The symptoms of celiac disease cover a wide range and are variable from person to person, but according to the Canadian Celiac Association, there are some symptoms that seem to be particularly common among celiac children.

These are: vomiting, irritability, behavioral changes, delayed growth or puberty, short stature, and dental enamel abnormalities.

According to Celiacs, Inc., the symptoms of celiac disease usually manifest in children after three to five months after they first ingest gluten, but this period of time may be shorter (“as short as one month”).  Their website lists additional celiac symptoms commonly found in children, such as a large abdomen, abnormal stools (large, pale, or floating), flattened buttocks, and acute diarrhea and dehydration.  Older children will experience “more subtle” symptoms such as: poor appetite, poor growth, and anemia.

Miranda Jade
http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info
b.a.

Celaic disease, which has a wide variety of symptoms in itself, often is attended by other health conditions. According to the Canadian Celiac Association, for this reason, it’s recommended that people with celiac disease symptoms or a family history of celiac disease get tested for the following associated conditions:

-Osteoporosis
-Type 1 diabetes mellitus
-Other autoimmune disease (such as autoimmune hepatitis or autoimmune thyroid disease)
-Down syndrome
-Turner syndrome
-Lymphoma

Miranda Jade
http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

Please tell me how you became interested in the area of celiac disease.

I became interested in celiac disease because I became a statistic. Even my gastroenterologist seemed at a loss…calling my diagnosis of this disease “quite rare.”

Did you know anything about this auto-immune disease before you were diagnosed?

Absolutely nothing. It seemed hardly anyone had heard of it.

How long after being off of gluten did you feel a change?

Almost immediately my more severe gastro reactions stopped, however, I remained quite sensitive for several months to other common allergens such as dairy.

Do you have any other auto-immune diseases currently? Yes.

Do you feel they can be attributed to the years of misdiagnosing or not being diagnosed celiac, when in fact you were? Absolutely.

Is there anything you’d like to share with others about this point?

I know a lot of people who are “self-diagnosing”. They have gone off of all gluten, knowing that they DO feel better, however, not knowing for certain if they have a food allergy or are indeed someone with celiac disease. This really concerns me. This is not something to speculate about for several reasons. If you have celiac disease, others in your family probably have it too, and you need to know the facts.

Secondly, we know that celiac disease is commonly seen in conjunction with other autoimmune diseases. People need to have the facts about their health and know what their scenario truly is so that they can adjust their diet accordingly. If I had been more proactive about my health, I wouldn’t be challenged with the degree of autoimmune disease that I am. I have a friend who was diagnosed with celiac about 4 years ago and also has MS. She was not diligent about abstaining from gluten in her diet, and now she has a rare form of rectal cancer (more autoimmune disease!). Celiac can be primary/secondary to other autoimmune conditions.

You have a lovely site www.celaicdiseaseinfo.org. Can you tell us what this site offers to others, please?

My website provides a service for those who are diagnosed celiacs or those who are seeking diagnosis, informs and educates the public about celiac disease, offers my 160 page gluten free & wheat free cookbook, and a 50 page informational e-book download. My website also offers links to my “Gluten Free Foodie Heaven” recipe blog.

What is the mission you want to accomplish through your site?

Initially, in 2005 when I created my website, I was in earnest about folks finding more information about celiac disease. There wasn’t near the information available and “the buzz” in the media that there is currently and I am so thankful that that has changed! Over time, my passion has evolved into two things:

1) I would like to convey to people about what I mentioned earlier, and that is not to speculate about a diagnosis of celiac disease. It’s like holding a gun to your head. My life has undergone a complete 360 degree change since about six years ago…because I became even more ill following the CD diagnosis…and it truly was debilitating. Finally, within the past year or so, the docs figured out what else was going on.  If it hadn’t taken so long to diagnose my CD in the first place, I believe that I may not have developed the other autoimmune disease.

2) Secondly, I LOVE the creativity involved in adapting recipes to gluten free…and the challenge of arriving at wonderful gluten free recipe options that may be even tastier than their non-gluten free counterparts! So the website has been evolving more into a foodie direction with recipes, photos of food…and even more food!

You have some lovely recipes and incredibly impacting food images on your site. Thank you!

Are they all your own recipes?

