Celiac Disease Explained

First off let me tell you a little about the Celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease which damages the villi of the small intestine and impairs the digestion of nutrients from food. What does this mean? Basically the body is attacking itself every time a person with celiac consumes gluten. Because of this people with celiac disease must maintain 100% gluten free diets. Sometimes the disease is triggered or becomes active for the first time after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress. Celiac disease is also more common among people with other genetic disorders including Down syndrome and Turner syndrome, a condition that affects girls' development.

Gluten is a special type of protein that is usually found in rye, wheat, and barley. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread.

Symptoms of Celiac disease can vary in different people. One person might have symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression. One person might develop symptoms early in life while another might develop symptoms when there in adulthood and then some may never show symptoms. Because of this celiac disease is very had to be diagnosed. Which results in around 95% of celiacs being undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

The most common symptoms of celiac disease are: Bloating, gas, skin rash, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, joint pain, mouth sores, poor weight gain, headaches, depression, discolored teeth, infertility, thin bones, and delayed growth.

The only treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. Doctors may ask a newly diagnosed person to work with a dietitian on a gluten-free diet plan. For a lot of people, following this diet will stop symptoms, heal existing intestinal damage, and prevent further damage. Improvement begins within days of starting the diet.

The small intestine usually heals in 3 to 6 months in children but may take several years in adults. A healed intestine means a person now has villi that can absorb nutrients from food into the bloodstream.

Facts about Celiac Disease:

1. Celiac disease is a hereditary condition. If you have the genes, you had to have inherited them. Similarly, if you have the genes you may pass them along to your children.

2. In the United States, the average time to diagnosis of celiac disease is 11 years after the onset of symptoms. One of the reasons for the length of time is the low awareness among physicians, which leaves patients misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.

3. Three million Americans across all races, ages and genders suffer from celiac.

4. A 100% gluten-free diet is the only existing treatment for celiac today.

5. 10 years is the average time a person waits to be correctly diagnosed.

6. This disease is not age-dependent; it can become active at any age.

7. Diagnosis involves blood tests and, in most cases, a biopsy of the small intestine.

8. A dietitian can teach a person with celiac disease about food selection, label reading, and other strategies to help manage the disease.

Some sources for this content:
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/#what
http://www.celiac.org/cd-main.php