Last week, I met a professional goal: I completed my studies to become a Certified Gluten Practitioner. And while I’m thrilled to have more information to share with clients, one stat just hit me in the gut (pun intended).
Six to seven out of 10 people have some sort of wheat related disorder and are on a continuum for an autoimmune disease.
So a majority of us are running around allergic to wheat to some degree? Are you one of them?
I didn’t think I was…until last fall.
My Story
I had been complaining of a drop in energy—perhaps it was my studies in Nutrition Therapy coupled with some recent life changes. One life change was beginning my work at Dragonfly 360 to support Dr. Melanie’s naturopathic clients with dietary challenges and changes. Because of my symptoms, Dr. Melanie encouraged me to look into a great lab test called the Wheat Zoomer.
The Wheat Zoomer, by Vibrant Wellness, employs silicon chip technology to test for immune responses to wheat peptides (both gluten and non-gluten) as well as for intestinal permeability—otherwise known as “leaky gut”. I was a bit skeptical as I hadn’t had reactions to gluten and/or wheat prior to the test—or so I thought.
The test ranks your reactions based on an “in control” to “high risk” ranking. It’s easy to read the green (in range), yellow (moderate range) and red (high risk) results. Let’s just say that my test came back with a lot of RED. I was in shock during the consult with Dr. Melanie and went home a bit defeated. Thinking back, I realized that I was a prime example of a person who is knowledgeable about a subject (in this case, nutrition), but doesn’t see their own symptoms. I also realized that gluten and wheat are sneaky in their affects.
Fast forward to my Certified Gluten Practitioner studies. As we continued studying the shocking negative effects of gluten and wheat on the human body, we also completed a lecture on….you guessed it… the Wheat Zoomer. Digging deep within the report gave me a new appreciation for my situation and how to best manage it. Stay tuned for more information on how I’m coaching myself through my situation.
Are You Sensitive to Gluten and/or Wheat?
As I mentioned above, the symptoms of gluten and wheat sensitivity may be ones that you don’t notice at first or brush away. Here are some of the symptoms, although we are all different and you may be experiencing some altogether different symptoms:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea or Constipation
- Abdominal Pain
- Lack of Energy
- Headaches
- Skin Problems
- Unexpected weight loss or gain
- Anxiety or depression
Learn More about Gluten and Wheat Sensitivity
If you have that nagging feeling that you might be like me—someone who has had some strange symptoms and just don’t know what may be causing them, it may be time to understand more about gluten and wheat sensitivity. The book Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD, is a great place to start.
And if you’d like to dig deeper, Dragonfly 360 consider trying Wheat Zoomer and/or counseling sessions with me. During these sessions we can really dig deep into your individual situation and symptoms. So don’t hesitate to reach out to ask questions and find out more about how wheat and gluten may be affecting you.
Bev Rella studied nutrition at Nutritional Therapy Institute and is a Certified Nutrition Therapist Practitioner & Certified Gluten Practitioner at Dragonfly 360. Bev is passionate about helping clients create their healthiest lives through nutritional coaching, meal planning and healthy recipe creations.