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Wheat-free, Worry-free
The Art of Healthy, Happy Gluten-free Living
By Danna Korn
Muddy Waters – The Wheat/Gluten-Sensitivity Spectrum
If you're still confused about the difference between an allergy, a sensitivity, an intolerance and celiac disease, you're not alone. Even the world's leading medical researchers can't seem to draw clear lines between the four. They do agree that there's a huge (and growing) spectrum of sensitivity, ranging from simple food allergies to celiac disease.
For the purposes of this book, we will use the terms as follows:
Sensitivity
A reaction to wheat/gluten due to an unknown or undiagnosed cause; an umbrella term referring to allergy, intolerance and disease. In a sensitive person, eating wheat or gluten will cause distress, but because the cause of sensitivity is unknown, long-term consequences may result. Allergy
A response in which the body identifies wheat or gluten as an allergen, produces IgE antibodies and triggers an allergic response. Intolerance
An inability to tolerate wheat or gluten, with long-term consequences if wheat or gluten are ingested. Celiac disease is a gluten intolerance. Celiac Disease
A genetic intolerance to gluten. Long-term consequences, sometimes severe, can result if gluten is ingested.
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