| Celiac disease is a common genetic disorder | | | | periods, infertility or miscarriages, osteoporosis or |
| affecting many individuals world wide including | | | | bone loss, and pain in the joints or bones. |
| approximately two million people in the United | | | | While researchers have not been able to find a |
| States. This disease also commonly occurs in | | | | definitive cause of celiac disease or why the |
| individuals who have Turner and Down syndrome. | | | | symptoms vary so significantly among individuals, |
| Celiac disease affects the digestive system | | | | they have identified some factors that may play |
| causing an intolerance of products or foods that | | | | a role in when and how the signs and symptoms |
| contain gluten. | | | | of this disease appear. These factors include how |
| This is an extremely challenging disease to | | | | long an individual was breastfed, when the |
| manage and control as the patient's diet is strictly | | | | individual began consuming foods that contain |
| limited due to the fact that gluten is a protein that | | | | gluten, as well as the amount of gluten that is |
| is found in rye, barley, and wheat, which is | | | | being consumed. |
| contained in numerous foods. When gluten is | | | | Treatment for Celiac Disease |
| consumed, it causes an immune system reaction | | | | The only form of treatment for celiac disease is |
| that begins to destroy the villi which is part of the | | | | the elimination of gluten from the patient's diet. |
| lining of the small intestine and causes the inability | | | | This can be quite challenging given the fact that |
| of the intestines to absorb the essential nutrients | | | | so many foods contain gluten and it is sometimes |
| our body needs from food. | | | | "hidden" particularly in most processed foods. |
| The Symptoms Associated with Celiac Disease | | | | When a patient is initially diagnosed with celiac |
| The numerous symptoms that can occur due to | | | | disease it is typically recommended that they |
| celiac disease can differ significantly from one | | | | consult with a dietician who specializes in |
| individual to another and also make it a hard | | | | gluten-free diets. |
| condition to diagnose as many of the symptoms | | | | A common issue that causes the recurring |
| are also associated with other conditions and | | | | symptoms of celiac disease is when the patient is |
| disorders of the digestive system. | | | | consuming small amounts of gluten unintentionally |
| These symptoms not only affect the digestive | | | | as they are unaware of the foods that contain |
| system, but can occur in other areas of the body | | | | hidden or trace amounts of gluten such as found |
| and include abdominal pain and bloating, chronic | | | | in certain additives and preservatives, or are |
| constipation or diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and | | | | manufactured in plants that produce other wheat |
| stools that are fatty, pale in color, or have a foul | | | | products and utilize the same machinery which |
| smelling odor. | | | | then "contaminates" the other foods with wheat |
| Symptoms that may occur in other parts of the | | | | gluten. |
| body and may not be immediately recognized as | | | | If you suffer from celiac disease, it is essential |
| being caused by this disease include fatigue, | | | | that you educate yourself as much as you can |
| arthritis, an iron deficiency that is unexplained, | | | | about this disease and follow a gluten-free diet in |
| anxiety or depression, canker sores of the | | | | order to prevent serious complications or further |
| mouth, an itchy rash, seizures, numbness or | | | | damage from occurring to the intestines. |
| tingling in the hands or feet, irregular menstrual | | | | |