Each and every week, I meet with at least one client whose health concerns are significantly impacted by gluten. This does not mean that these clients all have celiac disease—many of them simply suffer from mild to severe gluten intolerance.
True celiac disease (also called celiac sprue), is a common disease in the US, but is rarely diagnosed quickly. As many as 1 in 133 people in the US have celiac disease, yet most of them don’t know it. If a parent or sibling has it, the chances you will too, jumps to 1 in 20! Worldwide, celiac affects about 1% of the population.
There are two known genes involved in celiac disease, and you only have to have one to develop celiac, but a third of the people with the celiac genes never become celiacs, and there is still a 1% chance of developing celiac even when neither marker is present. Once considered a childhood or pediatric disease, it is most commonly diagnosed in adults. You see how this is not an exact science!
In celiac disease, the body is genetically programmed to be sensitive to gluten, so when gluten is consumed, delicate intestinal tissue is damaged. Nutrients are poorly absorbed, stomach bloating and pain is common, and the person may suffer from diarrhea or constipation, or both.
Intestinal damage can be severe and malnutrition can become life threatening. Undiagnosed gluten problems in infants can have devastating results, and we know that lab tests are particularly unreliable in small children. Stomach aches in children may be brushed off, or symptoms may not become serious until later in life, or may appear unrelated to intestinal problems—joint pain, fatigue, depression, and just feeling “crummy” are all typical. I have dealt with several adults who spent decades unaware that their misery was related to gluten intolerance.
One of the trickiest aspects of figuring it out is that the offending proteins can linger in the body for weeks, and because gluten is present in so many foods, the culprit isn’t always obvious.
Testing for celiac involves blood and/or stool tests, and colonoscopy and/or intestinal biopsy. The tests are not always 100% accurate in diagnosing or in dismissing celiac or gluten intolerance diseases. If tests are all negative, the person is often sent on his or her way with little idea of where to go from there. If they come to a nutritionist like me, we implement dietary changes.
A gluten elimination diet is quite reliable. Eliminate all gluten for 3-4 weeks (wheat, rye, barley). This is much easier said than done, and requires a great deal of motivation, self-control, and determination. The results are often incredibly eye opening for some clients as they find themselves pain free and comfortable for the first time in years. In the case of one of my youngest clients, I believe that removing gluten from her diet may literally have saved her life.
I don’t recommend the elimination diet for just anyone, and not everyone I recommend it to has irritable bowel type issues. Gluten sensitivity increases inflammation, so that arthritis often responds very well to the removal of gluten from the diet, as does psoriasis, eczema, and other issues.
Celiac is associated with many conditions, so consider it if you or a close relative has any of these: Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, type I diabetes, scleroderma, Raynaud’s, Addison’s, Sjogren’s syndrome, autism, ADD, depression/bipolar disease, anemia, osteoporosis, optic myopathy, neuropathy, seizures, myasthenia gravis, systemic lupus, intestinal lymphoma, Down’s syndrome, or cystic fibrosis.
There is no cure for celiac or gluten intolerance, but by eliminating or restricting gluten, celiacs are able to live full, normal lives. Certainly, there will be dietary sacrifices to make, and it can be very inconvenient since it involves always knowing what is in your food. The good news is that healing begins immediately, and most, if not all, damage is reversible. Gluten free pastas, cookies, and breads are now widely available, as are other gluten free products.
Don’t wait to seek help if you suspect that gluten is wreaking havoc with your health. The sooner you address the problem, the sooner your body can heal, allowing you to feel your best.
Beginning in March, I will be collaborating with Earth Fare in Johnson City in a community program aimed at supporting persons with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Please check my website and Earth Fare’s for more information as it becomes available.
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