Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/721677
32 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 I t's a simple tale. Someone is sensitive to gluten, so they have celiac disease. Right? Actually … no! Although a common misconception, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are not the same thing. Let's take a closer look at what's holding back the health of millions of Americans. Gluten is a protein present in almost all grains, but there is a family of gluten in wheat, rye and barley that is toxic to a large segment of our population. ese toxic glutens are also present in related grains, such as couscous and spelt. During digestion, proteins are typically broken into their building blocks—called amino acids—which are then absorbed into the bloodstream via the intestines. Someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity can't adequately break down the gluten in wheat, barley and rye to facilitate absorption. e result is that the proteins in these grains are not absorbed. Because they are colossal unwelcome giants in the intestinal tract, they alert the body's defense system and inflammation results. Wellness By Dr. Tom O'Bryan M any people are sensitive to gluten and most of them don't even know it! The vast spectrum of chronic symptoms that can develop as a result of gluten sensitivity— and the severity of effects this condition can have on your health and well-being—make this month's Wellness article especially important. Given the growing research that has identified the magnitude of the gluten problem, we've asked Dr. Tom O'Bryan, a foremost expert on the topic, to bring us up to date. We hope you find this article as informative as we do. If you'd like to talk more about gluten, please contact the Wellness Center and set up an appointment with our new naturopath, Tressa Pinkleton. Suzana Sakay oversees the Wellness Center, Spa at the WAC, and various Club projects. Contact her at ssakay@wac.net or 206.464.3069. Suzana Sakay, Director of Wellness & Enterprise Systems The growing gluten problem Gut check A gluten primer you can't afford to miss