Why a Gluten-free diet?

"I'd like to see more on the connection (or lack of) between wheat/gluten and RA. I've read the theories on why gluten and casein (dairy) can influence RA and it makes sense. I'm still completely new to all this." -- Callie.  Thank you for asking this Callie, I too have wondered this same question.  I don't really know much about gluten free diets at all, but I see so many chicks discussing that they are on it and it's been so great for them.  First, let's take a look at what "gluten free" actually means.

A gluten-free diet is a diet completely free of gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, malts and triticale. Gluten is also used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often hidden under "maltodextrine", "dextrine", and "dextrose". A gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease, the related condition dermatitis herpetiformis, and wheat allergy. Additionally, a gluten-free diet may exclude oats, however medical practitioners are divided on whether oats are an allergen to celiac disease sufferers or if they are cross-contaminated in milling facilities by other allergens.

Alright, so what foods are gluten-free? Which foods can I and can I not eat? Grains are used in the processing of many ingredients, so it will be necessary to seek out hidden gluten.  The following terms found in food labels may mean that there is gluten in the product.

• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), unless made from soy or corn
• Flour or Cereal products, unless made with pure rice flour, corn flour, potato flour or soy flour
• Vegetable Protein, unless made from soy or corn
• Malt or Malt Flavoring, unless derived from corn
• Modified Starch or Modified Food Starch, unless arrowroot, corn, potato, tapioca, waxy maize or maize is used
• Vegetable Gum, unless made from carob bean, locust bean, cellulose, guar, gum arabic, gum aracia, gum tragacanth, xantham or vegetable starch
• Soy Sauce or Soy Sauce Solids, unless you know they do not contain wheat

Foods that are gluten-free include: fresh meat, cheese, milk, fresh herbs, fruit, eggs, corn tacos, Jell-O, Wine Vinegar, jam, honey, almonds, popcorn and more.  You can see a whole list of foods that are safe for gluten-free diets at the gluten-free chef.  You can read more: HERE

There is now ample information in the medical literature to indicate that a prebiotic rich diet leads to demonstrable health benefits.  These include:

• Increased calcium absorption
• Stronger bones and bone density
• Enhanced immunity
• Reduced allergies and asthma in infants and children
• A lower blood triglyceride level
• Appetite and weight control
• Lower cancer factors in the gut
• Other benefits, including an increased sense of well being

So, how and why is gluten-free good for those of us with RA? There have been some reports that gluten-free can help lower inflammation, and help reduce further damage on the joints.  According to John Hopkins Medicine "Following a gluten-free vegan diet appears to be an effective way of reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke in people with rheumatoid arthritis".  A study was done to determine how this works.  The study took patients with RA and spilt them into two groups, one that went gluten-free and no meant, the other was a control group.  The patients stuck with the diet for a year, and afterwards the results showed that they had lost an average of 9lbs, reduced their BMI, lowered their cholesterol, and had a higher level of a certain antibody that helps protect the the buildup of plaque in the arteries.  You can read the entire study HERE   I also found this great blog that has more info on gluten-free and RA, and some yummy recipes that are gluten-free.  You can read more about it HERE

It seems that overtime, gluten-free can be beneficial to those with RA.  It's mostly used to treat Celiac disease, and it was found that 26% of those with RA, also have Celiac disease.  One study claimed that if Celiac is in your family, or your have RA, you could go gluten-free to prevent that from happening.  I'm still debating on whether or not to go gluten-free.  I know it has worked very well for many people, so it could be a great consideration.  If you are considering starting ANY diet, always talk with your doctor about it first, some diets could interfere with medications or health problems.