How to Heal Your Gut From Gluten Intolerance
A holistic healing plan can help you say goodbye to digestive issues.
Do you dread the thought of your stomach acting up? Bloating, constipation, running to the bathroom when you just sat down to dinner.
These digestive problems might be signs of celiac disease or gluten intolerance. If you’re tired of canceling plans because of bathroom troubles, you’re not alone.
New diagnoses of celiac have increased by 7.5% every year in the past decade. This autoimmune disorder affects the process of digesting gluten in your small intestine. And gastrointestinal issues are one of the leading symptoms of the disease.(7)(8)
Cases of non-celiac gluten intolerance are also going up. In this case, you might have similar digestive issues even without clear evidence of the immune response.
So, why is intolerance to gluten rising at a rapid rate?
It’s not just a trend designed by the food industry to get you to spend more on gluten-free options. Although a gluten-free hamburger bun can dig a hole in your wallet! There’s a scientific reason behind why the gluten you eat today is harder for your body to digest.
Why Gluten Intolerance Has Increased
You’ve probably heard about gluten intolerance non-stop in the past few years. It seems like every menu offers a gluten-free section to appeal to this new trend. But there’s a reason more and more people react negatively to this protein found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley.
The truth is, the gluten you eat today is not the same gluten that your ancestors consumed.
Over time, the US hybridized grain to grow faster and withstand environmental elements like droughts and bugs. But there are new proteins in this evolved grain that make it harder to process.3
It also generally contains a much higher gluten content that makes it extra sticky. It’s how they make that gooey pizza crust that melts in your mouth.
But as tasty as it is, the higher gluten content can make it very difficult to digest. Especially if you have celiac or non-celiac gluten intolerance.5
What Causes Gluten Intolerance?
Gluten can wreak havoc on your gut and digestive system. In cases of celiac disease, the immune system identifies gluten as harmful and attacks it. This ends up damaging healthy cells that line the intestine.
So, what does that process look like?
Step 1: There's an enzyme in your intestinal wall called tissue transglutaminase (tTG). This breaks down the gluten you ingest into its building blocks – gliadin and glutenin.
Step 2: From there, the immune system in your gut reviews the gliadin and glutenin to see if they’re harmful. This is your gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) looking out for you.
Step 3: In celiac cases, the GALT misidentifies gliadin as dangerous and creates antibodies to attack it. The problem is, these antibodies don’t just attack the gliadin. They attack the tTG as well (remember that nice enzyme that broke down the gluten in the first place?)
Step 4: Aside from breaking down food, tTG’s primary job is to hold together the microvilli in our gut. Microvilli are responsible for absorbing the nutrients from the food you ingest. So when tTG gets attacked, it weakens that microvilli – which decreases your body’s ability to absorb nutrients.
This decreased intestinal absorption of nutrients is also known as fat malabsorption. It manifests itself in digestive issues that can lead to serious complications and make you pretty uncomfortable.3
Some of the digestive issues associated with gluten intolerance include:
Bloating: This is when your stomach feels swollen or full of gas after eating. 87% of people with gluten sensitivity experience it.
Constipation or Diarrhea: More than 50% of gluten-sensitive individuals regularly experience diarrhea. About 25% experience constipation.
Abdominal Pain: Up to 83% of those with gluten intolerance experience abdominal pain after eating gluten.
Unexplained Weight Loss: This is a common side effect of celiac disease. You’re losing nutrients during your digestive issues, and your body is not properly absorbing new ones.
Any one of these issues can ruin your nice dinner out.
Digestive issues are commonly reported symptoms of celiac and non-celiac gluten intolerance. But other issues like iron deficiency anemia, joint pain, and chronic fatigue are also linked to the disease. (6)
Celiac vs. Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance
If you experience the same symptoms of celiac disease but don’t have clear evidence of an immune response (AKA your tTG is doing its job!) you might have non-celiac gluten intolerance.
The medical community still has a lot to learn about this. There’s no conclusive research to confirm gluten is the root cause of these symptoms if you don’t have the immune response. But many people with non-celiac gluten intolerance report that their symptoms improve after removing the grain from their diet.
With the sticky version of the grain that you’re digesting today, it’s no wonder that this could be hard on your system. Even if you don’t have the autoimmune condition.
Eliminating gluten from your diet might help you say goodbye to those digestive issues. But natural therapies can heal the existing damage in your gut. Approaching your treatment in this holistic way can restore some much-needed balance.
How to Treat Celiac and Gluten Intolerance Holistically
If you’re suffering from on-going digestive issues after eating gluten, it might be time to get tested for celiac. Using both traditional and natural therapies in a holistic treatment plan can do wonders for your healing process.
Traditional Treatments
Celiac Test. Book an appointment with Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine to get tested for celiac and receive a treatment plan. Two types of blood tests can detect the disease:
Serology Testing – This searches for traces of antibodies in your blood. Elevated levels of certain antibody proteins can show an immune reaction to gluten.
Genetic Testing – The presence of leukocyte antigens HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 can rule out celiac disease.2
Elimination Diet. You can treat celiac disease and gluten intolerance simply by removing the protein from your diet. But get a celiac test before you try an elimination diet to ensure that the test is accurate.
Natural Treatments
Acupuncture. Acupuncture is a form of healing based in Chinese medicine. It can help by balancing the gut-brain axis and the nervous system, which in turn improves digestive function. (4)
Moxibustion. Moxibustion (Moxa) is a treatment that’s integrated with acupuncture. During this process, an acupuncturist burns an herb close to your skin at specific acupuncture points or affected areas of the body. (1)
The first step of treating a gluten intolerance is to remove the grain from your diet. Follow a nutrition plan that both eliminates gluten but also increases your nutrient intake – since your body isn’t absorbing them properly (thanks to your GALT!).
But it’s important to address the damage in your gut that’s already done. Including natural therapies like acupuncture in your holistic treatment plan can make the healing process more effective.
Gluten Might Be Causing Your Digestive Issues
Gluten-free diets are all the rage these days. But with the new grain that you’re ingesting – it’s obvious why gluten wreaks havoc on your digestive system.
Whether you suffer from celiac disease or non-celiac gluten intolerance, a holistic treatment plan can address the root cause of your symptoms.
Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine specializes in holistic healing plans and treatment. Request a consultation today to receive a celiac test, nutrition plan personalized to your needs, along with acupuncture and moxibustion therapies. Boost your gut’s healing process and end those digestive issues for good.
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