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How to Cope with a Gluten Exposure




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May 12, 2015 by Andrea Fabry 15 Comments

Do you avoid gluten? Perhaps you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, or maybe you are one of the many who are sensitive to gluten. How do you cope with an unintended gluten exposure?

Are you gluten-intolerant Trying to stay on a gluten-free diet Wondering what to do when you're exposed to gluten Try this tips for minimizing the effect!

What is Gluten and Where is it Found?

Gluten is a storage protein found in the mature seed of certain cereal grasses. Gluten is Latin for “glue” because gluten acts as an adhesive material. It’s what makes dough stretchy, rollable and twistable.(See the previous post The Gluten-Free Diet – Is It Just a Fad?) Gluten is found in these grains:

  • barley
  • rye
  • bulgur
  • kamut
  • triticale

Gluten can also show up in unexpected places. Hidden or overlooked sources of gluten include:

  • Modified food starch
  • Food emulsifiers
  • Food stabilizers
  • Artificial food coloring
  • Malt extract
  • Dextrins
  • Clarifying agents in some red wines
  • Processed condiments
  • Deli meats
  • Beer
  • Soy sauce
  • Imitation crab meat

(This list is not comprehensive. Not all of the above necessarily contain gluten as some companies may derive their products from gluten-free sources.)

Before we get to the solution for an accidental gluten exposure, it’s also important to take note of gluten cross-reactivity. When the body is sensitive to gluten, it may mount a similar immune response to certain foods. These include:

  • Casein (milk protein)
  • Corn
  • Oats (including gluten-free)
  • Some brands of instant coffee
  • Millet

For more on the issue of cross-reactivity see the study “Cross-reaction between Gliadin and Different Food and Tissue Antigens”.

Strategies for Accidental Gluten Exposure

Because of cross-contamination as well as hidden gluten sources, it is possible to unintentionally consume gluten.

How to survive a gluten exposure! #grainfree

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It’s also possible to avoid gluten for a period and try it again only to have a seriously adverse reaction. According to Datis Kharrazian, author of Why Isn’t My Brain Working?, one small bite of gluten can trigger old symptoms.

I have a patient with an inner ear autoimmune disorder called Meneiere’s disease. If she accidentally ingests gluten she develops dizziness and ringing in her ear. She can literally take a bite of food with gluten and immediately develop symptoms that last for several days. Some people will notice mild abdominal bloating and brain fog. Others may have a subtle mental slowness or headaches.

Kharrazian suggests the following to reduce the intensity and duration of the immune response.

1. DPP-IV

This digestive enzyme is available in supplement form. DPP-IV (dipeptidyl peptidase IV ) assists in the breakdown of allergenic proteins such as gluten and casein. DPP-IV belongs to the exopeptidase class of proteolytic enzymes and is one of the few enzymes able to facilitate the digestion of proline-rich proteins and polypeptides.DPP IV Activity Final

Sources of DPP-IV include:

TriEnza with DPP-IV Activity

Pure Encapsulations Gluten and Dairy Digest

Klaire Labs SerenAid

2. Flavonoids 

Flavonoids are found in plants and are responsible for producing the colors needed to attack pollinating insects. They serve other functions as well, but can help dampen inflammation from a gluten exposure. Four flavonoids, in particular, can prove helpful:

  • Lycopene
  • Apigenin
  • Quercetin
  • Luteolin

Lycopene and quercetin have a direct impact on the immune activation from the gluten. Quercetin has the added effect of working against intestinal histamine secretion in response to an antigen. (Which is why I keep quercetin on hand at all times. It works great for seasonal allergies or other allergic responses.)

Apigenin has been shown to inhibit gut microflora from triggering inflammation and luteolin can inhibit LPS (Lipopolysaccharides) induced inflammation in the gut lining. All may be purchased as an individual supplement and are readily available in many plant foods:

Lycopene – tomatoes

Apigenin – parsley, thyme, and peppermint

Quercetin – capers and onions

Luteolin – thyme, peppermint, parsley, and peppers

Other suggestions for countering a gluten exposure include:

  • activated charcoal
  • rest
  • probiotics
  • lots of water
  • herbal teas

An encounter with gluten can be devastating for those who are sensitive, but dampening the gut inflammation with these suggestions can help restore your health and vitality more quickly.

