Gluten Free & Diabetes

Hey Y'all,

If you know me you know I don't watch reality shows, but it just so happens that I ended up watching an episode of Tia & Tamera and they were attempting to bake a gluten free cake for Tia's baby boy's first birthday party.



I thought the episode was cute but more so it got me to thinking about gluten free and what it is exactly.
So you know what I did right??? that's right I went to the web in a search for INFORMATION, and here is what I found.
Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats as well as in all foods made from these grains or flours. It is associated with increased risk of osteoporosis and cancer in people with celiac diseases, headaches and a plethora of other illness.

This is good information from the American Diabetes Association

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder. When someone with celiac disease eats food containing gluten, their body reacts by damaging the small intestine. Uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal pain often occur. The damage to the small intestine also interferes with the body's ability to make use of the nutrients in food.

About 1% of the total population has celiac disease. It is more common in people with type 1 diabetes. An estimated 10% of people with type 1 also have celiac.

The only way to manage celiac disease is to completely avoid all foods that have gluten. Following a gluten-free diet will prevent permanent damage to your body and will help you feel better.

Gluten Intolerance

There are also many people who are said to have a gluten intolerance. When these people eat foods that contain gluten, they also experience uncomfortable symptoms. However, they test negative for celiac disease and actual damage to their small intestine does not occur. More research about gluten intolerance is needed, but avoiding foods with gluten should help to relieve these symptoms. 

I hear that It can be difficult to start eating gluten free but now that it's such a widespread practice, with stores like Shoprite offering gluten free products I think you can do it easily. Check out some of these recipes from All Recipes as well. Be healthy my friends!

Until next time...
MUAH!