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 I believe the problem with gluten/starch sensitivity is that it’s not just a ‘food’ or digestion problem as is usually thought, but an auto-immune disease that will continue to have serious and maybe life-threatening consequences if not treated. Everything from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Coeliac Disease, bowel cancer, Endometriosis, Asthma, Upper Respiratory Infections, Diabetes, Graves Disease, Glue Ear,  hormone and menstrual problems such as heavy or irregular periods, fibroids or issues of pregnancy like Toxaemia, Arthritis, bone deformity, Ankylosing Spondylitis, excema, Psoriasis, migraines,  depression, anxiety and addictions, as well as a tendency towards alcoholism and other substance abuse 'disorders' (grain based 'fix'), and recently psychiatric disorders, to name a few, have been linked to gluten sensitivity. Many 'non-specific illnesses' (those that don't seem to have a 'cause' but are debilitating none-the-less) such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are being linked to gluten sensitivity and improve on a gluten-free diet. The general western medical thinking is that unless there is a diagnosis of Coeliac Disease in the gut then gluten is not a problem. However there is growing scientific awareness that gluten can lead to damage in many other parts of the body not previously linked to the effects of gluten. There is even some debate that gluten sensitivity may be a trigger for all the auto-immune diseases - it just depends where an individual has a particular area of weakness where that auto-immune response is going to 'show up'.  Along with holistic health workers there are several medical specialists around the world that have been working with these ideas for many years to assist their patients in the healing process and many individuals have achieved complete remission of their auto-immune disease.

Because a large part of the immune system is within the gut, gluten sensitivity will also severely impair all immune function such as the ability to fight a cold. Those individuals with gluten sensitivity will not be able to get 'just a cold' and be better in a week. They will always end up with a secondary infection in the respiratory system and often require anti-biotics to clear this up. It has been known since the late 19th century that auto-immune disease also has an infectious bacterial trigger like Streptococcus or Mycoplasma. Basically, it now appears that because the body is compromised due to gluten sensitivity a bacterial 'trigger' is able to get inside the cells of a particular part of the body where there is an inherent weakness. The immune system then begins to attack that part of the body to try to kill off the bacteria, thereby forming what is commonly called an 'Auto-immune Disease'. Health issues this complex require managing on several levels; removing the offending food out of the diet so the immune system is able to get back to full strength, anti-biotic or alternative treatments to fight the bacteria, as well as medication and/or alternative treatments to work with any symptoms that may be occurring. Treatment must be tailored to the individual and remission will usually take at least eighteen months - two years although improving health is usually achieved within a couple of months.

 Food sensitivity is hereditary and is linked to a particular gene but shows up in different people in different ways. It is common for several members within a family to be challenged with different health issues that they may not realise are all linked to gluten. The really nasty aspects of gluten/starch sensitivity are the links to all the Auto-immune Diseases but also include bowel/colon issues and the attached digestion problems of low mineral absorption leading to nutritional deficiencies or even malnutrition, growth problems etc. It is usually necessary to implement a long term regime of mineral and vitamin supplementation to combat many years of subtle or serious deficiency.  If the issues are caused or triggered by gluten/starch sensitivity then while there is gluten/starch going into the system the body will continue to degenerate and the only treatments available under the standard medical system are to treat the symptoms with strong pain relief, steroids, and eventually  removal of damaged parts. However the good news is that if gluten/starch is the cause and it is removed from the diet the body degeneration will often halt and recover – maybe fully, depending on the damage already done.
 
Unfortunately, if food sensitivity reactions are auto-immune in origin you won’t get 90% improvement when you get 90% of the offender out of the diet. You need to get 100% out if possible, or the body still registers the ‘invader’ and attacks. Food ‘sensitivities’ don’t register very easily in medical testing (until it reaches the level of an ‘allergy’ when you will begin to have serious instant reactions like rashes or even anaphylactic shock) so it is a case of ‘going alternative’ and using more subtle methods like kinesiology for muscle testing or iridology etc. A diet free of gluten may be the answer but all starch can actually be an issue for some people. It must be noted that once an individual sensitive to gluten has been 'gluten-free' for any length of time, their reaction to the reintroduction of gluten-containing products can be severe. A gluten-free diet needs to be well researched, carefully considered and well planned. For those people with the gene for gluten sensitivity a life-long commitment  to a gluten-free diet seems to be the only answer at this point. If these are concerns for you I urge you to take control of your health and healing; take support from any area you can find it whether that be the standard medical system or alternative holistic healers, learn everything you can and find out how you can best work to Heal Your Life.

