New Year Predictions of the Gluten Free World

The State of the Gluten Free Union

Hopefully we all share the common goal of good health, prosperity, and spiritual peace for the new year. Over the past year, we have seen the popularity of the gluten free diet explode. Hundreds of thousands of sick people have gravitated toward this way of eating and noted dramatic improvements in their health. In my office alone, I have treated thousands of patients with gluten intolerance and seen miraculous improvements in health. The gluten free diet is a true ally on a path to good health. Will the next year see the diet diminish into the diet fad graveyard? Absolutely not, but the diet will evolve. Here are my predictions of the gluten free diet going into 2012…

Predictions for Gluten Free in 2012

• The number of Gluten Free Warriors will continue to grow as more people and more physicians learn of the benefits of the diet.
• The gluten free food industry will continue to grow and create thousands of new convenient based products.
• More and more people will stop responding to the gluten free diet as a whole. (The health benefits will not be as noticeable)

This is why the evolution of gluten free is inevitable.

• Because of the gluten free food industry growth, more people will fail to respond to the traditional gluten free diet.
• The failure for people to improve on the diet will lead to enhanced popularity of the TRUE gluten free diet.
• This will lead to an emerging trend toward replacing processed food with real food.
• This in turn will lead to families rediscovering their kitchens and playing a more active role in their health.

Why This Will Happen

• People are sick and tired of being sick and tired.
• People are sick of having doctors dismiss them.
• There is a growing grass roots movement that is recognizing the importance of food as a major player in health.
• Drugs and medications don’t heal or cure chronic diseases, food and other lifestyle factors do.
• One cannot achieve or maintain health eating unhealthy food. Most gluten free labeled products are highly processed, genetically modified, chemically loaded Franken foods – examples of this are Bisquick, Chex Cereals, cake mixes, breads, etc. These foods have become more and more popular. This mass gluten free substitution is part of the problem many will have to overcome in order to restore health. Many health educators and celiac advocates have completely ignored this very important fact. Many educational websites continue to promote overpriced “gluten free” junk food.
• We have gone through 30 years of dietary foolishness and ignorance. Fortunately, the creation of the internet has allowed for the mass sharing of information.
• The popularity of the “Green Movement” is growing. This includes “Green Food”

What We Should See From Food Companies

• A trend toward preparing real food in frozen deliverable packages.
• A reduction in chemical ingredient usage.
• A greater use of organic ingredients.

What We Should See Emerge in Medicine

• Continued efforts at creating a vaccination for celiac disease
• Traditional doctors moving toward holistic medicine
• A greater focus on food and nutrition as a medicine
• Even more new discoveries in the realm of gluten proteins. 2011 saw the discovery of 400 new glutens and gluten like proteins that contribute to celiac disease. 2012 will see an even greater list of new discoveries!