Gluten intolerance is a broad term that can refer to a few different conditions. The first and most commonly considered condition is celiac disease, but it can also refer to non-celiac gluten sensitivity or even a wheat allergy. Having a better understanding of these conditions and what to do about each of them will help you take the right steps towards the path of health and recovery.
Did you know that 75% of all celiac disease patients have low bone density (osteopenia) and that nearly 40% of all celiac disease patients have full-blown osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is the quintessential silent disease. Most people only learn they suffer from the disease after they break a bone. This lesson will help you identify this stealthy
A new study points out two disturbing trends: celiac disease is becoming more common and a vast majority of people with celiac disease don’t know they have it. They Mayo Clinic and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases teamed to conduct this comprehensive and revealing study.
A study published in the medical journal BMC Gastroenterology found that on average it takes 9.7 years for a celiac patient to be diagnosed after he or she first experiences symptoms, and 5.8 years after visiting a doctor about those symptoms. According to the Columbia University Medical Center, the U.S. has more cases of undiagnosed celiac disease than Europe because doctors do not prescribe intestinal biopsies enough. No blood panel is 100% accurate; an intestinal biopsy is the only gold standard for celiac disease diagnosis.
Since celiac disease symptoms occur as a result of consuming gluten, people often categorize celiac disease (CD) as a digestive disorder. But the symptoms are actually the result of an autoimmune disease, and often the most insidious and serious signs aren’t as tangible and immediate as various intestinal discomforts. CD may also manifest itself very differently in different people, so it is difficult to use a checklist of symptoms to identify this condition.
In an allergic reaction, your immune system over-reacts to a foreign substance the human body usually ignores. In an autoimmune disease, your immune system reacts to normal cells or tissues that it usually ignores or accepts. This is why a peanut allergy can trigger a severe reaction via anaphylactic shock while celiac disease can do damage without any evident, tangible reaction after eating gluten.
The genetic connection with celiac disease may surprise some people because a celiac disease diagnosis was pretty rare prior to this generation. But it was there, even if it wasn’t diagnosed or even if people didn’t discuss their undiagnosed symptoms openly (symptoms like flatulence and diarrhea aren’t often casual conversation topics at family reunions). You
Until somewhat recently many people suffered from symptoms that seemed to be related to wheat or gluten, however they tested negative for celiac disease and a wheat allergy. It looks as though there may be a formal diagnosis for many of these people… finally. In March 2011 a study was published that verified the existence
When you look at the statistics of gluten intolerance, you may be startled to recognize how many people around you probably suffer from some degree of gluten intolerance. It’s clear that gluten sensitivity and celiac disease are widespread, but, sadly, many people who have these conditions don’t even know it. Awareness and diagnosis is improving, but as you can see from these statistics we still have a long way to go.
In a modern, civilized society it is remarkable and confusing how often a serious disease goes unidentified and undiagnosed by medical doctors. Around one in 100 people suffer from celiac disease symptoms, yet a vast majority of those individuals don’t even know it. Sadly, a large number of these individuals have consulted their doctors to discuss symptoms they have been experiencing, yet they leave either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
