Gluten sensitivity is a broad term which includes all kinds of sensitivity to Gluten. A very small proportion of Gluten intolerant people will test positive for Celiac Disease, and so are called Celiacs (less than 0.5% of the population).

But most Gluten sensitive people return negative or inconclusive results upon Celiac testing. The correct term for these people is Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive (NCGS) and may be as many as ~15% of all people or 1 in 7.

The most accurate and effective way to identify NCGS is to do an Elimination Diet or our easy version the the Detection Diet Journal - free to subscribers.

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Celiac Disease (CD) was the first type of Gluten sensitivity ever recognised. A special test was designed in the 1940s to observe whether the small intestine was damaged. it is called a biopsy and uses a tiny section of intestinal tissue.

Although Celiac testing is still used in many clinics as a first test for Gluten sensitivity, it only picks up the small percentage of Gluten-sensitive people who are Celiac.

It misses the NCGS patients. Consequently this latter group is poorly diagnosed and misses out on discovering the simple and drug-free cure of a Gluten-free Diet for a dramatic recovery.

If you think you might be gluten intolerant - you could try a Gluten-Free diet and see if you get better. Gluten-free guides in the Shop

Gluten is a highly complex protein that occurs in four main grains: Wheat, rye, barley and oats.

Gluten is present in all types of Wheat grain like whole grain wheat, wheat bran, spelt, triticale and others.

This means Gluten is also present in all baked foods that are made from these grains: bread, pies, cake, breakfast cereals, porridge, cookies, pizza and pasta. There are thousands of processed foods which contain Gluten.

Gluten is one of the most complex proteins consumed by man. It is a very large molecule relative to other food molecules and for that reason is difficult for the human digestive system to break down. Problems begin when it reaches the small intestine. In sensitive individuals Gluten actually tears holes in the lining of the gut, creating Leaky Gut Syndrome.

This allows foreign particles (and whatever else is in the gut, including bacteria) into the bloodstream. Of course that sets the body's immune system on 'high alert' - resulting in your symptoms.

Could you be gluten intolerant? Use our free elimination diet Journal to find out.

Around 0.5% of the world's population is Coeliac. This means ~1 in 200 people.

However new evidence shows Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) is around 30 times more prevalent. Up to 15% of people or 1 in 7 are Gluten Sensitive and suffer the same symptoms. These are people who test negative or inconclusive for Coeliac Disease. The most accurate and clinically effective way to identify NCGS is the Elimination Diet – or Journal Method..

All Gluten sensitive people improve dramatically on a Gluten-Free diet.

Diagnosis of Gluten sensitivity in elderly patients is disproportionately high - because it is misdiagnosed and under-diagnosed by doctors.

The symptoms of both Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) and Coeliac Disease (CD) become worse with age if left undiagnosed.

Could you have gluten sensitivity? Compare your symptoms in the Symptoms Matrix

The symptoms for Gluten sensitivity are varied and usually have a delayed onset - up to 2 or 3 days later.

This is why they are traditionally difficult for doctors to diagnose. They can be:

• Gastro-intestinal: stomach bloating & pain, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation etc.
• Neurological: headache, memory loss, behavioural difficulties, depression
• Immune: poor resistance to infection, mouth ulcers
• Inflammatory disease: arthritis, colitis, thyroiditis etc.
• Skin rashes, eczema, psoriasis, itching flaky skin
• General: food cravings, tiredness, chronic fatigue, unwell feeling
• Infertility, miscarriage or difficulty conceiving

For a more comprehensive list of symptoms, see the Symptoms Matrix.

Because the symptoms overlap with many other ailments, Gluten sensitivity can be missed or misdiagnosed.

Doctors readily acknowledge that Gluten sensitivity is poorly diagnosed.

All Gluten sensitivity is easily and accurately identified by an Elimination Diet (Journal Method).

However many people turn to blood tests as a first resort, expecting it will be quicker and more accurate. Unfortunately most testing for Gluten sensitivity is not reliable. Most of these tests are looking for markers of Celiac disease (blood tests and intestinal biopsy).

The prevalence of Celiac Disease is just a tiny fraction of Gluten sensitivity. Celiac Disease (CD) was the first type of Gluten sensitivity for which a diagnostic testing procedure was devised - way back in the 1940s. Although that same type of Celiac testing is still used in many clinics as a first test for Gluten sensitivity, it only picks up the small percentage of Gluten-sensitive people who are Celiac.

This old-fashioned test misses the Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive patients. Therefore this latter group is poorly diagnosed and never gets to take advantage of the brilliant and free-of-drugs remedy - the Gluten-Free diet. Once on the right diet these people would begin getting well within days.

If you think you might have gluten sensitivity - you could try a gluten-free diet and see if you get better. Gluten-free guides in the Shop

Gluten sensitivity - both NCGS and Coeliac Disease is 'in the family', or genetically inherited. Indicators are European or Anglo-Celtic ancestry.

If you are Gluten intolerant, then up to 10% of the immediate family will also be affected, even if they don't yet have any symptoms.

Could this be you? Find out with the Symptoms Matrix

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Some Gluten sensitivity is identified in children. But for others, it is not until much later in life that Gluten sensitivity is actually suspected. Frequently itis triggered by some 'life event' - like divorce, a death in the family, job loss or serious illness.

One indicator can be persistently low iron levels or anaemia.

No drugs or therapies are needed to treat Gluten sensitivity. The best treatment is to exclude Gluten from the diet for life.

This means a Gluten-free diet - avoid all foods, drinks, supplements and pharmaceuticals which contain Gluten. Fortunately thousands of new and delicious Gluten-free foods become available with every passing month.

To eat Gluten-free with confidence - you have to read all food labels and understand the traps and pitfalls. Gluten-free guides in the Shop.

We don’t view Gluten sensitivity as a ‘disease’. So you don't need a cure, just a different diet. Gluten sensitivity is genetic – it’s just the way some people are. Like having blue eyes or freckles.

For your freckles you stay out of the sun. For your Gluten sensitivity, you avoid Gluten.

After just a few weeks on a gluten-free diet symptoms diminish or disappear completely. Many Gluten sensitive people report feeling better than they have for years - once on the right diet.