Should I go gluten free?

How I approach this question is I would first ask that you rate how you feel on most days of the week between 0-10. If you find yourself battling both physical and mental symptoms most days of the week, I would advise a gluten free diet. Here is why…

Gluten (a protein in wheat and other grains) is naturally inflammatory whether you FEEL symptoms or not. In a nation where we are so often exposed to toxins and inflammatory agents, gluten is just one more factor adding to our body’s inflammatory burden or toxic load. While we may not feel specific GI symptoms, we may have exacerbation of other symptoms. This is largely due to the process for harvesting wheat and the amount of pesticides the grains hold on to. With repeated exposure over time, inflammation levels rise. Sometimes this can be seen on bloodwork with vague inflammatory tests, while other times it isn’t detected unless the levels are dramatically elevated. 

Taking this a step further, if you notice symptoms in the hours or days following gluten consumption, I would recommend a serum/blood antibody test as part of a celiac work-up. Although this test is not 100%, it is the least invasive part of the work-up before jumping to a scope procedure. A direct visualization with scope requires a GI specialist, sedation, and a fairly miserable prep. However, this is currently the gold standard for diagnosis as direct visualization will reveal damage to the intestinal lining as a result of gluten exposure if you have celiac disease. 

Adhering to a GF is not necessarily restrictive. We are fortunate to live in a time where there are SO MANY gluten free swaps that are just as tasty if not, better.