Gluten Detox: How to Recover From Exposure

Getting exposed to gluten can be an uncomfortable experience. If you have a gluten intolerance or have celiac disease, you know how easy it is to get exposed to gluten. You might not believe there is much you can do once you accidentally ingest gluten. However, I’m here to tell you that a gluten detox is possible if you come in contact with it.

A gluten reaction can result from eating foods containing gluten. Think of white bread or whole-wheat pasta. It can also come from foods that have come into contact with gluten. Even when you’ve ordered gluten-free at a restaurant, you can never be sure it’s free of all gluten. That is why I always keep a bottle of Complete Enzymes in my purse, in case of a sneaky gluten reaction.

I will tell you how to know if you have gluten sensitivity. Additionally, I will help you avoid exposure to gluten. Gluten wreaks havoc on your gut. This is why I recommend everyone should remove gluten from their diet. First, let’s discuss three steps for a gluten detox.

Three Steps for a Gluten Detox

Depending on your sensitivity, gluten exposure can make you feel bad for days! You might experience brain fog, bloating, constipation, depression, or headaches. I’ll talk more about the signs of gluten sensitivity in just a minute. The good news is there are three easy steps to detox from gluten and recover quicker. Here are three steps to a gluten detox: 

Step 1: Get the Gluten Out

If you have celiac disease, your immune system responds to gluten with inflammation. It’s the same way if you have a gluten sensitivity. If you continue to eat gluten, your immune system goes into overdrive. Each bite of bread, bagels, pasta, or crackers revs up an inflammatory response. This can lead your immune system to malfunction and misfire. In time, your immune system can even attack healthy tissue and cells. 

The quicker you can get the gluten protein out of your system, the faster you can detox from gluten. Here are methods to help you manage a gluten reaction: 

Digestive Enzymes

Digestive enzymes speed up the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. Your body produces several digestive enzymes throughout the digestive tract. However, your body’s natural digestive enzyme production reduces as you age. This lowers your body’s ability to digest certain proteins such as gluten and lactose. 

There are several digestive enzymes available. Some digest proteins, while others digest starch and carbohydrates. Then you have enzymes that digest fat. Amylase is the primary digestive enzyme responsible for breaking down gluten. Your saliva, pancreas, and stomach produce amylase. I recommend that those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance take Complete Enzymes. This acts as an extra precaution against a gluten reaction. They contain DPP-IV to help break down gluten. They also

Binding agents

Activated charcoal is a binding agent that may reduce gas and bloat after a gluten reaction.¹ Here’s how it works. Charcoal becomes activated when treated with oxygen. It’s then heated to extreme temperatures (about 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit). This process causes the charcoal to become porous, thus making it activated. 

Once you have ingested activated charcoal, the toxins bind to it in your stomach. From there, you pass it in your stool. The large pores formed from the activation process allow the charcoal to work as a binder. In doing so, it collects toxins, gasses, and other unwanted substances in your body, such as gluten. This makes activated charcoal an excellent tool for a gluten detox.

Hydration

The detoxification process requires fluids to flush out your system. This is true even with a gluten detox. You lose water every day through sweating, urinating, and even breathing. You also lose electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium. 

If you’re experiencing vomiting or diarrhea from a gluten reaction, you lose more fluids. For this reason, it’s essential to replenish them. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, your water intake should be 75 ounces daily.

Step 2: Decrease Inflammation

When your immune system functions as it should, acute inflammation is helpful. It protects you against severe and immediate stressors. Think about how it fights off a bacterial infection or heals a wound. This type of inflammation stays local and subsides once the threat is gone.

However, several factors can keep your immune system on all the time. Chronic stress, a poor diet, and even the occasional gluten exposure are examples. When this happens, your immune system begins to attack everything in its sight. This includes healthy tissue and cells. It does this to get to the root cause of the inflammation. This type of inflammation sets you on the path to chronic illness or autoimmune disease. You must address this type of inflammation for you to return to optimal health. 

Supporting a healthy inflammatory response is essential to a gluten detox. Omega-3 fatty acids, ginger, and liposomal curcumin are excellent for this.Fish oils, flax, and chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids. Ginger has high levels of gingerol. Gingerol gives it a natural spicy flavor and acts as an anti-inflammatory in the body.² It also has potent anti-nausea properties and can ease stomach cramping that can be present after a gluten reaction. Turmeric is a member of the ginger family with the active ingredient curcumin, known for its ability to support a healthy inflammatory response. ³

Step 3: Repair Your Gut

While this is the third step to a gluten detox, it’s by far the most important one. In people with a gluten sensitivity, gluten can cause the gut cells to release zonulin. Zonulin is a protein that can weaken the tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Once these tight junctions get broken apart, your gut is leaky. 

