Have your members talked about going gluten-free? There was a time when a gluten-free diet meant giving up many favorite foods. Now, a slew of new gluten-free products have appeared in our mainstream markets, and the question is, “Is a gluten-free diet healthier?”
As a nutritionist, I often suggest to clients that they try going gluten-free, if it’s part of an overall healthier diet. To go gluten free, you select more fruits, vegetables and lean meat, and more naturally gluten-free grains like brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat, rather than just buying prepackaged products labeled “gluten free.”
Of my clients who have eliminated wheat from their diets, many have reported feeling better. That could be because they are sensitive, but it could also be because they are eliminating junk and other carbohydrates that wreak havoc with their blood sugar.
Having some familiarity and understanding of food issues like gluten sensitivity is an important part of the club’s role is guiding our members to wellness. We can’t practice medicine, but we can help members connect with the right practitioners when they comment on symptoms, however slight.
Many of your members will want to know if going on a gluten-free diet will help them lose weight. It probably will if they are reducing their overall calorie-and-fat intake — not just because they’re cutting out gluten. Although, it may give them that jump-start they need towards a healthier diet.
More Americans — about 6 percent of the population, according to the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland — have found that gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye (and countless food products, like bread and pasta that contain those grains) causes health problems.
Many doctors are now starting to realize that some people who don’t have celiac disease may benefit from diets free of (or low in) gluten. In fact, experts now believe that celiac disease represents just one extreme of a broad spectrum of gluten intolerance that includes millions of people with less severe, but nevertheless problematic, reactions to the protein.
About 1 percent of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with celiac disease, while experts estimate that as many as 10 percent have a related and poorly understood condition known as non-celiac gluten intolerance (NCGI), or gluten sensitivity.
People with gluten sensitivity sometimes experience similar symptoms to celiac disease, though it’s less clear why. And, as more people exhibit these symptoms, it has become certain that we will need to provide these and other members with our services in educating them about nutrition options, including offering gluten-free foods in our vending machines, cafes and at parties.
Here yet is another reason why every club needs to be conscious and aware of how food-related issues are part of our environment. As we move forward in becoming a bigger part of our members’ health care, nutritional guidance will play a larger role.
Judith Samuels, M.A. is a certified nutrition and wellness consultant and master personal trainer at Sport&Health Clubs in the Washington D.C. Metro Area. She can be reached via e-mail at judi@judisamuels.com.
