Go Gluten Free for a Healthier Mouth

Friday, August 6, 2010 by David Williams
One of the more painful problems you can experience is that of mouth ulcerations, commonly referred to as canker sores. These aren’t necessarily the same as “cold sores” related to the herpes virus, which generally occur on the outside of the mouth.

There doesn’t seem to be any one trigger for these recurrent mouth ulcers. For some women, they develop when certain hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle; for other individuals excess exposure to the sun may be the trigger; and for others they seem to crop up in times of stress or from actual physical injury to the mouth.

They can be very painful and interfere with swallowing and eating, and oftentimes take a week or longer to resolve.

One very interesting study screened patients suffering from these recurrent ulcerations, looking for gluten intolerance (an allergy to wheat and wheat products, as well as to other grains that contain the protein gluten). This condition is also called gluten sensitive enteropathy or celiac disease. It’s considered an immune disease where products that contain gluten trigger an immune reaction in the small intestine that can cause permanent damage. Common symptoms also include unwanted weight loss, chronic diarrhea or constipation, and bloating and gas.

When individuals with gluten intolerance were placed on a gluten-free diet, there was a very significant improvement in their prior problem with mouth ulcerations. (BMC Gastroenterol 09;9:44)

A gluten-free diet may not be the answer for everyone with this problem, but for some it will be a godsend in more ways than one. Mouth ulcerations may be just the one noticeable symptom of an allergy to gluten that could be destroying areas of the small intestine. A gluten-free diet is not the easiest thing to follow, but it would be well worth trying if nothing else has helped with your recurrent mouth ulcerations.

For more information on gluten intolerance, or for a list of gluten free foods, visit Dr. Williams’ Web site.
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Gluten Withdrawal

Friday, July 2, 2010 by David Williams
Practically all grains contain gluten, but wheat is one of the most commonly consumed grains found in our food supply—primarily in the form of flour and bread. Cut out the bread and white flour from your diet. (It’s not that easy at first.) Depending on your degree of dependency on gluten, you may experience “withdrawal” symptoms for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Most people (doctors included) don’t understand that there is a proven additive element to gluten consumption. Gluten is a protein, and when your body isn’t able to completely digest and break down the protein, you end up with forms of biologically active peptides that interact with opiate receptors in the brain. These are the same receptors associated with extremely addictive opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. Studies have found that there are as many as 15 opioid sequences in a single molecule of gluten, and the peptides in gluten can be as much as 30 times more addictive than morphine. (FEBS Lett 92;296:107–111) (FEBS Lett 93;316:17–19)

Considering its potential addictive properties, it’s understandable that gluten withdrawal may be associated with symptoms such as:
  • intense food cravings,
  • irritability,
  • depression,
  • mood swings,
  • fatigue,
  • disorientation,
  • insomnia, and
  • brain “fogginess.”

From my personal experience in utilizing gluten-free diets, the withdrawal symptoms are not that intense in most people. However, keep in mind that a more serious withdrawal is indicative of a stronger addiction to wheat, and all the more reason to stick with a gluten-free diet.

Following this initial period, if you’re like the majority of individuals (75–80 percent), you can expect to experience a long list of benefits. Just a few commonly reported improvements include:
  • fasting blood sugar levels improve,
  • LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels drop,
  • HDL cholesterol increases,
  • bowel problems disappear,
  • joint pains subside,
  • excess weight begins to fall off,
  • energy levels improve, and
  • headaches subside.
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Treating Gluten Intolerance

Friday, June 25, 2010 by David Williams
The treatment for gluten intolerance and celiac disease is quite simple and can be followed even if there’s just a strong suspicion of the disease. Generally, it involves the elimination of the offending glutens, found in wheat, rye, barley, and any products made from these grains. (Oats are often eliminated because they can be contaminated with wheat residue during processing.)

I’ll be the first to admit that eliminating all wheat products, much less trying to determine which products contain wheat, can be a staggering task. Aside from the obvious wheat-containing foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, and crackers, wheat flour is often a hidden ingredient in many processed foods, including frozen French fries, soy sauce, and rice cereal, just to name a few. However, there are dozens of books, charts, and resources to facilitate the elimination process. A good starting place for lists of gluten-free foods and other information is the Celiac Sprue Association.

There’s no downside to going on a gluten-free diet. If possible, find a doctor who is familiar with gluten intolerance and celiac disease and can help monitor your particular situation.
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Celiac Disease Symptoms in Children

Friday, December 18, 2009 by David Williams
Celiac disease symptoms are difficult to identify in children, according to a report just published in the journal Pediatrics. A recently developed test for antibodies to gluten has made diagnosis much easier, though. At one hospital in Alberta, Canada, the number of children diagnosed with celiac disease tripled during the period of 2000 to 2006, compared with the period 1990-1996.

During the earlier period, most of those identified were younger than age 2, and showed up with classic celiac disease symptoms: chronic bloating and gas, and constipation or diarrhea. During the later period, children up to age 9 were diagnosed, and less than a fifth of them had the typical celiac disease symptoms. Instead, they had either non-specific digestive symptoms, other symptoms such as anemia, or a family history of the disease.

One of the authors of the report, Dr. JD Butzner, recommended that any child be tested for celiac disease if they have digestive symptoms that don't go away on their own or respond to treatment.

The standard treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. Ten years ago, such a diet would have been a burden on both the patient and family members. Over the past few years, however,  more and more gluten-free foods have become available. Not only that, but gluten-free foods taste better than ever. (I have to say, many of the early gluten-free foods tasted like cardboard.)

Still, living in a gluten-free world does take some effort. For full details, I recommend that you read Breaking the Vicious Cycle, written by Elaine Gottschall. I've recommended her book and program for years, and have had many patients get excellent results. The book is available on Amazon, or from Ms. Gottschall's Web site, www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info.

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