not.
Before jumping on the chock-a-block gluten-free diet bandwagon, bear in mind that there are many ways in which we can ‘react’ to wheat, and there are many aspects of wheat that may be to blame. It may very well be the gluten (in which case it’s crucial to rule out coeliac disease, a very serious immune-mediated systemic disease triggered by exposure to gluten), but what ELSE might be causing a reaction?
Perhaps it’s the fructans present in wheat? Or it could be the type of wheat (i.e. emmer/ einkorn/ durum/ kamut vs industrial hexaploid wheat)? Or is it the way it’s been processed (i.e. traditionally fermented sourdough vs mass-produced white bread)? Or perhaps it’s the pesticides used to grow non-organic wheat that your body is responding to? Or is it the Nickel present in wheat? Or perhaps it's the mere THOUGHT of gluten that gives you a pain in the belly? But wait, maybe it’s not the wheat at all… perhaps it's what ELSE is in many wheat-based products, such as yeast, preservatives and additives?!?
Sheesh!! To think this is just ONE food, and these are ALL documented ways in which we can react.
The complexity of the nature of the food, how it was grown and how it was processed cannot be dismissed; nor can the HUGE variability in our immunological, gastrointestinal, neurological and microbiota-based responses to that food.
Navigating your way through food intolerances is often a journey which requires an infinite amount of patience and reflection. The goals are to get clarity on what exactly you might be reacting to, and to get to the crux of what is driving the reaction.If the food or foods simply cannot be consumed due to an overwhelming/ debilitating response, finding diversity in the food groups you CAN tolerate is critical.Removing a long list of foods without careful guidance can have the unintended consequence of doing more harm than good; and of course, the long-term goal should always be dietary diversity, it's one of the most (if not THE most) important elements of solid nutrition and excellent health.
