Are You Really Gluten-Sensitive? (Part 2): 3 Questions to ask Yourself (and Your Doctor)

If someone told you that you might be gluten sensitive but a gluten-free diet hasn’t improved your symptoms, consider these 3 questions.

1.      Have you been tested for food allergies and intolerances, including wheat allergy and lactose intolerance?  
          If no, consider being tested for other food allergies and intolerances, especially if symptoms continue while on a gluten-free diet.
         If yes, continue to question 2.

2.      Have you been tested for H. pylori or other infections?
       If no, consider being tested as Helicobacter pylori infection can cause GI symptoms. Quest Diagnostics or Lab Corp can perform H. pylori breath test and stool sample tests to determine if bacteria or viruses are causing your GI symptoms.  

         If yes, continue to question 3.

3.      Have you had a colonoscopy and/or colonic biopsy?
          If no, consider them because they can reveal Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis, which can cause diarrhea. 
         If yes, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve undergone a lot of testing without positive results. Your doctor or dietitian may recommend an “elimination diet” in which you eliminate most foods and slowly add them back in to determine if any particular foods are causing you trouble. 

If you are considering trying an elimination diet, I do not recommend following a plan you found online. One sample meal plan I found online included foods that cause symptoms in sensitive people, such as almonds. Instead, work with a doctor or dietitian to find a diet that works for you.  

Questions, comments, concerns? Post a response below and I’ll get back to you.