Gluten

How evil is it?

May is Celiac Disease Awareness month and it is a good time to discuss what gluten is and who needs to avoid it.  First a couple definitions.  Gluten is a protein naturally found in wheat, rye and barley.  Celiac Disease is a genetically linked autoimmune disorder.  It is estimated that 1 in 133 Americans have this condition (1% of the population) yet up to 83% are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed.

Celiac Disease is characterized by damage to the small intestine lining when gluten containing items are consumed.  This damage can cause malabsorption of nutrients and can increase risk for osteoporosis, anemia, infertility and intestinal cancer if gluten is not avoided.  Many persons with untreated celiac disease have gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea, constipation and/or bloating but it is estimated that half have no GI symptoms at all.  Other symptoms of celiac disease cold include fatigue, skin rashes, mouth sores and joint pain.

It was once thought that celiac disease was only diagnosed in children who had diarrhea, weight loss and failure to thrive.  Now we know that you can develop celiac disease at any age.  I myself was diagnosed with it in my mid-forties after twelve years of symptoms, multiple tests and a misdiagnosis along the way.  Having a family member with celiac disease or having an autoimmune disease such as Type 1 diabetes can also increase your risk of developing celiac disease.

There are two ways to diagnose celiac disease.  The first is a blood test that measures antibodies.  It is important to still have gluten in your diet or your test results may have a false negative.  The second way is an upper endoscopy where a doctor will look at your small intestines and do an intestinal biopsy. The only current treatment for celiac disease is total avoidance of gluten containing food and beverages.  That is easier said than done however.

It is very helpful for persons with celiac disease to see a Registered Dietitian for further education.  An experience dietitian can help the individual identify and treat nutritional deficiencies caused from poor gut absorption or diet restrictions, discuss cross contamination issues and set up a healthy meal plan utilizing new foods.  Remember, total abstinence from gluten is the only treatment for celiac disease.

So how about those of you that don’t have celiac disease.  Do you need to avoid gluten?  My answer to this is “maybe”. It is estimated that 1/3 of our population may be gluten intolerant or have a sensitivity to gluten. This is different than celiac disease and warrants further discussion.  In my next article I will discuss what gluten intolerance/sensitivity is and how you can determine if gluten is your friend or foe.

Leave a Comment





patty-walker-4

Patty Walker RD LD CDE CLT

Patty is proud to serve her community’s nutritional needs for over 35 years.  WIth deep knowledge in nutrition for diabetes as well as passion for plant-based diets, Patty supplies nutritional keys to unlock health by getting to the root of disease and helping others set a course for optimizing health. In addition to coaching individual clients and teaching classes, Patty provides education seminars to local businesses, writes monthly nutrition articles, is a key educator for the Lions Club’s Diabetes-Reduction Initiative and hosts “Nutritional Wisdom” cable show on WCTV. The goal is to reach as many people in my community that I possibly can with the truth about the power of nutrition and healthy living.

Sugar Detox Bowl

Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Quitting Sugar

You try and try again but can’t seem to kick that sugar addiction.  What’s up? Perhaps you’re mistakenly falling prey to one (or more) of the top mistakes that can keep you on the sugar rollercoaster.