When Bread Betrays You. How To Deal With Gluten Intolerance!

Do you like bread, pasta, cakes or pizza?

I love them. They were my favourite food.

Until one day, when I was bread-slapped by the wheat god.

Picture this.

You sinking your teeth into a warm, crusty baguette, the aroma of freshly baked bread intoxicating your senses.

The first bite was bliss, a burst of flavour and textures that plays on your tongue. But then, the insidious betrayal begins.

It started subtly, a prickle on your arms, a whisper of heat against your cheeks. You ignored it, focusing on your food. But the whisper grew louder, a growing itch crawling across your skin.

You excused yourself, retreating to the safe sanctuary of a nearby restroom.

In the restroom’s harsh mirror light, the consequences of your indulgence were laid bare. Eczema, your unwelcome companion, had blossomed on your face. Red patches begged to be scratched, taunting you with the promise of momentary relief that will only make matters worse later on.

This was me.

Welcome to the curious case of gluten intolerance, a condition that turns the most innocent slice of bread into a curse from almighty culinary deities.

But what is gluten, and what is so bad about it?

Gluten, From Wonder To Woe

Gluten, the elastic protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, has become a popular food antagonist in the modern health world.

Gluten is a naturally occurring protein. It can be extracted, concentrated and added to food and other products to add protein, texture and flavour.

Gluten makes dough elastic and allows bread to rise when heated by trapping gas molecules inside. It also provides a satisfying, chewy texture.

In fact, the name gluten comes from these glue-like properties, and due to these properties, it is a commonly used ingredient in modern food.

However.

Around 8% of the globe wrestle with some form of gluten sensitivity, though this number could be even higher due to underdiagnosis.

So how do you identify if you are sensitive?

Well, gluten sensitivity can be a sneaky saboteur, mimicking other conditions and making diagnosis a puzzle. If you experience any of these after gluten-infused feasts (think beer, pasta, dumplings, even soy sauce), you may be sensitive.

Common Symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity

1. Abdominal discomfort. You may experience constipation, bloatedness, diarrhoea, stomach pain, cramping, nausea and vomiting, especially after consuming larger amounts of gluten.
2. Neurocognitive issues. You may suddenly feel tired, fatigued, confused, forgetful, anxious, having brain fog, headaches, and migraines. In some cases, you may even feel like you have depression.
3. Skin problems. You develop unexplained itchiness, rashes, eczema, and other allergic skin conditions soon after consuming food with gluten in it.
4. Musculoskeletal aches. You get sensations of joint pain and muscle aches. While these are less common, they can occur in some individuals with gluten sensitivity.

These symptoms, while commonly expressed if you have a complicated relationship with gluten, may also manifest only later in your life, meaning you will not even exhibit any signs of intolerance when you are younger.

This makes the issue very mysterious, does it not?

Well, here is what I found out.

Is Gluten Intolerance Genetic?

Like most health mysteries, this one involves a tangled web of genetics, lifestyle, and environment.

Partly. Genetics is one cause among several, alongside age, modern wheat, antibiotics and stress, and around 8 per cent of people worldwide have some form of gluten sensitivity.

Imagine your gut as a bustling metropolis, not unlike New York City during rush hour. Trillions of tiny residents, each a microscopic microbe, scurry about their duties, keeping the whole system humming. These friendly flora are like sanitation workers, diligently breaking down the not-so-glamorous stuff you throw their way (processed food and the occasional questionable street snack).

But sometimes, things get thrown out of whack in this inner city. Studies suggest gluten sensitivity arises from an imbalanced gut microbiome. Your body, mistaking gluten for a shady alleyway character, unleashes an inflammatory response, throwing your inner city into chaos.

But why all the drama over a molecule? Scientists have a few theories.

