Dry, Itchy Skin? It May Mean a Sensitivity to Gluten

People Who have dry, itchy skin, including eczema, psoriasis, or similar skin conditions, may be suffering from gluten-sensitivity, says Dr. Shari Lieberman, PhD, CNS, FACN, author of The Gluten Connection (Rodale Press).

JUNE 25, 2007, MIAMI Summer is here, but millions of people may be dreading swimsuit season because of disfiguring skin conditions.
'People who have dry, itchy skin including eczema, psoriasis or similar skin conditions may be suffering when they don't have to,- says Shari Lieberman, PhD, CNS, FACN. 'The condition may be caused by gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

Lieberman, a clinical nutritionist and author of The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health (Rodale Press, 2007), explains: 'It's been estimated that more than 30 percent of the American population suffers from gluten sensitivity, which is an auto-immune response to gluten. Their digestive system is unable to break down this protein. The result is a reaction that can take on the symptoms of many different types of conditions, such as eczema or dermatitis or other more debilitating diseases, such as diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or even some types of heart conditions.-

The 'worst-case- of gluten sensitivity is celiac disease, says Lieberman, but gluten sensitivity causes problems in millions of people whose gluten sensitivity has not reached that stage.
Although people seek medical help and pharmacological solutions, if they are gluten-sensitive, relief only comes from a gluten-free diet, she stresses.

In The Gluten Connection, Lieberman identifies the conditions that gluten can cause or contribute to, which are all backed up by research and case studies, and tells readers how to go live successfully on a gluten-free diet.

'I advise my patients who suffer from symptoms that cannot be resolved medically: Go gluten-free. Wheat, barley, and rye are not essential nutrients. Going gluten-free is not difficult and can dramatically improve the quality of an afflicted person's life.-

The Gluten Connection by Shari Lieberman, PhD, CNS, FACN with Linda Segall is available through Rodale Press (www.rodalestore) or through local or online bookstores.