Being intolerant or sensitive to gluten is a common concern that many people have. Being gluten intolerant means that your body struggles to break down or digest gluten found in wheat, barley, and rye. There are several potential causes of gluten intolerance: celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and even wheat allergies. These forms of gluten intolerance can cause several different symptoms and can present themselves in different ways on your body. If you are unsure what these symptoms are, here are the common signs that you are gluten intolerant.
Bowel problems
The first and probably most common sign that you are gluten intolerant is experiencing bowel problems. Many gluten or even wheat intolerant people will experience bowel problems, such as diarrhea, constipation, and smelly feces. When you are gluten intolerant and eat a food that has gluten in it, you will experience inflammation in your small intestine. This inflammation damages your gut lining and leads to poor nutrient absorption, which results in both digestive discomfort and bowel problems. Therefore, if you are experiencing these issues, it may be a sign that you are gluten intolerant. You can also check if you are intolerant to any food by taking a food intolerant or sensitivity test from places such as Check My Body Health.
Bloating
Another common sign that you may be gluten intolerant is if you are experiencing a lot of stomach bloating. Although many people experience stomach bloating throughout the day after they eat a meal, when you are gluten intolerant, the stomach bloating that you experience can be quite uncomfortable and even painful at the time. Bloating is when your stomach feels swollen or full of gas after you have eaten, resulting in feeling uncomfortable or even in pain. Gluten is known to produce a lot of gas or air in our stomachs, which results in it feeling bloated and swollen. So, if you are experiencing uncomfortable or painful bloating after you eat food containing gluten, it may be a sign that you are intolerant to gluten.
Stomach pain
As previously mentioned, bowel problems and bloating can be painful on our stomach, but stomach pain in itself is also a common sign that you are gluten intolerant. Many gluten intolerant people who are even allergic or sensitive to gluten will often experience stomach pain after eating any food that contains gluten. If you experience stomach pain or cramps after eating gluten, there are several different things that you can do. One of the easiest ways to reduce or even get rid of stomach pain is to drink water. Drinking water when your stomach is in pain will help flush out your system and ease the pain.
Fatigue
A common symptom that comes with being gluten intolerance that many people are not aware of is tiredness. Although feeling tired is very common and usually not linked to any health or dietary condition, it is linked to gluten intolerance. People who are intolerant to gluten are prone to feeling fatigue and tiredness, especially after eating certain foods that contain gluten. Research has shown that eating gluten can affect our energy levels, as it does not contain enough slow-burning carbohydrates. The carbohydrates in the food that contains gluten cause our bodies to experience a rapid increase in blood sugar, which then causes our bodies to crash and feel tired suddenly. Therefore, if you often feel tired after eating a meal or feel like your energy levels are low throughout the day depending on what you have eaten, it may be a sign that you are actually gluten-intolerant or gluten-sensitive.
Headaches and migraines
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Although it is common to experience headaches or migraines once in a while, it may be a sign that you are gluten intolerant if you suffer from them frequently. Many studies have shown that intolerant or sensitive people are more easily prone to getting headaches or migraines. These headaches or migraines can sometimes be difficult to get rid of and can leave you feeling uncomfortable or tired from time to time. If you have regular headaches or experience migraines often without any apparent cause or reason, it could be a sign that you are intolerant or sensitive to gluten.
Skin reactions
Another commonly known symptom of gluten intolerance is skin reactions. Unfortunately, many people who are allergic to gluten or gluten intolerant experience several different skin reactions. These reactions could include spots, acne, and even skin rashes, which can be hard to get rid of and hard to cover up. When gluten intolerant people eat gluten, they will notice that their skin becomes red and blotchy. Therefore, if you typically have clear skin but notice that you get spots or a rash after eating gluten, you could be gluten intolerant.
Unexpected weight loss
When your body experiences an unexpected weight loss that you did not work for, it is often cause for concern. Although this weight loss could stem from several different things, unexpected weight loss is actually a common symptom of gluten intolerance. People who are gluten intolerant or diagnosed with celiac disease can often experience a great deal of unexpected weight loss in a short period of time. This unexpected weight loss is due to poor nutrient absorption and digestive problems linked to gluten intolerance or sensitivity. Therefore, if you have recently lost weight unexpectedly and are experiencing the other symptoms that have already been mentioned, you are more than likely gluten intolerant.
Joint and muscle pain
The last sign that you may be gluten intolerant is if you are experiencing any joint or muscle pain. Although this joint and muscle pain could be caused by several different things, such as bad posture or exercise, it can also be caused by gluten. Numerous studies have shown that gluten intolerant people have a genetically determined oversensitive or overexcitable nervous system. This can result in these people easily feeling aches and pains in their joints and muscles. Another symptom of gluten intolerance that many people are not aware of is neuropathy, which involves numbness or tingling in the arms and legs. Therefore, if you start to experience any joint and muscle pain or feel numbness in your arms or legs unexpectedly, you may want to check to see if you are gluten intolerant.
As you can see, there are several different signs and symptoms that come with being gluten intolerant. Therefore, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it may be a sign that you are gluten intolerant, meaning that you should avoid eating gluten or should even consider adopting a gluten-free diet into your life. If you are gluten intolerant and are looking to adopt a gluten-free diet, there are now many popular gluten free foods available on the market, meaning that you can easily change your eating habits.
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