Among the most common food allergies are wheat and gluten. But exactly what is a food allergy? Is it the same as food intolerance? Allergies occur when the body mistakes an ingredient in food as harmful, so it prepares to defend itself against the attacker (the food).

Allergy symptoms develop when the body's immune system releases antibodies to battle the "harmful" food. Food intolerance is the response of the digestive system to an irritating food, rather than a response of the immune system.

The digestive system can't properly digest or breakdown the food, creating an intolerance. Wheat allergy symptoms can include skin rashes or hives, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, itchy skin, eczema, joint and muscle aches and pains, shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling of the airways, and anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of wheat intolerance may include stomach pain, nausea, cramps, bloating, gas, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, headaches, irritability, and an unexplained runny nose or itchy eyes.

Symptoms of gluten allergy include upper repository tract problems, fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome, mouth ulcers, anemia, osteoporosis, weight loss, short stature in children, diarrhea, constipation, bloating and other digestive tract problems, depression, Autism and attention problems, skin problems, and irritability.

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Symptoms of gluten intolerance include weight loss or weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea, aching joints, depression, eczema, headaches, fatigue, irritability and behavioral changes, cramps, tingling and numbness, and slow infant and child growth.

Other than severity of symptoms, the differences between allergies and intolerances are that an allergy can be triggered even when a tiny amount of the offending food is eaten. On the other hand, food intolerance is related to the amount of food consumed. A small amount may not cause any disturbance, but eating a large portion, or eating the food frequently may produce symptoms.

What about Celiac Disease? Celiac disease is similar to gluten intolerance, but the outcome is more severe. With celiac disease, the inner lining of the small intestine has an allergic reaction to the gluten that is present in wheat and other grains such as rye.

This reaction causes the small intestine to become inflamed and reduces absorption of the nutrients that pass through the small intestine from food. One of the main symptoms of Celiac Disease is gastrointestinal problems that include bloating, gas, cramps, diarrhea and fatty stools.

Eventual signs of malnourishment will appear as a result of nutrients not being properly absorbed by the small intestine. Some people with Celiac Disease can tolerate small amounts of gluten, but others will experience severe symptoms within just a few minutes of eating an offending food.

Treatment for wheat and gluten allergy or intolerance and Celiac Disease all involve removing wheat and gluten from your diet. Avoidance of wheat, rye, barley and oats is necessary. Foods that contain these ingredients must also be avoided. Avoid processed foods and beer, and be careful with vitamins and supplements that contain gluten as well.

You might also want to take a look at The Essential Gluten Free Guide for more information about living with a Gluten and/or Wheat allergy or intolerance

Some people suffer from allergies and intolerances to wheat and/or gluten. These allergies and intolerances can cause symptoms that are fairly mild to life threatening. But what is the difference between wheat and gluten?

It seems that sometimes the words are used almost interchangeably in ingredient lists and conversations about what ails us, but there is, in fact, a difference!

Wheat is a grain. We all know that. Gluten is the sticky protein that is found in wheat and other grains such as barley, rye, malt, and - to some extent - oats. Wheat and gluten are related - they come together in a package.

Gluten is what binds the dough in breads and baked goods. So if wheat and gluten are not the same thing, but are so closely related, is it possible to have an allergy or intolerance to one and not the other?

Well, if you're allergic to gluten, you need to stay away from wheat, since wheat contains gluten. And if you're allergic to wheat, since gluten is part of wheat's make up, then you probably need to avoid gluten as well. But if you're allergic only to wheat, you can still enjoy other grains that have gluten in them.

What are signs and symptoms of a wheat or gluten allergy or intolerance? Allergic reactions to wheat and/or gluten can include the following: digestive disturbances such as vomiting, diarrhea, gas, constipation and bloating, chest pain, nausea, hives, eczema, swelling and even anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of wheat and/or gluten intolerance can be: digestive disturbances similar to wheat/gluten allergy, fatigue, irritability, skin irritations, vomiting, heartburn and headaches.

Allergy symptoms will usually come on very quickly after ingestion of even a small amount of wheat or gluten. The symptoms of intolerance may not show up at all, or be delayed.

Sometimes people with intolerances can have small amounts of wheat or gluten with no problem, only having issues when they eat large amounts of the problem ingredient. Gluten intolerance or allergy has also been tied to autism and other behavioral disorders.

Research is currently being conducted, but placing autistic children on a gluten-free diet has shown positive results. Along with autism, gluten allergies seem to cause other symptoms that wheat allergies don't. They include osteoporosis, weight gain or loss, slow growth in infants and children, and depression.

If you suspect you have a wheat or gluten allergy or intolerance, you should consult with your doctor and a dietician for testing and to find out the best ways to handle your disorder.

While there's no way to cure an allergy or intolerance for wheat, gluten or any other type of food, you can control the symptoms by avoiding foods and ingredients that cause your discomfort.

This is the area that I have found most challenging in terms of coping with my wheat and gluten allergy. Slowly working out just how many of our foods have hidden ingredients!

Navigating the maze of foods containing gluten and wheat can be daunting if you're intolerant or allergic to these substances. For some, eating a bit of wheat or gluten will produce mild symptoms that are inconvenient at worst.

For others, ingesting such foods can be life

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threatening. How can you be certain that the foods you're eating are free from wheat and gluten? First, read ingredient labels when shopping. Never make assumptions.

There are many food items on the market that contain wheat or wheat gluten, but you'd never guess it from looking at them. Also, when reading labels, know what to look for. There are lots of ingredients listed that don't have the words "wheat" or "gluten" in them.

The following is a list and brief description of ingredients to avoid:

Hydrolyzed Plant Protein or Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HPP or HVP) - These are not acceptable because it doesn't identify what the plant source is. Under new laws, the plant source must be identified, as in Hydrolyzed Corn Protein.