Related Posts

  • The Gluten-free Diet - Is it just a Fad?
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    The Gluten-free Diet - Is it just a Fad?What's wrong with gluten? Is the gluten-free diet just a fad? Going gluten-free was one of the first things we did after our health crisis in 2007/2008. It was also one of the first things that made a positive impact on our health. (Read more of our story here.) Our…
    Tags: gluten, gluten-free

Filed Under: Foodie, Gut Health, Uncategorized Tagged With: cross reactivity, DPP-IV, enzymes, flavonoids, gluten, gluten-free, reactivity

« The Gluten-free Diet – Is it just a Fad?
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Comments

  1. Angela Burch says

    May 12, 2015 at 8:07 am

    I’ve only ever used activated charcoal upon exposure to gluten or other foods that may not agree with me.

    Thanks for the informative article!

    Reply
    • Angela Burch says

      May 12, 2015 at 8:10 am

      I take that back; I’ve used chamomile tea, fermented foods, and bone broth (I use a lot of onion and garlic in my broths) to help sooth inflammation.

      Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      May 12, 2015 at 9:05 am

      Thanks for this. I’m going to add activated charcoal to the list!

      Reply
      • Margaret says

        June 19, 2016 at 10:52 am

        I’ve found that GSE helps a lot.

        Reply
        • Andrea Fabry says

          June 19, 2016 at 7:10 pm

          Very helpful, Margaret.

          Reply
      • Debbie says

        June 19, 2016 at 6:26 pm

        I find the combination of activated charcoal and Calm magnesium supplements along with massive quantities of good water will restore me pretty quickly (12-24 hours.)

        Reply
        • Andrea Fabry says

          June 19, 2016 at 7:10 pm

          Great feedback, Debbie. Thanks.

          Reply
  2. Susanne runion says

    May 19, 2015 at 8:45 am

    It is so crazy how gluten is hidden in foods. It makes it really hard to avoid. These are amazing tips to get yourself back on track if gluten accidently sneaks into your diet.

    Reply
  3. Megan Stevens says

    May 19, 2015 at 7:20 pm

    What a great resource! Pinning in case I ever need it! Thank you.

    Reply
  4. Chloe @ How We Flourish says

    May 20, 2015 at 7:34 am

    Thank you for sharing this very important information! It is thankfully not something I have had to worry about, but this will be a great resource so people don’t just have to suffer through a reaction.

    Reply
  5. Tash says

    May 20, 2015 at 10:07 am

    This whole cross reaction thing is something I’ve been having to learn more about. It’s crazy how the body can respond to non-gluten foods like this! Thanks for sharing this, it has been very useful 🙂

    Reply
  6. Carol says

    May 21, 2015 at 6:58 am

    Thanks for this very informative article. I will share with my clients. I am attempting to share gluten alternative ideas with as many as possible.. whether already proven to be intolerant or not.. There is way TOO much gluten in everything.. Eat Real food!! and.. yes.. these ideas are so helpful.

    Reply
  7. Rachel says

    May 23, 2015 at 3:30 pm

    Great post! That activated charcoal works for me…

    Reply
  8. Maria says

    January 8, 2016 at 5:51 am

    Hi Andrea!

    This article was very important for me.
    I usually do enemas…
    And now i will add your recomendations!

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      January 8, 2016 at 8:38 am

      Glad to hear, Maria. Every little bit helps.

      Reply

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MEET ANDREA

I am a certified Building Biology Advocate, a former journalist, mother of nine, and avid CrossFitter who likes to think outside the box. After our family's health crisis in 2008, I learned to ask questions about what's in our food, our water, and our air. I hope to empower you as you seek to live safely in a complex world. Thankfully, small steps lead to big changes. Let's travel this road together, one step at a time.

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