--- title: "A Gluttony on Gluten | Denver Psychiatry Blog" description: "Another Thanksgiving is in the books. I hope you all had a very nice holiday. As Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday that represents a day (or for some a few days) of guilt free gluttony, I though..." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": [ "MedicalBusiness", "MedicalOrganization", "LocalBusiness" ], "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#organization", "name": "Denver Psychiatry", "alternateName": "Denver Psychiatry - Dr. Steve Sarche", "description": "Denver Psychiatry is a private psychiatric practice founded by Dr. Steve Sarche in 2004, providing comprehensive mental health services for children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver metropolitan area.", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/logo.png" }, "image": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/og-image.png", "telephone": "+1-303-393-8808", "faxNumber": "+1-303-399-6069", "email": "drsteve@denverpsychiatry.com", "foundingDate": "2004", "founder": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" }, "priceRange": "$$", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "720 S Colorado Blvd, Suite 910N", "addressLocality": "Denver", "addressRegion": "CO", "postalCode": "80246", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 39.7086, "longitude": -104.9567 }, "areaServed": { "@type": "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 39.7086, "longitude": -104.9567 }, "geoRadius": "50000" }, "medicalSpecialty": [ "Psychiatry", "Child and Adolescent Psychiatry", "Adult Psychiatry" ], "employee": [ { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" } ], "availableService": [ { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Psychiatric Evaluation", "description": "Comprehensive initial evaluation for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Medication Management", "description": "Expert prescription and monitoring of psychiatric medications" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Child & Adolescent Psychiatry", "description": "Age-appropriate psychiatric care for children and adolescents (ages 10+)" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Anxiety Treatment", "description": "Treatment for generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, and PTSD" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "Depression Treatment", "description": "Comprehensive treatment for major depression and mood disorders" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "ADHD Treatment", "description": "Diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit disorders in all ages" }, { "@type": "MedicalProcedure", "name": "PTSD & Trauma Treatment", "description": "Compassionate, evidence-based care for post-traumatic stress and trauma-related conditions" } ], "openingHoursSpecification": { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": [ "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday" ], "opens": "09:00", "closes": "17:00" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "5", "reviewCount": "50" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@type": [ "Physician", "Person" ], "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician", "name": "Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O.", "alternateName": "Steve Sarche", "description": "Dr. Steve Sarche is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry. 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The staff will help you find a convenient time and answer any questions about your first visit." } } ] }, { "@type": "Blog", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#blog", "name": "Denver Psychiatry Mental Health Blog", "description": "Expert insights and articles on mental health topics from Dr. Steve Sarche, board-certified psychiatrist in Denver, Colorado.", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/blog", "author": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#organization" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "A Gluttony on Gluten", "description": "Another Thanksgiving is in the books. I hope you all had a very nice holiday. As Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday that represents a day (or for some a few days) of guilt free gluttony, I though...", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Steve Sarche", "jobTitle": "Board Certified Psychiatrist" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Denver Psychiatry", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com" }, "datePublished": "2010-11-30T15:28:48+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/article/a-gluttony-on-gluten" } } ] --- [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [](tel:303-393-8808) [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [Home](#home) Services ### Conditions We Treat [ ADHD Treatment Child & adult ADHD specialist care ](/adhd)[ Anxiety Treatment Generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety ](/anxiety-treatment)[ Depression Treatment Major depression, bipolar, mood disorders ](/depression-treatment)[ PTSD & Trauma Treatment Trauma recovery focused on full healing ](/ptsd-trauma-treatment) ### Specialty Care [ Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship-trained, ages 10 and up ](/child-adolescent-psychiatry)[ Performance Optimization Precision psychiatry for high performers ](/performance-optimization)[ Medication Management Expert prescription and monitoring ](#services) #### Talk to Dr. Sarche Call to schedule your initial evaluation [Call Now](tel:303-393-8808) About ### About Us [ Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. 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Learn what to expect at your first visit [Learn More](#services) Contact ### Get In Touch [ Contact Form Send us a message ](#contact)[ Call Us (303) 393-8808 ](tel:303-393-8808)[ Our Location 720 S Colorado Blvd, Suite 910N ](#contact) [Call Dr. Sarche](tel:303-393-8808) [Back to Blog](/blog) Child & Adolescent # A Gluttony on Gluten Dr. Steve Sarche Board Certified Psychiatrist • Tuesday, November 30, 2010 • 5 min read Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fa-gluttony-on-gluten)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fa-gluttony-on-gluten&text=A%20Gluttony%20on%20Gluten)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fa-gluttony-on-gluten&title=A%20Gluttony%20on%20Gluten)[]() Another Thanksgiving is in the books.  I hope you all had a very nice holiday.  As Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday that represents a day (or for some a few days) of guilt free gluttony, I thought it would be a good time to write about gluten.  What’s the connection, you may ask?  Well, read on and you will find out. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat and other grains such as rye, barley and bran.   It is used in most processed foods including pasta, cereal and bread.  Gluten is good in the sense that it gives food certain textures and structural properties, and is a source of protein, but it can be very bad.  You probably have heard the terms “gluten sensitivity” and “gluten intolerance” more and more in the last few years.  The reason for this is that there is an increasing body of evidence that gluten sensitivity is more common than ever and can cause worse problems than previously understood.  A study released last year by the Mayo Clinic suggests that celiac disease (described below) is almost five times more common today than it was 50 years ago.  The study also indicates that if the disease goes undiagnosed, it is associated with nearly quadrupled mortality rates. Why is the problem of gluten sensitivity increasing?  To my knowledge, nobody is exactly sure, but this is where the connection to gluttony and gluten comes in.   One theory on why the prevalence of gluten sensitivity is increasing involves gluttony.    In the US and most developed countries, people gobble heaping plates of gluten-containing processed food compared to 50 years ago.  The small intestines, where the gluten is processed, are exposed to increasing amounts of gluten.  A person prone to gluten sensitivity cannot keep up with the demand of processing the gluten.  Perhaps the problems begin in a similar fashion to the downfall of a card house.  As you stack more and more cards on top of each other, if there is a weakness anywhere below, the tower becomes more and more unsteady.  Eventually, you put that last card on the top and it is just enough to disturb the balance; the whole thing comes tumbling down.  I like to call this the “gluten gluttony theory”.   Gluten sensitivity is harmful to the body through antibodies.  The body produces antibodies to excess gluten that in turn attack and hurt the lining of the small intestine.  This leads to poor absorption of nutrients and a plethora of different symptoms that will be noted later. Gluten sensitivity presents along a wide spectrum.  Milder cases may never be diagnosed or may take years to diagnose.  It is usually “diagnosed” through an elimination diet.  If you stop gluten and feel better (usually within a few days) you likely have gluten sensitivity.  The Mount Vesuvius of gluten sensitivity, known as Celiac Disease, causes significant abdominal pain among other problems and is diagnosed with blood testing for certain antibodies as well as with a biopsy of the small intestines.   This is not an acute problem; it builds up over time as the antibodies build up and start causing damage.  Symptoms of gluten sensitivity differ in children and adults.  Younger children experience weight loss, abdominal distention and overall failure to thrive.  In adolescence, irritability, behavior problems and poor school performance are common symptoms.  There are some studies that link autism to gluten intolerance.  Children, like adults, may also experience headaches, abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea or constipation and are more prone to vomiting.  Adults are more likely to experience increase in gas, diarrhea, joint pain, fatigue and skin rashes.  Long-term and more severe intolerance of gluten leads to malnutrition that can affect bones, the brain and all organs.   Gluten sensitivity can present like certain psychiatric problems, especially depression and attention deficit disorder.  The good news is that gluten sensitivity is not a psychiatric condition.  It is a problem of the digestive system and it can be fixed much more easily than most psychiatric problems.    More good news:  you do not have to be a rocket scientist to fix this problem.  The cure for gluten sensitivity including Celiac Disease is to stop eating gluten.  That sounds easy to do but it is not.  You’d be amazed at how many food products contain gluten.  I would recommend consulting a nutritionist for further information about this.  It takes a lot of moxie to stop eating gluten.  Maintaining a gluten free diet requires constant vigilance about what is being consumed.  No more fast food, no more “convenient” meals (at first anyway; once you get good at the diet it does get easier to maintain).  Plus, from what I hear, gluten free foods are just not as enjoyable as the usual diet.  Try getting a teenager to quit gluten.  They like to eat junk and they don’t like to be different.  It’s kind of like asking a lion to become a vegetarian. That being said, once a person with gluten sensitivity is truly ready for the commitment to change, he or she will feel so much better after the diet is initiated that trying to get him or her to eat foods containing gluten would be like asking a vegetarian to eat a lion. Happy holidays and enjoy the next round of gluttony coming in about three weeks but remember; moderation is best. Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fa-gluttony-on-gluten)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fa-gluttony-on-gluten&text=A%20Gluttony%20on%20Gluten)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fa-gluttony-on-gluten&title=A%20Gluttony%20on%20Gluten)[]() ### Need Help With Your Mental Health? Dr. Steve Sarche provides compassionate psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver area. [Call to Speak With Dr. Sarche](tel:303-393-8808) ### Get new articles from Dr. Sarche We'll only email you when Dr. Sarche publishes a new article. Unsubscribe anytime. Subscribe ## Related Articles [ Child & Adolescent ### The Communication Fix Up Communication Fix Up. This article is inspired by a talk given by Charles Duhigg, a journalist and best-selling author during the Aspen Ideas Festival on June 29th, 2024. The talk is titled, “Super co... Jul 23, 2024 5 min read ](/article/the-communication-fix-up)[ Child & Adolescent ### Recognizing Depression in Teenagers: A Guide for Parents Teen depression often looks different from adult depression. Know the warning signs and how to help. May 20, 2024 1 min read ](/article/teen-depression-warning-signs)[ Child & Adolescent ### My Session With Santa (part 2) (This is a recycling of an article I posted over 11 years ago. It is mostly the same, just some minor changes. 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