Celiac disease is an illness that is caused by an intolerance or sensitivity to GLUTEN, a substance found primarily in wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt. Celiac disease can first appear in childhood or adulthood, and the symptoms can range from very mild to severe. The most severe symptoms seen with celiac disease are:
- weight loss
- bloating
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain and joint pain
- vomiting
You can also have secondary effects of:
- anemia to malabsorption in the intestines
- muscle wasting and
- problems related to nutritional deficiencies.
What causes these symptoms?
When a person with a gluten intolerance eats any foods containing gluten, a protein in the gluten called GLIADIN causes a reaction that results in damage to the intestinal wall, causing the villi in the small intestinal to flatten , which in turn leads to an inability to absorb most nutrients and eventually malnutrition.
Prognosis for Celiac Disease?
Some people experience no abdominal symptoms but can develop signs of nutritional deficiencies. Usually a blood allergy / intolerance test will be adequate to diagnose an intolerance to gluten, however a biopsy of the small intestine will be necessary to rule out celiac disease. Once diagnosed, the condition can be managed extremely successfully by completely avoiding gluten products from the diet.
If you are suspecting that you may be suffering from an intolerance to gluten, or suspect celiac disease, call the clinic at 416 913 4325 to schedule a naturopathic appointment for yourself, and we will be able to determine if you are in fact suffering from an intolerance to gluten or any other food and then treat your symptoms and the root cause of the health problem using nutrition and natural therapies.
By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.