Celiac Disease or Gluten Allergy: Learn more about these similar allergies

Celiac Disease or Gluten Allergy: Learn more about these similar allergies

Gluten allergy is generally associated with celiac disease, and the two are always considered one and the same, even though this is not the case. Although there is a connection between two diseases, as both are related to sensitivity to gluten, they do not appear to be similar. To better understand the connection between these two, you first need to know a lot more about gluten itself. Gluten is a word that we come across a lot, but few of us really know what it is and where to discover it.

In short, gluten is a protein compound found in certain wheat products such as rye and barley. However, it is important to emphasize that not all wheat products contain gluten. There are some exceptions such as buckwheat, oats and soybeans. So you may ask: How important is gluten in the production of regular wheat products like bread? Gluten is the ingredient that gives bread its chewy texture and the part that makes the dough rise and become bread.

Gluten allergy and celiac disease are generally interchanged because both diseases can have common indicators. The most important thing between the two is that, unlike an allergy, you have to be genetically predisposed to be affected by celiac disease. The preventive measures for those affected by celiac disease are also stricter, as people with this disease tend to react more negatively to the intake of gluten compared to an allergy. This is not to trivialize gluten allergy, as its symptoms can also be quite dangerous. This is just to say that someone who suffers from an allergic reaction to gluten can still tolerate a small amount of gluten, while those who suffer from celiac disease cannot tolerate any amount of gluten at all.

It is often said that symptoms of gluten allergy can include fatigue, rash, weight loss, anemia, mouth ulcers, dysentery, constipation and fatigue, among others. People with a gluten allergy are more likely to suffer from problems with the final storage tract.

If you ever feel like you have a gluten allergy or celiac disease but don't know exactly which one, it's best to take the right tests and get examined by a doctor. How can you heal yourself if you don't even know what illness you have? By defining exactly what illness you are experiencing, you can do further research on your own and determine which products contain gluten to avoid it. Living a gluten-free diet is actually challenging as gluten is found in most common foods such as bread, muffins, pretzels, cookies and cakes. Fortunately, more and more food manufacturers are producing products that do not contain gluten. You can now find gluten-free pasta, gluten-free pizza dough and gluten-free breakfast cereals.

It is rarely easy to live with a condition like a gluten allergy as it will definitely limit your life, especially your eating habits. Someone with a gluten allergy must not only learn to live with the condition, but also educate themselves for their own safety and health.

Inspired by Sarah Jane Grover