How Do I Know If I'm Gluten Free?

There are a lot of reasons people go gluten free. Some are allergic, some intolerant, some have celiac, and some do it simply for the health benefits. It can be hard to pinpoint a gluten allergy because it comes with a wide variety of symptoms. 


For instance:

• upper repository tract problems (sustains, glue ear)
• fatigue
• mouth ulcers
• anaemia
• iron-deficiency anaemia
• osteoporosis
• weight loss
• short stature in children
• diarrhea
• constipation
• abdominal bloating
• crohn's disease
• diverticulitis
• depression
• attention and behavioral problems (in children and adults)
• autism
• skin problems
• keratosis pilaris
• asthma
• irritability
• wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxes

For me, my stomach was constantly uncomfortable, upset, and very sensitive to the touch. I was always bloated, gassy, and often had diarrhea and headaches. I was becoming increasingly apathetic and had no desire to go socialize with my friends. In short, life sucked for a few months there. I started writing down everything that I ate as well as all of my symptoms. My mom is gluten free so I had it on my radar and eventually could see a clear correlation between eating gluten and a lot of my pain.

It can be hard to figure out, but I would advise writing down what you eat and all of your symptoms. Even if you don't end up being gluten free, it could still help you to figure things out!