To get started you need to know what Celiac is and is not. Below are the highlights and we will have many more articles explaining these items in detail.
What Celiac Disease is Not
Many people think Celiac Disease is an allergic reaction, it is not. Others think Celiac Disease is minor stomach ailment; it is not. Many people think Celiac Disease is a “sensitivity” to gluten; it is not. Some others think Celiac Disease is another name for Crones or Colitis, it is not. Still others think Celiac Disease is a dietary choice; it is most definitely not.
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder. Celiac disease causes damage in the small intestine with a person ingests gluten.
How Common Is Celiac Disease?
No one knows for sure but most estimates from ‘real’ organizations like the Celiac Disease Foundation (and my surgeon!) say that effects 1 in 100 people worldwide. Most go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. In the US it is estimated that there are 2.5 million undiagnosed cases.
What Does Celiac Disease Do?
Put simply, Celiac Disease causes swelling in the small intestine (just below the stomach and above the big intestine… and your bum!). This causes the villi that absorb food nutrients to be malformed and that causes serious intestinal issues.
How Can You Heal Celiac Disease?
Only one thing works and that is avoiding gluten which is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
Is Celiac Disease Hereditary?
Yes, Celiac disease can be hereditary. It runs in families and those with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease. In my case it either skipped a generation and or was not hereditary.
0 Comments