Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an immunological response to the presence of gluten in our diet however the actual cause of the disease is unknown. Some believe that it is a genetic disorder. Whatever the origin it can cause much damage to the intestinal tract and interfere with the absorption of nutrients. It comes with many symptoms, some that don’t even seem related to digestion and it can be very difficult to obtain a confirmed diagnosis. There is no cure and the only way to really manage the symptoms is to exclude gluten from the diet completely. Even small amounts of gluten in the diet can induce severe symptoms, and as such it is not an easy disease to manage.

Gluten is a protein found it barley, wheat and rye. It is also present in most processed foods and many medicines. The immune system of a celiac disease sufferer is hypersensitive to gluten. Consumption of gluten sends the immune system into a reaction causing damage to the small intestines. This damage allows toxins to escape the intestine and enter the bloodstream causing a wide assortment of symptoms. Many also suffer from malabsorption of vitamins and minerals leading to deficiencies.

Diagnosis can be made by taking a biopsy, a blood test or partaking in an elimination diet. It is important that this is done under strict supervision as it can be difficult to work out initially all the sources of gluten. For instance, some hidden sources of gluten are soy sauce, French fries, and some frozen foods. Someone on a gluten free diet needs to read all labeling very carefully and if in doubt avoid. Once gluten has been eliminated from the diet there is a chance that the hypersensitivity to gluten will be even worse so it may never be re-introduced into the system again.

It might be difficult to adjust to a gluten free diet initially but it becomes easier as one works out how to substitute out the gluten for other alternatives. It has become widely recognized more recently and as such there are many cookbooks available that are specifically for a gluten free diet. It is important to ensure the diet is still balanced and so if bread is eliminated it must be replaced with another form of carbohydrate in the same quantity. Vitamin supplements may be necessary to compensate for the damage already caused to the small intestine.