[sprouthead]

I keep thinking about gluten in all of this talk about gut healing and detox pathways.. A lot of the stuff I've been reading about celiac and gluten intolerance is very anti-gluten, basically referring to it as a poison which is responsible for a freakish amount of maladities. I think I read somewhere (maybe here?) that a chemical in gluten actually causes the gut lining to become permeable.. So what's the deal? Can you heal your gut while eating gluten, and if you clear your detox pathways, should you be able to eat gluten then? Are some people really fine with gluten, or is it just wrecking havoc in everyone's systems in ways that only some of us are identifying? I liken what I read about gluten to things I've read about soy, and I've come to the conclusion that soy isn't terribly evil (sans allergies), but it shouldn't make up the majority of anyone's diet. But I feel like gluten is more all or nothing..

I have very mixed feelings about gluten.. I have no desire to eat gluten again based on how I feel, but I'm having trouble making that decision for DS when I'm not 100% sure about how his body is reacting to it. I do know that when he eats gluten, he has more potty accidents (pee only- not excessive poop), but I'm not entirely sure I can attribute the behavior problems and night terrors to gluten because I can't keep gluten out of his diet long enough to really see (let's just say I don't have the most supportive family). And I'm ready to give up the uphill battle and constant DS surveillance to make sure people aren't sneaking him food if it's not worth it.. yk?

I know there's probably no "answers" to my questions- if there are I would be in heaven if someone could show me the way!!! I guess I'm really just posting this to hear other people's thoughts on the subject..

 

[gretelmom]

Because CD is an autoimmune disease that is genetic, it is thought that there is a problem in the genes that makes the body attack the gluten proteins as if they're poisons. That does collateral damage to the small bowel, causing the permeability of the gut.

Although lots of people feel better when abstaining from gluten, unless you actually have Celiac Disease, the bowel lining should not be damaged from it. This is different from an allergy, by the way.

 

[kjbrown92]

But there's gluten intolerance, which Gretelmom did not address at all. I think the jury is still out with gluten for me. I mean, I know that DD2 and DS and I can't have it (intolerances) but I'm not restricting it for DD1 and DH, since they don't seem to have a problem with it.

dogtorj (do a google search) was where I read that corn, soy, dairy, and gluten are responsible for causing leaky gut and all other secondary intolerances. But I don't know if it's just in people who are susceptible to it or if it's bad for everyone. Whenever I make English muffins for DH and I'm cleaning out the mixing bowl afterwards, and seeing the "glue" that is left in the bowl, I think what that must be doing to the intestines....

My DS had night terrors and bedwetting from dairy. DD2 had bedwetting from beef. I find that a food journal does wonders for convincing people of cause-effect through diet.

 

[Theloose]

Gluten causes a release of zonulin, which opens up the gut. Chances are, dairy and possibly other grains do as well. An open gut isn't that big of a deal IMO, so long as the liver is in great shape to filter what gets through. Most of us have nutrient deficiencies that mean the liver isn't working optimally, and so foods start circulating and making it into other parts of our bodies, including breastmilk.

If I'm remembering right, sonnambula had undiagnosed celiac disease. By addressing her liver detox pathways (and cutting out gluten/dairy/soy) she was able to heal to a point that she ate gluten for 6 months and then got retested - no damage.

Somewhere on celiac.com, there's a link to a study where people who were diagnosed with celiac disease as kids but who were now eating a normal diet with gluten without symptoms were retested. Something like half had silent celiac disease - their guts were totally trashed. The other half didn't have signs of celiac at all. Since the researchers couldn't find any rhyme or reason to who was healthy and who was not, the general recommendation is gluten free for life. I'm hoping that sonnambula found the magic key and that the rest of us will be able to figure out how to find our own. Dh is horrified at the thought of dd never in her life being able to enjoy a baguette in Paris.