Tag: fodmap

• The Gluten Lie: And Other Myths About What We Eat – A Review

  Alan Levinovitz is an assistant professor of Religious Studies at James Madison University, Virginia.

  His book, The Gluten Lie: And Other Myths About What We Eat, “takes on bestselling physicians and dietitians, exposing the myths behind how we come to believe which foods are good and which are bad—and pointing the way to a truly healthful life, free from the anxiety of what we eat.”

  Whilst the book was fascinating in describing how easily it is for society to be deluded about food issues, the book adds several misconceptions of its own.

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  16 February 2018

• The Nature of Food Allergies

  Food allergies have become a major concern with parents, health practitioners and school administrators. However, the estimates of prevalence of allergies varies widely.

  A commonly accepted definition is an “adverse immune response that occurs reproducibly on exposure to a given food and is distinct from other adverse responses to food, such as food intolerance, pharmacologic reactions, and toxin-mediated reactions.”

  However, most people are not going to make such a fine distinction between food allergy and food intolerance. Non-celiac gluten-sensitivity (NCGS) does not cause an IgE response so with this definition it not classed as a food allergy.

  Dairy, in particular, cow’s milk and gluten, wheat and grains are commonly avoided as a result of concerns about food allergies.

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  15 December 2017

• What is the Problem with Wheat and Gluten?

  Gluten-free foods is a huge industry. It is estimated that approximately 2% of the US population, that has not been diagnosed with celiac disease, is consuming a gluten-free diet.

  The CSIRO reports that, “as many as 1 in 10 Australian adults, or approximately 1.8 million people, were currently avoiding or limiting their consumption of wheat-based products. Women were more likely to be avoiding wheat than men. The survey also revealed that over half (53%) of those who were avoiding wheat were also avoiding dairy-based foods.”

  There is an increasing awareness of the importance of gut flora and its role in health.

  People who embark on gluten-free diets frequently have significantly impaired health outcomes due to changes in gut bacteria.

  At one clinic in Rome, only 30% of people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were sensitive to gluten.

  At another clinic, in Maryland USA, only 6% of those suffering from IBS were affected by gluten.

  It is apparent that digestive problems are much more complicated than they first appear.

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  2 December 2017