Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley.  Oats are commonly associated with gluten due to cross-contamination.

Many people in my family have found that they are gluten-intolerant.  While my son’s symptoms were inflammation of the intestinal tract, my mom exhibited symptoms of bone inflammation.  She resorted to steroid injections until she changed her diet.  She hasn’t had bone pain since removing gluten from her diet.

To make things more interesting, my symptoms manifested as chronic fatigue and brain fog.  My life revolved around eating and napping.  Gluten causes neurological damage in my body, which affected my mood, mental clarity, and energy level.  Removing gluten from my diet changed me completely.

Anyone that has been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease should be tested for gluten-intolerance.

Common disorders related to gluten-intolerance:

Skin disorders: Dermatitis Herpetiformis, Psoriasis, Eczema, Acne, Acne Rosea, chronic hives

Neurological disorders:  ADD/ADHD, Autism, Ataxia, severe headaches

Auto-immune diseases:  Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Osteopenia, Osteoporosis, Osteomalacia, Arthritis, Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, Fibromyalgia

Digestive disorders:  Celiac Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Acid Reflux, Ulcers

Other commonly associated disorders:  Anemia, “Failure to Thrive”

It’s estimated that 1 in 100 people are now diagnosed with gluten-intolerance.  Intuitively, I believe that number is closer to 1 in 7.