Gluten Sensitivity and Awareness

What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in grains such as: Wheat, Rye, Barley, & Oats*
*Studies continue to evaluate the effect of oats in people with Celiac Disease.
What Is Gluten Sensitivity?
Celiac Disease, or "CD", is a chronic, inherited trait that results in an immune-mediated response to the intake of gluten (from wheat, rye and barley). This can lead to serious gastro-intestinal symptoms, damage to the intestinal tract, and even malnutrition, if left untreated. The lining of a normal small intestine is made up of tiny finger-like projections called "villi." The villi absorb nutrients during digestion of food.

When a person with Celiac Disease consumes gluten, the villi become damaged and flattened, unable to do their job. Instead of foods being broken down in the small intestine and absorbed into the blood stream, the food passes undigested through the intestines. The resulting symptoms can include diarrhea, increased appetite, bloating, weight loss, irritability, and fatigue. Antibodies related to the gluten sensitivity can deposit within the skin, causing an itchy, blistering rash. This condition is called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), and is considered another possible symptom of gluten sensitivity.

Some people with CD have no apparent symptoms at all—and are unaware that damage is occurring. Celiac Disease may only be suspected when there is unexplained anemia or osteoporosis.

People with Celiac Disease are more likely to have type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease. Though different than Celiac Disease, some researchers believe autism or Down Syndrome can be treated with a gluten- and casein (milk protein)-free diet. Diagnosis and treatment of CD is complex. It’s estimated that one in 133 Americans suffers from Celiac Disease, which can occur in any ethnic group and at any age. It is generally diagnosed with a simple blood test, though more intensive tests may be performed.

Gluten Sensitivity should NOT be self-diagnosed, since other medical problems could cause similar symptoms. A gluten-free diet should not be followed until all testing for Celiac Disease is completed. A "false negative" can result if a person is not currently reacting to gluten in the diet. Because intestinal villi cannot properly absorb nutrients from food, and because gluten-free diets can be low in B vitamins, a multivitamin providing 100% of the Daily Value is generally advised for all people with CD.

Ask your doctor what supplement is right for you. Healing of the small intestine and symptom relief usually occurs when gluten is removed from the diet. In children, symptoms may seem to disappear when a child reaches his or her teens, but the disease does not go away. Physicians advise "once a Celiac, always a Celiac," and recommend a lifelong gluten-free diet.
I dedicate this blog to CD awareness, and to my granddaughter, who is thought to have it, and suffers terrible pain and discomfort when exposed to gluten. Children don’t realize what it is that causes this terrible affliction and need to be closely supervised, when it comes to their food-intake. Mothers are often victimized, as well, simply because they are trying to keep their child on a gluten-free diet in order to alleviate the painful consequences to their child.