| One Coach's Battle |
 Over
seven years ago, Jeremy Thiel, owner and CoFounder of CrossFit Central, found
himself consistently falling asleep directly after meals. Though he was an
athlete and very active, Jeremy was battling an intense state of lethargy. In
college he was unable to stay awake in class, his legs often felt heavy, and
after meals he would become extremely nauseous. The battle
between his body and mind disrupted his daily tasks. Jeremy would run fitness
camps in the morning, eat lunch after training, and would then fall asleep for a
couple of hours. For an active, seemingly healthy person this can be
devastating. The inability to stay focused in class, falling asleep
uncontrollably, and not having a source to understand what could be wrong with
him lead to frustration and signs of depression. Jeremy visited several doctors
over the course of a few years who could not find anything wrong with him. He
endured many tests and even CAT scans to no avail. Less than a year ago, Jeremy read an article about an athlete who is allergic to wheat. Her symptoms and struggle before the food allergy diagnosis stood out to Jeremy as the same struggle he too had experienced. Jeremy eliminated all wheat and gluten from his diet and noticed immediate positive effects. He no longer fell asleep uncontrollably, his lethargy evaporated, and he did not become sick after meals. After living many years not understanding what was wrong with his body, Jeremy was diagnosed with a food allergy. One Story: Living with an allergy to wheat  Prior to the wheat allergy diagnosis, Jeremy Thiel felt socially awkward in certain situations. "Not being able to accurately determine what is wrong with you, but knowing that your body is not functioning properly can have an overwhelming affect on a person's life." Jeremy began eliminating wheat products from his diet A active young man cutting out beer and processed foods can sometimes be unusual to others. People were apt to quickly place him in the category of health nut or over obsessed with fitness; however, the label of food allergy made his elimination of beer, wheat products, and processed foods socially acceptable. Today, Jeremy follows a Paleolithic Zone diet. This is comprised of all natural and whole foods and includes meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, no sugar, wheat, or gluten. He has more energy than ever, is able to stay focused, isn't sick without cause, and feels great! "After you are diagnosed, eliminating all wheat and gluten from your diet can alter your entire reality, this may be a challenge. But it soon becomes your lifestyle and you no longer feel like you are restricted from eating certain foods; instead, you feel healthier, have more energy, and begin seeing the immediate benefits to eating unprocessed whole foods!" said Jeremy Thiel. Signs you may be Allergic or Intolerant & The Cure It is important to note that there is a differnce between an allergy and an intolerence to wheat and gluten. The difference is that an allergy to food causes an overreaction of the immune system. This reaction can range in severity and in some cases can be life threatening, requiring an epipen. Intolerance to gwheat and/or gluten is when the gut cannot cope with the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. This is not life threatening but can cause discomfort including nausea, diarrhea, lethargy, and depression. The more severe conditions of gluten intolerance can cause Celiac Disease. This is an autoimmune disorder that will cause the immune system to damage tiny projections in the small intestine that help absorb nutrients from food. The symptoms of an allergy and intolerance to gluten and/or wheat are similar to various other conditions, making a diagnosis very difficult. It is believed that thousands of Americans live with an intolerance to wheat or gluten without knowing it. Previous studies showed that roughly 1 in 200 people have an allergy or intolerance to wheat or gluten. Recent studies, though, have shown that the number of persons intolerant to wheat and gluten have increased to 1 in 7 people. 1Sympotoms of an allergy or intolerance to wheat and/or gluten include but are not limited to: * Arthritis * Bloated stomach * Chest pains * Depression or mood swings * Diarrhoea * Eczema * Feeling dizzy or faint * Joint and muscle aches and pains * Nausea or vomiting * Palpitations * Psoriasis * Skin rashes * Sneezing * Suspected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)/similar effects * Swollen throat or tongue * Tiredness and lethargy * Unexplained cough * Unexplained runny nose * Watery or itchy eyes *Trouble sleeping2 Currently, there is no cure for an allergy or intolerance to wheat and gluten. The most effective thing a person can do is eliminate all wheat and gluten from their diet. The Affects of a Diagnosis 
Food, for many, is major part of life. We share lunch with a
friend, meet with business partners over dinner, and family gatherings
and
social functions are often centered around a 3 course meal. Wheat and
gluten make up a vast amount of food intake. It is found in a variety
of foods and beverages
including bread, chocolate, pudding, pretzels, cakes, macaroni, cereal,
pastries,
beer, and champagne - this list continues to an astonishing number of
foods. Gluten,
can also be found in a few unsuspecting places such as cold cuts, beer,
salad
dressings, yogurt drinks, and other processed foods. A person diagnosed
with an
allergy or intolerance to wheat and/or gluten are typically given a
recommendation of a wheat and gluten free diet. For some, this is a
difficult process since the joy of
sharing stories over care-free lunch is now a habit of elimination. A
person with this food allergy
may feel distressed due to our socially accepted eating habits that
these
individuals are no longer able to take part in. For example, pizza and
beer while
watching football or cake and ice cream at a birthday party. Events
such as
these have become ingrained in our society's idea of normal. To
someone diagnosed with an allergy or intolerance to wheat and gluten it
can seem as though these ideas no longer apply to them.
The reality though, for a person living wheat and gluten free is that
they are
now living a new and healthier way of life.The effect of eliminating wheat and gluten from your diet is usually immediate. Individuals previously experiencing symptoms of nausea, headaches, constantly tired, depression and the inability to sleep are alleviated of these symptoms once they eliminate wheat from their diet. For a smaller portion of this population the elimination of symptoms is a gradual process as the small intestine must heal. Know What You're Consuming Many times food, prescription medication, and herbal supplements can contain hidden wheat. Restaurants sometimes use wheat as a thickening component to various dishes. Ask the waiter for a gluten free menu or a list of the ingredients in an entree. Before taking prescriptive medicines or supplements read all of the ingredients. Be sure you know what you are putting in your body.  The Future for a
Wheat Free & Gluten Free LifeAs the number of individuals diagnosed with an allergy or intolerance to wheat and gluten increases, the awareness for these conditions are beginning to improve. More than ever before restaurants are including a gluten free menu on their websites as well as inside of the restaurant. For example, Outback Steakhouse, Carrabas, Chuys, P.F. Changs, Maudies, and Wild Wood Art Café all offer a gluten free menu. You can even find pastry shops that offer a Wheat and Gluten free Birthday Cake! Gluten Inotlerance Group offers a gluten free recipe exchange with a database of over 140 gluten free recipes. There are also many grocery stores that offer a gluten free and wheat free section such as Whole Foods, Central Market, and Kroger. Living a lifestyle that is wheat and/or gluten free can be challenging; however, if you are allergic or intolerant making this switch will increase your well being and lead to a healthier lifestyle. If you experience the symptoms listed throughout this article and would like to find out more, visit the further reading section of this article. If you would like to find out more about Jeremy Thiel and his story of Living with an allergy to Wheat contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Further Reading: 1FoodIntol: http://www.foodintol.com/ 2Wheat Free: http://www.wheat-free.org/ Gluten Intolerance Group of North America: http://www.gluten.net/ Foor Allergy Initiative http://www.foodallergyinitiative.org/ The Zone Diet *This information contained in this article is informational and educational and is not intended to replace medical advise or treatment. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|