The baked donuts recipe on my blog and in my cookbook were adapted gluten free from Family Circle magazine. Most everything else is my own creation; unless specified otherwise. However, my recipes are frequently “inspired” by another gluten-containing recipe that I find elsewhere to begin with.

Do you test these recipes on or with others before publishing them?

My Gluten Free Foodie Heaven blog works GREAT for that purpose! And I have had, from time to time, volunteers from all over the country testing various recipes.

How do you go about developing a new recipe?

The process will begin with an existing recipe that contains gluten that may strike me as having great potential and appeal . Then it gradually evolves into something much more appealing than the original, in most cases. It’s like a work of art…and I don’t stop until I am happy with it. Perhaps I need to be creating a special cake for a dinner, so I find a recipe that contains gluten that I like the basic characteristics of and can use as the springboard to further develop as my own.  I enjoy the magazines “Mary Jane’s Farm” and “Country Living” a great deal and find inspiration from many of their “country-influenced” recipes.

Can you share a little bit of “Diane’s Process” please? See above.

You have created a cookbook which took over 7 years of research and development. What makes this cookbook unique?

My niche seems to be the creativity involved in all of my recipes. Very few are ordinary, and at times, I probably need to “reign in” my gourmet side a bit! The other unique aspect of my cookbook is its “home style” cooking slant. Almost everything is made from scratch and many with a country flavor.

How can someone purchase your cookbook?

My cookbook is available either at my website: www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org or at AMAZON.com: http://amzn.com/B002GQ2ZJU

On your site you offer some incredibly helpful information through a downloadable eBook. Can you share a bit about the eBook please?

My ebook is like a beginning primer on celiac disease…from its history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, a reference guide to gluten free foods, a section on gluten free flours, alternative gluten free grains, hidden sources of gluten, a starter guide to eating gluten free, and a bonus of a week’s worth of recipes.

You also have a blog www.glutenfreefoodieheaven.blogspot.com. Can you please share what this blog offers and how it may be different than your site?

My blog is just a lot of fun! I love sharing my recipes in this venue with others and hearing what people have to say! I also enjoy shooting the photographs
and improving my photographer’s “eye” as I build the blog.

I read you also give seminars! What are your seminars about and where can one sign up for one?

At this time, my seminars have been local to the North Arizona area. I attempt to convey to people the difference between a gluten allergy and celiac disease, but also want to assist people in how to affordably cook gluten free and wheat free for themselves or for their family. I have done gluten free cooking demos on a statewide TV program as well as some radio interviews.

Do you have any plans to offer online seminars or online cooking classes?

Not at this time, but I am currently scheduled to teach gluten free cooking classes at a local community college.

You carry the name “Gluten-Free Country Girl”. That is quite a title. Can you share with us how you acquired this name?

Honestly, it just FITS! I live in the country and love the country lifestyle, after residing in large cities most of my life. My husband and I built our passive solar home on 3 acres almost ten years ago. We have carved out a very enjoyable lifestyle in a lovely mile high community in the mountains of N. AZ. We are developing a small vineyard, orchard and a large garden, raising chickens, rabbits, and two lambs. We make a conscious effort to maintain control over what we eat and put into our bodies. Initially, this came out of necessity, in that I was ill and seemed to do better with more fresh, nutritious food. But now, when I develop a gluten free recipe, I am also passing on what I hope is the essence of the lifestyle that I love!

What makes Diane “shine” in her work in the gluten-free celiac world?

Hopefully, what I mentioned above! I sincerely hope that people enjoy my recipes and my heart for getting more helpful information out there.

If you could share one thing today, what is it you’d like to say?

Be diligent as your own health care advocate. No one can really do it for you. Listen to your intuition when you are searching for answers to your health questions. And be assertive when working with your health care practitioners!

Thank you Diane!

About Diane: Diane Jacobs was diagnosed in 2003 with celiac disease and has dedicated herself to sharing information about celiac disease and also about the benefits of eating and cooking wheat and gluten free. In 2005, Diane created her own website: http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org; in 2006 she self-published her first edition of her Ebook: What on Earth is a Celiac?; in 2008, her cookbook: Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free & Wheat Free Cooking, a Homestyle Recipe Collection for Celiacs and Wheat Sensitive Folks” was self-published both at the website and at Amazon.com: http://amzn.com/B002GQ2ZJU.

