What is the difference between wheat intolerance and coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease is a lifelong intolerance to gluten, which is classed as an autoimmune disease. According to Coeliac UK, 1 in 100 people have the condition where the body’s immune system actively attacks its own tissues when gluten is consumed. It’s important to know that coeliac disease is neither a food allergy or food intolerance.
A wheat intolerance, on the other hand, could be reintroduced after eliminating the food trigger for a few months. If you feel that you might have coeliac disease, it’s important to discuss your concerns with your GP where they can take a simple blood test to check for antibodies which can indicate coeliac disease. yorktest do not test for coeliac disease.
Can you outgrow wheat intolerances?
It is possible to no longer be intolerant to wheat by eliminating it from the diet and then reintroducing it later in life.
This task should always be carried out with the support of a nutritional professional, who can advise on healthy alternatives and ensure that your diet remains balanced.
Step one – Have you visited your doctor to discuss the symptoms you are experiencing? If not, you should consult with them so they can rule out any underlying medical conditions and coeliac disease.
Step two – Take a FirstStep test with yorktest, which is a cost-effective indication of whether or not you are suffering from a food intolerance*. Should you test positive, proceed to a full yorktest programme, which identifies the individual foods and/or drinks your body is reacting to (both wheat and gluten are tested for). Typically, those with intolerances* react to 4 or 5 ingredients. You should therefore be aware that wheat may be just one of your “trigger foods”.
Step three – With the help of a yorktest nutritional therapist, carry out a 12-week elimination diet by cutting out your food intolerances* and substituting healthy alternatives into your diet.
Step four – If you wish to reintroduce your trigger food(s) back into your diet, we advise that this should be a gradual process in order to monitor how your body responds and to look out for a return of any symptoms.
* yorktest define food intolerance as a food-specific IgG reaction.