12 Symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity You Probably Didn’t Know About

“Gluten” is one of the dietary buzzwords these days that gets used in and out of context. This article is going to explain some things about gluten, and how to know if you really are sensitive to it.

For start, gluten is not the same thing as “carbs”. Gluten is a protein found in cereal grains, especially wheat. There are breads, cereals, and pastas that are all gluten-free, so you definitely shouldn’t confuse gluten with carbohydrates. It is important to understand what gluten is, so that if you really are intolerant to it, you can know to avoid it.

People who are intolerant to gluten have a hard time digesting it, which causes your body not to be able to absorb other key nutrients in your food. Gluten intolerance has been linked to a long list of medical conditions. The only time gluten intolerance is paid attention to is when someone is diagnosed with celiac disease, which is a severe form of gluten intolerance that can even lead to death. Millions of people suffer from milder symptoms of gluten intolerance, and are often undiagnosed.

HERE ARE 12 SYMPTOMS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE GLUTEN INTOLERANCE:

1. Digestive Issues:

The most obvious signs of gluten sensitivity are digestive issues. This includes bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and irritable bowel syndrome.

2. Mood Swings:

Gluten sensitivity can cause unstable emotional health like depression, anxiety, and sudden drastic swings in mood.

3. Brain Fog

Gluten intolerance can have negative effects on the human brain such as dizziness, lack of focus, trouble balancing, and tingling sensations.

4. Headaches

Gluten intolerance can cause headaches and even migraines.

5. Fatigue

People with gluten sensitivity may experience abnormal fatigue throughout the day, even without doing anything physically or mentally exhausting.

6. Auto-Immune Conditions in the Skin

Gluten sensitivity can cause auto-immune conditions like eczema and psoriasis to worsen.

7. Fibromyalgia

According to some physicians, fibromyalgia (skeletal pain and weakness), in which inflammation and pain can occur virtually anywhere on the body, could actually be a symptom of gluten intolerance.

8. Hormonal Imbalance

Difficulty processing gluten can cause issues with hormone balance, resulting in worsened PMS. Gluten sensitivity may also be a cause of inexplicable infertility.

9. Keratosis Pilaris

Gluten intolerance can also cause rough discolored bumps and hardened skin around the thighs, arms, and cheeks knows as Keratosis Pilaris. This happens when gluten intolerance damages the stomach.

10. Joint pain and inflammation.

Gluten sensitivity can cause constant joint pain, inflammation, and swelling.

11. Impacts to Immune System

Gluten affects your digestive system, so it’s logical that it also affects your immune system, because 80% of your immune system is in your gut.

12. Dental Issues

Gluten intolerance can lead to tooth decay, tooth cracks, and gum problems. All of these conditions are impacted by inflammation in the body.

Testing for gluten intolerance is not standardized, unless you have full-blown celiac disease. The best method for testing whether or not you have gluten intolerance is exclusion dieting. Pay attention to your food labels, and look for “gluten-free” sections at your grocery store. Non-gluten dieting is very popular nowadays, so there really are chances that gluten-free foods will be readily labeled.