| Many people suffer for years with the symptoms | | | | Cutting gluten out of your diet completely is not |
| of gluten-intolerance, without any idea that their ill | | | | easy - I know, because I myself am gluten |
| health is caused by bread, pasta, and other | | | | intolerant. You will need to check every packet, |
| flour-based foods we all eat every single day. | | | | jar and tin in your cupboard and every label on |
| If you suffer from symptoms such as irritable | | | | foods you buy. You can get gluten-free products, |
| bowel syndrome, wind, general aches and pains, | | | | but most of them are horrible. It's better just to |
| depression and even obesity - you need to check | | | | decide to go without, at least for a few weeks |
| this out. Nobody should have to put up with this | | | | while you test the water. |
| stuff any longer than they have to. | | | | You need to avoid anything containing wheat, |
| But *HOW* do you find out for sure? | | | | barley, rye or flour made from these grains. So, |
| First, the bad news. You cannot go to the doctor | | | | bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits and cookies, pizza |
| and get a blood test, or any other sort of test, | | | | and pies, chapatis and nan bread are all out the |
| to find out if you are gluten intolerant. The tests | | | | window. So, too are many tinned and packet |
| they provide in medical establishments are only | | | | foods, because they often contain hidden flour. |
| useful for checking whether you have an | | | | Two other items you need to avoid are |
| *allergy*. And gluten intolerance (along with lots of | | | | monosodium glutamate (the clue is in the name) |
| other food-related problems) is not an allergy. | | | | and soya sauce, which is made from soy beans |
| Generally speaking, the immune system is not | | | | fermented with wheat. |
| involved at all, so the tests can't detect it. | | | | Gluten can often appear on labels as "starch". You |
| Another problem you might come across is that | | | | will find it in yogurts, ketchup, and all manner of |
| many in the medical profession (particularly in the | | | | products you never expected. You may not |
| NHS) laugh at the possibility of any problem that | | | | expect to find it in your instant coffee, for |
| can't be measured, weighed, put in a test tube | | | | instance, but if it's a cheap brand, it may well be in |
| and filed away in a dusty filing cabinet. "Food | | | | there. Check the labels on *everything*, even if it |
| intolerance doesn't exist," they may say, flying in | | | | can't possibly have flour in it - I mean, did you |
| the face of the many migraine-sufferers who | | | | think there was flour in crab sticks or grated |
| daren't touch a chocolate bar or an orange. | | | | cheese? |
| But the good news is that the tide is turning. And | | | | And if your head is reeling, and you're wondering |
| you can test for gluten intolerance on your own, | | | | what you can eat, think potatoes, crisps (be |
| without Dr. Canute's help. | | | | careful of the flavored coating - check the label), |
| There are two methods you can use. The first | | | | rice and rice cakes (you can get chocolate coated |
| involves keeping a food diary. If you are | | | | ones), lentils, peas and beans - these will give you |
| experiencing symptoms as a result of eating | | | | the carbohydrates you are missing from the |
| gluten, in 2 or 3 weeks you should be able to see | | | | other stuff - and to thicken your gravy and |
| a pattern emerging. | | | | sauces, you can use arrowroot or rice flour |
| The other method, if you think that gluten is the | | | | (check the specialist shelves in the supermarket). |
| likely cause, is to simply eliminate it from your diet | | | | It may seem like a lot of work, just to find out if |
| for a couple of weeks, take a note of the results, | | | | you have a problem, but the only way to |
| then very slowly and carefully bring it back and | | | | absolutely *for certain* check for food intolerance |
| see if anything develops. | | | | is, first to eliminate it for a couple of weeks, and |
| Of the foods likely to cause problems because of | | | | then re-introduce it a little at a time. |
| intolerance, gluten is number one, with corn and | | | | And if you find out using this method that you do |
| milk in joint second place. So gluten is a good | | | | need to cut out gluten, you will be feeling so much |
| place to start, if you suspect your depression or | | | | healthier, it won't seem a problem any more. |
| arthritis, etc. is the result of food intolerance. | | | | Happy eating! |