Could The Increase In Autoimmune Diseases Be Related To The Increase In Processed Foods?

It is well documented that there has been an increase in auto-immune diseases over the last three decades. Epidemiological data provides strong evidence that autoimmune diseases are definitely on the rise throughout westernized societies. Autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Crohn's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary biliary cirrhosis, myasthenia gravis, autoimmune thyroiditis, hepatitis and rheumatic disease, bullous pemphigoid, and celiac disease are examples.

The increased incidence of autoimmune diseases is a world-wide trend but is seen mainly in western countries. During this period there has also been an increase in the amount of processed foods available for sale, particularly in western countries.  Living in westernized countries has a significant influence on nutritional intake. The “Western diet” includes regular consumption of high fat, trans fatty acids, cholesterol, proteins, sugars, salt intake, as well as the regular consumption of processed and fast-foods. 

Major shifts in dietary patterns are continually occurring. In fact, some studies have shown that the contribution of ultra-processed food to total household diet has increased by about 50% over recent years, and has replaced the intake of unprocessed and minimally processed foods. Whilst because of socioeconomic conditions this is happening more in western countries, it is a world-wide process is happening in both developing as well as in developed countries.

It is thought that this increase in autoimmune diseases is caused by some sort of environmental impact rather than genetic factors. The two major environmental factors thought to play a role in the development of autoimmune diseases are infections and nutrition. When you consider the geo-epidemiological distribution of autoimmune diseases - the world-wide North–south and West–east gradients in Europe, their relationship to socioeconomic status, their rapid increase in developed countries and observations in migrant populations it is understandable that scientist believe that environmental factors are driving these recent and rapid evolutionary changes.

So is there a link between auto immune disease and processed foods? Could the use of industrial food additives explain the rising incidence of autoimmune diseases?

The intestinal epithelial barrier consists of an intercellular tight junction which controls the equilibrium between tolerance of a particular food and immunity to non-self-antigens. It is well known that tight junction dysfunction is common in many autoimmune diseases, where the body forms abnormal antibodies against self-antigens. This link is understandable when you think that only a single layer of epithelial cells separates the gut contents from the layer of immune cells in the intestinal wall which are responsible for the production of antibodies. If this single layer of protective epithelial cells is breached, it can lead to pathological exposure of the highly immune-reactive sub-epithelium, to the large number of foreign antigens found in our food.

The tight junctions in our intestine have multiple roles. They are dynamic structures that are involved in developmental, physiological and pathological processes in the gut. Via a barrier mechanism, they control the movement of fluid, macromolecules and leukocytes from the intestinal lumen to the blood stream and vice versa. They protect the epithelial cells of the intestine against colonization by microorganisms. Together with the gut-associated lymphoid tissue and the neuroendocrine network, the intestinal epithelial barrier, the tight junction also controls the equilibrium between tolerance and immunity to non-self-antigens and therefore they control the development of allergic responses and autoimmune responses to food.

It is not surprising, therefore, that if the function of the tight junction is affected, the physiological state of epithelial and/or endothelial cells is dramatically changed as well. Tight junction dysfunction seems to be a primary defect in people who have autoimmune diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, inflammatory joint disease, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile onset arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and primary biliary cirrhosis. It is thought that in addition to genetic predisposition, the loss of the protective function of mucosal barriers that interact with the gut is necessary for autoimmunity to develop.

One hypothesis put forward in an article in Science Direct suggests that commonly used industrial food additives could cause some sort of dysfunction in the tight junction which allows leakage from the gut into the bloodstream.  The article suggests that food additives such as glucose, salt, emulsifiers, organic solvents, gluten, microbial transglutaminase, and nanoparticles which are extensively and increasingly used by the food industry may improve the qualities of food, but they may also increase intestinal permeability by breaching the integrity of tight junction paracellular transfer. This increased intestinal permeability through the opened tight junction, could therefore result in the entry of foreign immunogenic antigens such as gluten and activation of the autoimmune cascade.

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So far there are seven food additives which when ingested regularly in large amounts, are known to induce or which are associated with increased intestinal permeability:

1. Sugars (eg glucose)
2. Salt
3.  Emulsifiers and Surfactants
4. Organic Solvents (eg ethanol)
5.  Microbial transglutaminase (mTG). Transglutaminase is an extracellular enzyme and is biosynthesized by several microbes which is a very useful tool for modifying the functionality of proteins in food products.
6. Gluten
7.  Nanoparticles. Due to their unique properties and surface characteristics, can protect drugs from the destructive factors in the GI tract and can increase the permeability of macromolecules through the gastrointestinal barrier. 

Many of these additives can be combined, thus potentially combining their effect on tight junction permeability.

