Gluten free diets are very well known right now. Everyone has heard of “Gluten”, but what is it? Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye, spelt and barley. With wheat being the most known “gluten” container.

What are some things Gluten could be causing?

• Digestive and IBS symptoms, including abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation or diarrhea
• “Brain fog,” difficulty concentrating and trouble remembering information
• Frequent headaches
• Mood-related changes, anxiety and increased depression symptoms
• Ongoing low energy levels and chronic fatigue syndrome
• Muscle and joint pains
• PCOS and infertility
• Skin issues, including dermatitis, eczema, rosacea and skin rashes
• Nutrient deficiencies, including anemia (iron deficiency)
• Higher risk for learning disabilities, including autism and ADHD 
• Possibly a higher risk for neurological and psychiatric diseases, including Alzheimer’s, dementia and schizophrenia

Gluten is sneaky! To be sure you aren’t consuming any gluten, check every label. A good rule of thumb is if it has flour, is a processed food, or any kind of bread or pastry, it most likely has gluten. Unless of course it has a gluten free label.

Make sure to check all sandwich meats, pre-made meat products, boxed or canned food and frozen foods. If it has wheat listed as an ingredient, it is not gluten free.

What can you eat instead?

There are several natural occurring gluten free options.

• Corn
• Rice
• Quinoa
• Flax seed
• Chia seed
• Millet
• Buckwheat
• Oats
• Arrowroot
• Almond flour
• Coconut flour
• Sorghum
• Tapioca
• Amaranth
• Teff

Going gluten-free (or in my case wheat free) is a lot easier than you would think it is! If you think you could benefit from going gluten or wheat free, try it! Cut out the breads in your life for 2 weeks and see how you feel. If symptoms of headache, fatigue, gas and bloating (along with a lot of other things) go away, you may want to limit or completely removed gluten or wheat forever.

If you want to see what other things could be causing your issues, think about doing an food allergy test.

Chiropractic

If you have questions on whether a gluten sensitivity or allergy could be causing some of your symptoms, give me a call! (Or a chiropractor near you!!) Before you try medications for symptoms, sometimes the answer is as simple as changing your diet and getting adjusted. At the very least, give chiropractic and eating healthy a try before taking a chemical to mask underlying issues/problems.

This past week was Chiropractics’ 123rd birthday! We didn’t make it and thrive this long without it actually helping people. Give it a try!

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, INC.
El Reno, OK 73036