Is Everyone Gluten Sensitive?

[sareli]

I'd like some thoughts on this (my first post). I took myself and my children off of gluten on Thursday and I feel wonderful. Initially I looked into it because my daughter is 4 and has some symptoms and someone clued me in on gluten. She is often tired, red around her eyes, doesn't poop daily, yet eats a ton of fiber (she used to LIVE on whole wheat pasta), she has had a bad rash on her upper butt cheeks since last February that wouldn't go away with 2 different scripts. I really didn't want to take her in for blood tests (a bit too intrusive to me right now) so I'm going the elimination diet technique.

I decided to do it with her so she didn't feel like she was getting screwed in family meals and such. My son is almost exlusively breastfed, so he doesn't get a choice. I had been very frustrated with the fact that I was only pooping every 2-3 days. This has been going on for months (I've NEVER been a frequent pooper, but has never been this bad. Since day 2 of gluten free I have been going 2-3 times a day (which is what my doctor told me a healthy functioning intestinal track would make you do) AND my son, who only pooped 1 time a day (sometimes very dry) also started pooping 2-3 times a day and with good quality.

ok..enough about the poop. I also can't believe how clearly my mind is working...My head feels lighter. So WTH? Is it really possible that we all have gluten sensitivity? How do I convince the grandparents to take gluten sensitivity seriously if I don't get daughter blood tested, but she shows great improvements? Should I just tell them she was tested and came back positive? (and by the way, the rest of us are allergic too? yeah, that'll go over well....)

sarah

[Ursa Major]

Hi Sarah, and welcome to this board.

It sounds like you have found the answer to your family's health problems. Celiac disease/gluten intolerance is genetic. It is not unusual for one, or even both parents, and all or most of the kids to have inherited the genes for gluten intolerance.

All of you are feeling better, your bodies are functioning properly without gluten. These are your kids, you make their choices for them while they're little. What the rest of the family thinks is their problem.

If you really want a paper that shows you are truly gluten intolerant, and you have the money, testing with Open Original Shared Link is always an option. They test the stool of people (much more sensitive and accurate than blood testing), and you don't have to eat gluten for the results to be accurate (they'll still be accurate for up to a year after eliminating gluten).

Other doctors may or may not believe in Enterolab. Read through their site to see what you think. I believe they're incredible and way ahead of the rest of the medical community.

[CMCM]

Well, I just read in my newest celiac related book, "The Gluten Connection" by Shari Liebermanm, published 2007, the following information:

"The gluten problem touches FAR MORE of the U.S. population than the 1 out of 133 who have celiac disease. Some researchers now speculate that as many as 29% ....almost 3 out of 10 people....are gluten sensitive. And approximately 81% of Americans have a genetic disposition toward gluten sensitivity."

I guess this means that 80% may have the genetic disposition, although not necessarily any symptoms.

She goes on to say: "If you are gluten sensitive you can have a low level of intolerance and function for years--perhaps your entire life--without any identifiable symptoms or with symptoms so mild that you pay no attention to them. Feeling less than 100% is so normal that you don't know you can feel better."

This is a very informative book....I recommend reading it. See Amazon.