Since this is celiac disease awareness month, you might be wondering if gluten could be causing some of your uncomfortable symptoms that just won’t go away.
If so, you are not alone.
Millions of people have health complaints that don’t fit into a neat little box for diagnosis.
As a result, they struggle through life with itchy skin or scalp, gastrointestinal complaints, constant fatigue, headaches, canker sores or even joint pain.
If the baby has colic, chronic ear infections, an upset tummy, and sometimes diarrhea, that’s not seen as anything the doctor can diagnose, either.
Migraines, neuropathy, fibromyalgia and arthritis are considered treatable with medications, but all the drugs actually do is cover up the pain.
They don’t address the cause of your problems.
That’s because most physicians are in the business of relieving symptoms and never suspect celiac disease unless you’re bone thin and look severely malnourished.
Migraines, neuropathy, fibromyalgia and arthritis are considered treatable with medications, but all the drugs actually do is cover up the pain.
They don’t address the cause of your problems.
That’s because most physicians are in the business of relieving symptoms and never suspect celiac disease unless you’re bone thin and look severely malnourished.
What is Celiac Disease?
Gluten creates an assortment of problems, and celiac disease is only one of them.
For years, many medical authorities have believed that celiac disease was the only problem with gluten there was.
If a biopsy didn’t prove you have celiac disease, then you didn’t have a gluten problem at all. This is how it was when I diagnosed myself with celiac disease.
You either had celiac disease or you did not.
But recent research studies have not backed up that idea.
For years, many medical authorities have believed that celiac disease was the only problem with gluten there was.
If a biopsy didn’t prove you have celiac disease, then you didn’t have a gluten problem at all. This is how it was when I diagnosed myself with celiac disease.
You either had celiac disease or you did not.
But recent research studies have not backed up that idea.
Although all forms of gluten intolerance result from abnormal immune function, celiac disease specialists currently believe celiac is the worst type of malfunction there is because it destroys the villi in your intestines.
The villi absorb the nutrients you eat into your bloodstream. They release enzymes that help you digest your food, and act like a wall to block toxins, unwanted bacteria and parasites from invading the body.
When a celiac eats something that contains wheat, barley, or rye, it triggers an autoimmune reaction that results in villi destruction.
The villi absorb the nutrients you eat into your bloodstream. They release enzymes that help you digest your food, and act like a wall to block toxins, unwanted bacteria and parasites from invading the body.
When a celiac eats something that contains wheat, barley, or rye, it triggers an autoimmune reaction that results in villi destruction.
The actual trigger for this reaction is the protein molecule gliadin, one of the proteins found in wheat gluten.
Other proteins such as secalins found in rye and hordeins found in barley resemble gliadin genetically, so they are toxic to those with celiac disease as well.
When you have celiac disease, the body treats gliadin and its look-alikes as a foreign invader. The immune system then uses inflammation to protect the body, but the intestinal inflammation harms the villi.
Other proteins such as secalins found in rye and hordeins found in barley resemble gliadin genetically, so they are toxic to those with celiac disease as well.
When you have celiac disease, the body treats gliadin and its look-alikes as a foreign invader. The immune system then uses inflammation to protect the body, but the intestinal inflammation harms the villi.
The gluten molecule resists the enzymes that break down proteins. As a result, no one digests gluten adequately – not even those who do not have celiac disease.
With celiac, however, the toxic fragment of gluten that comes from this partial digestion finds its way into the lining of the intestines. That sets the scene for an autoimmune reaction, inflammation, and destruction of the villi.
The destruction ranges from minor to total, but the symptoms of celiac disease, and your degree of reaction, doesn't seem to correlate with the degree of damage.
With celiac, however, the toxic fragment of gluten that comes from this partial digestion finds its way into the lining of the intestines. That sets the scene for an autoimmune reaction, inflammation, and destruction of the villi.
