The connection between gluten allergies and eczema

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by Sharon O'Connell

Created on: January 28, 2011 Last Updated: January 29, 2011

Gluten is the protein that is found in the part of the flour that allows items to bind together. A common food allergy is wheat gluten allergy. Wheat gluten allergy is when an individual has a reaction to one of the many proteins in the wheat. Gluten is just one of the proteins, and it is possible to be allergic to one or more. The other wheat proteins are albumin, globulin and gliaden.

When a person is allergic to one of these proteins, their immune systems respond to the protein as if it were a virus or bacteria. The body’s defenses are mobilized to defeat the invading element. The body attacks the protein. Immunoglobin antibodies are employed as a part of this response. Wheat gluten allergies manifest themselves like many other allergies: skin problems, respiratory issues and digestive complications. In some cases, this causes the individual to be unable to digest the ingested wheat. Asthma and hay fever are respiratory symptoms of food allergies.

Dermatologic symptoms of wheat gluten allergy include eczema. Eczema is when the skin becomes inflamed and irritated. Eczema manifests itself as itchy, dry, scaly skin that turns red or brown. There is no cure for eczema. Treatment and prevention of the skin disease is key to living with eczema. For those who suffer from eczema that is the result of a wheat gluten allergy can make modifications to their diet.

Wheat is an important ingredient in most of the foods we consume. The first challenge is to identify which foods you eat that contain wheat products, ingredients that contain wheat and foods made of wheat. The most obvious foods to eliminate are breads, crackers, cereals and pastas. It gets far more complicated when you get down to the starch level. Corn, potato, barley, oat, soy and rice can be substituted for wheat.

There is now a whole market directed towards individuals suffering from wheat allergies including gluten free bread and dough. There are a wealth of gluten free recipes are available so you can cook your own gluten free meals.

With a little extra attention to your diet, food labels and a bit of patience, you can be gluten free and eczema free!

Resources and further reading on wheat allergies and eczema:

Wheat Allergies

http://www.allergyescape.com/wheat-allergy.html

Net Doctor

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/asthmaandallergy/2024 16.html

Web MD

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/eczema

Living with gluten allergies

http://ezinearticles.com/?Living-With-A-Gluten-Aller gy&id=525866

Resources on gluten free diets

Foods that cause eczema