At the end of our session, I gave Katherine an important homework assignment: Get tested for celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder characterized by a heightened sensitivity to gluten, the protein in wheat, barley and rye.
At first glance, this study appears full of promise for celiacs, as well as those who are gluten intolerant.
This two-month study followed a group of healthy celiacs. All of them had been on a strict gluten-free diet.
After all, Linnaea, her parents, and her six sisters all have celiac disease, which means that a lot of foods Linnaea and her family were eating every single day made them sick.
The problem starts when a person with celiac disease eats gluten, which is found in certain grains, such as wheat, barley, and rye.
For someone suffering from
celiac disease, also called
celiac sprue or
celiac enteropathy, all forms of gluten are toxic to the digestive system.
Therefore, it's a cruel joke that a large percentage of our population suffers from a disease whose hallmark is an intolerance to gluten:
celiac disease.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that is genetically linked and affects I out of 100 people worldwide.
The CDF is at the forefront of
celiac disease education, information, awareness, advocacy and support services.
Autoimmune conditions including thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto thyroiditis and Grave's disease are associated with
celiac disease [10-13] with a reported prevalence up to 10 times that in the general population [14-17].
Patients with
celiac disease often are asymptomatic, and because they already have one demanding lifelong chronic disease in the form of diabetes, they and their families need to be persuaded of the importance of following the diet on a lifelong basis, according to dietitian and diabetes educator Gail Spiegel.
Resources on
Celiac Disease Diet, Advocacy; and Support
Celiac disease is an immune-mediated enteropathy caused by a permanent sensitivity to the gliadin protein fraction of gluten found in cereal grains including wheat, rye, and barley.
Some have written books about
celiac disease and gluten-free diets; some started
celiac organizations and support groups; others developed gluten-free recipes; and still others developed gluten-free products that are available in stores and online.
