Gluten Awareness

Gluten Awareness

Gluten is a protein, not good for health. Those, who have no or less physical activity in their daily life, gluten presence in their food is not good for them. If you have months and years of stomach mal-functioning, stomach ache, Constipation, Diahorrea, Bloating while eating food, Vomiting, Brain fog, Fatigue, Head ache and Achy legs – your body is not digesting gluten properly. More of, if you have Cramps, Rashes, Itchy Blisters – your body is gluten sensitive and allergic to gluten. Children are also highly affected from Celiac Diseases (gluten related diseases).

Gluten is a major part of wheat, we eat daily in shape of bread, baked items, pizza dough etc. It is also found in some other grains like rye etc.

Question: Human is eating wheat since centuries and millenniums, from where this gluten thing came in 20^th century till today?

Answer: Life was hard. It was full of exercise and physical activities till 19^th century and till half of 20^th century. Everything eaten used to be digested in the body. Our lifestyle changed and our bodies developed digestion problems. Medical researchers had to figure out the problem and it is found, in-digestion of ‘gluten presence’ in our food.

How to confirm, you have Gluten Problem?

If you have symptoms mentioned above and they are of long period of time, there are chances, your body is sensitive towards gluten. May be, your physician does not ask you but you need to insist about gluten test recommendation from your physician. This is a blood test, it may be named as test for gluten, test for celiac diseases in different labs. You will be asked to eat gluten rich food for 1-2 days before going for this test. Labs and Hospitals in Pakistan which have facility for this test, are:

-          Agha Khan Hospital Lab

-          Chughtai Lab

-          Islamabad Diagnostic Center

-          Excel Lab

-          Almost all recognized labs of the country have facility for this blood test.

Test fee ranges from Rs. 4,000 to 6,000(more of less).

Treatment after you are diagnosed for Gluten Intolerance:

It is said, there is no medicine for this intolerance, only the food. Physicians may recommend some medicines also, looking at body condition but till today, food and food supplements are the only cure. Gluten Free Diet needs to be started which is not any different diet or very expensive diet…it is a natural diet without Wheat and Wheat extracted products. Some grains are gluten free by nature but using them in daily life like wheat, is little difficult. These grains include Rice flour, Corn flour, Oats meal, Sorghum Flour, Buckwheat etc. Gluten is a sticky substance in wheat and it helps in making dough, in sticking flour. Gluten free flours are difficult to use as there is no sticky substance in them. Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Unprocessed meat – these will be recommended by your physician.

Gluten Free flours and food available in Pakistan:

There are some companies in Pakistan which are producing Gluten Free food items including flours, cereals, baked items. These companies manufacture them using set proportions and they are ready to use, user friendly. There is a list of food manufacturing companies, who make such products. Some are:

-          Bob’s Red Mill

-          Schar

-          The Grains Master

-          Global

-          Eco

-          Syed Diet Flour

-          Daali

-          Many others

Where, they are available in city:

They are easily available in big cities, on city’s big grocery chains. In Pakistan, you can find them at:

-          Esa Jee’s (Islamabad, Lahore)

-          Naheed Store (Karachi)

-          Shaheen Grocers (Islamabad / Rawalpindi)

-          Carrefour (All over Pakistan)

-          D – Watson (Islamabad)

-          Metro Cash n Carry

-          Imtiaz Super Store

-          Green Valley

-          Al Fateh

-          Almost at every city’s big store

They are easily available online on Daraz.pk and many other grocery online webs and apps.

As Gluten is a sensitive problem, while selecting gluten free products – one must be careful and must take some points in mind while selecting products.

-          Freshness of the product. All natural grinded products have expiry. They absorb moisturizer from the atmosphere.

-          Nutrition facts printed on product. Do they match with the benefits of the product as it is claimed?

-          Manufacturing Company’s reputation. From where, it is being operated? Where is its production and storage facility? Is company registered? Does it fulfill the SOPs of concerned food authority?

-          Is your physician / doctor satisfied with the product when you show him/her?

You are going to treat Gluten Problem with food. While purchasing manufactured food product, it must be trustworthy.

Gluten Problem is curable and by avoiding gluten, by eating gluten free diet – one can easily overcome this Intolerance.

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