GLUTEN/LACTOSE INTOLERANCES
A key component to regaining gut health is identifying what foods may be potential triggers of inflammation. To this end, Dr. Williams runs a Food Allergens blood test that covers a wide variety of foods, including gluten containing grains and dairy. For those who have tested negative for Celiac Disease, this information can be very useful.
It is important to understand the difference between Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity/intolerance. Celiac Disease is an auto-immune disorder where those who are genetically susceptible respond negatively to the protein gluten. This reaction to gluten triggers immune responses that damage the villi in the small intestine and can overtime lead to malabsorption. Gluten intolerance is a non-celiac sensitivity to gluten, however, it is typically accompanied by bloating, belly pain, diarrhea and /or constipation, fatigue, skin rashes, respiratory issues, and even brain fog, but it does not result in the villi damaging immune response of Celiac Disease. Gluten is often confused with wheat, but gluten and wheat are not the same thing. Gluten is made up of more than one protein(a composite protein) and it can be found in grains other than wheat such as barley, rye, and spelt just to name a few. In breads, doughs, crackers, and baked goods, gluten acts like a glue holding the flour together. However, gluten can be present and hidden in many of our foods, it can also be in our cosmetics, detergents, glue on stamps, condiments, and even toothpaste. Complicating matters further is the practice of commercial farmers using glyphosate(a weed killer) on their wheat crops. Some patients may actually be reacting to the glyphosate and not the gluten, but with the same symptoms as those above. Still, other patients may be experiencing the above symptoms because they have leaky gut and eating gluten can be a strong trigger for the body to release high levels of a protein called zonulin that can damage the tight junctions of the intestines and allow unwanted toxins, food particles, and bacteria to enter the blood stream causing widespread inflammation in the body. In patients with Hashimotos, or Graves disease, a protein in gluten called gliadin resembles the thyroid gland closely enough that the immune system mistakenly begins attacking the thyroid instead. Even an undiagnosed condition of lyme disease can also mimic some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance. Only through extensive testing can Dr. Williams determine if some or all of these factors are at the root cause of a patient’s symptoms.
Lactose intolerance is the impaired ability to digest lactose which is a naturally occurring sugar found in milk. Your body needs the enzyme lactase to digest lactose and many people simply do not produce enough of the enzyme to digest this milk sugar. As a result of not being able to digest lactose some people will experience gas, bloating, and diarrhea after consuming dairy or cheese products. Others who have never had any significant symptoms may develop lactose intolerance as they age because in some individuals lactase production slows. So if you test reactive to lactose, does this mean you can never eat dairy again? Not exactly, as stated above some people simply do not have enough lactase to digest lactose but through the use of certain probiotics or enzymes the body can begin to digest dairy effectively. However, it is important to keep in mind that some reactivity can be stemming from other conditions such as leaky gut, SIBO, IBS, and IBD. Functional Medicine will look at possible causes for any sensitivities detected. For some, these sensitivities/intolerances can be temporary because they are stemming from other unhealed gut issues. Once these imbalances have been addressed and the gut has healed, some sensitivities may be greatly reduced or eliminated and a slow re-introduction of some foods may be possible. Retesting sensitivities once the gut has healed will shed additional light on what foods may be re-introduced.