Intolerance to wheat and other grains, or rather the protein component of them, has become a widespread problem today. Referred to as a "gluten intolerance" or "gluten sensitivity," symptoms can range from mild to severe. The severe form is called Celiac Disease. When you look at the history of man, you will find that wheat has been a staple in the diet for thousands of years! If it was such an important component of the ancient diet, why can't we tolerate it today? There are several aspects of our health and farming that contribute.

First we'll look at farming. Wheat anciently was replanted every year from seed collected from the same farm. Today it has been hybridized and altered to grow in non-native areas, and to work well with harvesting equipment. On the surface that sounds pretty good. However, today, we have even worse - genetically modified seed. Anciently, wheat was dry-farmed and harvested when fully ripe. Today it is sprayed with chemicals to force the entire field to dry out at the same time. Anciently, after it was naturally ripened, it was cut down, stood up, tepee-style, in "sheaves" in the fields for two weeks to allow the gluten to mature. Today, it is machine harvested and taken immediately for processing. Anciently, many cultures soaked the wheat before using it, which activates the enzymes and pre-digests the proteins.

Next, let's look at our bodies. We have many health compromises, which can set the stage for intolerances of foods. The mouth is the first line of defense against digestive system problems. Food is supposed to be chewed to a liquid before swallowing, in order for the rest of the digestive system to contribute the appropriate enzymes for further digestion. Undigested protein fragments interact with the immune cells and start a chain of inflammatory reactions. Pancreatic insufficiency is also a problem. With all the sugar we consume, our poor pancreas generally works overtime, and gets exhausted! Is it any wonder it suffers in its ability to produce sufficient enzymes?

Intestinal health is a primary factor too. Along the lining of the small intestines are little hair-like projections called villi. They work to propel the nutrients from the intestines into the blood stream. In gluten intolerance, especially Celiac disease, the villi are damaged or flattened. They become unable to do their job. Others suggest that an imbalance in the gut flora (the balance of healthy and unhealthy bacteria, yeasts and other microorganisms) is altered.

The immune system also appears to be implicated. Stress and poor diet contribute the most. In gluten intolerance/celiac, it appears that our immune system sees these grain proteins as an enemy and over-reacts to them - an auto-immune response.

When we review what is contributing to this over-sensitivity, we have to ask: Is it because of the farming and processing, or because of our diminishing health? It is imperative that the first step is to avoid foods containing gluten. Next, attend to the contributing health issues. Acupuncture and nutritional healing provide great promise in restoring a healthy gut.

Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with more than 32 years of experience. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d'Alene clinic. Visit Carling's website at www.vitalhealthandfitness.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.