There Are Now More Than 200 Conditions And Symptoms Linked With Gluten Sensitivity

In my previous posts, I discussed some of the signs and symptoms of gluten intolerance specific to women, but a lot of those symptoms are not exclusive to gluten sensitivity and are not supposed to be used as a benchmark for any diagnosis. But I would always recommend that you go to a specialist and be tested if you suspect that you are gluten intolerant before you attempt to start a gluten-free diet.

There's a lot of confusion and inconsistency around the topic of gluten sensitivity and we can blame it all on the lack of adequate research regarding this condition. It can be frustrating to hear a doctor say one thing then hear another doctor say a different thing or some new information that the first doctor doesn't seem to be aware of.

Add to that confusion a few stories of women diagnosed with celiac disease who said they did not improve after many months of maintaining a gluten-free diet. It turns out there are non-gluten substances in some of the foods that we eat that our autoimmune system can mistake for gluten, and only when their doctor realized this did the patients showed some improvement.

In short, gluten sensitivity is a tricky medical condition, and it’s because we’re still in this stage where there’s a lot that we don’t understand.

But what we do know for sure is that this is a relatively new condition caused by the rampant hybridization and genetic modification of grains that's been going on since the 1940's or so. It brought forth high-yield, drought/heat/cold-resistant varieties of wheat and other grains that contributed immensely to our capacity to produce food, but at the same time gave us the unintended consequence of having to deal with issues such as gluten sensitivity.

There are more than 200 medical conditions that have been linked so far with gluten sensitivity. Celiac disease is only one of those conditions, but it is the most prominent because it has the clearest cause-and-effect relationship with gluten.

Many of these conditions are a result of our auto-immune system's response to a type of gluten called gliadin. Gliadin, being the inflammatory protein that it is, can cause inflammation of the gut or the small intestines in gluten-sensitive people. Digestive issues directly result from it, and when the protein leaks through because of the inflammation, that's when our auto-immune system reacts. It then confuses some of the proteins found in other parts of our body (such as the thyroid gland) for gliadin, triggering the autoimmune diseases associated with gluten sensitivity. 

To better understand gluten sensitivity testing, I recommend you watch the video below, which is made by a specialist named Dr. Amy Myers, who has plenty of experience dealing with gluten-intolerant patients.

Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance in Women

The symptoms of gluten intolerance in women are quite different from those that are observed in men. It is important to take note of these differences, though in most other respects the symptoms between the sexes are the same. Gluten intolerance is brought about by intestinal sensitivities to the substance called gluten, which is found in cereals such as oat, barley and wheat. If you are experiencing some of its symptoms, it is crucial to observe yourself and see if the discomforts you are experiencing are similar to these.

Among the symptoms of gluten intolerance in women, one of the most noticeable is that which is mistaken to be a symptom of pregnancy -- missing periods. This is not that prevalent, however, because the main system being affected by the intolerance is the digestive system. For reasons yet unclear, the reproductive system is also affected at times, so that many women mistake their experience as being a sign that they are pregnant.

To some women, there's even that extreme case in which they're having fertility problems as a result of their gluten sensitivity. Thus it is a serious issue that should never be taken for granted. There is no doubt that the reproductive organs are being affected, which is why it is important to differentiate the symptoms between men and women.

It also seems that in women with such an intolerance, depression is one of the unwanted effects of gluten intake. This is unfortunate because we all eat cereals at home yet only a few people know about gluten intolerance, so some women only have the faintest idea that what they are undergoing is actually caused by what they eat. This is unless they have been observing the discomforts for a long period of time to be able to associate them with their food intake.

In a sense, the symptoms of gluten intolerance in women can be likened to allergies. They arise suddenly without warning, and you have to be able to become aware, first and foremost, of this "allergy" (intolerance), before you're able to see a pattern. So to help you with this, I've listed the other gluten symptoms that affect women:

• Dermatitis or skin-swelling on the buttocks, elbows, knees, and head.
• Rheumatic arthritis
• Miscarriages or difficulty to become pregnant
• Diarrhea
• Asthma
• Depression and other behavioral changes
• Mouth sores
• Pain in the joints and in bones
• Malnutrition

The symptoms of gluten intolerance in women are often brought about by the unusual retention of fluids, which is the opposite of dehydration. One of the more noticeable effects of this is feet and ankles that are swollen. It is essential if you are experiencing both problems, that you contact your doctor right away so you can be advised on what to do. However, the best thing to do is to have a gluten free diet right away, because on average, it takes 6 to 10 years for someone with celiac disease to really get diagnosed. You can find information about such diets on the web.

