Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley that can cause health issues for some people. It can lead to celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and gluten allergy. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body mounts an immune response to gluten, damaging the small intestine. Symptoms include malnutrition, fatigue, pain, and weight loss. A gluten-free diet is necessary to manage these conditions and allow proper nutrient absorption. The document provides several gluten-free recipes as alternatives, such as frittatas, potato pancakes, and nut/seed mixes.

1. How Gluten Affect Your Body
Gluten:
Gluten is a protein found in many food products that are made
with wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten prohibits the absorption of
vitamins and minerals into the body bringing about steady harm
to the wall intestines. Gluten intolerance is major agent for gluten
sensitivity, celiac disease and gluten allergy. Bread, pasta, cereal,
salad dressing, some can soups, and beer all contain gluten.
Diseases caused by gluten
i) Celiac disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which a person can't tolerate gluten, a protein in
wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten intolerance is also known as celiac disease, but celiac disease is an
extreme form of wheat allergy. Celiac disease is a genetic disorder that affects your digestive
system and damages your small intestines especially the villi or micro-villi. It is caused by a
reaction to gliadin, one of the main proteins in gluten. Celiac disease is much more serious
because malabsorption of vital nutrients occurs with every exposure to gluten. It is really a
malabsorption disease that also known by other names for example celiac sprue and gluten
enteropathy. Celiac disease is also called coeliac, non-tropical sprue, celiac sprue, gluten
sensitive enteropathy or intolerant enteropathy.
ii) Inflammation refers to as the natural mechanisms that respond to the immune system to
injury. You can notice when in action or at any time you get an injury or
splinter the immediate area gets almost tender and red as well. These
proteins in wheat are irritated in the gut: they are more like that splinter
digging deep into your gut lining, causing the severe inflammatory
response.
The well-known case is an inflammation brought about by gluten in
individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.
Inflammation in the stomach contributes to a complication known as intestinal permeability or
“leaky gut”. However, the gut has a delicate structure of “border control” that allows digested
food into the bloodstream while keeping substances out. Day in day out, a person can consume
thousands of random indigestible molecules, viruses, bacteria, dust particles, and other stuff that
are not supposed to enter into your bloodstream.
Gut inflammation can also mess up that structure of border control. Therefore loosening the
junctions between the cells in the wall of the so unintended material can pass through.
Gluten accelerates the release of a protein known zonulin. The zonulin autonomously cause the
loosening of these junctions between cells structure in the gut. These intestinal permeability has
become a severe problem because it a major cause of autoimmune

2. Gluten free diet and gluten free recipes
Gluten intolerance can manifest as anemia since the broken small
intestine cannot correctly absorb vitamin B12 and iron. it can lower
absorption of nutrients, including magnesium and can also give way
to hormone imbalance. It can also result in sudden and unhealthy
weight loss or weight gain of the individual. Symptoms that adults
usually have range from depression, fatigue and exhaustion, pain,
nutrient deficiency, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, osteoporosis, infertility and even weight loss.
This leads to inflammation and de-allocation of energy reserves. Abnormal immune function,
this causes, headaches and migraine, muscle and joint pain, Brain Fog (Celiac disease), skin
problems eczema, acne and dermatitis.
When you go gluten free, eat more vegetables, fruit and meat.
Vitamins B and D are the vitamins that are most lacked in a gluten
free diet so these items are very important. Eating a Gluten free diet
will take pre-planning and learning how to modify meals that you
already enjoy only with gluten free recipes. You will enjoy foods
made from corn, beans, rice, potatoes and special grains and seeds.
Quinoa, buckwheat and millet are excellent choices. There are many great resources to find
gluten free products online.
Gluten sensitivity or better defined a digestive problem with any food containing gluten and is
really a broad term including a myriad of sensitivity to gluten and is a general term describing
conditions characterized by sensitivity to gluten. Gluten intolerance is never out-grown and
people who are gluten intolerant must avoid gluten throughout their life-time. At first it may take
time to get used to a fully gluten free diet but with a little practice you will enjoy the gluten free
life and feeling better.
Some gluten free recipes are:
Tomato Spinach Frittata
6 eggs
2 tbsp milk (optional)
½ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 cup spinach, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Grease a muffin tin with oil or cooking spray.
In a large measuring cup, whisk eggs, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Fill each muffin cup with chopped spinach, tomatoes and goat
cheese.
Pour egg mixture into each muffin cup.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are completely set.
This recipe makes 6 frittatas. You could double it to make a dozen.

3. Potato Pancakes
1 sweet potato, peeled and grated
2 yellow potatoes, peeled and grated
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
sour cream and chives for garnish
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Grease a muffin tin with oil or cooking spray.
Using a kitchen towel or cheesecloth, drain the excess water from the potatoes.
In a large bowl, mix potatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and
pepper.
Press potato mixture into each muffin cup created a small reservoir in the centre.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until they reached your desired crispness.
Top with sour cream and chives.
This recipe makes 6 pancakes. You could double it to make a dozen.
Walnut/Almond Pieces
1½ cups almonds
½ cup walnut
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup dates
¼ cup cranberries
½ cup almond butter
¼ cup honey
Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In your food processor pulse almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds until they become coarse crumbs.
In a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat almond butter and
honey until they are smooth and easy to pour.
In a large mixing bowl, combine almond mixture,chopped dates, cranberries and almond butter mixture.
Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly.
Press mixture into each muffin cup.
Freeze for 20-30 minutes.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Crispy cheese and olive salad
1 package cheese tortellini
1⁄2 cucumber
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1⁄4 cup Kalamata olives
1⁄4 cup feta
fresh parsley to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1⁄2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp Greek seasoning

4. Black Bean Salad
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lime juiced
1⁄2 tsp chili
1⁄2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
Chickpea Salad
1 can chickpeas
1⁄2 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup spinach, finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1⁄2 cucumber, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
salt and pepper