An Overview of Celiac Disease

Posted by alvina on August 29th, 2018

As a common autoimmune disorder, Celiac Disease is not always diagnosed quickly. This disease prevents anyone that carries it from being able to ingest gluten. It is crucial that a diagnosis is made before it is too late, as those who are suffering without knowing it may develop diabetes or multiple sclerosis, in addition to other medical conditions.

Though both children and adults may be inflicted with this disease, the symptoms they can experience are different. Symptoms of the disease in adults include abdominal pain, acid reflux, gas, heartburn and vomiting/nausea. They can also experience weight loss, spleen and liver issues, joint pain, fatigue, ulcers in the mouth and skin rashes, among others. It is not unusual for one inflicted with this disease to suffer from nutrient deficiency as well.

Unfortunately for those who have been diagnosed, celiac is a disease with no known cure. Instead, treatment is the only way to manage the condition. This entirely involves adjusting one’s diet to avoid any foods or drinks with glucose in them. When one does this, they will find that they can undo the damage that has been done to their body. They can then start over with a diet that does not include gluten in any way.

This means switching to a diet of organically grown and processed eggs and meat. Whole grain foods such as buckwheat, wild and brown rice, and even quinoa are also part of a gluten free diet. Fish such as shellfish and salmon are also recommended for anyone suffering from this disease. Snacking on seeds and nuts is also something celiac patients are encouraged to do.

The first step to managing this disease is to receive a diagnosis of it. This is done after celiac disease testing is performed. The test is a three step process that must be administered by a doctor. The first step is to perform a test in which it is determined whether or not a patient has sensitivity to gluten/wheat. A blood serum sample is taken to determine if the disease is present.

If there is a reason to move onto step two of the process a patient is then tested for transglutaminase. This determines how much damage the lining of a patient’s gut has suffered. Step three of the process looks for antibodies that indicate the presence of the disease.

Anyone that is found to have celiac disease needs to make a commitment to completely avoiding gluten in all ways. For those with this medical condition even a small trace of it is enough to cause symptoms to flare up. One diet that many people with this disease follow is the Paleo diet. There are others that are recommended for patients, but Paleo is the most popular.

Overall, celiac is a disease that can be managed by following a healthy lifestyle. Anyone concerned that they may have it can use a celiac disease home test to determine whether or not they should see a doctor.