Celiac Disease: Everything You Need To Know About This Autoimmune Disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects your small intestine, and a reaction to gluten causes it. While there is no cure for celiac disease, you can live a happy and healthy life on a gluten-free diet.
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in the small intestine. It's triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.
Celiac disease can develop at any age, but it's more common in people with a family member with celiac disease. The condition can be diagnosed at any point throughout your life. Signs and symptoms vary from person to person. Most people don't show symptoms or experience mild symptoms such as stomach pain or bloating after eating foods containing gluten. Symptoms usually disappear when you stop eating gluten-free foods for six months to two years.
However, some people may not be able to go off gluten completely because of complications from celiac disease-related damage to their intestines that cause malnutrition (malabsorption) or diarrhea (short bowel syndrome).
Celiac disease symptoms
Celiac disease symptoms include stomach pain, diarrhea, bloating, nausea, and weight loss. Anemia may occur in children younger than six years of age. The signs and symptoms of celiac disease are often overlooked as irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance. Celiac disease may also cause fatigue, joint pain, and depression.
When a person with celiac disease consumes food containing gluten (wheat flour), the immune system responds by attacking the small intestine's lining, where nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. This damage can lead to other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes type 1 or thyroiditis (Hashimoto's thyroiditis).
Celiac disease treatments
Medication
Diet
Gluten-free diet
Diet and medicine (such as a pill)
Celiac disease diet
The diet for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. As with any autoimmune condition, eating a gluten-free diet can be difficult at first as it requires you to change your meal plans and lifestyle entirely. However, this does not mean that you cannot enjoy delicious food! Many foods do not contain gluten, but they still taste great!
A dairy-free diet is also recommended for people with celiac disease because dairy can increase inflammation in the body. Dairy products include:
Milk (cow or goat).
Cheese (made from cow's milk or goat's milk).
Yogurt (made from cow's milk or goat's milk).
Ice cream (made from either).
However, substitutes such as almond milk or coconut oil can help you stay on track with your dietary needs while still enjoying some favorite dishes like mac n cheese! You may also want to consider replacing butter with ghee – an alternative made by heating butter until all traces of water evaporate.
Getting diagnosed with celiac disease isn't the end of the world. You can live a happy and healthy life on a gluten-free diet.
Once you've been diagnosed with celiac disease, the first thing you should do is contact your doctor to determine how serious your celiac disease is. Depending on how severe your symptoms are and how long they have been present, your doctor may suggest starting a treatment plan immediately. After that, it's time to come up with a plan for living a gluten-free lifestyle.
It's important to remember that life after being diagnosed with celiac disease isn't as tricky as some think. You'll still be able to enjoy delicious foods and go out to eat at restaurants like everyone else; all you need is a little information about what ingredients contain gluten (a protein found in many grains) so that you can make educated decisions on where those ingredients are used when dining out or cooking at home.
FAQs
What are the four symptoms of celiac disease?
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, symptoms of celiac disease include:
1. Abdominal pain, bloating, and gas
2. Nausea or vomiting
3. Fatigue (feeling tired)
4. Weight loss
How do I know if I am a celiac?
If you have one of the symptoms listed above, you may be a celiac. If you are experiencing these symptoms and have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, or lupus), speak to your doctor about getting tested for celiac disease.
What does celiac disease do to a person?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects your digestive system. When you have celiac disease, eating gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye) causes damage to the small intestine. This damage prevents nutrients from being absorbed into your body. Celiac disease can lead to weight loss, diarrhea, and other long-term health issues.
What foods trigger celiac disease?
If you have celiac disease, then it's essential to avoid eating gluten. This includes wheat (including bulgur), barley, and rye. Foods that may contain these ingredients include:
The following foods are safe for people with celiac disease:
-Bread made from Rice, corn or potato flour
-Unleavened bread (these don't use yeast to rise) such as matzo
-Pasta made from Rice, corn or potato flour
-Crackers and cookies that are gluten-free (check the label)
Can celiac go away?
Celiac disease is a lifelong condition. It's not something that goes away, but you can learn to manage it by eating a diet that doesn't contain gluten. Some people may be able to reintroduce small amounts of gluten into their diets after they've been diagnosed with celiac disease or sensitivity. This is called being on a gluten-free diet trial period. If you have celiac disease and want to try this, talk with your doctor first.
Can you suddenly become celiac?
No. Celiac disease is a genetic condition that you are born with. If you have one or more close relatives who have been diagnosed with celiac disease, then it's likely that you will also be diagnosed with the condition.
Does celiac cause weight gain?
No. The only reason you may gain weight while eating gluten-free foods is if the items you eat are higher in calories than those that contain gluten. This can happen because some gluten-free products use refined ingredients instead of whole grains and legumes.
What are the first signs of being gluten intolerant?
The symptoms of celiac disease are often vague and may include:
-Nausea or vomiting
-Diarrhea
-Weight loss or failure to gain weight in infancy and childhood
-Constipation
-Itchy skin rash, eczema, or dermatitis herpetiformis
-Dental enamel defects and iron deficiency anemia
-Lack of energy, chronic fatigue, and weakness
What organs are affected by celiac disease?
The small intestine and the mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, and gallbladder can be affected by celiac disease. In addition to the damage to the small intestine, celiac disease may also cause damage to other organs in your body. Some people who have celiac disease don't experience any symptoms. They usually start within two years of consuming gluten (a protein found in wheat) when symptoms occur.
Can stress cause celiac?
Stress can cause celiac disease. If you have stress or anxiety, it's essential to seek professional help. People often don't realize that their stress is causing problems with their health and well-being, but the truth is that stress and anxiety can negatively affect your body in various ways.
Do you need an endoscopy for celiac?
An endoscopy is the most common way to diagnose celiac disease. An endoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor uses a long, flexible tube with a light and camera on the end (called an endoscope) to look inside your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. During the procedure, your doctor will take tissue samples from your digestive tract and send them off to be analyzed by lab technicians.
Does Rice have gluten in it?
Yes, Rice has gluten in it. Rice is a grain that contains gluten, so people with celiac disease must avoid it. Eating even small amounts of gluten can worsen your symptoms if you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
What does gluten pain feel like?
Eating gluten can cause pain, bloating, and other symptoms. Consuming even small amounts of gluten can worsen your symptoms if you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The severity of these symptoms varies from person to person. Some people experience only mild discomfort after eating a meal with gluten; others may experience severe pain that lasts for hours or days.
How do I get gluten out of my system fast?
There are several ways to get rid of gluten in your system, including:
-Eating a gluten-free diet
-Taking medication or supplements that help break down gluten
-Treating the pain with over-the-counter medications (like ibuprofen)
What happens if you ignore celiac disease?
If you continue to eat gluten, it will damage the lining of your small intestine, leading to other health problems. These include:
-Anemia (a condition in which red blood cells are reduced in number)
-Gallstones (small stones made of hardened bile that form in your liver and gallbladder)
-Infertility (problem getting pregnant)
How many days does it take to detox from gluten?
The length of your gluten detox will vary depending on how much gluten you eat and how long you've been eating it. If you're sensitive to gluten, it may take only a few days before symptoms start improving. However, if you have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, it could take several weeks or even months to recover entirely from damage caused by gluten.
Conclusion
By now, you should be well in understanding celiac disease. It's not just a digestive disorder that affects the stomach and intestines—it can also impact other body parts such as the skin, joints, and brain. So don't put off getting tested! If you have celiac disease, many treatment options are available to help control symptoms and improve your quality of life.