Possible Causes of Gluten Sensitivity

1. Genetic predisposition. Gluten sensitivity can be inherited, like a slightly dodgy family heirloom. Coeliac disease, the most serious form, is closely tied to two gene variants, HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, and no one makes an enzyme that fully breaks gluten down.
2. Midlife aging. Our gut microbiome becomes more vulnerable to gluten with age, especially during stressful times (like retrenchment). Think of it as your gut throwing a tantrum along with your midlife crisis.
3. Modern agriculture. Franken-wheat, anyone? Modern farming practices might have created wheat strains our bodies do not quite recognise, triggering an immune response by upsetting your internal systems.
4. Powerful medications. Powerful antibiotics, while vanquishing bad bacteria, can also collaterally damage your friendly gut flora, leading to leaky gut and easier gluten invasion by making your intestinal walls permeable.
5. Emotional disruptors. Your gut and brain are best friends, constantly chatting on the gut-brain axis. But when stress disrupts this conversation, your gut flora can go haywire, welcoming gluten sensitivity.

The good news?

You do not have to be held hostage by your gut conflict. Even with unlucky genes, lifestyle tweaks can offset the issue. And in any unhealthy relationship, what do you do?

You break up!

Breaking Up With Gluten

If you and gluten can’t get along, the best way to maintain a healthy relationship is to avoid each other.

The first step to every breakup is to avoid the offending party (I meant gluten, not your spouse). With sufficient absence, and time, any heartbreak will become bearable, until you eventually get over it.

So here is the gluten breakup guide on how you can dump your doughy ex without all the drama.

Strategies To Avoid Your Gluten-Ex

1. Embrace the label, read it first. Ditch your ex, and befriend food labels, they will be your new best friends. Scrutinise ingredient lists for sneaky exes hiding in “wheat”, “barley”, “rye”, or just plain “gluten”.
2. Get kitchen-savvy, plan your meals. The best way to avoid your gluten-ex is to eat at home. Invest in cookbooks, explore online resources, and experiment with alternative flours like almond, coconut, or chickpea. Pack your own food for outings.
3. Befriend your grocer, snack wisely. Most supermarkets have dedicated gluten-free sections. Stock up on snacks made from rice, quinoa, beans, lentils, and nuts. Get familiar with brands and ask store staff for recommendations.
4. Eat out prepared, use supplements. Research restaurants with gluten-free menus or call ahead to enquire about their options. Be specific about your needs and do not be afraid to ask questions. If you sense your gluten-ex lurking, politely gluten-out-of-there. Additionally, consider a digestive enzyme supplement.
5. Listen to your body, join a community. Pay attention to how you feel after eating and adjust your diet accordingly; sometimes your gluten-ex can be sneaky. Connect with online communities and support groups for encouragement, recipe inspiration, and shared understanding.

Conclusion

I get it. Most of your favourite food has gluten in it, and you see it everywhere!

Remember this.

Gluten intolerance is not a cosmic curse or a permanent porcelain throne sentence. Take gluten intolerance as an opportunity to learn about your genes and your body, and to become a Master of Your Gut (like He-Man, but more gutsy).

Your journey will not be easy, but with dedication, you will learn the new food language, decipher labels with mastery, and navigate social gatherings with food-picking grace. While your gluten cravings may linger, the quiet dignity of choosing sustained health over fleeting pleasure will eventually take hold.

Managing gluten sensitivity is an ongoing process. There will be unavoidable detours, but do not get discouraged. Celebrate your victories, learn from your mistakes, and most importantly, be kind to yourself and your gluten-ex.

You have got this!

Sources

1. Percentage of people suffering from gluten related disorders (2020)
2. The most common signs of gluten intolerance (Healthline, 2023)
3. Gut microbes and adverse food reactions: focus on gluten related disorders (2014)
4. The gluten gene: unlocking the understanding of gluten sensitivity and intolerance (2021)
5. Celiac later in life: can you become gluten intolerant? (2014)
6. What’s wrong with modern wheat (2024)
7. Do antibiotics really wipe out your gut bacteria? (BBC Future, 2023)
8. The gut-brain connection (Harvard Health, 2023)

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Food intolerances and skin sensitivity are both read in the Bio-Profile, which is the fastest way to find out whether the bread is really the problem.