What is Celiac Disease

The first video provides an overview on celiac disease. In this video she explains there is a spectrum of gluten intolerance with celiac disease being on one end of this spectrum. There are certain conditions at play for a person who develops celiac disease. First the person has the celiac gene, second they are consuming gluten but there is also some sort of trigger.

According to this video about 30 percent of people have the gene. Because it is hereditary it is important for family members to be aware of this and to be tested if one member of the family has been diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.

She explains that you need to test for gluten intolerance before you start a gluten-free diet as the gluten-free diet can skew the results of the test since your body will start to heal on the diet. It is also better to know whether or not you really need to be on a gluten-free diet so you know the consequences of cheating.

People with celiac disease should also have additional testing for healthy levels of specific nutrients. Getting a proper diagnosis will help you and your doctor take the best path forward.

The Symptoms

As mentioned in many places on this site, this second video talks about the wide range of symptoms involved with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Because these are conditions that impact your body’s ability to absorb nutrients it makes sense that they can lead to a wide range of symptoms. She lists some of the more common symptoms and why they occur, but she also discusses why lactose intolerance is so common for celiac patients.

She mentions that it can make sense for people with other autoimmune disorders to get tested for celiac disease or to try a gluten-free diet to see if they find some relief.

She talks about how it is difficult to narrow down the symptoms because the lack of nutrient absorption impacts so many areas of our bodies. It can lead to neurological issues, skin issues, digestive issues or anxiety and depression.

Brief Summary And Recommendations

The third video provides a brief summary and recommendations. She discusses why many people go on a gluten-free diet, but that it is important to go to a physician for testing if you suspect you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity. She also discusses the importance of working with a dietitian if you need to go on a gluten-free diet. This is a big dietary change so it is important to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need, but also to make sure you have the appropriate follow up testing.