By Gini Warner
I learned about the ill effects of gluten through my own experience. As I child, I was often sick and was misdiagnosed by doctor after doctor. It wasn’t until my early 30s that I discovered the culprit was gluten all along. I put myself on a gluten-free diet. After only a week, my symptoms began to disappear and my energy level skyrocketed.
According to the University of Chicago, one out of every 133 adults in the U.S. has celiac disease. Celiac disease is a severe form of gluten intolerance. Non-celiac gluten intolerance affects many others as well. Dr. Alessio Sasano, director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, says that non-celiac gluten intolerance potentially affects far more people than celiac disease. He estimates that 6-7 % of the U.S. population may be gluten intolerant, meaning that nearly 20 million people in the U.S. may have this condition. Other experts in the field feel that the percentage could be far higher – up to 50% of population.
As an experienced clinical nutritionist, I have worked with people who have had a wide variety of health issues. My specialties include the gluten-free diet and weight loss. I have worked with so many clients with symptoms that were not resolved by traditional medicine. They come to me desperate for help. I have seen significant health improvements in these clients after only one week on the gluten-free diet and continued changes for the better as they embrace a gluten-free lifestyle.
Gluten-free living has changed my life and has helped countless others. People suffering from a wide range of diseases – from autism to osteoporosis, from diabetes to rheumatoid arthritis – can often benefit from this change in diet. Even people with no health issues have a great deal to gain by giving up gluten.
The gluten-free diet can help with weight management; it can elevate your energy levels, improve your attention and speed up your digestion.
Whatever your motivation is for going gluten free – whether you have celiac disease, gluten intolerance or a desire to live a healthier, stronger life, my book, The Gluten-Free Edge, will help you achieve your goal. It’s an easy-to-read guide to living without gluten that includes 200 gluten-free recipes. This book will also help you with social situations and teach you the key to reading food labels. You will learn how to look for gluten-free products both at restaurants and in your supermarket.
For more information visit www.healthbygini.com.
Local resident Gini Warner received her master’s degree from New York University in health education and nutritional science.
