You have most definitely seen every other person advocating the powerful effects of gluten-free food nowadays. But you may have wondered why there is such an increase in the number of people wanting to go gluten-free?
Undoubtedly, gluten causes severe damage while it has no issues for others. Do you think you are one or the other? And, how do you know if gluten affects you?
If you feel unaware of the effects of gluten, fret not. We are here to help you precisely know about the impact of gluten and how to take care of your health.
To get started on knowing whether or not gluten suits your system, let us find out about the effects of gluten.
Gluten-Intolerance in Children
Gluten intolerance is not always present since childhood. It may even come up in adults, but diagnosing the condition may be difficult. The effects of gluten intolerance are common to many other conditions, so don't always recognize them.
The effects of gluten intolerance are common to many other conditions, so don't always recognize them. However, with the right diagnosis and professional help, you can easily take control and take care of your health.
As adults, we can quickly tell what is happening with our health and body. But it is not always the case with children. Children cannot easily comprehend and express their physical ailments.
As adults, we can quickly tell what is happening with our health and body. But it is not always the case with children.
Children cannot easily comprehend and express their physical ailments.
Signs to watch for to know if your child has a gluten intolerance?
Getting a thorough medical check-up of your child will help you determine whether they are gluten intolerant.
If the tests show that they are, in fact, gluten intolerant, or worse, celiac disease, then you need to put them on a gluten-free diet. It will indeed require some changes in your diet and even your lifestyle but are very necessary for your child's wellbeing.
So, if you or your child happens to adopt a gluten-free lifestyle, it will have its effects. If you consider switching to a gluten-free lifestyle and wonder what the changes will look like, here are some tips for you.
Effects Of Gluten
Gluten harms the digestive system of those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. But for others too, it may not prove to be very suitable.
How do you know if you are gluten intolerant?
If you feel gluten may be the reason for your lousy health after a meal, here are some ways to find out. Having these below-mentioned effects may mean that you are gluten intolerant. But it is always better to confirm with your doctor. Testing for celiac disease must happen while eating a diet containing gluten.
Digestive discomfort
If you have frequently been facing many digestive problems after meals, it is probably due to gluten. You could either have a lot of acid reflux or stomach pain due to the food's gluten.
If so, monitor precisely the kind of food that causes this discomfort, and you will know better. You may even experience vomiting or nausea due to gluten.
Bloating
Every one of us has bloating at some point or the other. So, it is no surprise that bloating can be very uncomfortable and cause a lot of hindrance in daily activities. We either cannot keep working, or the bloating makes us feel super sick.
If you face bloating after almost every meal that contains gluten, then you most probably are gluten-intolerant or have celiac disease.
Pay close attention to which meals make you feel this way and avoid all food with those ingredients in the future.
Issues with Bowel Movements
Gluten intolerance can cause severe issues with passing stool. You could either have constipation or diarrhea. All this happens due to your intestines not digesting and processing the gluten correctly.
An upset stomach that you have been having forever is most likely the result of gluten affecting you.
Headaches
Headaches can be a ubiquitous factor in determining your gluten intolerance. One may suffer from headaches for several reasons.
But if your headaches are frequent and come strong only after having gluten-containing meals, it might be due to gluten intolerance. Make sure to consult your doctor if such headaches have interfered with your daily routine.
Fatigue
If even after a good night's rest and not much physical exhaustion, you still feel tired, it can have something to do with your food. With gluten intolerance, the gluten in your food may be causing you to feel exhausted.
Should these effects seem very common to what is happening to you, it is time for you to check with your doctor.
Being mindful of such symptoms will help you determine if you have a gluten-intolerance.
Effects Of Gluten On Children
Not understanding why your child is in pain or discomfort can be quite concerning. You may feel helpless and want to help your child in any way possible.
Well, the next time you notice the symptoms below in your child, you might want to rush to their pediatrician. They may have you book an appointment with a gastroenterologist to check for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
We have a list of some symptoms you may see in your child, which will help you determine whether they suffer from gluten intolerance.
Painful joints
If your child seems to be less active than other kids their age or frequently complain of physical pain. They may not always tell, but it affects their daily activities.
You may notice that your child has numb or painful joints often, you may want to check for gluten intolerance. Now joint pain and numbness are not very common in children. It also does not mean that it is a sure-shot way of determining gluten intolerance.
