As part of my restricted diet, I avoid gluten. When I mention that to people, they always ask ‘do you have Celiac Disease,’ which is an immune system reaction to a body’s ingestion of gluten. The answer is no, and what many people don’t realize is people can have a gluten sensitivity even without being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. For instance, I avoid gluten because it aggravates my arthritis.Gluten is a protein found in wheat and wheat-related products. Because it is not a natural product when it enters our bodies, our immune system attacks the gluten molecule and attacks our bodies. Signs that your body might not be tolerating gluten include allergy symptoms, pain in joints, digestive issues, inflammation, respiratory problems and the list goes on.I have had patients who have been suffering with their arthritis, sinus issues and other chronic issues, and I’ve advised them to avoid gluten, within no time their ailments improved. As an example, I have a patient who was suffering from chronic knee pain. I advised him to avoid gluten. He and his wife switched to a gluten-free diet and within no time his knee pain was gone.So, how do you know if you are gluten sensitive? If you are a human being…chances are you cannot tolerate gluten. It is easy to determine if gluten is leading to many of your ailments, switch to a gluten-free diet. Most people will begin feeling better within a couple of days, and the more strict you are with your diet the quicker you will feel better. Once you start to recognize the daily negative effects of the protein, the easier it will be to adjust your daily diet.Many restaurants now offer a gluten-free diet, and most major grocery store chains now feature larger natural food sections. However, be aware that just because a pre-packaged product is gluten free doesn’t mean it is super good for you. A lot of gluten free packaged foods replace the gluten with more sugar and fat to compensate for texture and flavor. Just as it with any diet, keep moderation in mind.This will not be my last article on gluten, look for others in future newsletters. As always, if you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to discuss them with me.In Good HealthDr. Craig Hennie