With the holidays upon us, celiac disease and gluten exposure has been on my mind and many of my patient's minds too. When you are traveling or at the mercy of other people's cooking, it can be hard to tell if you are getting “glutened.”
Many people feel that eating gluten isn't a big deal unless you have celiac disease. But there is good evidence showing that Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) can cause an array of symptoms, including digestive disorders.
Curious if you are gluten intolerant? Read this to learn more.
Of course the ideal is to not eat gluten if you have celiac disease or NCGS, but knowing where gluten hides is sometimes the issue. That's why I created a guide to gluten avoidance. But in truth, I didn't really make the guide for those of you who have already been following a gluten free diet. I made this guide as resource for my patients who have been newly diagnosed with a gluten issue.
But you know what I found out? My patients have been sharing this with friends and family. Why? Because when you educate the people in your life about all the places gluten can hide it can make family functions and holidays so much more manageable.
But what if you get glutened? Recover with these 5 steps!
It happens. You can not control everything in your environment at all times. Here are my top 3 tips of what to do should gluten find its way into your body.
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Take Digestive Enzymes.
Keep digestive enzymes on hand and take with questionable meals. If you can break down the gluten protein you can potentially minimize it's effect.
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Take a Probiotic.
25-50 billion twice daily the day of and 3 days following. You can certainly aim to eat probiotic rich foods as well, but getting a good probiotic on board can help your gut recover quicker.
If you're really looking to protect your gut, I would recommend Women's Probiotic.
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Take L-Glutamine.
L-Glutamine is an amino acid that is readily used by the cells in your intestines. At 3-5 grams for 7-14 days, L-Glutamine can help repair intestinal lining. L-glutamine powder can be put into beverages without altering their flavor.
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Drink Bone Broth.
The amino acids in bone broth help heal your intestinal lining. Bone broth itself is anti-inflammatory.
View my favorite bone broth recipe.
Or grab a ready to drink bone broth from Kettle and Fire or Bare Bone Broth.And check out the Ultimate Guide to Bone Broth by Kettle and Fire.
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Activated Charcoal.
Activated charcoal has been a go to remedy for many gut ailments for years. Starting with 1-2 caps with a suspicious meal or onset of gut symptoms (gas, bloating, diarrhea) can help reduce your symptoms. Four things you must know when taking activated charcoal: 1. It can cause constipation if over done. 2. You must increase your water intake. 3. It will cause black stools. 4. It will bind other nutrients and should only be used if absolutely necessary.
I truly hope that you have a wonderful time with family and friends. This time of year, it is important to enjoy your time with those most important to you, which often includes enjoying a good meal!
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