If you are sensitive to gluten then you must eliminate it from your diet.
There are several visible symptoms which will give an indication that you may be gluten sensitive. These are:

• Constant shaving rash
• White flecks on finger nails
• Broken skin at corner of the mouth
• Facial Dimension Asymmetry

However, these are just an indication. Therefore, to conclusively determine if you have a gluten sensitivity a full gluten tolerance test should be performed.

This is not a celiac test!

Most of the testing performed in Ireland is inaccurate and very often returns a false negative when, in fact, you are intolerant.
An accurate test is performed by Genova Labs in the United Kingdom.

How Harmful is Gluten

Gluten is a protein found in most grains.
Most gluten intake will come from wheat products. However, gluten is also found in barley, rye, oats and spelt.

Gluten Sources:    WHEAT, RYE, BARLEY, CERTAIN OATS, SPELT

Oats are gluten free when harvested but they get cross-contaminated by being carried in trucks that also carry wheat.
Gluten has been isolated as a risk factor is so many diseases, that is almost impossible to count them all. At the time of writing this blog, the functional medicine circle has isolated at least 55 diseases linked to it.

Reasons to eliminate gluten from your Diet

 Gluten inflames the brain
The auto-immune response to ingesting inflames the brain. It deposits a type of plaque that interferes with proper communication between cells
The glutamate content in gluten kills brain cells
Glutamate is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites brain cells, which either damages or kills them. Its docking station in the brain is called the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor). Excessive excitation of this receptor is linked to many psychiatric disorders.

Gluten has been linked to autism

EVERY single client who has had a BioSignature consult to help their autistic child with Charles Poliquin have seen that the removal of gluten from their diet as the most influential factor to heal their child.
It has also been shown how reintroducing gluten by accident, such as birthday cake consumption at a party immediately flares up all behavioral changes associated with autism.
Gluten is associated to Osteo-Arthritis
Removal of gluten from the diet immediately attenuates pain levels.
Gluten can induce depression
The inflammatory responses associated with gluten consumption can induce depressive symptoms. No amount of meditation or therapy will get help with depression if you are gluten sensitive. Fixing your biology is crucial before undergoing any psychotherapy.
Gluten Ramps down Thyroid Function
Food intolerance to gluten has been shown negatively affect thyroid function.
A 1% decrease in thyroid function leads to a 7% decrease in metabolism.