No food is a more powerful trigger of neurological issues and autoimmunity than gluten, the
protein found in wheat. The average American eats wheat at every meal and we’re seeing
dramatic increases in gluten sensitivity today.
The term gluten comes from the Latin word for “glue” and it’s the glue-like quality that gives
wheat products an elastic, chewy texture. Gluten is found in wheat, spelt, barley, rye, kamut,
triticale, and malts. Oats are often contaminated with gluten because they are grown in rotation
with wheat or processed in the same facilities as wheat.
We define gluten sensitivity as an exaggerated immune response to gluten that leads to
inflammation throughout the body and potentially to an autoimmune reaction, in which the
immune system attacks and destroys body or brain tissue.
Celiac disease is a severe reaction to gluten that causes autoimmune destruction of the
gastrointestinal tract. I will distinguish between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease further, but
they are both an abnormal immune response to gluten.
A 2009 study published in Gastroenterology identified a sharp rise in gluten sensitivity in the
United States. Researchers compared blood samples collected between 1948 and 1954 of 9,000
healthy young adults to 13,000 gender-matched subjects in 2009. Their investigation found the
prevalence of celiac disease increased dramatically during the previous 50 years, from 1 in 700
to 1 in 100. Also, this study only evaluated celiac disease and not the less severe but more
common form of an immune reaction to gluten, gluten sensitivity. If researchers had looked for
gluten sensitivity as well, I have no doubt the numbers would have been even more dramatic.
If you feel like your brain is not working, you must rule out a sensitivity to gluten. Also, the word
gluten is technically a misnomer, as the word gliadin more specifically describes the portion of
wheat that triggers an immune reaction. But since gluten is most commonly used, I will use both
terms in this guide.
To learn more, download my free guide Gluten and the Brain.