Myth: An allergy to gluten is just a trend that society is pushing on us.
Fact: 1 out of every 100 people suffers from Celiac disease, and as many as 6 out of every 100 suffer from a non-Celiac gluten sensitivity.
People are generally skeptical that gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley and rye) actually affects the body negatively, but in reality, millions of people have problems digesting the protein. For people with Celiac disease, eating even the smallest amount of gluten can cause severe abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, and other uncomfortable symptoms caused by the gluten-induced inflammation in the small intestines.
Gluten sensitivity, or intolerance, is a real condition, not just a trend. Some people cut gluten out of their diet and find that they feel healthier, lighter, and more energetic, even if they do not have Celiac disease. For other people, eating or not eating gluten feels the same, so those people make use of anecdotal evidence to automatically jump to the conclusion that gluten-free food consumption--leading to a $6.2 billion market for gluten-free products--is only a trend, . Although that may partially be true, gluten does affect millions of people, but not everyone.
People often insult those with Celiac disease or with a gluten intolerance and call them hypochondriacs. Sometimes their line of reasoning is "everyone eats gluten, and only you have a problem with it. You must be a hypochondriac." I struggle with a moderate gluten intolerance, and I cannot express how irritating these kinds of comments are. I have learned to accept it for what it is: ignorance of the subject. Not to say these people are stupid, just uneducated about the very real effects of gluten on some people's bodies. Some people seem to think that because they can eat whatever they want, everyone else can too. These people do not understand and have never experienced the extreme discomfort and pain that comes with eating gluten when you have a sensitivity to it.
So here, I write to tell my fellow gluten sufferers not to worry with what others say about your problems with gluten. It's your body, your health, and your lifestyle. Perhaps those that make fun of us are jealous that we can maintain a healthy diet while they struggle to resist all of the GMOs and processed foods that society promotes on televisions, billboards, etc daily.
Having a sensitivity to gluten is a real condition, not just a trend. More scientific research will be released in the future, providing a more detailed explanation for why gluten affects some people but not others. In the meantime, please do not mock those with a sensitivity to it and write it off as just a trend.
For more information on how to start a gluten-free diet, click here.