Modified Food Starch - There's no requirement for identifying the plant source, but if wheat is being used, by law it needs to be labeled as Modified Wheat Starch.

Natural and/or Artificial Flavorings - Sometimes hydrolyzed protein may be used for flavoring, and sometimes barley, malt or rye derivatives are used for flavoring. It's best to contact the manufacturer to find out if they're adding any type of barley malt/syrup or extract to their flavoring, and what type, if any, of hydrolyzed protein is being used.

Starches - Often used as binding agents and thickeners in seasonings, in the US, starch refers to corn. If other starches are being used, they must be identified.

Dextrin - Also used as a thickener, dextrin can be made of corn, rice, tapioca, wheat or potato. If wheat is used, it should be identified as Wheat Dextrin

Individual spices - Individual spices won't contain gluten, but a mixture might carry wheat starch as a binding agent. It will be noted on the label.

Previously, some ingredients were viewed as suspect, but are now considered to be gluten-free. They are:

Maltodextrin
Glucose Syrup
Carmel Coloring
Citric Acid
Distilled Vinegars (Malt Vinegars are NOT gluten free)

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When dining out, make sure you ask plenty of questions. You can call ahead and ask for information regarding wheat and gluten free menu items, or if you'll be eating at a well-known chain restaurant, you can check out their website for wheat and gluten free menu details.

Many fine restaurants (and even fast-food restaurants) make a point of providing this information to their customers. When you're out - and in need of a snack - make sure you have gluten and wheat-free snack bars available, which can be purchased online and at health food stores.

When you've been invited to a friend's for dinner, mention beforehand that you must eat wheat and gluten free diet. They will appreciate the heads up, but may need to be educated about what that entails.

Whenever you're plagued by something like Celiac Disease, where you're gluten intolerant, it makes it hard to travel far from home. Special dietary needs have to follow you everywhere, and the only way to go and enjoy yourself is to plan ahead.

You can still go on vacation and enjoy great meals and snacks without worrying about what you're eating or dangerous cross-contamination. All you have to do is prepare yourself for travel so that you can enjoy your vacation and eat well at the same time.

First, arm yourself with a list of restaurant chains in the area that you'll be visiting so that you know which ones offer gluten-free options. You can go online (before you leave for vacation) and search "gluten free restaurant chains."

Then check out specific locations and information on

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their gluten-free offerings since menus can vary from franchise to franchise. Many popular chains offer lots of great dishes that are gluten-free. Some grocery chains post wheat and gluten-free food lists. You'll want to check out what supermarket chains are in the area you'll be in, so that you can know where to shop when you need a few supplies for snacking or making your own meal if you won't be dining out.

Another great idea is to bring along a supply of gluten-free food bars to use as an emergency. These are a lifesaver when you're at the airport, or stuck somewhere without a proper snack. Plus, there are several varieties and flavors to choose from.

Two of the most well known brands for gluten free snacks are Bumble Bars and Lara Bars. They can be purchased online or at some retailers. Ener-G Foods produces a great line of single serving gluten-free cereal packages and packets of gluten free bread (2 slices per pack).

Armed with your list of restaurants that offer great gluten-free items, your supermarket list, snack bars, cereal and bread packets, you'll be more than ready to take a vacation and never have to give a moment's thought worrying about what you're ingesting.

Instead, you can sit back and enjoy yourself, bask in the sun, or ski down a powdery hill and be secure in the knowledge that you have the eating part of the vacation handled and won't have to worry about your nutrition.

Approximately 1 in 250 children will be diagnosed with autism, and the frequency of diagnosis is growing by about 10 percent each year. With this disorder growing at epidemic speeds, doctors and parents alike are searching for new ways to combat and prevent autism.

While the causes of this disease are vague and outcomes of conventional treatments are also uncertain, many are turning to a gluten/casein free diet as an answer to autism. In her book, Louder Than Words, actress Jenny McCarthy talks about her son Evan, his diagnosis with autism and her search for answers.

Jenny has employed a gluten free diet (accompanied by medication, therapy and supplements) to help Evan overcome autism with amazingly positive results. Once communicating with only one word at a time, Evan is now fully conversational. He holds eye contact and enjoys life as a normal little boy.

How is it that a gluten/casein free diet can help children with autism? No one knows for sure, but one school of thought is that gluten (a protein found in wheat and some other grains) and casein (a protein found in dairy) act in a way that's similar to morphine on some children.

Children with autism often have permeable intestinal tracts, or "leaky guts." The weak membranes in the intestine allow these broken-down peptides from digested gluten and casein (which act like morphine) to basically get loose in the bloodstream.

It either makes them lose control, or become zombie-like. How can a person know if the gluten/casein free diet will help their autistic loved-one? Research is still inconclusive about how this works - or even if it works.

But there's no reason not to try it and see if it helps. Because there are good food substitutes for the food that would become off-limits, there isn't a risk of malnourishment by eliminating gluten and casein.

It is recommended, however, that no child under the age of 5 go on a cold turkey gluten and casein-free diet, because it could cause withdrawal and worsening of the symptoms of autism.

It would be better to slowly wean the child off of the newly blacklisted foods and introduce replacement foods over time. Begin by eliminating one source at a time, and give the new diet at least six months for results.

A person suffering autism can also be examined for "leaky gut" first, but again, because a gluten-free or casein-free diet is not inherently unhealthy, it's fine to try it and note any positive changes.

Many parents who have incorporated a gluten/casein-free diet into their autistic child's healthcare plan are swearing by the positive results they're seeing. Children are communicating better, interacting more and functioning at a higher level.

The medical community is looking closely at this alternative treatment option for autism and many doctors are adding it to their treatment plans for autistic patients. But it's not a guarantee for everyone.