The destruction ranges from minor to total, but the symptoms of celiac disease, and your degree of reaction, doesn't seem to correlate with the degree of damage.
While no one is 100 percent sure what causes the toxic fragment to get into the cell wall of the intestines, the latest research on celiac disease and gluten sensitivity published so far found that everyone Dr. Fasano and scientists studied who had celiac disease also had leaky gut syndrome.
Role of Leaky Gut Syndrome in Celiac Disease
Leaky gut syndrome is sometimes referred to as intestinal permeability.
This occurs when the cells of the intestinal walls are not able to protect the body due to inflammation.
Toxins, bacteria, and undigested food particles leak through the intestinal wall and find their way into the bloodstream where the immune system tags the undigested particles as foreign invaders.
What begins as celiac disease can snowball into many different allergies and sensitivities fairly quickly.
Most celiac specialists believe that leaky gut came before celiac disease, but they disagree on the reasons for that occurrence.
Some believe that some type of physical trauma, such as an intestinal infection, kicked off the problem, while others believe that systemic candida or other yeast overgrowth problem brought on from antibiotics, antihistamines, antacids, and white sugar caused the original inflammation.
Still others attribute the malfunction to genetics.
Some believe that some type of physical trauma, such as an intestinal infection, kicked off the problem, while others believe that systemic candida or other yeast overgrowth problem brought on from antibiotics, antihistamines, antacids, and white sugar caused the original inflammation.
Still others attribute the malfunction to genetics.
Signs and Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Celiac disease symptoms vary from individual to individual.
While many think it always manifests with:
In fact, at least one-third of all celiacs are overweight at the time of diagnosis. And whatever symptoms you do have might not make you think of celiac disease.
Mine definitely did not.
If you are overweight or obese, have:
While many think it always manifests with:
- bloating
- gas
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
- weight loss
- malnutrition
In fact, at least one-third of all celiacs are overweight at the time of diagnosis. And whatever symptoms you do have might not make you think of celiac disease.
Mine definitely did not.
If you are overweight or obese, have:
- constipation
- fatigue
- heartburn
- and acne
The list of 300 signs and symptoms associated with celiac disease compiled by Gluten Free Works is the best listing I’ve found online.
It literally shocked me when I looked it over because every health problem I’ve ever had was on that list.
Many, many signs and symptoms of celiac disease go undiagnosed. While vitamin and mineral deficiencies are no surprise, problems such as:
Despite the fad label that many have attached to a gluten-free diet, celiac disease is a serious problem.
It’s real and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Not only does it create inflammation, malabsorption and malnutrition, but if it is left undiagnosed, it can eventually lead to additional autoimmune diseases and life-threatening situations such as cancer.
Although, treatment is as simple as going gluten free, the biopsy that’s needed for a proper diagnosis requires you to be eating gluten at the time of testing. And not just a little bit.
You need to eat the equivalent of 2 to 4 slices of bread for several weeks prior to the test to make the test accurate.
It literally shocked me when I looked it over because every health problem I’ve ever had was on that list.
Many, many signs and symptoms of celiac disease go undiagnosed. While vitamin and mineral deficiencies are no surprise, problems such as:
- premature menopause
- hot flashes or red cheeks
- chronic sinusitis
- asthma
- short stature
- ataxia
- brain fog
- anxiety
- yellow teeth
Despite the fad label that many have attached to a gluten-free diet, celiac disease is a serious problem.
It’s real and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Not only does it create inflammation, malabsorption and malnutrition, but if it is left undiagnosed, it can eventually lead to additional autoimmune diseases and life-threatening situations such as cancer.
Although, treatment is as simple as going gluten free, the biopsy that’s needed for a proper diagnosis requires you to be eating gluten at the time of testing. And not just a little bit.
You need to eat the equivalent of 2 to 4 slices of bread for several weeks prior to the test to make the test accurate.
If your doctor refuses to test you, then you can decide to either to seek out a new doctor or try a gluten elimination diet like I did.
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