Then in 2010, she created her food blog: “Gluten Free Foodie Heaven”: http://www.glutenfreefoodieheaven.blogspot.com.

Diane speaks to community groups and organizations about celiac disease and about how to comfortably (and fabulously!) and survive as a person who either is required to or desires to eat gluten and wheat free.  She also makes appearances on TV programs cooking gluten free and has been featured in local newspaper articles as well.

Prescott, Arizona Courier article: March14th, 2010:
http://www.prescottaz.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&SubSectionID=111&TM=69298

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Why the problem with gluten now? A lot has changed in the way we harvest food compared to 50 years ago. Some of the seed companies began engineering wheat kernels that could be more easily ground and produce fluffier flour to make the soft, delicious white bread for example had to have greater yields; it made more money for the farmer and increased sales.

Gluten is a composite of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. These exist, conjoined with starch, in the endosperms of some grass-related grains, notably wheat, rye, and barley.

Understanding what happens in the body and some of the symptoms will help millions of people who go undiagnosed. Celiac is the most common genetic disease of mankind (yet for every person diagnosed, 140 will go undiagnosed).

Levels of Intolerance A wheat allergy is the body’s abnormal autoimmune response to a certain protein component of wheat; it’s exhibited by a severe sudden onset allergic reaction. Usual symptoms are immediate coughing, asthma, breathing difficulties, and/or projectile vomiting. It can cause life-threatening responses in allergic people. A true Wheat allergy affects less than 1/2 % of population.

Intolerance’s are much more common than true food allergies but are harder to diagnose. Food intolerance is an adverse reaction to food that does not involve the body’s immune system. Generally food intolerance is an inability to properly digest certain foods. In some cases food passes right through the body before digestion is complete.

Leaky Gut is an increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa to luminal macromolecules, antigens, and toxins associated with inflammatory degenerative and/ or atrophic mucosa or lining. Put more simply, large spaces develop between the cells of the gut wall allowing bacteria, toxins and food to leak into the bloodstream. Leaky Gut Syndrome has also been linked with many conditions, such as: Celiac Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Autism, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Eczema, Dermatitis, and Ulcerative Colitis.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by an inappropriate immune response to dietary proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley (gluten and gliadin). This response leads to inflammation of the small intestine and to damage and destruction of the villi that line the intestinal wall. These villi are projections (small folds) that increase the surface area of the intestine and allow nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fluids, and electrolytes to be absorbed into the body. When the villi are destroyed, the body is much less capable of absorbing food and begins to develop symptoms associated with malnutrition and malabsorption. When the body is exposed to the gluten and gliadin proteins, it forms antibodies that recognize and act against not only the grain proteins, but also against constituents of the intestinal villi. As long as the patient continues to be exposed to the proteins, he will continue to produce these autoantibodies. Celiac disease is found throughout the world but is most prevalent in those of European descent. It can affect anyone at any age and is more common in women. It is thought to be an inherited tendency that is triggered by an environmental, emotional, or physical event – although the exact mechanism is not fully understood.

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, about 5 to 15% of close family members of a celiac disease patient will also have the condition.

One of the questions I have is if someone gets a negative test for celiac should they still go gluten free. My answer is yes. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms you are more than likely gluten intolerant. Most of the population fits in that category including me. I recommend doing the 45 – 60 day challenge. Try going gluten free and pay attention to your health. If you see changes and feel better you are better off gluten free. You just have to make sure you eat a healthy gluten free diet.

Symptoms There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of symptoms of gluten intolerance. It all comes down to inflammation in the body! Many people believe the most common symptoms are gastrointestinal in nature – yet the majority of people with gluten intolerance (and celiac disease) have extraintestinal symptoms.

The most common symptoms of celiac disease include:

• Fatigue

• Addison’s disease (hormonal disorder)

• Gastrointestinal distress (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, reflux)

• Headaches (including migraines)

• Infertility

• Mouth sores

• Weight loss/gain

• Inability to concentrate

• Moodiness/depression

• Amenorrhea/delayed menarche (menstrual cycles)

• Bone/joint/muscle pain

• Dental enamel hypoplasia (dental enamel defect)

• Short stature

• Seizures

• Tingling numbness in the legs

The “cure” is a life long gluten free diet.

Next month I’ll discuss some steps to take in making the transition.

