As someone who has struggled with chronic health problems and has worked hard to overcome them, I’ve tried everything to help improve my symptoms. About five years ago, after receiving some advice from a good friend with celiac disease, I first tried cutting out all wheat products and saw a dramatic difference in my health. In particular, my asthma cleared up for the first time in my life. My lungs opened up and I knew what it felt like to breathe normally.

Since then, I’ve eliminated all gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley and rye. If I accidentally get exposed to gluten-containing products, I experience a wide range of adverse symptoms, including asthma. If I avoid it, these symptoms go away. It’s like night and day. So I know for a fact that wheat make me sick.

But why is it making me sick? It is simply the "gluten" within wheat products that is making me sick? Or is it something else within them as well?

I’ve always assumed it was just gluten, but I did some extensive research recently and what I found surprised me.

Gluten may not be the only problem after all.