In health there are many aspects that interact together. One problem that is just beginning to be understood better is the idea of gluten. Many people are reacting to gluten. Some are actually celiac, some mimic celiac etc. The low quality of today’s wheat and flour contributes to these issues. But there are so many symptoms that can be from gluten intolerance: it is very difficult to know if a person really needs to avoid gluten or not. Completely cutting out gluten is not always wise because if we totally cut out a particular food, sometimes we actually become intolerant to that food.
Gluten is a problem for many people….but not all. Just because we develop certain symptoms does not mean it is from gluten. A child, for example, can have a rash that may be connected to gluten…or it may be from other allergies. Someone could have stomach bloating when they eat bread….but is it the gluten or is it the yeast in the bread and the fact that most breads are made very fast? Many people find that sourdough long fermentation breads do not cause bloating and gas. So it is not as simple as just demonizing gluten. for many people it is not the gluten per se but it could be the grains, or the type of grains or quality being used.
If you really want to know if gluten is an issue, try going gluten free for 6 weeks. Then reintroduce it. If you do not see much improvement after 6 weeks, or you do not see much reaction when reintroducing it, gluten is probably not your issue.
But do keep in mind that gluten does not manifest only with digestive issues. People with gluten intolerance can have skin reactions, depression, aggressive behavior (especially in children), headaches, joint pain etc.