A leaky gut allows toxins and microbes to escape from your intestines. It also allows antibodies and undigested food particles. From there, they travel throughout your body via your bloodstream. The antibodies that escape are the ones that your body produces to attack the gliadin in the first place.⁴

When your gut can’t tell the difference between good and harmful bacteria, you have a leaky gut. You can address your gut by following the 4Rs:

• Remove: Get rid of inflammatory foods that contribute to an unbalanced gut. Examples include gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and eggs. You’ll also need to ditch toxic foods, including sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.
• Restore: Add back the essential ingredients for proper digestion and absorption. Diet, medications (such as antacids), chronic illness, or aging deplete these nutrients. This includes digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid, and bile acids required for proper digestion.
• Reinoculate: Restore beneficial bacteria to reestablish a healthy gut microbiome. Taking a probiotic supplement that contains beneficial bacteria can help. Look for specific strains such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus species. 
• Repair: Providing the nutrients necessary to help the gut repair itself is essential. My most comprehensive weapon against leaky gut is Leaky Gut Revive® MAX. This supplement contains powerful gut-repairing ingredients l-glutamine and aloe extract. It also has deglycyrrhizinated licorice, arabinogalactan, slippery elm, and marshmallow root. Last but not least, it features ImmunoLin® to support your immune system.

Now that you know the steps to a gluten detox, let’s talk about how to know when you need one.

Signs You’ve Been Glutened

The signs of being glutened can be different for everyone. You may experience brain fog, diarrhea, constipation, or headache. Some people may develop a rash, abdominal pain, joint pain, or swelling. Others may have vomiting and fatigue. However, it’s what’s happening inside your body that matters. After all, it’s the gluten reaction that is wreaking havoc in your gut. 

There is a particular protein in wheat called gluten. Gluten triggers the release of zonulin in your intestines. This chemical tells your gut lining to “open up.” Think of your gut as a drawbridge. Your gut is naturally semi-permeable. This allows micronutrients to pass through your intestinal wall and into your bloodstream. Zonulin causes your gut lining to break apart, leaving the drawbridge open. Once this happens, you have a leaky gut.

When your gut is leaky, other elements that are not meant to get through can escape into your bloodstream. Examples include toxins, microbes, and undigested food particles. This can lead to inflammation from the gluten reaction.

It’s essential to your health to do a gluten detox. A gluten detox can help reduce inflammation and heal your gut. In addition, it can help you recover from any damage done to your body as fast as possible.

As I said earlier, you can do everything in your power to avoid gluten exposure. However, you can never be sure your food is free of all gluten. The good news is that there are ways to avoid getting glutened.

How to Avoid Getting Glutened

The sad reality is that you can eat a gluten-free diet full of fruits, vegetables, and organic protein sources and still get glutened. After all, gluten is hiding everywhere! For this reason, I recommend reading all nutrition labels. This can help ensure your body stays healthy and gluten-free. 

Gluten hides behind many names in packaged and processed foods. Oftentimes they are sauces and condiments such as soy sauce. You can still find alternatives that are better for your body. Or, you can make your snacks to avoid getting glutened! 

Besides hidden sources of gluten, your body may not tolerate naturally gluten-free foods. Think about dairy, corn, and gluten-free grains. This is because their proteins still resemble the structure of gluten. This is what cross-reactivity is. Your immune system confuses innocent sources as invaders and begins to destroy them. 

This means you can still get glutened even if you’re gluten-free. If you determine that there are foods that are cross-reactive for you, remove them from your diet. I also recommend avoiding the gluten-free aisle of your local grocery store. 

Supplement Your Gluten Detox

Gluten is an inflammatory food that everyone should remove from their diet. If you eat gluten or become exposed to it, following the steps for a gluten detox above can help you recover faster. 

Suppose you’ve completed a gluten detox yet still notice symptoms of gluten exposure. In that case, you may need to restore the factors essential to digestion. I recommend digestive enzymes and Gut Restore with Betaine and HCL to help with this.

I mentioned how digestive enzymes break down proteins and fats so your gut can absorb them. HCL helps break down protein into amino acids so your small intestine can absorb them. Amino acids are the building blocks for neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in your brain that control your mood. Together, they make a powerful tool to detox from gluten. 

When formulating Complete Enzymes, I included DPP-IV. This is a protease enzyme that breaks down gluten! In fact, Complete Enzymes do more than help you digest; they assist with tackling GI tract issues as well. The broad-spectrum blend of proteolytic enzymes assists with breaking down inflammatory antigens. This includes lectins. They also help support healthy levels of inflammation. In addition, they help balance the microbiome.

Just as many people need digestive enzyme support, many benefit from restoring stomach acid. Gut Restore with Betaine and HCL is a great choice for optimal digestion. Your stomach should be acidic to break down nutrients. This is true, particularly for proteins such as gluten. Do a trial with baking soda to see if you could benefit from extra HCL. Mix one teaspoon baking soda in four ounces of water, and drink. If you burp, you don’t need HCL. If you don’t burp, then you need Gut Restore with Betaine and HCL.

Just as many people need digestive enzyme support, many benefit from restoring stomach acid, or Gut Restore with Betaine and HCL, for optimal digestion. Your stomach should be acidic to break down nutrients, particularly proteins such as gluten. Do a trial with baking soda to see if you could benefit from extra HCL. Mix 1 teaspoon baking soda in 4 ounces of water, and drink. If you burp, you don’t need HCL. If you don’t burp, then you need Gut Restore with Betaine and HCL.

The Final Word

As someone with a gluten sensitivity, I know all about the discomfort of being glutened. The good news is there are steps to take to detox from gluten so you can recover faster. Taking Complete Enzymes and Gut Restore with Betaine and HCL before a meal can support the digestive process in the event of accidental gluten exposure. Using a gluten detox can also help you quickly recover from eating gluten.