Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In the UK they estimate that 1 in 100 has Coeliac Disease (although not all diagnosed) but doctors are better at recognising symptoms these days (which can vary widely) so that would be one reason why its seen more these days, I would expect the US numbers to be fairly similar although I guess some populations could be more prone than others. But it does also seem to be a bit of a "trendy" thing though I cannot comprehend why anyone would want to be on a gluten-free diet if they didn't absolutely have to. I have Coeliac Disease and I hate not being able to eat normal bread, drink normal beer, go out to eat without having to check the menu thoroughly beforehand, and I hate spending 3-5x as much on bread and cereal because gluten free is so much more expensive - anyone who does it for "trendy" reasons must be a bit crazy I think!
Read my first post. You are totally missing the point. More and more people are being tested now and doctors are finally recognizing the symptoms of gluten intolerance and allergy and having those very specific tests run on more people. Thus many more people are being diagnosed with Celiac, gluten sensitivity and gluten allergy. Some athletes are finding that they perform better when they stay away from glutinous. Some people are trying gluten free diets to see if they will lose weight, feel better, sleep better, have less digestive issues. There is little that is "trendy " about it. Use your common sense on this one and stop drawing illogical and nonsensical conclusions.
I think there are two different things going on here.
More and more people are discovering, through legitimate medical diagnoses, that they have gluten sensitivity and/or Celiac Disease.
ALSO...
More and more people are getting on the "gluten-free" DIET trend bandwagon.
The marketing teams look at trends and exploit them to profit their clients. That is why non-pharmaceutical diet pill manufacture owners are driving Bentleys, why skin care companies worldwide are selling creams with human placental extract in them - and raking in the dough.
Do these things work? Maybe. Maybe not. But it really doesn't matter. What matters is, the manufacturers know how to market the product to bring the highest profits in, and they're good at it.
The gluten-free DIET trend is just that - a trend. Allergies and sensitivities to gluten are exactly that - allergies and sensitivities. The two are not mutually exclusive; there is some crossover, because there are some people who cut gluten out of their diets, and lose weight. But that's most often because they were just eating too much starch, period, and the only way they could wrap their heads around having to stop doing that, was to follow a regimented diet of total elimination. Does it mean they're gluten sensitive? Nope. It doesn't mean that. It means they were eating too much crap, and they didn't have the fortitude to *reduce* the crap, and therefore turned to *eliminating* it completely.
But this thread is specifically about allergies and sensitivities to gluten - and that is a legitimate concern.
My daughter is 8 years old. Last March we found out that she is allergic to wheat. For years (and many tests and allergists) she would break out in severe hives all over her body. It was almost daily and we couldn't figure it out. Finally after going to the 3rd allergist, she tested positive for 9 things. We did an elimination diet which took about 3 months to get through the whole list, and the ONLY thing that caused a reaction and the hives was wheat. So since then she has been gluten free. No hives. BUT, she goes to a very small private school which I also work at (in another classroom). i was on my lunch break and she came down stairs to see me and she had 1 hive on her face. I just told her if it got worse, then to come back. 10 minutes later, it had spread all down her neck and back! I walked her upstairs to talk to her teacher about what she might have eaten for lunch. It was pizza day and they always order her a gluten free pizza.We think there was some cross contamination because it was from dominos. Then by the time we got to her class, her throat was closing! We grabbed an epi pen and used it really quickly and she was better instantly.
We have another allergy appt. this week but for her, she does not have celiac (she's been tested) but her wheat allergy is life threatning. It's rare to have that type of reaction to wheat, but it is obviously possible. Her allergy is getting worse and it does scare me. I'm just thankful that there are so many gluten free options now which make it easier for all of us to find things that she likes and that she can have.
Wheat is being produced differently than what it used to be. Also a lot of fast food companies like mcdonalds put gluten in their fries and food as a filler, knowing that it as a addictive characteristic to it. Here is how it goes, everyone is different and some people's bodies don't like the gluten, and so it becomes an allergy and makes them sick and feel horrible. Gluten has been shown to affect the brain more than the gut. Many people think it's just a gut issue when really it's a brain problem as well. These days many people are more allergic to gluten and if possible, I would stay away from it. I test many allergies with my work and gluten is a big one, and many people have an allergy to it and don't even realize it.
