9 Common Signs of Being Gluten-Intolerant

‘Gluten-free’ has become a very familiar term these days, and can be found lingering on restaurant menus, processed food labels, and on the lips of anyone even remotely health savvy.

So what’s the big deal about gluten?

In the past 20 years or so, we’ve discovered that there is a huge percentage of the population that is intolerant to gluten. Not to be confused with the inability to process this protein (Celiac disease is a diagnosed condition, in which the proteins in wheat and barley can create major damage to the body), an intolerance is much more common, and basically means your body is better off without. (It might not kill you, but your body would be a happier one if it didn’t have to try and process it regularly.)

So, what are some signs and symptoms of a gluten intolerance? 

-You experience chronic digestive issues, especially after eating something that contains it.
-You commonly feel dizzy or have trouble keeping your balance.
-Your skin displays signs of Keratosis Pilaris—tiny red bumps that appear on the backs of your arms and other places.
-You feel very tired and foggy after eating something that contains gluten (think Turkey hangover, but with gluten).
-You have unexplained infertility and/or display signs of hormone imbalances, such as intense PMS or adrenal fatigue.
-You get chronic migraine headaches.
-You’ve been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.
-Your mood swings are intense, and frequent.
-You have chronic joint pain and inflammation, fibromyalgia, and/or arthritis.

And this list of 9 is not exhaustive. In fact, more than 50 diseases and disorders have been linked to gluten. If you think you may be intolerant or might have Celiac disease, we strongly suggest you visit your family doctor or a naturopath.