   
There are basically four layers of sensitivity:
 
1.     Wheat intolerance. Aided by removing all wheat products from the diet.

2.     Gluten intolerance. Aided by removing all gluten-containing products from the diet. Wheat, oats, barley, rye, and some other grains also. This is the commonest level of sensitivity. Most gluten-sensitive people can tolerate rice and corn/maize and some tolerate the ‘ancient’ grains like spelt. Buckwheat is not wheat but a member of the rhubarb family and is usually okay too. The easiest way to trial this diet is to eat meat, vegetables and fruit and ‘gluten-free’ products. Most gluten-free products contain rice or potato flour and be aware that some people that are 'gluten sensitive' may also be sensitive to potatoes &/or tomatoes and other starches.

3.     Mild starch intolerance. Above plus rice and legumes eg; soy, chickpeas, lentils etc.

4.     Starch intolerance. Gluten is a form of starch. Starch is also found in ‘fluffy’ foods. Eg corn, rice, potatoes, pumpkin, kumara, and to a lesser degree in many other fruit and  vegetables such as zucchini, apples and bananas.
 
If you have serious health problems that warrant serious action or want to get to the bottom of the nutrition issues I recommend finding a naturopath or therapist of some kind to support you in your transition.

I would suggest a starch-free diet of level 4 for two weeks to two months or so, (depending on the severity of health symptoms - the more items you remove the quicker you will identify the actual causes)  then gradually re-introduce the starch foods from level 4, moving up the list slowly and seeing how you feel. Moderate to high protein intake is necessary so make sure you are having protein with most meals. It is going to be very difficult to be vegetarian and gluten-free. Some 'fat' or oil is required in the diet. If you think about it, 'oil' is what lubricates the joints and keeps everything functioning and moving freely so make sure you are eating 'healthy' fats and oils regularly. And don’t OD on sugar! Sugar is basically a poison to the body and most people react to it at some level. Once you are on a regular 'diet' that suits your body you will probably find you can tolerate small amounts with minimal or no effects. Some sweets and plain/nut chocolate do not contain gluten – thank God!! I believe artificial sweeteners are poisons to the body - and suggest you do not use. Some people will also be ‘lactose’ sensitive which means they’ll have to get milk products out of the diet also, however many people find when they are completely free of gluten they can actually tolerate the lactose products. Natural yoghurt containing acidophilus is very helpful for most people. (Check the labels for starch or thickenings, anything that is 'Low Fat' will probably contain wheat or gluten based thickeners to hold it together.)
 
To eliminate all the gluten grains the easiest way to eat during the trial period is:
 
Breakfast: a piece of bacon and an egg,  scrambled eggs, omelette or smoothie with protein. Natural yoghurt sweetened with honey on fresh chopped fruit. Healthy fats/oils are necessary in a balanced diet.
Lunch: Salad with protein, eg; cold meat, eggs, tuna. Or soup, last nights dinner.
Dinner: Meat, chicken or fish and vegetables without potato, kumara and pumpkin. Try a ‘fry-up’ (with little 'fat'), roast or casserole using mustard, or wines for flavourings. The casserole will be runny but can  taste great. Later you will be able to thicken with maize corn flour.
Snacks: dried fruit, almonds without the skins, fruit, some ‘dips’ for vege sticks, pate, yoghurt if it’s ok for you.

Basically a 'hunter-gatherer' diet, without the starchy vegetables, just in case, for the first couple of weeks.
 
You will probably not be able to buy anything pre-produced in a can as it is usually thickened with starch in some form or other. 
 
Yes, it’s difficult until you get into the swing of things, and can be boring while you are on the trial diet but there are lots of recipes out there and many people find it quite simple when you get used to it.  Carol Sinclair's book is very helpful. You may like to web-search on Carol Sinclair – “The IBS Low-Starch Diet” www.lowstarchdiet.net  or the site of New Zealand GP and food allergy expert Dr Rodney Ford, www.rodneyford.co.nz  . For more technical information, Dr Alan Ebringer, Professor of Immunology at Kings Hospital, London, has written several papers on the link between starches and auto-immune disease. There is a lot of information out there now so just google gluten and your issue and see what comes up.


Further gluten-free info:     www.glutenfreeliving.co.nz/