Celiac Disease: Symptoms and Online Support

According to the National Institutes of Health, there could be at least 3 million people in the United States who have Celiac Disease, a condition which was previously thought to be very rare because it is often undiagnosed. Celiac Disease, or CD, is a disease that affects people of all ages. When people with CD eat even small amounts of food containing gluten, the body has a toxic reaction which damages the lining of the small intestine. The small bowel of people with CD can also be affected from ingesting gluten. While gluten has become popular in the media, particularly when talking about gluten-free diets, many people aren't sure what gluten is. Gluten is a protein found in all varieties of wheat products, triticale, rye, and barley. CD is not a food allergy, it is an autoimmune disorder.

A person with Celiac Disease can experience a variety of symptoms including chronic gas, bloating, and pain in the abdomen, diarrhea or constipation, discoloration of the teeth, anemia, fatigue, changes in behavior, sores in the mouth, pain in the joints, and unexplained changes in weight. This is only a partial list of symptoms, more can be found on the Celiac Disease Foundation's, website here. Celiac Disease is diagnosed by a series of blood tests often accompanied by an endoscopic bowel biopsy.

Due to the fact that CD is a disorder that doesn't go away, a person with CD must make lifestyle changes, such as adhering to a gluten-free diet. Because gluten is prevalant in so many food products, it is important that the patient educates himself or herself on how to read labels and what ingredients to avoid when shopping or dining out. There are a number of websites where information on gluten-free diets can be found.

The Celiac Disease Foundation has a wealth of resources, such as links to books related to CD and lists of companies that make gluten-free foods. Another good website for gluten-free information is Celiac.com. On this site there are recipes, lists of foods that are safe or unsafe for CD patients, message boards, news related to Celiac Disease, and more. Glutenfreesupport.com also contains recipes, CD information, a CD blog, and links to other helpful CD resources.

None of the information here should be taken in lieu of a doctor's advice. If you are experiencing the symptoms of Celiac Disease or think that you may have it, you will need to contact a physician for proper diagnosis and treatment options.

Sources:
Celiac.com
Celiac Disease Foundation
Glutenfreesupport.com
National Institutes of Health