Summary

The diet of the industrialized and urbanized parts of the world today is vastly different from what it was even two or three decades ago, with a whole new range of processed and fast food experiences, which rely of food additives to improve taste and quality. There is also a number of genetically modified crops in use which this article has not addressed. Over recent decades, a significant increase in the incidence of autoimmune diseases in western and other industrialized countries has led to the hypotheses that diet is a potential environmental risk factor for such disorders. This article in the Science Direct http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997215000245   has not definitively proven this link, evidence shows that increases in the usage of the abovementioned food additives have paralleled increased incidences and prevalence of autoimmune diseases during the last decades, as evidenced in the figure below. Where A and B (r2 = 0.9829, 0.886, respectively).

The parallel net increase % per year in various countries of: A. Food additives usage and B. AD frequencies over the last decades. Source Science Direct 

The confirmed facts are, however: 

1. Incidence of autoimmune diseases and food additive consumption is increasing.
2.  Commonly used industrial food additives enhance intestinal junction leakage.
3.  Glucose, salt, emulsifier, gluten, microbial mTG, nanoparticle increase tight junction leakage.

It is easy to conclude, therefore, that the intestinal entry of foreign antigens due to increased tight junction permeability could be caused by the increased of food additives found in processed foods. In turn this could activate the autoimmune cascade which could indeed lead you to believe that the increase in autoimmune diseases is definitely related to the increase in processed foods. However, further research on food additives exposure causing intestinal permeability leading to autoimmune diseases is required to clarify our understanding of the common mechanisms associated with the causes of autoimmune diseases.

If you have celiac disease- one of the autoimmune diseases find out how to be gluten free effortlessly

 by clicking this link

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I am concerned that there is a general lack of understanding about what it means to be gluten free.

I am concerned that there is a general lack of understanding about what it means to be gluten free.

I visited a local café recently to buy my celiac daughter a gluten free cake as a treat. It was her birthday and I wanted to spoil her. The local café promoted its gluten free products particularly its delightful home cooked gluten free cakes and biscuits.

Are they really 100% gluten free?

The cakes were temptingly displayed but the first thing I observed which made me suspicious was that the gluten free cakes were displayed on a shelf under where a particularly crumby "gluten" cake was displayed. I selected my gluten free cakes together with some "gluten" cakes for the rest of my family.

To my dismay the young lass serving first picked up the "gluten" cake with her tongs and put them into a cake box, and then used the same tongs to pick up the gluten free cakes which she put into the same box as the "gluten" cake.

Horrors of horrors. These so called gluten free cakes were consequently not gluten free at all. Perhaps they never were. Who knows what safeguards were taken to stop them from being cross contaminated with gluten during the baking process.

This young girl had no idea what she was doing. She had not been trained properly about the responsibilities of providing gluten free food. She was rather taken aback when I informed her that the cakes she was serving me were not gluten free and that I no longer required them.

And so I embarked on my journey to teach as many people as I can about what it really means to be gluten free. To teach then the consequences of getting it wrong by not providing 100% gluten free food when you say it is.

I have written 2 e-books- one for the home and one for cafes and restaurants.  I have also written some training webinars and courses. I am in the process of rolling these training programmes out and I am looking for joint venture partners who may be interested in joining me to spread the word.

Contact me at coaching.glutenfreecooking@gmail.com for further information. Or click on the above if you simply want to buy the books and learn what it really means to be 100% gluten free

Is Eating Gluten Free Just A Health Fad?

The number of people who now say they are gluten free is definitely on the rise. But are people sticking to a gluten free diet simply because it has become the latest health fad, or do they simply feel better without gluten in their diet?

Unless you are diagnosed with one of the gluten related conditions which include celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy it is not necessary to consume a gluten free diet and it may even be harmful to you.

Wheat or gluten in the diet is often blamed as the cause of a variety of unpleasant symptoms. Common complaints include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bloating and excessive wind, as well as lethargy, poor concentration and general aches and pains. Feeling better when wheat or gluten is removed from the diet does not necessarily mean the person has celiac disease or any of the related conditions. A doctor needs to be consulted to investigate all potential causes for these symptoms.

If you feel better when you do not eat gluten you may suffer from one of the gluten related diseases. It is estimated that up to 80% of people with celiac disease are not diagnosed yet. It is advisable that you see your doctor to ascertain if you have one of the diseases discussed. REFER TO THE CELIAC CHECKLIST.  It is critical for your long term health to be properly diagnosed.

Do not go on a gluten free diet until you have consulted a doctor because it may affect the results.