But if your child does suffer from this, especially after eating junk food like pizzas, pastries, pasta, and the likes, it may be the factor. Gluten in these foods can bring about such effects in gluten-intolerant children.
Mood swings
Tantrums in children can happen. But if your child has been more frequent tantrums, which may be mood swings, you have reason to worry.
Their gluten intolerant system cannot accept gluten, so they have discomfort from within. This unexpressed discomfort may convert to mood swings quite often. If your child is a teenager, you may dismiss their mood swings as just teen problems.
But there may be underlying problems like depression due to gluten intolerance also.
In such cases, it is pertinent that you get a doctor to check them and not dismiss their depression or mood swings as just regular tantrums. Getting timely help will help them profoundly.
Sudden weight loss
Kids are supposed to gain more weight and may even look stockier as they grow older. But if they eat well, and your child has unexplained weight loss, there is cause for worry.
The gluten intolerance is likely causing the intestines not to function well, and thus the food they eat is not digested. That can thus lead to their body not absorbing adequate nutrients and the child having unexplained weight loss.
Skin issues
All kids have rashes and skin issues at some point. If it is your teenager, you might brush it off as something to do with puberty or teenage hormones.
But, it may go beyond that if they are gluten intolerant. Along with rashes on the skin, your child may also have itchy knees and elbows all the time. It may get to the point that they are continually scratching them and may even wound themselves.
If you have been noticing stubborn or frequent rashes or eczema on your child's skin, get them tested soon. Though not always, there is a possibility that the reason is due to being gluten intolerant.
Concentration issues
It can be challenging to make out gluten intolerance since children are easily distracted. But if your child has been having trouble focusing to the point that they cannot concentrate, it may be gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Adults with gluten intolerance also complain of brain fog. So, with children, you will notice this as a symptom when your child cannot concentrate on anything for a reasonable time.
Their attention span seems to suffer.
Also, it is not very usual for children to have headaches. But, if your child also complains of headaches frequently and has trouble concentrating, they need to see a doctor.
Even if it is not gluten intolerance, such pains need immediate medical attention.
Effects Of A Gluten-Free Diet
If you have recently started a gluten-free diet and lifestyle, there are some changes you have already notice. And if you are planning on continuing a gluten-free diet, here are some things you will see.
Increased Appetite
If you are gluten-free, you know how eating food with gluten makes you less hungry. When you go gluten-free, your digestive system starts working well again and increases your appetite. You may find that your lost appetite is back when you start eating only gluten-free foods.
Decreased Brain Fog
When you are gluten intolerant and have been eating food with gluten, you know what brain fog feels like.
Brain fog makes it almost impossible to think clearly, and you have headaches and migraines. With a gluten-free diet and lifestyle, you notice how your brain fog fades away, and your mind is clear. You can concentrate on things again and have a light and relaxed mind.
Better Energy
No matter how much junk food you eat, it only satisfies your taste buds. It does not help your body or its health in the long run.
When you eat clean and consume only gluten-free food, you will instantly see the changes. You will work with spiked stamina and have extraordinary energy levels. With gluten-containing food, your gluten intolerance would have made it difficult for the intestines to absorb nutrients.
Although gluten-free food does not have the same nutrients as gluten-containing food, there are substitutes.
If you feel that you are not getting the adequate amount of nutrients and necessary proteins and vitamins, you must take supplements. Consult your doctor and take supplements to make up for the lost nutrition.
Final Thoughts
Finding out whether or not you or your child is gluten intolerant can be challenging. But if you notice its effects often, you need to pay close attention to it. The earlier you can diagnose the condition and treat it, the better it is for their health.
Most symptoms and effects of gluten intolerance may be similar to other conditions. That is why it is often difficult to pinpoint the exact cause.
That is why you must closely monitor the effects and when they happen after your meals. Most gluten intolerance effects show up after meals with a gluten-containing food.
Therefore, if you don't think you are gluten intolerant but still want to switch to eating a gluten-free diet, you need to consult your doctor first. As good as a gluten-free diet is, following it without a gluten intolerance may not be the best thing for your health.
That is why it is essential to seek your doctor's guidance on whether it is okay to go gluten-free. All said and done, choose the best lifestyle and diet per your body's needs, and you will see your health flourish!
She is passionate about helping others understand their body.
The key to figuring out why you feel the way you feel is to take a more significant look at what is going on inside you & even around you, and then ask questions!
She is excited to help & support you on your journey of optimal health and wellness!
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