For many, a gluten-free diet is a major factor in helping to manage some of the common symptoms of MS. While some people have not benefitted from eliminating the wheat protein from what they eat, others have discovered that they are extremely sensitive to this molecule, and take great precautions to eliminate it entirely from their diet.

Some individuals have noticed that they still experience symptoms from time to time, even when they know they haven't eaten anything which contains gluten. While others suggest that mislabeled food is to blame, as it could possibly come from a non-food product.

The FDA guidelines for labeling non-food products tend to be much less strict than those for food labels. This process seems to make it fairly simple for a wheat or gluten-heavy product to make it to store shelves without clearly stating that it contains gluten. If you're noticing symptoms even when you know that you haven't consumed any gluten, consider one of these five culprits.

Sunscreen

Many sunscreen products use chemicals that are derived from wheat. Most commonly, they contain Vitamin E which is typically derived from something that is wheat based. While odds are you're not eating sunscreen, it is common for small amounts of it to enter the body around the mouth and eyes.

Make-up

Many “naturally based” cosmetic brands use wheat or barley as a base, and then later add pigments. Be particularly careful with lipsticks, since small amounts of these products tend to be ingested with regular use.

Medicine

There are a number of prescription and over the counter medicines that use wheat-based chemicals. This is especially true in the case of vitamins. Fortunately, your doctor should be able to provide you a list of what is safe to take. There are several alternatives available that use corn or tapioca, rather than wheat. You can also contact the manufacturer of any over the counter medications and ask if their products are in fact gluten-free.

Pet food

While we really hope you're not sharing a snack with your pet, it is possible that people with a great sensitivity to gluten can get sick just by handling these products. It is also possible to ingest small amounts if you pour your pet's food and forget to wash your hands afterward. Also, if you have small children with celiac or other gluten sensitivity who are curious eaters, you might want to consider a brand of pet food that is gluten free. There are plenty of food alternatives that use corn as the grain base, so gluten-free pet food has become readily available.

Personal cleaning products

Soap, shampoo, conditioner and many lotions add vitamins or other wheat-based substances to their formulas. Be especially careful of products that contain oatmeal as a main ingredient. Again, you're probably not eating these products, but they can creep in through your eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

To gain further insight into the importance of eating gluten free, be sure to refer to the MS – Living Symptom Free Book. In Chapter 5 – “Diet and You,” I touch upon what has been effective for my symptoms, various diets and more!