Recently, people very often think about a gluten-free diet. But before you choose such a diet, think carefully. The gluten-free diet was originally designed to fight celiac disease, a severe autoimmune disorder that actually destroys the gastrointestinal tract. About 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease, and the disease helps in eliminating gluten-rich foods from the diet. But you should not rush and exclude gluten products from the diet until an accurate diagnosis is established. A gastrointestinal biopsy is the only way to detect celiac disease completely. How to check if you need a gluten-free diet:
1. Have a full examination with your doctor.
2. Consult with the appropriate specialists, such as an allergist, to determine allergies to wheat, and a gastroenterologist, to identify celiac disease or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If you are allergic to wheat, you should avoid wheat, but you should not avoid gluten in other types of grain. If you have celiac disease, you should completely eliminate gluten-free foods – even in the smallest quantities.
3. If you are not allergic to wheat or celiac disease, then visit a nutritionist to make sure that your diet is balanced and that you consume enough fiber-rich organic foods. Make sure that you lead a fairly active lifestyle. A healthy diet and lifestyle reduce the negative reactions of the gastrointestinal tract and normalize the immune system, improve brain function and reduce depression and anxiety. The synthesis of hormones and anti-inflammatory chemicals that regulate metabolism and the functioning of the immune system.
4. If the symptoms do not go away (although they will not happen in most cases), you may be one of the rare people who have an increased sensitivity to gluten. This condition of the body is possible and you need to adhere to a gluten-free diet, despite the fact that the gastroenterologist has not confirmed that you have celiac disease.