On Fri, 10 Jul 1998, Aaron D. Wieland wrote:

> Todd wrote:
> >By not eating any grains for an extended time you
> >are not producing enzymes needed to digest them.  As a general
> >principle, I think if one abstains from a kind of food for a long
> >time it would not be surprising to have problems when that food
> >is re-introduced.
>
> I think that an allergy to wheat gluten is more likely.  In the case of an
> allergy, you need to avoid the offending food for only a few days in order
> to induce symptoms upon re-introduction.  If chronic symptoms disappear
> (possibly preceded by acute withdrawal symptoms) after elimination, that's
> another clear sign of an allergy.  Also, some people with severe wheat
> allergies react to extremely minute amounts of gluten; I doubt that even a
> long-term vegetarian would suffer (except psychologically) from a
> grain-sized piece of meat.

This is true.  Celiacs experience discomfort from minute
quantities of gluten, although this reaction is not actually an
allergy.  Allergic reactions constitue a fairly well-defined set
of responses.  Other intolerances are far less well-defined.
Mary may in fact have celiac disease, and that would certainly
explain why a small amount of gluten makes her sick.

Todd Moody
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