Another Gluten Intolerance Symptom in Women: Swollen Joints

One of the more evident symptoms of gluten intolerance in women is swelling on certain joints of the body. More prone are the knees and elbows. Again the main cause of this is excess the water retaining in the body when a person eats certain cereals that contain enough gluten to irritate the system.

That part of the grains that contain gluten is easily recognized. They are the sticky substance found in such cereals as barley, wheat and oats. If you will notice when these grains are processed or cooked they have the ability to cohere to its elements. That sticky part that binds your morning cereal meals and your bread actually contains gluten.

This substance is a protein. It irritates the body such that it produces adverse reactions, and as we are talking about the swelling of the joints of the body such as the knees and elbows. In many respects this illness can be associated with allergy, though it's not medically recognized as such. Instead, gluten intolerance, otherwise known as gluten sensitivity, is said to cause allergies of the body. Thus, it is not by itself a medical condition that you we can call an allergy.

One of the differences between the symptoms of gluten intolerance and allergy is that the effect of the former is certainly more drastic. It especially affects the women population. Gluten intolerance can even cause  miscarriages in pregnant women.

Have you ever experienced eating raw or half-cooked egg, especially the white part? In many people it causes irritation. That can be compared with gluten intolerance. The albumen, or the white of the egg, is a protein just like gluten, so you can see which type of food substance causes these effects in the body.

Alongside swollen knees and elbows, swelling of the head and buttocks may also be experienced by a person suffering from the symptoms of gluten intolerance, especially women. So when you see these signs coming up, be wary and always observe adverse reactions in your body.

Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance in Women:
Swollen Feet and Ankles

This symptom is one of the most telling of all symptoms of gluten intolerance in women. For sure it is among the most noticeable, since it manifests outwardly. By this I mean that you can see and observe it right away. It's not internal and it's not like one of the severe symptoms that can only be observed in due time, such as miscarriage and difficulty in conceiving a child.

This symptom is also helpful to observe because it combines two parts of your body that are distinct from other parts. With this I mean that once you notice that your feet and ankles are swollen (and not your feet and nose or your ankle and you ear) you can be alarmed. It's the combination of the swelling of the feet and the ankles that will tell you that indeed, there's a problem.

As symptoms of gluten intolerance in women, the swelling of the ankles and feet are very important signs that you are suffering from gluten intolerance. Although I made the nose and ears as examples of body parts which are not being necessarily affected by this illness, other body parts may be swollen as well because of gluten intake.

For instance, your face may swell along with your ankles and feet. Sometimes it's only the feet that is swollen. Nevertheless, if both your ankles and feet are swollen, that by itself is a strong indication that something is wrong and if you can at once stop eating gluten rich foods, do it. It's advisable for you not to eat those foods until you see your doctor and until he advises that you can eat them without being stricken with these symptoms.

The swelling of the hands may also accompany the swelling of the ankles and feet. All these swellings are caused by the fact that one of the effects of gluten intolerance is the abnormal retaining of water in the body. That excess of hydration causes the swelling. Other symptoms of gluten intolerance in women are also related to this.

Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance in Women:
Swollen Feet and Ankles

This symptom is one of the most telling of all symptoms of gluten intolerance in women. For sure it is among the most noticeable, since it manifests outwardly. By this I mean that you can see and observe it right away. It's not internal and it's not like one of the severe symptoms that can only be observed in due time, such as miscarriage and difficulty in conceiving a child.

This symptom is also helpful to observe because it combines two parts of your body that are distinct from other parts. With this I mean that once you notice that your feet and ankles are swollen (and not your feet and nose or your ankle and you ear) you can be alarmed. It's the combination of the swelling of the feet and the ankles that will tell you that indeed, there's a problem.

As symptoms of gluten intolerance in women, the swelling of the ankles and feet are very important signs that you are suffering from gluten intolerance. Although I made the nose and ears as examples of body parts which are not being necessarily affected by this illness, other body parts may be swollen as well because of gluten intake.

For instance, your face may swell along with your ankles and feet. Sometimes it's only the feet that is swollen. Nevertheless, if both your ankles and feet are swollen, that by itself is a strong indication that something is wrong and if you can at once stop eating gluten rich foods, do it. It's advisable for you not to eat those foods until you see your doctor and until he advises that you can eat them without being stricken with these symptoms.

The swelling of the hands may also accompany the swelling of the ankles and feet. All these swellings are caused by the fact that one of the effects of gluten intolerance is the abnormal retaining of water in the body. That excess of hydration causes the swelling. Other symptoms of gluten intolerance in women are also related to this.