We discovered our younger daughter was gluten intolerant a few years ago. I did quite a bit of reading up and one author (can't remember who, sorry) stated that the wheat currently being grown contains more than double the gluten than the wheat from eras past. I gather those in the baking/cooking industry desire higher gluten. Unfortunately this has taken its toll on our bodies.
Please realize that whether you are allergic to gluten or have a sensitivity to it, the gluten does damage your small intestines.
The wheat, corn, soy, sugar, etc is crap today. Just plain old JUNK.
Don't eat it. Please. Look at our cattle that are fed corn. Talk about overweight and sick.
Really. It isn't even the grain of long, long ago. It is not. Now it is made to make its own pesticide even though farmers need to heavily spray their crop with killer pesticides on these gmo grains.
Chew grain - turns into SUGAR. The brain loves sugar. I would just be sure my grain isn't gmo or full of fungus/mold.
My daughter is 8 years old. Last March we found out that she is allergic to wheat. For years (and many tests and allergists) she would break out in severe hives all over her body. It was almost daily and we couldn't figure it out. Finally after going to the 3rd allergist, she tested positive for 9 things. We did an elimination diet which took about 3 months to get through the whole list, and the ONLY thing that caused a reaction and the hives was wheat. So since then she has been gluten free. No hives. BUT, she goes to a very small private school which I also work at (in another classroom). i was on my lunch break and she came down stairs to see me and she had 1 hive on her face. I just told her if it got worse, then to come back. 10 minutes later, it had spread all down her neck and back! I walked her upstairs to talk to her teacher about what she might have eaten for lunch. It was pizza day and they always order her a gluten free pizza.We think there was some cross contamination because it was from dominos. Then by the time we got to her class, her throat was closing! We grabbed an epi pen and used it really quickly and she was better instantly.
We have another allergy appt. this week but for her, she does not have celiac (she's been tested) but her wheat allergy is life threatning. It's rare to have that type of reaction to wheat, but it is obviously possible. Her allergy is getting worse and it does scare me. I'm just thankful that there are so many gluten free options now which make it easier for all of us to find things that she likes and that she can have.
This is what happens to me, but without the hives. My throat closes and it feels like I am breathing through a straw. I have never had full-on shutdown, but they tell me that it can happen at any time.
I cannot eat pizza that has been prepared in a kitchen with high cross-contamination possibilities. The last time I tried, I experienced the throat closing, ulcers at the corners of my lips and swelling of my lips and then a few days of joint pain and exhaustion.
There is nothing trendy about my issues. And it did not start until I was 40.
Not so sure "trendy" is the word I'd use...I think medical science has become more aware, through testing and studies, that many people are sensitive to gluten in our diets and medical people/nutritionists are now recommending a different, more in tune with our biological heritage, way of eating.
There are many carbs that have little or no gluten such as rice, potatoes, corn, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, etc.
It can be an allergy. Many people are allergic to milk products (glutten). It is estimated, in a story I read awhile back, that there are about 28 million people effected by glutten products in the US.
It has only been in recent years that doctors, allergists, ent's have discovered the effects of glutten in one's diet. It use to be everything was lumped into one category and they prescribed either a shot or drugs. Now they have discovered other remedies by changing your habits or diets.
I suffered with allergic problems for over 40 years, saw 8 different allergists, 3 ent's and all they did was the same thing, prick my back, find very few local plant allergies and give me a prescription of prednisone that did work for about 3 weeks and then back to the same old problems again.
Then a few years ago I was referred to a holistic allergist and he found that I was allergic to all milk products and suggested a glutten free diet. I immediately started on the diet and voila', within 5 days I was feeling 100% better. Now I buy only glutten free foods. No more medicines.
There is even glutten free beer if you so desire to imbibe. It's very good. I use to drink, on an occassion, regular beer and the doc said that the wheat in them was giving me allergenic problems and he reccomended the glutten free beer.
Gluten has one "t" and is NOT a milk product . How can you post about this like you know what you're talking about when you have no clue.
A simple Google search will tell you that gluten is the protein in many (most) grains and has NOTHING to do with milk.
I believe you are confusing lactose with gluten ~ VERY different puppies!
I don't dispute the diet your doctor prescribed for you but gluten is not dairy or anything close to it. Gluten is in MANY foods and debilitation to those who are Celiac or have Gluten Sesnitivity.
This is a disgusting post, try being Celiac and see how trendy it is ~ just ridiculous!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. How can you post about this like you know what you're talking about when you have no clue. 
