Hey there!
What’s your favourite interesting fact about gluten?
I guarantee the reason you’re always glued to your phone is because you’re too busy
looking up information about the protein.
Am I getting warm?
While it may be common in food, did you know gluten can do damage to you?
Planning on changing your eating habits?
Let’s talk 6 facts about gluten that will help your diet.
Can it really cause your gut to leak?
Does it bring on asthma?
Does gluten cause epilepsy?
Let’s get into it.
Gluten Causes Leaky gut
We knew this one caught your attention pretty quick.
How many of you knew that your gut can actually leak fluids?
Leaky gut is an intestinal affliction where the lining of your small intestine becomes
damaged.
This can cause a whole whirlwind of problems as undigested food and waste can leak out
and travel into your bloodstream.
So where exactly does gluten come in?
Well in order for us to explain, we need to talk about everyone’s favourite protein
zonulin.
Let me guess, you’ve never heard of it.
Don’t be hard on yourself.
Until just a few minutes ago, I hadn’t either.
Zonulin is a molecule meant to help protect your digestive tract from harmful bacteria.
Let’s just say for interest sake, you ate food contaminated with salmonella.
Zonulin would immediately act to try and flush out the toxins.
Since gluten produces zonulin, any gluten-heavy food can trigger the molecule.
Here’s where it gets troublesome.
Since gluten is never fully digested, zonulin can accumulate along the wall of the digestive
tract, opening holes and allowing excess particles to flow into other areas of your system.
This can open the door for things such as eczema, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable
bowel syndrome.
People sensitive to gluten, such as those with celiac disease, are found to have dangerously
high levels of zonulin in their systems.
So if you feel as if your sensitivity to gluten is increasing these days, it’s all the more
reason to cut back.
2.
Gluten Can Cause Liver damage
This list just keeps getting better and better.
If you thought alcohol was bad…
Wait, it is.
Alright, bad example.
If you thought salt was bad for your liver…
Okay, that is too.
Nevermind.
Let’s just say this, gluten is super bad for your liver.
Let’s face it, the liver is one of the body’s crucial organs, manufacturing proteins and
cleansing your body of toxins.
Unfortunately, it’s also an area of your body that can be greatly affected by celiac.
Most people suffering from celiac disease report high-levels of liver enzymes.
While this does not guarantee liver disease, the affliction has been linked to rising rates
of obesity and diabetes.
Let’s discuss fatty liver disease for a moment.
Yes, that is what it’s called.
Fatty liver disease is exactly how it sounds.
Your liver’s cells accumulate fat molecules, causing the organ to grow in size.
This eventually leads to severe liver damage.
You’re rambling.
Get to the point.
Yeah, I know.
The reason I’m telling you this is because some cases of fatty liver disease have been
linked to unhealthy levels of celiac.The same can be said about autoimmune hepatitis.
We know your liver is obviously important, but what about the organs that aren’t as
crucial?
Check out our video on 10 Organs You Can Actually Live Without.
3.
Gluten May Cause Seizures
This may come as scary news to many of you, but it looks like it’s true.
An estimated 39 million people around the globe are said to suffer from epilepsy.
A growing number of studies have shown a correlation between the disorder and celiac disease.
Those who experience seizures on the regular are said to be a bit more vulnerable to celiac
issues than those who don’t.
Some studies have shown that around 4-6% of those diagnosed with celiac disease are also
diagnosed epileptics.
While statistical evidence is yet to be fully established, there have been many examples
of epileptics who have recovered after adopting gluten-free meal plans.
This means cutting out wheat, bulgur and barley, and adding more fruits, vegetables and eggs
to your diet.
It is theorized that gluten-free habits have helped children with epilepsy more than certain
medications.
4.
Gluten Has a Hand in Vitamin D deficiency
I realize we’re making gluten sound like absolute poison, but just follow along.
We’re trying to help you.
Besties are here for a reason.
To put it simply, gluten causes Vitamin D deficiency.
Hang on, many of you might not know which vitamin is which.
After all, there are tons of them.
Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps us maintain strong bones through calcium absorption.
Did you know that Vitamin D deficiency is found within 46% of men and 71% of women with
celiac disease?
Since many people with the disease are on gluten-free diets, they are consuming less
Vitamin D, causing malabsorption.
Down the road, the lack of Vitamin D in your system can lead to calcium deficiency as well.
This mean weaker bones which have the potential of later developing into osteoporosis.
Low levels of Vitamin D have also been linked to diseases such as colon, prostate and breast
cancer, as well as autoimmune diseases.
Even if you are watching your diet, try your best to get that well needed nutrient.
It’s recommended that you have an average of 400-800 IU (international units) of Vitamin
D per day.
For those who suffer from a deficiency, it’s recommended you have between 1500 and 2000
IU.
While this does seem a little extreme, it could be a life saver.
5.
Gluten May Also Have a Hand in Asthma
Is there anything that doesn’t cause asthma?
It seems like that may be a shorter list.
Just walk into a room with too many dust mites and you might develop a respiratory illness.
Well with that being said the link between gluten and asthma is a simple hypothesis as
of right now.
But there have been plenty of individual example that may one day lead to it being supported
by data.
So there’s not actual confirmed link as of right now?
Why would you place it on the list?
Are you just trying to keep us interested?
You’re embarrassing.
Well that’s sort of the goal with any video, but just keep listening.
Researchers believe a lack of proper nutrition may be leading people to develop breathing
issues.
A study that focused on 28,000 people with celiac disease found that they had 1.6% higher
risk of asthma than subjects without celiac disease.
While this isn’t exactly something to sound the alarm over just yet, you could very well
be one of the 1.6...
6.
Gluten causes skin disease
You’ll probably never eat gluten again after this list.
I’m not saying that shoving a wheat product down your throat will immediately result in
a skin reaction, but follow along for a second.
Have you ever heard of dermatitis herpetiformis?
Again, neither have I up until a few minutes ago.
Dermatitis Herpetiformis, or DH, is a chronic skin condition caused by gluten ingestion.
It’s said to affect between 10-15% of people with celiac disease.
Of that percentage, it’s mainly prevalent among those between the ages of 30-40.
The disease is normally shown in the form of bumps or blisters.
Here’s how it works…
When someone with celiac disease consumes gluten, their immune system will produce something
known as immunoglobulin.
Another word I never knew about.
This causes antibodies to be triggered, eventually making their way to the skin.
Unlike other health effects on this list, skin disease can be much more visible.
If you think you may be experiencing symptoms, do your best to consult a medical expert.
Are you on a gluten-diet?
Are you considering trying one?
Let us know in the comments section below