I’ve helped my son navigate CD for 11 years, but despite numerous studies, no advancements have been made. While I appreciate your article there’s nothing new, and looking at how the wheat was destroyed, etc., is really not relevant to moving forward with improving his health. What I can’t find, is a solution-focused article or info. on the brain-gut connection—training the brain to see gluten as a friend, not an enemy, could help those struggling to find safe food. Now that would be a really complex, way-over-my-pay-grade, paper but could spark real curiosity.
Articles like this can unintentionally discourage people from buying GF products sadly, making them even scarcer for those who truly need them. Unfortunately, this broader impact may further limit access to essential foods.
I can’t even tell you the number of emails I’ve written to big organizations asking for GF options and being told repeatedly it’s too costly, or sorry. We try and follow a whole foods approach and avoid gluten, but it is helpful in our culture to grab and go and there’s not much to grab. Inspo: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5591866/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
And here’s another wild idea for you… (I’m sharing this because I’m not a writer, but a trained graphic designer, but I generally love to read things like this.) I would really love to read a well researched study around seeing the whole story in a completely different way — seeing the CD patient’s body as an extreme food detective. I tell my older son that he’s lucky because his body can interpret the most molecular thing to protect him, yet the rest of us have to just carry on hoping for the best. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing! I appreciate your feedback and your perspective. I hope I don't discourage anyone with celiac disease from buying gluten-free packaged foods - I buy, eat, and love plenty of them and agree they're necessary for convenience. Just wanted to let people who don't have celiac disease know that they're not necessarily a "healthier" option than the regular version, and that those with celiac disease may not get all of the nutrients they need from these packaged foods because they're not fortified.
I love your framing of the celiac disease patient's body being a food detective. You've given me a lot to think about, and I appreciate your comments here. Thanks for reading and taking the time to share! :)
I’d recommend working with your physician and a dietitian to come up with a nutrition plan that works best for you and your health issues as I’m not a medical professional.
Here’s a good article on gluten and arthritis/joint pain:
This is great information, Christina! And yes, I was surprised by some of it, especially the glyphosate and GMO stats. There is so much misinformation out there and I'm glad you've exposed some of it with this article. Thank you!
Thank you for this great article Christina!! It's true, gluten free is miraculous for those who medically need it, but for overall health there are definitely deficits! (Those vitamin deficiencies are real and can be hard to shore up!) I work with the culinary medicine department of our local hospital system and I'm so lucky to work with amazing doctors, dietitians and other medical professionals there who really dive deep into dietary needs, a great medical team can really help people find what they really need for their specific issues.
A lot of great information here! It’s no surprise that the processed foods labeled gluten-free are terrible for us and lead to inflammation and weight gain. What’s also apparent is that a lot of us think we have a gluten problem but that really isn’t what’s going on.
I have been reading about lectins and other substances that could be causing IBS type symptoms. In The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry, there are quite a few things listed. Nightshade plants for instance, and several things used in making all kinds of products like bread, crackers, etc. So I am currently following the diet from that book for the next few weeks to see if my stomach heals up. Then I will reintroduce one food at a time and narrow it down.
Thanks, Tim! Yes, that is a great point that there are so many other ingredients that may be causing IBS symptoms. I hope you’re able to pinpoint what is bothering your stomach!
100%! Great post. One of the first things my nutritionist said to me once I got diagnosed with celiac disease was to prioritize whole foods over processed gluten-free ones. I had no idea that processed gluten-free foods were not as nutritious as they seemed. 🤯
Thank you for reading! Yes, whole foods are definitely the way to go! I still struggle to get enough fiber sometimes because GF bread is so lacking in it.
I really appreciate this in depth article. My question is what type of doctor do I need to visit to help me with determining if I have an actual allergen to wheat? I did a test showing I'm "highly-sensitive" to wheat, but it also showed I could still eat Rye and Sourdough bread. I told my PCP about it, but she didn't really seem concerned. I don't think I have celiac as I do not have most of the symptoms associated with it.
Thank you so much for reading! Celiac disease has over 300 known symptoms (many of which are not GI related) so it can be hard to get a diagnosis. I would suggest asking a gastroenterologist about a celiac blood test and/or an allergist to test for a wheat allergy. For celiac testing, you do need to be eating gluten to be tested and diagnosed. Working with a dietitian to do an elimination diet and see what your triggers are could be helpful as well.
Great information Christina. I agree GF packaged foods are not healthier. It’s like buying foods that say Keto on them. Most times they are full of added ingredients that are unnecessary. These terms end up being used for marketing and lose their true meaning.
Thank you so much! It was truly eye-opening to see what ingredients were in the GF packaged foods when I had to start eating this way. I had assumed they would be healthier based on the marketing hype.
I’ve helped my son navigate CD for 11 years, but despite numerous studies, no advancements have been made. While I appreciate your article there’s nothing new, and looking at how the wheat was destroyed, etc., is really not relevant to moving forward with improving his health. What I can’t find, is a solution-focused article or info. on the brain-gut connection—training the brain to see gluten as a friend, not an enemy, could help those struggling to find safe food. Now that would be a really complex, way-over-my-pay-grade, paper but could spark real curiosity.
