How to Understand And Live With Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is one of the most confounding of all human conditions. It is difficult to diagnose as it has similar symptoms to other problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's disease. Although the exact cause is not fully understood, the disease can sometimes be inherited.

Instructions

1

Understand the possible symptoms. The most noticeable symptoms are diarrhea that may be intermittent, as well as abdominal bloating and pain. There may also be cramps and joint pain, abnormalities of the stool, unexplained rashes, and anemia or weight loss. Although these symptoms may have other causes, they should, nevertheless, be investigated by a physician.

2

Realize that, although Celiac disease may be inherited, it can also appear after some sort of body trauma such as an injury or infection. Why the disease may then appear is not fully understood.

3

Take any symptoms seriously, as if Celiacs remains undiagnosed or untreated for some time, there can be serious consequences. The immune system can be compromised, abdominal bloating, pain, diarrhea, and vomiting can become chronic, weight loss and fatigue can become debilitating and the body will become seriously malnourished. Untreated Celiac disease can also lead to the loss of bone density, certain cancers,and disorders of the nervous system.

4




Understand how Celiac disease affects the body. Celiac disease is considered an autoimmune disease of the digestive tract. It damages the surface of the small intestine to the extent that it interferes with the absorption of the nutrients in the foods that are eaten. When foods containing gluten, a protein found mainly in wheat, rye, triticale, and barley, are consumed, the immune system reacts by damaging and even destroying the surface of the small intestine. Thus, the surface of the small intestine becomes smooth instead of being covered by the finger-like protrusions, villi, through which nutrients from food are absorbed into the body. These nutrients, so vital to all organs in the body, are then flushed out of the body, which then begins to literally starve.

5




Seek medical advice if you have any concerns about the possibility of Celiac disease, especially if you have a relative with the condition. A simple blood test can ascertain if you have an excess of a certain antibody prevalent in Celiacs. Your doctor may later want to examine the small intestine to see if there is any damage to the villi. A trail period on an anti-gluten diet may be a further indication of the disease.

6

Realize that, if you have Celiac disease, you must avoid gluten for the rest of your life. The disease is not curable but it is manageable. If gluten is avoided, your health will soon begin to improve. If you have suffered serious malnutrition, you may need some nutritional supplements. Your doctor will advise and prescribe these for you. He may also suggest seeking the advice of a dietitian to explain fully the foods that you should eat and the foods that you must avoid.

7




Avoid all wheats, barley, rye, bulgar, kamut, kasha, matzo, triticale, and spelt. Avoid all products that are not labeled gluten-free. Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and relax, and your body will soon restore itself to total health.