HAVE YOU BEEN GLUTENED? DON’T PANIC!

HERE IS A THREE STEP SYSTEM TO GET YOUR GUT BACK

This one is a no brainer.

If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you need to absolutely stay away from gluten (that nasty protein found in wheat, barley and rye that makes pizza dough oh-so-yummy and stretchy).

That much is obvious, right?

So what happens when someone screws up and feeds you a gluten infused bomb without your knowledge?

I recently ran into this emergency when one of my clients was given a gluten meal by mistake.

She reacts really badly to gluten rich foods so we needed emergency measures…and FAST.

External symptoms of gluten poisoning may include lethargy, diarrhoea, bloating, constipation, headache, rash, weakness, joint pain, swelling, vomiting, and fatigue (not very pretty I know, it’s Jabba the Hutt on a bad day).

Whatever the visible symptoms, the climate inside the gut will be the same in all cases – gluten is in there, a toxin destroying everything it touches.

I have seen people take several painful weeks to recover from a mistake like this.

It’s a dangerous oversight that those who are not familiar with the condition might consider a simple blunder.

However, the truth is that thinking this problem is solved with an “Oh, I’m sorry, you’ll be OK” kind of retort is not only inexcusably ignorant but an attitude that I find very demeaning to sufferers.

It doesn’t work that way.

When you figure in that this immune reaction to gluten severely damages the small intestine leading to great gastric distress and nutritional deficiencies, most people start to sober up.

Adding in that left untreated, it may lead to infertility, osteoporosis, and intestinal cancer, then you know it’s not something you can just gloss over with a wave of the hand.

The key issues here are two – removing gluten as fast as possible from the gut and doing everything you can to help the gut recover as fast as possible.

So let’s start fixing.

#1 – TAKING GLUTEN OUT OF THE SYSTEM

The first thing we need to do is to get that damn gluten out fast. This is how we do it:

1. Break It Down With Digestive Enzymes
These will speed up breakdown and absorption of macronutrients. Make sure the enzyme brand you choose has something called dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-IV), which helps break down gluten specifically.

2. Tie It Up With Binding Agents
There are two specific agents that bind toxins and help reduce bloating and gas. They are activated charcoal and bentonite clay. Make sure to drink lots of water when taking these or the mail will stop getting posted (and that’s not funny either).

3. Flush It Through With Water
If you’re vomiting and/or have diarrhoea, you will need to replace all that fluid lost. So drink up. A good volume to go for would be 3L-4L per day. Adding magnesium, potassium and zinc electrolytes helps too.

#2 – DEALING WITH INFLAMMATION

It’s essential to get gut inflammation down as fast as possible. An inflamed gut is not happy (and neither will you be).

Here are three ways to do just that.

1. Up The Fatty Acids
Mackerel, salmon, cod liver oil, walnuts, and chia seeds are all high in omega 3 fatty acids. Get those omega 3s in. You need to hit the 4g a day mark to help ease the inflammation caused by accidental gluten ingestion.

2. Get Ginger
Ginger tea helps ease stomach cramps and reduce nausea, thanks to the gingerol it contains.

3. Throw in The Turmeric
This is another member of the ginger family. It contains curcumin which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Drop it into your ginger tea for added oomph.

#3 – HEALING THE SYSTEM

Did you know about 70% of your immune system is in your gut?

So, having a healthy gut is pretty crucial to your overall health, right?

Getting glutened definitely needs maximum attention – the damage it causes goes way beyond the cosmetic (in other words, you won’t just be blowing the trumpet and avoiding enclosed spaces and company).

Here is how to get, and maintain, an optimal internal system:

1. Pass The Probiotics
Take highly concentrated, probiotics daily (50-100 billion units per day). Double that dose for more effect if you have been glutened.

2. Slathering Up The Slippery Elm
The mucus in the gut serves as a natural barrier to protect the lining and promote healing. The mucilage in slippery elm stimulates the nerves in the GI tract to produce more mucus.

3. Glutton Up On The L-Glutamine
This amino acid helps repair the gut and re-grow the lining. At least 5g a day for a week are necessary to stimulate adequate repair after gluten exposure.

4. Lick Up That Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL)
Licorice is an herb that has been used for thousands of years to heal ulcers and soothe indigestion, as well as maintain the lining of the GI tract. DGL is the version that comes with most of the glycyrrhizin in the licorice removed as it may cause issues. This is what you should look for when you buy this supplement. Go for 500mg three times a day, preferably before meals

5. Rustle Up That Marshmallow Root
This is another substance that contains mucilage, so it will help heal ulcers and treat both diarrhoea and constipation.

6. Bone Up On The Bone Broth
Yes, grandma’s recipe of bone broth contains large amounts of glycine and proline, two amino acids that reduce inflammation. The gelatin in the broth will also protect the lining of the gut.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR GUT

This 3 step system will really help reduce the misery of being glutened.

For those who go through it, it will be a lifesaver. Those days of sitting down on a toilet, strapped down with a seatbelt and wearing your crash helmet are just vastly over-rated. You owe it to your gut to keep it safe and to fix it as fast as possible when you screw up somehow.

Oh, and of course, let anyone who wants to feed you know that this is not a joke.

And if they think it’s nothing and “you’ll be OK”, just let loose in their bathroom. Works every damn time.

(Any questions? Just get in touch! We love helping people out.)