You have been trying so hard for so long to stay on the journey toward improved health. But, why are you still experiencing some “knocking and pinging” as Reverend Malkmus would say.
Could it be that the “healthy” food you are eating is causing inflammation and distress in your body? How can that be? You are eating the majority of your food in its living form. When you do eat cooked food it is healthy like stir-fry, whole grain pizzas, whole grain pastas, and even whole grain cereals. It just doesn’t make any sense!
Experts estimate that as many as 10 percent of people in our country have a poorly understood condition known as non-celiac gluten intolerance (NCGI), or gluten sensitivity. This can be as many as 1 in 10 Americans who have some form of gluten intolerance. It's even being diagnosed in people as old as 70 who have eaten gluten safely all their lives.
Why are we so sensitive to this "staff of life," the staple of our diet?
There are many reasons:
- Our lack of genetic adaptation to grasses, and particularly gluten, in our diet.
Wheat was introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages, and 30 percent of people of European descent carry the gene for celiac disease HLA, which increases susceptibility to health problems from eating gluten.
- American strains of wheat have significantly higher gluten content (needed to make giant bagels and even that tasty multi-grain bread) than those traditionally found in Europe or in grains from previous generations.
This super-gluten (hybridized/genetically modified) was recently introduced into our agricultural food supply and now has "infected" nearly all wheat strains in America.
Other reasons there is increased gluten intolerance include:
- Immune stimulation from many other sources in our modern society
- Other digestive issues
- More wheat products are consumed daily than in previous generations
Daniel Leffler, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston says, "There is a tight definition of celiac disease, but gluten intolerance has been a moving target."
"Gluten is fairly indigestable in all people," Leffler says. "There's probably some kind of gluten intolerance in all of us." Leffler estimates, for instance, that half of the approximately 60 million people in the U.S. who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are probably sensitive to gluten.
There are over 250 documented symptoms of gluten sensitivity and their manifestation varies greatly from person to person. Here are just a couple of examples of symptoms that you may never have expected to have a connection with gluten:
Asthma
Depression, Anxiety and Irritability
Hair Loss (Alopecia)
Sleep Apnea
Thyroid issues
With the on-going discussions about gluten intolerance in the general population it is refreshing to note that none,
not even one of Hallelujah Acres’ products have gluten in them. Not even Barleymax, which by the name, would suggest it.
Barleymax is harvested at a young tender age when it is merely grass and has no berry, which is where the gluten would be housed.
All of Hallelujah Acres’ products are certified gluten free—even the snack bars!
Quality is still our number one goal. When we say we have the highest quality products that means the ingredients are the best available and there are no dangerous additives, fillers, preservatives or sweeteners.
Whether or not gluten is an issue for you, Hallelujah Acres is always there to support your healthy choices with the highest standard quality supplements, juice powders and living food bars that you will find anywhere.
