Read This Before You Get Into the Gluten-Free Ship

There’s been so much controversy about gluten that it’s become such a buzzword for the health-conscious and the diet-savvy. Gluten is found in most wheat-based products like bread but the changes in how we grow wheat and grains have been suspected to affect the way gluten reacts to our bodies. But before you hop on the bandwagon, know that there’s only one way to make sure of whether gluten is bad for you or not: Get a gluten allergy test.

It’s as simple as a blood test and will easily put an end to all the speculation you’ve had. The thing about knowing if you should go gluten-free is that the manifestations are quite subtle and can be confused for other conditions unrelated to the protein.

Here are some situations that might prompt the need for you to get that gluten allergy test.

#1 Get your digestive issues straight
If you are prone to get diarrhea and feeling bloated, you may be gluten intolerant. Though these are common issues among people, it always links back to how you may be digesting something your body can’t quite tolerate.

#2 Know the difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance
Simple digestive problems may indicate you have celiac disease. It’s when your small intestine becomes damaged because of gluten intake, making your body unable to absorb nutrients. This can lead to changes in body weight and diarrhea. The tricky part is that suffering from these don’t necessarily indicate you’ve got celiac disease. Gluten can affect you in more ways than one. Fatigue, headaches, rashes, itching, nausea, and anemia might mean you have gluten sensitivity.

#3 Observe the foods you eat
Though you may check in positive for gluten intolerance, cutting it out of your diet isn’t the only thing you should do to change your eating habits right off the bat. An unhealthy ratio of sodium, fat, fiber, and carbs could be causing your other problems. Try to observe the other kinds of food you consume and see how your body reacts to them, too. This will help in singling out what really triggers your problems other than gluten.