You’ve probably been hearing the word “gluten” more frequently in the past few years. The popularity of a gluten-free diet has skyrocketed, thanks in part to famous personalities who have publicly endorsed it. Although gluten-free foods were once reserved for people with a wheat allergy or celiac disease, this style of eating has become increasingly popular among those who have no medical reason to avoid gluten. If you’re wondering if a gluten-free diet is right for you, the first step is to figure out if gluten is affecting your health.
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There are no specific laboratory tests to test for gluten sensitivity, so it’s up to you to do some investigating. Here are six signs you may be gluten sensitive:
- Gastrointestinal issues
Symptoms often associated with gluten sensitivity include nausea, bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation. People who experience these symptoms are often diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.
- Skin conditions
If you’re sensitive to gluten, wheat and other gluten-containing foods can cause skin conditions such as acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema.
- Confusion and headaches
If you’re eating gluten but your body is unable to handle it, warning signs that your body is struggling can include mental fog, confusion and frequent headaches.
- Pins and needles feeling
Gluten sensitivity symptoms often involve a feeling of pins and needles in the extremities. Known as peripheral neuropathy, the condition stems from nerve damage in the hands and feet. The link isn’t quite clear, but doctors say it’s quite common in patients with gluten issues.
- Joint and muscle pain
Eating gluten despite a sensitivity leads to inflammation in the body, which can negatively affect the joints. Joint and muscle pain can be indicative of many conditions, but one of them is a gluten sensitivity.
- Unexplained weight gain
A gluten sensitivity can throw your hormones out of whack, in addition to causing inflammation and swelling. Ultimately, this can lead to weight gain that seems otherwise unexplainable.
Whether or not you have a medical reason for choosing a gluten-free diet, nearly everyone can benefit from this style of eating. Grains, even whole sprouted varieties, tend to cause problems not only because of the presence of gluten, but also due to concerns around fructans, glyphosate contamination and wheat hybridization. Eating a gluten-free diet is relatively easy to do. You can accomplish this by focusing on whole, unprocessed foods that are naturally wheat- and gluten-free.