Gluten Gone! Gluten Free

by Kris Pitcher

From skin rashes, arthritis, and depression to MS, ADHD and even Alzheimer's disease...gluten seems to be connected to many maladies. Some are slightly intolerant, while others are deathly allergic.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye including spelt, kamut and yes...malt. It's used as an additive in foods for flavoring, stabilizing and thickening and you'll find it on labels as "dextrin".

Many include oats in the gluten family, although the medical community is not in agreement. New research is finding the protein in oats has very similar structure to that of gluten. What they do generally agree on is that cross contamination of oats with wheat is very common. They are grown close together, and often processed in the same plants.

Interestingly, gluten can also be found in over the counter medications, vitamins and even cosmetics such as lipsticks, lip balms and lip glosses. It's a great stabilizing agent after all. Be sure to really check your labels carefully.

Speaking of labels, the FDA considers an item to be "Gluten Free" if it has less than 20 ppm (parts per million) of gluten. I did have to laugh when I picked up a box of Cream of Rice and it said gluten free...yeah, that's because it's rice!

Aside from serious medical issues and syndromes associated with gluten and the need to have gluten free diets, many people are choosing to go gluten free and seeing amazing results. Once they take the gluten out, they begin to lose weight.

Going without is like not breathing air. Gluten is everywhere, and you really need to plan if you choose to eat gluten free. But it's no surprise when you take the wheat out of your diet you would begin to lose weight...even if you replace those carbs with things like brown rice and other items.

You'll certainly give up most any goodies you haven't made yourself in your kitchen with your own two hands, and that will help you drop a few right there. So, there isn't any magic here.

But I can tell you from removing the gluten from my diet, including the oats, I have actually seen a difference in my sharpness. I am not as inflamed overall. And it's noticeable. I don't have that same lower belly bloat that looks like I haven't gone to the bathroom in 3 days. Sorry, TMI.

Whether you choose to incorporate a little or a lot of this way of eating into your plan, it's interesting to know what is being linked to this protein. Sorry gluten, you're gone!