allergy questions

Bob Z

A couple of years ago i had an allery test and found out i was allergic to gluten and i was intolerant to some other things like potatoes. When i take bread i would get tired, bloated, pains in my arms, itchiness or very occasionally come out in a rash.

1) If i am allergic to gluten am i celiac?
2) An intolerance isnt as bad as an allergy so should i stay off things i am intolerant to?
3) If i eat bread my face gets swollen up but very occasionally i would have a beer which contains gluten which doesnt seem to effect me. Is this a bad idea? Could it be effecting me in small ways?

EileenG

If there is a difference between being allergic to gluten and being celiac, it's a very small one that I haven't come across.

If you are intolerant, you can usually eat that food without dying or risking hospitalisation, but you will feel bad, so you should stay off it. The more you eat things you are intolerant to, the bigger your health problems will be.

I would stay off ALL food containing gluten. Somethings contain much smaller amounts, which may not produce an obvious reaction, but they will keep your body primed to react.

You should talk to your doctor or the practice nutritionist about planning a diet that is gluten free. One advantage is that there are a lot of experienced low carbers on this forum, and that is a way of eating that is naturally gluten free, or very close to it.

El_Dangeroso

You can be intolerant to gluten without being full-blown celiac. Only when you are creating antibodies to gluten are you celiac. What kind of allergy test did you have done?

I've read research that shows that gluten damages the gut of 83% of people to varying degrees and most of the damage is completely silent and has no obvious immediate effects, so a gluten-diet is a good hedge to ensure a healthy gut.

Bob Z

Well whats the difference between actual allergys and intolerances? doesnt everyone have intolerances?

If i start eating anything im allergic to like bread i get slight pains or red blotches but if i very occaisionally take a small slice of pizza it doesnt seem to do anything

EileenG

Allergies are where your body has a definite, measurable physical reaction to a particular substance. It can be fatal. Intolerance is harder, in that there is often no measurable reaction, but where you find a particular food hard to digest or produces an unpleasant reaction, but it doesn't threaten your life.