Understanding how gluten is digested in my body also helps me decide what to do. When food you eat is digested, it is broken down into proteins, sugars, etc. The gluten proteins then provoke a massive, inappropriate immune system response, which is different in everyone. You probably know your symptoms well.
This damages or destroys intestinal cells and leaves them unable to properly absorb nutrients. This also leaves these cells deficient in enzymes, which results in poor digestion and common problems of either diarrhea or constipation.
My symptoms of gluten contamination include migraine headache, eczema, and constipation.
And depending on when the contamination takes place, it's not too hard to cleanse my digestive system. Here are my steps.
- I opt to do a vegan fruit/veggie cleanse and eat only easy to digest, water-rich fruits and veggies. This not only hydrates my insides but it's a bunch of good fiber to build up bowel movements and it's gentle on my digestive system. No meat and no dairy since these foods are heavy and take long or are harder to digest. Good, water-rich, cleansing and mostly organic fruits and veggies include apples, watermelon, citrus, lettuce, zucchini, celery, onion, etc. Fresh fruit and kefir smoothies and veggie soups are on the menu for about a week or so.
- Almost immediately I drink 1/3 to 1/2 cup of aloe juice because it's very good for cleaning out your digestive system. Since it is so hydrating, it also helps with the constipation. Okra and nopales also have that similar hydrating, fiber-filled and nutrient rich properties.
- Have some probiotics, whether in the pill or kefir form. This helps build up your good digestive bacteria, plus the fresh fruits and veggies keep these probiotics well fed and living longer.
- Drink or eat herbs that flush your system. Ginger tea is not only keeps you hydrated but helps relieve cramps and aids digestion. Alternately you can add a few slices of ginger to your veggie soup. Garlic is also good to fight the bad bacteria that can build up inside while watercress or Nori seaweed are good for drawing toxins out of your system and all are easy to add to a veggie soup.
- Drink lots of water! Drawing out the toxins is no good if you don't regularly flush them out with water! Avoid sodas and salt since sugar as well as salt can make you bloat and retain water.
- Try to get as much rest as you can. Your body is working over-time fighting off the gluten that it perceives as a huge threat. Since your immune system is already strained, this can leave you very susceptible to common colds or the flu.
Again these steps are things that work for me and my symptoms but it's incredibly easy to tweak it to your symptoms, or change and alter as you see fit.
More info on gluten as it relates to digestion here.
1 comments:
This very helpful. Thank You!
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