First: it is NOT about an allergy as it does not trigger hystamine nor anaphylaxis.

Second: it does trigger an autoimmune response in some (like myself) and that has serious physical and medical consequences.

Lets make it relatable. Think about the worst bout of the flu you ever had. Recall the ramping up of your immune system to fight the virus? Energy tanks. Fever comes up. Your immune system ramps up full throttle to kill the invaders.

Yeah, except that isn't me (nor anyone else in whom gluten triggers the autoimmune reaction) because there is no viral invader, only a trigger for the immune system. That "auto" part? It means the full vengeance of the immune system turns against the body's healthy physical structure. It literally destroys tissue, cells, that we need to live healthy.

That is no laughing matter.

That only takes trace, parts per million, amounts of gluten to set off the maelstrom against the body.

~sigh~

Gluten

It sucks. Many people don't take our needs seriously, it's almost impossible to find safe food at cafes and restaurants, and grocery shopping is a minefield. I'm lucky to live in Australia where we have pretty strict food labelling standards and a good array of gluten-free options, but for those not in my situation- you have my every sympathy, and I wish you as safe a diet as you can possibly manage.

The disease itself can be horribly sneaky and slow to be diagnosed; I myself only got tested for it because I was diagnosed with Turner's Syndrome, which very frequently has coeliac disease as a co-occurring condition. Retrospectively, my only symptom was iron deficiency. But that doesn't mean that the autoimmune response never existed in me, or wasn't causing problems; when I ingest gluten, an autoimmune response occurs in which the villi of my intestinal lining- which increases surface area so as to improve nutrient absorption- are flattened and inflamed.

Thus far, the only treatment is a totally gluten-free diet, which can be incredibly difficult to manage, and can even cause social isolation due to conflicting dietary needs with your loved ones. Gluten-free alternatives are very often more expensive, too!

Here's a site for more info about coeliac disease: