Gluten Intolerance / Celiac Disease

Gluten intolerance is a sensitivity or intolerance to the protein gluten which is commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley. A more serious form is known as Celiac Disease.

This disease effects people of all ages, and although the exact cause is unknown, it is often inherited. Experts speculate that man developed this problem when switching from a diet of meat and nuts to a diet that included grains. This problem is more common than you might imagine, affecting approximately 1 in 150 Americans.

RISK FACTORS:

• People of European descent
• Those with autoimmune disorders (lupus, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis)
• After-effects of a trauma, infection, injury, pregnancy and surgery

REACTIONS IN THE BODY:

Gluten Intolerance is not a "food allergy" (a release of histamines and chemicals), but rather an immune system reaction. When you are sensitive to gluten your body considers it a foreign substance and produces antibodies to eliminate it.

The small intestine has tiny hair-like projections called villi whose job is to absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. Inflammation from gluten sensitivity can result in damage to the villi and cause problems with absorbtion of nutrients necessary for good health.

Screening Methods:

One method of screening is a blood test to identify higher than normal levels of the following antibodies: anti-gliadin, anti-endomysium and anti-tissue transglutaminase. The drawback of this testing method is that the test results are not always completely accurate and therefore the results can be inconclusive.

In order to receive a definitive diagnosis a doctor can perform a biopsy and examine a small portion of the intestinal tissue to check for damaged villi.

If you suspect you are gluten intolerant and are looking for a less invasive way to find out, try a gluten free diet to see if your symptoms subside and you feel better. But if you intend to have either the antibody blood test or the biopsy do not start the gluten-free diet until after you have had the tests as the results may be inaccurate.

There is a wonderful website full of information about celiac disease, including a symptom checklist that can help you to determine if you are gluten intolerant:
www.celiaccentral.org.

Another way to determine how your body reacts to gluten, or any other food for that matter, is through muscle testing. It is a simple technique that can help you to identify the foods that are compatible with your body, and those that are not.

SYMPTOMS:

Sometimes even though there are no obvious symptoms, there can be internal damage occurring, which can eventually lead to serious complications. The most common symptoms of gluten intolerance are:

• Abdominal Pain
• Foul Smelling Stool and Gas
• Diarrhea
• Bloating

There are four categories of the disease:

Latent – no symptoms, no intestinal damage, and is impossible to diagnosis until it has developed into gluten intolerance.

Silent – no external symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, but there is internal damage. Should be able to be detected by tests.

Refractory – This rare form does not improve after months of eliminating gluten from the diet. Some doctors consider this a type of cancer. Corticosteriods can be successful in treating this form.

Collagenous – Another rare form in which glucose intolerance results in a large amount of scar tissue that accumulates under the intestinal lining. There is no treatment and it can be fatal.

COMPLICATIONS OF GLUTEN INTOLERANCE:

• Malnutrition/Malabsorption
• Loss of calcium and bone density
• Lactose Intolerance
• Cancer (particularly lymphoma and bowel cancer)
• Neurological complications

TREATMENT:

There is no cure for gluten intolerance/Celiac Disease, but it can be managed by diet. This is a life-long change, not a temporary one. Once on a gluten- free diet healing can take several months for less serious conditions, and several years for more serious or long-suffering conditions.  I know that it takes a serious committment to eliminate all gluten from your diet, but I can personally attest to the fact that it is well worth the health benefits you can experience.  If you have any questions about living "gluten free" please feel free to email me, andrea@HealWIthHope.com.

 

DIET:

Obviously it is important to eliminate all foods from your diet that contain gluten. This may seem a bit overwhelming at first – as it was to me - but there are many gluten-free breads, cereals and other food choices available today, which makes living gluten-free much easier. Check with your local health food store, and even many supermarkets carry gluten-free items. And manufacturers are required by law to list all ingredients on the label, so make sure to read them carefully.

Foods on the DO NOT EAT LIST include:

• All type of wheat
• Semolina
• Spelt
• Barley
• Rye
• Wheat Germ
• Kamut
• Kasha
• Graham, gluten or durum flour
• Bulger
• Matzo Meal
• Triticale
• Farina
• Oats*/Oat Bran
  While oats themselves are not considered to be a gluten product, is often contaminated by processing in facilities that process other gluten grains. You may or may not be able to tolerate oats, so eat with caution and pay attention to how you feel after eating it.

Other foods you might not suspect that can contain gluten:

• Food additives (malt flavoring and modified food starch)
• Beer, Gin, Whiskey and other Alcohol
• Breads
• Cereals
• Communion Wafers
• Crackers
• Pasta
• Cookies
• Cakes and Pies
• Egg Substitutes
• Gravies and Sauces
• Salad Dressing
• Yogurt Drinks
• Frozen Yogurt
• Canned Soups, Broth and Soup Mix
• Processed Cheese (Blue, Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton)
• Candy
• Curry Powder

Also use with caution:

• Vitamins, Medications, and Herbal Supplements that may use gluten as a binding agent
• Even cosmetics such as Lipstick can contain gluten (for gluten-free cosmetics visit: www.allnaturalcosmetics.com
• And use extra care when eating out – it is better to ask questions then to pay the price later!
• Those with more serious forms of intolerance should be careful about cross-contamination – for example, when sharing condiment containers, as well as when using a cutting board and utensils that have been in contact with gluten.

OK TO EAT:

• Amaranth
• Buckwheat
• Cornmeal* (polenta and tortillas)
• Millet
• Rice
• Quinoa
• Soy
• Rice, Soy and Potato Flours
• Breads and cereals made from rice, potato, soy arrowroot, tapioca, flax and hominy.

SUBSTITUTIONS:
 

• 1 tablespoon of wheat flour = 1-1/2 teaspoons of either cornstarch, potato starch, arrowroot starch or rice flower. You can also use two teaspoons of quick cooking tapioca
• 1 cup of Wheat Flour = 1 cup plain cornmeal, fine, or ¾ cup plain cornmeal (coarse), or 5/8 cup potato flour, or ¾ cup rice flour
• These substitutions may require you to bake longer at a lower temperature.

RESOURCES:

Online retailers offering gluten-free foods:

www.babycakesnyc.com
www.gilliansfoods.com/
www.glutenfree.com/
www.glutino.com
www.wellnessgrocer.com/

There are numerous websites with information about gluten intolerance.
Those used to do research for this article include:

www.celiaccentral.org
www.mayoclinic.com/health/celiac-disease/
www.webmd.com/diet/guide/gluten-intolerance-against-grain
www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=63412
www.allergy.health.ivillage.com/foodallergyintolerance/glutenintolerance.cfm
www.glutenfreegirl.com
 

Other articles on Heal With Hope that you may also find of interest:

Allergies/Sensitivities; Digestive Disorders; Eat Right For Your Body; Muscle Testing.
   

Note: There is a laboratory, Sage Medical, that offers food allergy and sensitivity testing that might be helpful in determining if any foods are contributing to your health problems. I have never used their services personally, but understand that they work in conjunction with your doctor. You can get more information on their website: www.sagemedlab.com or call 1-800-491-9511.