Gluten is a complex protein contained in common cereal such as wheat, spelled, rye, barley, kamut, oats.
It is estimated that around 1% of the population is celiac and research shows that the data is constantly increasing. The celiac disease is considered an autoimmune disease that can manifest from birth when one ingests gluten. The presence of it in the organism triggers a sort of defense mechanism.
People sensitive to this protein complex exhibit the following most common symptoms such as stomach pain, fatigue, weakness, diarrhea, bone and joint pain. Its intolerance can even trigger disorders in organs such as the brain (anxiety and depression), the respiratory system (asthma), skin (eczema, psoriasis) or heart (heart problems). Many people don’t even know they are gluten intolerant because it is difficult for doctors to diagnose it.
The question that arises spontaneously is why celiac disease is so widespread in this historical period. Riccardo Lautizi, explains that the spread of gluten intolerance is linked to the change in our eating habits and life, to the fact that foods are no longer what they used to be. In fact, bread and cereals are not the same as those that were eaten about fifty years ago.
In his book Roberto Lautizi shows us the following hidden truths about gluten and celiac disease:
– Life too sedentary : a lifestyle that involves little exercise does not allow the body to be oxygenated and purified. It means that the chances of generating any kind of disorder linked to the past increases;
– Wheat is genetically modified : the grain that is commonly used today is genetically modified. It has more chromosomes than those present in the types used in the past. Genetically modified wheat has therefore more gluten;
– Fewer chromosomes equate to less gluten : genetically modified wheat with more chromosomes, is enriched with more gluten. Genetic modification has also brought about changes in the structure of a substance called gliadin. It is responsible for the inflammatory effects and the malabsorption of gluten by our body;
– The use of chemical fertilizers increases the gluten content : the use of sulfur and nitrogen used to fertilize wheat crops changes the content of protein in wheat;
– Gluten is added to flour for baking : it is a phenomenon little known even to the bakers themselves. The flour used today by bakers must make it possible to obtain an easily workable mixture and a bread developed in a short time. To meet these market needs, dry flours are added to commercially available flours. The more gluten there is, the more bread is produced;
– The intestinal walls are weaker than in the past : the number of people who have an intestinal barrier weakened by the micro-toxins present especially in the foreign durum wheat increases. In it was found a high level of humidity and a greater exposure to ultraviolet rays. These micro-toxins, in particular detoxinivaleonol (DON) predispose our intestines to gluten intolerance;
– Glyphosate causes symptoms of celiac disease : another factor that generates celiac disease but is not linked to the presence of gluten in the cultivation of wheat and cereals, is the presence of glyphosate. It is a herbicide widely used in agriculture and causes a lot of intestinal damage. It is able to mimic celiac disease by inhibiting nutrient absorption.