The Facts About Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that many people do not realize they have. Read what to do when diagnosed with celiac disease or if you are wondering if you are.

Celiac disease impacts 1 in 100 Americans but the majority of people are either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.

I was recently asked to do a segment on the Fox 61 morning show about Celiac disease so I thought I would share with you what I shared with the viewing audience, including the Banana Bread Recipe that I made while talking (no easy feat!)

 

WHAT IS CELIAC DISEASE?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, damages the part of the small intestines, called villi, which are responsible for absorbing nutrients.

When gluten is consumed, it damages the villi, leading not only to malabsorption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients we consume, but to gastrointestinal pain and discomfort, joint pain, and delayed growth in children. Some people with Celiac disease may also experience other symptoms such as infertility, anemia, and brain fog.

If you suspect you have an issue with gluten, it’s important to get tested and determine the cause and to find out if you have Celiac Disease or something else. In order to get an accurate result, do not stop eating gluten until after you have been diagnosed. You will need to be eating the equivalent of 2 slices of bread daily for 4-6 weeks. Removing gluten-containing foods from your diet prior to testing can result in a false negative outcome.

GENETICS CAN PLAY A ROLE

It’s important to note that if someone in your family has Celiac disease, your chance of having it increases from 1 in 100 to 1 in 10, so testing is imperative.

GETTING TESTED

A doctor may start with a blood test to see if you have either of the genes for Celiac (HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8). Without one of the genes present, you cannot get Celiac disease. If you have one or both of the genes, you still may never get Celiac as the genes need to be expressed or “turned on” to trigger the autoimmune disorder.

The gold standard of testing for Celiac disease is an endoscopy with a duodenal biopsy. A duodenal biopsy is where your doctor will take a little bit of tissue from your small intestine and test it in a lab. From the biopsy, your doctor will assess the potential damage to the villi and the intestinal lining. Once you have a diagnosis of Celiac Disease, or another gluten or wheat-related issue if that is the case, you can begin to heal and protect your gut by eliminating gluten from your diet.

GOING GLUTEN-FREE WITH CELIAC DISEASE

For those that have Celiac disease, it’s important to avoid all gluten-containing foods as well as the cross-contamination with gluten-containing foods. Foods containing gluten are considered to have more than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten or .002% of gluten in the total product. That’s a really small amount!

Ideally, to avoid contamination at home, it would be beneficial to keep all gluten-containing foods, including foods from non-gluten-free restaurants out of the house. When that is not a possibility, awareness about cross-contamination is key.

3 Ways To Avoid Cross-Contamination:

  • Have designated dishes, utensils, cooking utensils, pots, pans, and colanders that are used only with gluten-free foods. Painting or wrapping tape around to mark the handles will help to differentiate them from other cookware and utensils.

 

  • Check all food labels, makeup, candy, gum, toothpaste, and even lotions for gluten-containing ingredients. Remember that 20ppm is a small amount, but enough to impact the health of someone with Celiac disease.

 

  • When eating out, call ahead and ask if there is a gluten-free menu appropriate for someone with Celiac disease. Advocate for your gluten-free family member (or yourself) and ask if they have a dedicated area and utensils for preparing the meal and a fryer is only used for gluten-free foods.

 

WHAT IF I TEST NEGATIVE FOR CELIAC DISEASE?

If you are not diagnosed with Celiac disease but still have issues with gluten-containing grains, you may have Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity NCWS) or a fructan intolerance. You can read more about this in my article, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or Fructan Intolerance?

I know this is a lot of information, and some of it very technical and science-based, that is why many of my clients work with me; to help them decipher all the confusing information they need to know in order to improve their symptoms, and understand how to follow these special diets and still have a fulfilling and happy life. Dietitians like me who specialize in gut health issues can help you create as liberalized a food repertoire as possible.

A MYTH ABOUT GOING GLUTEN FREE

A gluten-free diet for those without Celiac or sensitivity is not recommended. Gluten-free alternatives are typically low in fiber and higher in refined grains and will not confer health benefits nor lead to weight loss. It is best to eat whole grains, including wheat, rye, and barley, for the nutrients they offer if you don’t have Celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten.

RESOURCES FOR YOU

GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES: Check out this section of my website devoted to gluten-free recipe options.

HELP FROM A DIETITIAN: If you would like to work on your gut health issues with me, you can make an appointment via this link and I would be happy to help you find peace with food and your belly.

NOT CELIAC, BUT HAVING GUT HEALTH ISSUES: If you do not have Celiac disease but are still experiencing gut health issues, you can learn more about the low-FODMAP diet to improve your gut health with my free video training that explains 3 Strategies for Success with the Low-FODMAP Diet. You can click here to get instant access to this training, which can be very helpful to understand more of the why behind this specific diet for people with gut health issues.

You can watch my segment from Fox 61 here:

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Beth Rosen

Eating Attitudes™ & Gut Expert

Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Beth Rosen Nutrition. She practices a non-diet philosophy and is a Health at Every Size" practitioner. Her goal is to end the pain of diet culture, one person at a time. Beth's techniques and programs empower chronic dieters, and those who consider themselves emotional and /or stress eaters, to ditch the vicious cycle of dieting, eat fearlessly by removing Food and diet rules, and mend their relationship with food and their bodies. Beth's works face-to-face with clients in Southbury, CT, and virtually with clients, worldwide.

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