Gluten intolerance testing and advice with naturopaths in brisbane
Many Australians suffer from IBS and after eating bread or pasta or high carb foods feel very bloated, tired and have pain in the belly. If you have these symptoms, you may have Coeliac Disease – which is a medically diagnosed intolerance to Gluten. Many people are tested as not having coeliac disease, but may be “gluten sensitive” meaning gluten doesn’t digest well and causes discomfort. If you’re unsure if you have a problem with gluten, read below to find out more.
Do you suffer from:
| Feeling tired all the time | Headaches |
| Nausea | Vomiting |
| Diarrhoea &/or constipation | Bloating and cramping pain |
| Recurrent mouth ulcers | Iron deficiency anaemia |
|
Itchy blistery rash over buttocks, elbows, knees |
Thyroid problems |
| Type 1 diabetes | Weight loss |
| Delayed of stunted growth in children | Problems with fertility and pregnancy |
| Osteopenia or osteoporosis | Dental enamel defects |
With such a wide variety of symptoms, it can be hard to monitor. That is where a diet diary and professional advice from a Naturopath can help!
What is gluten?
The gluten is a protein component given to a number of different proteins; gliadin in wheat, hordein in barley, secalin in rye and secalin in oats, all of which call immune responses in coeliacs. There is often some confusion about oats, as they are from a different family, and small amounts can be tolerated by some people. Gluten can also be obtained by cross-contamination in commercial processing.
Sources of gluten:
- Barley (includling barley starch, pearl barley and malted barley)
- Rye
- Oats (including rolled oats, oatmeal, oatbran)
- Wheat (including wheatbran, wheat cornflour/cornstarch, durum, semolina, bulgur wheat, farro, kamut, triticale, cous cous)
- Spelt (low in gluten but NOT gluten free)
NOTE: BROWS is a simple acronym to remember them
What is coeliac disease?
A medically diagnosed condition of the intolerance to gluten. Ingestion of gluten for people with coeliac disease causes damage to the jejunum, the small intestine lining (the villi). Resulting in decreased ability to absorb nutrients and shows as many of the symptoms listed above. The nutrients usually absorbed in the jejunum include lipids, monosaccharides, amino acids, all the B vitamins (except B12), vitamins A, C, D, E, K, biotin, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, chromium, manganese and molybdenum.
The gold standard for diagnosis of coeliac disease is a small bowel biopsy performed by a gastroenterologist. There are some blood tests that can help screen for coeliac disease, including IgA tissue transglutaminase antibody and IgG deamidated gliadin peptide, which our Naturopath can organise for you. However, you must have been ingesting gluten for at least six weeks for these tests to be performed to obtain an accurate result. For an adult, four slices of wheat bread or equivalent should be eaten per day leading up to the test.
It is a life-long condition which is best treated by a strict gluten free diet. This allows the villi in the small intestine to repair and nutrients are able to be absorbed properly, preventing chronic conditions such as osteoporosis. Even though symptoms may be reduced within days after following a strict gluten free diet, it may take months to years for the villi in the small intestine to fully heal. However, this does not mean you can reintroduce gluten, as it will cause damage to the villi and turn into a vicious cycle.
The link between lactose intolerance and coeliac disease
Coeliac disease has been linked with lactose intolerance, as lactose is housed in the villi and when gluten has caused the villi to become inflamed and flattened, there are not enough lactase enzymes to breakdown the lactose. Similar symptoms are associated with lactose intolerance including bloating, cramps and diarrhoea. By healing the gut and avoiding gluten containing foods, dairy may tolerated again, unless the individual has a genetic defect, where they are unable to produce lactase.
Foods that may surprise you that contain gluten:
- Beer, ale and lager
- Dusting/coating flour
- Icing sugar and dusting chocolate
- Malt vinegar, malt flavourings, barley malt
- Processed meats (eg ham and sausages)
- Ramen noodles
- Salad dressings
- Stocks, seasonings and sauces
- Soy milk
- Tablets (some contain binders)
- Wraps (often have a combination of flours)
It is important to read the labels and be proactive, call the manufacturer to determine the cross contamination probability. Remember, wheat-free is not the same as gluten free!
