Counseling Sheet

Agatha M. Thrash, M.D.
Preventive Medicine

Certain grains such as wheat, rye, oats, and barley; and buckwheat (a seed); contain the protein called gluten.

Certain individuals are sensitive to gluten and suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms, malabsorption, headaches, neurotic or psychotic symptoms, agitation and irritation, skin disorders, allergy symptoms, and a host of other problems. Patients with sprue and other gluten sensitivities will need to eliminate all foods containing gluten. Sufferers from Crohn's disease (regional ileitis) should always be tried on a strict gluten-free diet, and many will experience considerable benefit.

These patients may use rice, millet, and corn if they are not sensitive to these grains for other reasons than the presence of gluten.