You might have some digestive symptoms, or maybe a bit of brain fog and fatigue. Jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon seemed like the panacea for reversing all health issues, so why not give it a try you thought. You’re four weeks into it, and other than not enjoying the foods you’re eating, nothing is different! What could have went wrong?

1) You weren’t actually eating 100% gluten-free after-all

For starters, you obviously need to avoid all gluten if you expect the diet to work. Think of it like being pregnant. You’re either pregnant or not, there is nothing partial about it. You need to be 100% gluten-free if you expect to see changes. You may realize this already, but unfortunately many times people miss the unsuspecting foods that gluten lurks in. The following often contain hidden gluten: soy sauce, soups, sauces, condiments, processed meats, oats, green drink powders, coffee substitutes, candy, and more. Be sure it’s all out of your diet instead of deeming that it didn’t work for you.

2) You’re actually sensitive to gluten-free foods

I recently had a case where a patient went gluten-free thinking it would help him. It turns out he felt worse. The gluten-free bread he was eating had corn in it and he was sensitive to corn (and he’s not sensitive to gluten). So whether or not gluten is an issue, you may not notice a difference if you’re eating other foods that are causing an immune reaction.

3) You have a “cross-reactivity” to gluten

A cross-reactivity essentially means that when you consume a particular food, your body reacts to it as if it’s gluten. And the irony is that the common cross-reactive foods are the ones people seek out most often when avoiding gluten. The following are common cross-reactive foods to gluten: rice, potato, corn, tapioca, quinoa, amaranth, hemp, sorghum, millet, buckwheat, soy, egg, milk, whey, chocolate, coffee, and yeast. As you can see, food sensitivities can be much trickier than simply eliminating one.

I hope this sheds some light on your journey to wellness.

Dr. Rob D’Aquila – NYC Chiropractor – Diplomate and Board-certified Teacher of the International College of Applied Kinesiology

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