Your new shopping list:
|
Foods that are gluten free |
Cereals and grains that are gluten free |
|
Fresh fruit Fresh vegetables Fresh lean meat and fish Dried peas, legumes, lentils and beans Plain nuts and seeds (including linseeds/flaxseeds, hemp seeds) Eggs Oils (ie coconut, rice bran, olive) Chia seeds Honey and maple syrup Vinegars Fresh and dried yeast |
Amaranth Besan or chickpea flour Buckwheat Carob flour Coconut flour Corn (including polenta & cornmeal) Millet Rice Sorghum flour Soy Teff flour Potato (including sweet potato and yam) Tapioca/Arrowroot starch Quinoa Nut meals and flours (almond, chestnut, pecan, cashew, hazelnut) |
As you can see there are so many foods, you can enjoy. See the change as a fresh opportunity to start trying new ingredients and find the right blend for you. You have the power to choose wisely and improve your health, rather than being reliant on medicines. Many of the above foods are readily available at your local health food shop. There are many cookbooks available now which make it easy to start creating your own gourmet meals at home.
TRY: The Gluten-free Kitchen by Sue Shepherd or Healthy Gluten-free Eating by Darina Allen
Remember, just because it’s gluten free, doesn’t mean others can’t enjoy it too!
Gluten free Restaurant Directory
http://www.glutenfreeeatingdirectory.com.au/region/Brisbane/name
http://www.theurbanlist.com/brisbane/a-list/gluten-free-guide-brisbane-round-two
http://glutenfreeinbrisbane.com/
http://qld.coeliac.org.au/find-a-restaurant/
Gluten Free Blogs & Recipes
http://www.thenaturopathskitchen.net.au/category/gluten-free/
http://thenaturalnutritionist.com.au/
http://www.glutenfreescallywag.com/p/gluten-free-recipes.html
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com.au/p/site-index.html
Gluten Free Reference
Shepherd Works http://shepherdworks.com.au/
Australian Coeliac Society http://www.coeliac.org.au/
Gluten free brands to look out for:
- Bob’s Red Mill
- Glutenfree Bakery
- Loving Earth
- Orgran
- Toni Sfeir’s – Designer Physique
SUGGESTED GLUTEN FREE MEALS:
|
Breakfast |
Cooked grains (quinoa/millet/cornmeal porridge) with agave syrup, fruit or nuts Rice cakes with nut butter and fresh fruit Spanish omelette Tofu scramble, rice or tofu and vegetables Yogurt and fruit Gluten-free muffins or pancakes (buckwheat, rice flour or cornmeal) Protein smoothie with fruit, nuts and seeds Beverages: herbal tea, water |
|
Lunch |
Fresh vegetable salad: lettuce, radicchio, rocket, spinach, kale, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, cabbage, radishes, fresh herbs (parsley, chives, oregano, thyme, basil, sage), flowers (nasturtiums, calendula) with lean protein (fish, poultry, lamb, beef, lamb, cottage cheese, yogurt, tofu, tempeh, nut butter, hard cheese, eggs, lentils, beans) Soups (bean, vegetable rice, miso/vegetable) Gluten-free pasta (buckwheat, quinoa, corn, rice) Rice paper rolls filled with rice or buckwheat noodles, sprouts, egg, tofu, vegetables, etc |
|
Dinner |
Lean protein (as above) with vegetables (artichoke, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, cabbage, celery, daikon) and either millet, rice, eggplant, sweet potato, yam, peas, potato or pumpkin Vegetable korma with pappadums Or any of the above lunch options |
Need help knowing if you have a problem with gluten or need ideas for a healthy gluten free diet?
The Naturopaths at Vibe Natural Health offer appointments at our clinic at 210 Days Rd, Grange in Brisbane.
Visit our appointment diary on the top right of screen to book now.
If you have questions, please email us rather than commenting on the blog at info@vibenaturalhealth.com.au
Or phone us on (07) 3366 7970. We would love to help you!
