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My doctor wrote me a unique prescription two summers ago: a long trip to Europe. He didn’t want me to take this jaunt for leisure or to relieve stress. Instead, he wanted me to escape the poison that is American-grown wheat.
I’ve been one of those gluten-free weirdos ever since my body randomly decided to quit processing wheat proteins in 2019. Since then, it’s gotten worse. Not only am I forbidden to enjoy gluten-filled delicacies like authentic Chicago-style pizza or a glass of beer, but at one point I couldn’t even touch gluten-containing foods without breaking out in a rash.
But I’m not the only person who has experienced a sudden onset of gluten sensitivity. Now more than ever, gluten sensitivity and celiac disease numbers are on the rise.
Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to digest gluten and causes damage to the small intestine, affects approximately 3 million people in the United States, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. A 2020 study by the Celiac Disease Foundation found the number of people living with celiac disease has risen throughout the 21st century by an average of 7.5% per year.
“The signal is clear that diagnoses are increasing, which means more people are living with a celiac disease diagnosis today than ever before,” the study reported.
According to a 2013 study by the Interdisciplinary Toxicology journal, the pesticides and genetically modified wheat American farmers use may contribute to the increase in these numbers.
In recent months, the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services has outlined its plans to improve American agriculture, including production of wheat. Eliminating these toxins is something the administration should continue to pursue in order to free future generations of Americans from this plague.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he will target glyphosate, the leading chemical in the herbicide Roundup and a pesticide commonly used on American-grown crops, including wheat. These chemicals, and others like them, impact the quality of the wheat on American shelves. The Interdisciplinary Toxicology study found when fish were exposed to glyphosate, they acquired digestive problems similar to that of celiac disease in humans.
A May 2025 “Make Our Children Healthy Again” report outlined the administration’s plan for addressing issues causing these health problems.
“Children are exposed to an increasing number of synthetic chemicals, some of which have been linked to developmental issues and chronic disease,” the report stated. “The current regulatory framework should be continually evaluated to ensure that chemicals and other exposures do not interact together to pose a threat to the health of our children.”
Additionally, the report outlined the FDA’s plan to develop guidelines for treatment of food allergies, including celiac disease and other allergens. Those plans include requiring the disclosure of specific ingredients known to affect health conditions, like wheat with celiac disease.
“Celiac disease is associated with imbalances in gut bacteria that can be fully explained by the known effects of glyphosate on gut bacteria,” the study reported. Along with celiac disease, the study found glyphosate contributes to other diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Some European countries also use the pesticide, and in 2023, the European Commission ruled to allow the use of it for the next 10 years. While there is no ban across the entire European Union, many individual nations, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands have independently restricted its use.
But wheat quality does not hinge merely upon pesticide use; the variety of wheat grown is a key factor. This factor has changed over the past century and has led to the increase of recorded gluten sensitivities.
In early 1900s America, many suffered from undernourishment, and the U.S. government was desperate to provide a solution. So, agricultural scientists began experimenting and developing varieties of wheat that grew easily and resisted diseases. These strains of wheat solved the food problem in part by their increased gluten content, which produced higher volumes of bread to feed more people. In the long run, however, people suffered due to the poor quality of these wheat varieties.
The strains of wheat developed to solve this issue have been modified through the years and are still used today, much to the chagrin of Americans with gluten intolerance and doctors alike.
Many with gluten sensitivities find they are able to eat gluten-containing goods across the pond because of the more traditional types of wheat European nations grow and use in their products. Because the wheat they use has not been bioengineered like the United States’ has, their wheat is easier to digest, contains less gluten, and is friendlier to those with gluten sensitivities.
In his book “Wheat Belly,” cardiologist William Davis discusses this problem.
“Modern commercial wheat production has been intent on delivering features such as increased yield, decreased production costs, and large-scale production of a consistent commodity,” Davis wrote. “All the while, virtually no questions have been asked about whether these features are compatible with human health.”
The wheat varieties American scientists created solved the problem of hunger in the 20th century, but the 21st-century response should be to imitate Europe by trading them in for traditional grains that have not been tampered with. As Davis pointed out, for American farmers to embrace traditional wheat would mean a more expensive product for consumers. But if it means healthier lives, Americans should be willing to pay the price.
While Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” administration cannot cure existing gluten sensitivities, they should ban the use of glyphosate and other chemicals that would prevent others in the future from dealing with this issue.
My doctor may be right that a stay in Europe is what I need, but I hope when I take that trip, it’s just for the fun of it — to enjoy croissants in Paris and schnitzel in Germany — and not to avoid Wonder Bread in America.
Tayte Christensen is a senior studying history.
