Should You Be Gluten Free?
There’s a joke going around that says if you’re gluten free, a born again Christian, and you do CrossFit, which do you talk about first? I have addressed CrossFit in a previous writing on this website, have no interest in addressing religion on this site, nor anywhere else, as that’s a private matter, so that leaves me with the subject of gluten to write about.
A lot of people, with absolutely no gluten related health issues, choose to be gluten free because they think it is a healthier choice. Like religion, that’s their business, and I frankly don’t care very much so long as they don’t attempt to impose their religion, or their nutritional beliefs on me. There are some people, however, who have very good reasons to be rid of gluten in their diets. Those suffering from a disorder known as Celiac Disease are a great example of this. To better understand why, we have to know what Celiac Disease is, and furthermore, we need to clarify what gluten is. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, oats, and barley. Celiac disease, is a genetic autoimmune disease that effects 1 out of 100 people in the world. When someone with Celiac consumes gluten, they are damaging their small intestine as the body has an immune response targeting it. Within the small intestine, are what’s known as villi. These are small projections that line the inside of the small intestine and are crucial for the absorption of nutrients during the digestive process. If your villi are damaged, you simply can’t absorb a sufficient amount of nutrients. As of this writing, there is no cure for Celiac disease, but there is, however, one way around it, and that is to be gluten free.
People afflicted with other conditions have been advised to be gluten fee in their diet, as well. For example, people suffering from such gastrointestinal issues such as IBS. Other non gastrointestinal issue sufferers ranging by malady from rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, and even people with autism have been advised by certain physicians to eliminate gluten from their diets, though there is scarcely any evidence that being gluten free is of any benefit to those who are autistic.
Anytime you set out to limit your food options, such as when you go gluten free, become a vegetarian, and so on, you need to be sure that you are getting an adequate amount of nutritionally good food. A good gluten free diet should consist of lean meats, eggs, fish, legumes, fruit, fish, vegetables, fruits, and rice. Often times it can be ironic that those who suffer from Celiac disease, and can’t get enough nutrition from their food, make poor, but gluten free food choices that are scant in nutritional value.
While certain celebrities such as the singer Miley Cyrus have promoted what they believe to be advantages of being gluten free, she is not someone whom I will be seeking out for health or nutrition advice. Some athletes also got behind the hype and were swearing off gluten because they claim it gave them more energy if they abstained from it. This too is completely unsubstantiated by science, as are most fads, cleanses, and popular health buzzes of the moment. Look at Dr. Oz for evidence of such nonsense if you want some entertainment.
Whether you choose to be gluten free or not is completely your business. If you believe it to be a healthy option because a pop singer, or a bunch of athletes believe it to be true, then more power to you. For those who seriously need to be void of gluten because of Celiac, or other disorders, going gluten free is not an option if you are interested in staving off long term health problems in the future.
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Andy
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