Articles like this can unintentionally discourage people from buying GF products sadly, making them even scarcer for those who truly need them. Unfortunately, this broader impact may further limit access to essential foods.
I can’t even tell you the number of emails I’ve written to big organizations asking for GF options and being told repeatedly it’s too costly, or sorry. We try and follow a whole foods approach and avoid gluten, but it is helpful in our culture to grab and go and there’s not much to grab. Inspo: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5591866/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
And here’s another wild idea for you… (I’m sharing this because I’m not a writer, but a trained graphic designer, but I generally love to read things like this.) I would really love to read a well researched study around seeing the whole story in a completely different way — seeing the CD patient’s body as an extreme food detective. I tell my older son that he’s lucky because his body can interpret the most molecular thing to protect him, yet the rest of us have to just carry on hoping for the best. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing! I appreciate your feedback and your perspective. I hope I don't discourage anyone with celiac disease from buying gluten-free packaged foods - I buy, eat, and love plenty of them and agree they're necessary for convenience. Just wanted to let people who don't have celiac disease know that they're not necessarily a "healthier" option than the regular version, and that those with celiac disease may not get all of the nutrients they need from these packaged foods because they're not fortified.
I definitely want to write more about the gut-brain connection. I did do a piece about GI psychology and touch on this briefly here: https://www.popsugar.com/health/gi-psychologist-explained-49401527
I love your framing of the celiac disease patient's body being a food detective. You've given me a lot to think about, and I appreciate your comments here. Thanks for reading and taking the time to share! :)
I stopped gluten to help relieve my arthritis. I also watch my intake of nightshade vegs . And thoughts on this ?
I’d recommend working with your physician and a dietitian to come up with a nutrition plan that works best for you and your health issues as I’m not a medical professional.
Here’s a good article on gluten and arthritis/joint pain:
https://creakyjoints.org/diet-exercise/gluten-and-arthritis/
Love seeing you in National Geographic, Christina! That is fantastic!
Thank you so much, Hilary! I was so excited when their editor accepted my pitch!
This is great information, Christina! And yes, I was surprised by some of it, especially the glyphosate and GMO stats. There is so much misinformation out there and I'm glad you've exposed some of it with this article. Thank you!
Thank you so much for reading, Betty, and so glad you enjoyed this piece!
Thank you for this great article Christina!! It's true, gluten free is miraculous for those who medically need it, but for overall health there are definitely deficits! (Those vitamin deficiencies are real and can be hard to shore up!) I work with the culinary medicine department of our local hospital system and I'm so lucky to work with amazing doctors, dietitians and other medical professionals there who really dive deep into dietary needs, a great medical team can really help people find what they really need for their specific issues.
Thank you for your insights, Rachel! It is so important to work with medical experts to find a diet that works best for your specific needs.
A lot of great information here! It’s no surprise that the processed foods labeled gluten-free are terrible for us and lead to inflammation and weight gain. What’s also apparent is that a lot of us think we have a gluten problem but that really isn’t what’s going on.
I have been reading about lectins and other substances that could be causing IBS type symptoms. In The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry, there are quite a few things listed. Nightshade plants for instance, and several things used in making all kinds of products like bread, crackers, etc. So I am currently following the diet from that book for the next few weeks to see if my stomach heals up. Then I will reintroduce one food at a time and narrow it down.
Thanks, Tim! Yes, that is a great point that there are so many other ingredients that may be causing IBS symptoms. I hope you’re able to pinpoint what is bothering your stomach!
100%! Great post. One of the first things my nutritionist said to me once I got diagnosed with celiac disease was to prioritize whole foods over processed gluten-free ones. I had no idea that processed gluten-free foods were not as nutritious as they seemed. 🤯
Thank you for reading! Yes, whole foods are definitely the way to go! I still struggle to get enough fiber sometimes because GF bread is so lacking in it.
I really appreciate this in depth article. My question is what type of doctor do I need to visit to help me with determining if I have an actual allergen to wheat? I did a test showing I'm "highly-sensitive" to wheat, but it also showed I could still eat Rye and Sourdough bread. I told my PCP about it, but she didn't really seem concerned. I don't think I have celiac as I do not have most of the symptoms associated with it.
Thank you so much for reading! Celiac disease has over 300 known symptoms (many of which are not GI related) so it can be hard to get a diagnosis. I would suggest asking a gastroenterologist about a celiac blood test and/or an allergist to test for a wheat allergy. For celiac testing, you do need to be eating gluten to be tested and diagnosed. Working with a dietitian to do an elimination diet and see what your triggers are could be helpful as well.
Thank you!
Great information Christina. I agree GF packaged foods are not healthier. It’s like buying foods that say Keto on them. Most times they are full of added ingredients that are unnecessary. These terms end up being used for marketing and lose their true meaning.
Thank you so much! It was truly eye-opening to see what ingredients were in the GF packaged foods when I had to start eating this way. I had assumed they would be healthier based on the marketing hype.