A recent survey from the NPD Group, a market research firm which tracks eating trends reported that 11% of U.S. households follow a gluten free diet, but only 25% of those living in a gluten free home indicate that celiac disease or gluten sensitivity is the reason for the gluten free diet.

There also seems to be a common misconception that a gluten free diet is healthier or that it promotes weight loss. In fact the reverse may be true. Gluten free products may in fact be higher in calories than their non-gluten counterparts, especially baked goods. There is also the risk of developing nutrient deficiency if you omit gluten from your diet. If you go on a gluten free diet it is essential you do so knowing all the nutritional facts associated with it.

It is true that people are abandoning bread and gluten in droves. But wheat has been one of the most important crops for centuries, and wheat has been a staple part of our diet for thousands of years. So why is it now seen as such a toxic substance and so threatening to our health?

Is it because wheat available today has been genetically engineered and developed properties unlike its ancient predecessor? As a population are we simply eating too much gluten in the form of additional additives which bakers add to bread to get the chewy texture we so love? Is it the increased use of refined flours? Or is it the move away from fermentation of bread to the commercial mechanical mixing of dough which alters the gluten structure? Or is it because it is just a passing fad?

Or is it even the gluten which is causing these symptoms in individuals who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity?

An Australian researcher into gluten sensitivity, Peter Gibson, of Melbourne's Monash University said that their study has shown that, in people with gut symptoms who have had some relief with the gluten free diet, it is not the gluten that is the culprit, but it is more likely to be FODMAPs'

The study conducted by Gibson suggested that short-chain carbohydrates called FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Disaccharides, Mono-saccharides and Polyols) might be the factor leading to the symptoms such as bloating and gut distress and not the gluten as commonly thought. According to Gibson, people mistakenly believe they are gluten sensitive, because they felt better for avoiding wheat, but in actual fact that is because wheat has a high percentage of FODMAPs and it is avoiding the FODMAPs which is making them feel better.

Why gluten has been blamed is that people do often improve with a gluten free diet because wheat, rye and barley, the three cereals that contain gluten, all have high amounts of FODMAPs in them. Unfortunately, wheat has been recognised as containing gluten and, with the media hype and film stars etc. pushing gluten-free, it is quite understandable that people think it is the gluten that was the villain. Wheat contains more than just gluten.

iF YOU DO NEED A GLUTEN FREE DIET CHECK OUT THESE TOP 10 TIPS TO FIND OUT HOW TO DO IT SUCCESSFULLY.

What is the difference between celiac disease and coeliac disease?

What is the difference between celiac disease and coeliac disease?

The answer is that there is NO difference - same disease, same symptoms but it is spelt differently depending on the country.

In America it is spelt celiac and in England and Australia it is spelt coeliac 

There are other spelling differences in medical terminology as well eg spirochete and spirochaete; diarrhea and diarrhoea; hemoglobin and haemogloblin. just be aware when reading artilcles and posts as different people will spell the terms differently

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or Gluten Intolerance

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity otherwise known as  gluten intolerance is a common disease suffered by a large proportion of the population. Unlike celiac disease, non-coeliac gluten sensitivity is not an auto immune disease and therefore it is not usually as severe as celiac disease. It is estimated about 1 in 20 people in the western world have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. But like celiac disease many of these sufferers are undiagnosed.  They notice that they feel better when they do not eat gluten but do not know why.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance occurs when you do not have any or enough of the right type of enzyme in the gut to break down gluten. In the gut digestive enzymes are produced to break down food molecules. These are specific for the type of nutrient which is ingested.

The breakdown of gluten in the gut needs enzymes known technically as DPPIV enzymes which are produced naturally by the digestive system.  If there is not enough enzyme, the digestive system cannot break down foods with gluten in them such as wheat, rye, oats and barley products. 

Consequently you have an adverse reaction to these products and this is known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance. The 7 most common symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance are:

•       Digestive issues – abdominal discomfort & bloating

•       Fatigue

•       Dizziness

•       Headaches

•       Moodiness

•       Joint swelling & pain

•       Eczema

Symptoms can be mild to severe gastrointestinal symptoms. In mild cases, the symptoms are limited to abdominal discomfort and bloating, fatigue, and headaches. In severe cases it can lead to more serious bowel problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and severe diarrhoea.

Consult a doctor for a correct diagnosis It is important to determine the cause of your symptoms and to ensure that you do not have celiac disease. See my previous blog: celiac disease checklist

People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity also need to go on a gluten free diet to control the symptoms. However there are products available commercially such as which supplement the diet to provide the missing enzymes so the person can eat gluten.

Warning   - These enzymatic products  are NOT suitable for those people with celiac disease.

