| You may wonder what Celiac Disease is or if you, or | | | | diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, |
| perhaps a loved one, may have it. Celiac Disease is a | | | | diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue |
| condition that affects 20% of the people living in the | | | | syndrome, depression and intestinal infections. In |
| United States and is characterized by an intolerance | | | | diagnosing celiac disease, your doctor may order |
| to gluten, or similar proteins in wheat, oats, barley | | | | several tests such as a complete blood count (CBC), |
| and rye. It is a disease that results in malnutrition due | | | | a couple of tests to evaluate inflammation called an |
| to the loss of vitamins and minerals resulting from an | | | | ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and a CRP |
| impairment in the body's ability to absorb nutrients. | | | | (C-Reactive protein). Other tests ordered help |
| This impairment is due to the damage to the lining of | | | | determine electrolyte, protein, and calcium levels, and |
| the small intestine when foods with gluten are eaten. | | | | to verify the status of the kidney and liver as well as |
| Celiac disease an autoimmune digestive disease that | | | | vitamin deficiencies and malabsorbtion. |
| can appear in both children and adults at any age. | | | | In the treatment of Celiac disease, a lifelong gluten |
| The onset of the disease can also be brought on by | | | | free diet is often required to require the intestinal villi |
| trauma, a viral infection, emotional stress and surgery. | | | | to heal. A gluten free diet consists of avoiding wheat, |
| Celiac disease is also known as gluten-sensitive | | | | barley, rye and possibly oats. These ingredients are |
| enteropathy, celiac sprue and non tropical sprue. | | | | often found in foods, beverages, and medications, |
| The symptoms of Celiac disease can vary widely | | | | the treatment is challenging but achievable with |
| from person to person; ranging from no symptoms | | | | education and planning. However, despite diet |
| to many severe symptoms. The most common | | | | restrictions, people with celiac disease can still have a |
| symptoms include vitamin and mineral deficiency, | | | | well balanced diet. Instead of using wheat flour as an |
| bloating, gas, bone and joint pain, depression and | | | | ingredient, people can use rice, potato, bean or soy |
| irritability, anemia, dental discoloration and enamel | | | | flour. They also need to look for "hidden" sources of |
| defects, bruising easily, seizures, bone disease, | | | | gluten and their derivatives in medication and other |
| indigestion, diarrhea, weight loss, nausea, abdominal | | | | foods by reading labels. To correct any vitamin and |
| pain, foul smelling stools and constipation. A failure to | | | | mineral deficiencies, your doctor may also prescribe |
| thrive is also a symptom in children with the disease. | | | | supplements. By completely removing gluten from |
| If you are experiencing these symptoms, it is | | | | their diet, people who suffer from celiac disease will |
| important that you seek medical attention as soon as | | | | begin to see improvement within three to six months. |
| possible. | | | | Within a year, symptoms will all but disappear by |
| Diagnosing celiac disease is very difficult because the | | | | following a gluten free diet. |
| symptoms involved often mimic those of other | | | | |