Almost all of us suffer from headaches from time to time. We think it is caused by long periods of sedentary work, changes in the weather, and other factors. Most often, we seek help from a pain reliever. If this is a temporary issue, the pain will certainly go away. But what if the migraine persists? Gluten might be the reason. Try a gluten-free diet before you do anything else.
The name Gluten translated from Latin means glue. This is a protein, the value of which is to glue grains of flour together. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Wheat-derived gluten is used in baked goods, cheese, margarine, sauces and gravies. In the 70s, American scientists found out that getting into the body, gluten breaks down into polypeptides. These polypeptides bind to receptors in the brain and create a sensation of pleasure. For this reason manufacturers try to add to their products as much gluten as possible.
Gluten is poorly digested by the body. Its sticky substances interfere with the absorption of vitamins and minerals. It slows down digestion by turning food in the stomach into a sticky lump. As a result, the body starts developing various health problems.
You may say, "I am not gluten intolerant." Just because you don't feel like you have a problem with gluten does not mean that it is not harmful to you. Our nervous system perceives this type of protein as an enemy, throwing a killer cells to fight it. As a result of the interaction between them, the intestinal walls are damaged and a syndrome of leaky gut can occur. When this syndrome occurs, bacteria from the intestines enter the bloodstream and from there goes to the brain.
Gluten negatively affects the functioning of the brain. As a result, the body's ability to produce antioxidants decreases, each of which directly affects the functioning of the brain. And as we know the brain is the main organ which controls 100% of all processes in our body.
You may say, people were eating wheat, rye and barley for ages and they were ok. My answer to it is, - we don't know how ok they were. The fact we didn't all die out yet is in the way these grains were grown. Modern technologies, including GMOs, have allowed us to grow wheat with a gluten content 40 times more than what we grew just a few decades ago. It is not possible today to find wheat which is not GMO. Even the organic one and the one which has the label "Not GMO" are in fact very GMO. The secret is in terminology approved by the FDA. All seeds are GMO. No exception. If a farmer plants those seeds and grows them organically, they will receive the status "Organic" and "Not GMO". Organic and GMO applies only to the way it was grown and does not apply to the seeds.
TIPS: Here are some gluten free flour options which I can recommend. I do not recommend the most common one made out of white rice to be used on the regular basis.