Remember DO NOT start on your gluten free diet until AFTER you have consulted your doctor and a diagnosis of celiac disease has be confirmed. 

If you need to go a gluten free diet because you have celiac disease here is a free report to help you get started: "Top Ten Tips to Follow a Gluten Free Diet Successfully"

Celiac Disease Is An Autoimmune Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease which means the body’s immune system produces antibodies against gluten which attach to the gluten in the small intestine to form a gluten plus antibody complex. The body’s defense system sees this gluten/antibody complex as an “invader” and attacks it. During this attack the bowel wall is damaged.

Normally your gut has small finger like projections called villi which provide extra surface for your food to be absorbed. In celiac disease the war between the gluten and the abnormal antibodies cause the bowel to become inflamed and damaged.  The damaged villi flatten and this is what causes the physical symptoms and the malabsorption experienced by people suffering from celiac disease.

Once a gluten-free diet is initiated, the intestines will begin to heal and return to normal shape. Children can expect to be symptom free within 3-6 months, but adults may require 2-3 years for healing to occur because they have probably suffered from the damage for longer.

It is possible that long-term damage can occur to the intestinal lining if there is a lengthy delay in diagnosis, but this is rare. Certain symptoms of celiac disease cannot be reversed, such as short stature from reduced growth rates or damage to teeth.

Celiac disease does not go away. You have it for life. If you stick to a strict gluten free diet the symptoms and the long term danger goes away. If you accidentally eat gluten you will react to it because the presence of gluten in your diet will reactivate the production of the antibodies which do the damage.

If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease and  do not go a strict gluten free diet you will remain unwell and risk developing serious life threatening diseases such as intestinal cancer. It is so important to get your gluten free diet right.

The worrying thing is that up to 80% of people with celiac disease have not yet been diagnosed and this is the group of people we need to reach out to so that they can be properly diagnosed and managed on a gluten free diet.

Remember DO NOT start on your gluten free diet until AFTER you have consulted your doctor and a diagnosis of celiac disease has be confirmed. 

If you need to go a gluten free diet because you have celiac disease here is a free report to help you get started: "Top Ten Tips to Follow a Gluten Free Diet Successfully"

Cafes and Restaurants Need to be Taught HOW to Achieve 100% Gluten Free Cooking

Hi, 

My name is Mary and as a food safety expert, cafe owner and mother of a daughter with celiac disease I have grave concern about the lack of knowledge out here about what it actually means to be gluten free, I mean 100% gluten free. So I have written some e-books and webinars teaching the HOW OF GLUTEN FREE COOKING. 

One of my e-books is aimed at CAFES and RESTAURANTS because dining out is one of the most feared experiences for a celiac. They loose control of what goes into their food and the risk being "glutened" due to improperly prepared gluten free cooking.

I believe that there is a critical need for education about gluten free cooking in the hospitality industry so I have embarked on a project to try and reach as many cafes and restaurants etc. as I can. If you would like to be part of this project please email me on coaching.glutenfreecooking@gmailcom and I will set up an affiliate link for you to share in the sales revenue.

I am excited about this project and spreading the word about how to achieve 100% gluten free cooking and would appreciate feedback

Thanks and regards 

Mary Laloli
Educator

GET YOUR COPY TODAY

Celiac Disease is Linked to Diabetes Mellitus Type 1

If you have diabetes it is a good idea to be checked for celiac disease and vice versa. It you have celiac disease it is a good idea to be checked for diabetes. This is because the link between celiac disease and  diabetes mellitus type 1 is well known.

About 3.5 to 10 percent of individuals with celiac disease develop type 1 diabetes and vice versa. Diabetes is usually diagnosed first because the symptoms are more easily recognised and can be picked up with a general blood or urine test for sugar.

Celiac disease and type 1 diabetes are genetically based disorders sharing similar genes (DQ2 and DQ8). That is why they both often occur in a susceptible individual. Both diseases are activated by environmental triggers and have increased risk for other associated autoimmune diseases.

The symptoms for each mimic other diseases and therefore diagnosis can be quite confusing. If you suffer from any of the related symptoms it is critical to consult a doctor for a proper diagnoses. Refer to my blog " Celiac disease checklist"

Neither diseases are curable but both can be managed successfully allowing the person a full and normal life. Self-management is recommended as a best practice in the treatment of both diseases. Insulin injections with dietary management and blood sugar testing for diabetes; adhering to a strict gluten free diet for celiac disease.

Remember DO NOT start on your gluten free diet until AFTER you have consulted your doctor and a diagnosis of celiac disease has be confirmed. 

If you need to go a gluten free diet because you have celiac disease here is a free report to help you get started: "Top Ten Tips to Follow a Gluten Free Diet Successfully"