About the author: Sandi Star, CCN Sandi is the founder of Karmic Health, specializing in nutrition related to disease where a gluten and casein (dairy) free lifestyle is crucial; working with celiac, autism and all auto immune disorders. Sandi graduated from The Natural Healing Institute with a degree in Clinical Nutrition and is continuing her studies in Clinical Herbology. She has hands on understanding of many health issues and has dedicated her life in helping others reach their optimal health.

For more information related to this article please visit www.karmic-health.com or contact Sandi Star at 760.685.3154

© Copyright Karmic Health 2010

Author Marlisa Brown has a wealth of education and experience which she brings to her latest book, Gluten-Free Hassle Free.

This book is most definitely written in an easy-to-understand, worry-free, and practical manner, with the newly-diagnosed reader in mind, not leaving any leaf unturned. Any newly-diagnosed celiac or “non-celiac gluten intolerant” will feel well-informed.

Marlisa ensured she cleared up some of the most common areas of misunderstanding many people have such as testing, being diagnosed, the diet, nutrition, and nutrients. She covers why one can have symptoms and still negative celiac test results and what to do.

Each section is practical and easy to follow. With topics such as shopping, fast food, delis, restaurants, stocking a GF kitchen, social events, and dining cards in fourteen languages, and much more. Any reader can quickly refer to a particular section and immediately improve one’s life with ease.

Marlisa pays careful attention to focus on the things and foods any celiac or non-celiac gluten-intolerant can enjoy while offering over 100 delicious recipes, the cranberry quinoa salad being one of my favorites.

Marlisa speaks from over 30 years of experience—a compassionate registered dietitian, chef, and president and owner of Total Wellness, a nutritional consulting company offering service in her usual simple-to-understand, helpful and always easy-to-apply manner.

This resource guide is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended me.

Tina Turbin www.glutenfreehelp.info

I am honored as a writer and researcher to be a contributing writer for the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness Newsletter. Please sign up for their monthly newsletters and become involved in your own way, even if you care to simple be better informed. These Newsletters have a wealth of information. I hope you enjoy my monthly column.

Here is just a bit of what the NFCA is all about:  

Awareness brings treatment that, in turn, brings improvement of the quality of life for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Our goal is to reduce the time to diagnosis and, in the process, reduce the devastating impact of undiagnosed celiac disease, including the contraction of others diseases such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and an “autoimmune cascade.”

 NFCA is affiliated with the leading researchers internationally and supports collaboration and partnership among scientists and institutions to optimize research potential with the goal of improving the quality of life for those who have celiac disease.

 Please visit www.celiaccentral.org and get better informed.

Key Concepts

• Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by ingestion of gluten, a major protein in wheat, or of related proteins in other grains.
• Research into the root causes indicates that the disorder develops when a person exposed to gluten also has a genetic susceptibility to CD and an unusually permeable intestinal wall.
• Surprisingly, essentially the same trio—an environmental trigger, a genetic susceptibility and a “leaky gut”—seems to underlie other autoimmune disorders as well. This finding raises the possibility that new treatments for CD may also ameliorate other conditions.

My vote for the most important scientific revolution of all time would trace back 10,000 years ago to the Middle East, when people first noticed that new plants arise from seeds falling to the ground from other plants—a realization that led to the birth of agriculture. Before that observation, the human race had based its diet on fruits, nuts, tubers and occasional meats. People had to move to where their food happened to be, putting them at the mercy of events and making long-term settlements impossible.

Once humans uncovered the secret of seeds, they quickly learned to domesticate crops, ultimately crossbreeding different grass plants to create such staple grains as wheat, rye and barley, which were nutritious, versatile, storable, and valuable for trade. For the first time, people were able to abandon the nomadic life and build cities. It is no coincidence that the first agricultural areas also became “cradles of civilization.”

This advancement, however, came at a dear price: the emergence of an illness now known as celiac disease (CD), which is triggered by ingesting a protein in wheat called gluten or eating similar proteins in rye and barley. Gluten and its relatives had previously been absent from the human diet. But once grains began fueling the growth of stable communities, the proteins undoubtedly began killing people (often children) whose bodies reacted abnormally to them. Eating such proteins repeatedly would have eventually rendered sensitive individuals unable to properly absorb nutrients from food. Victims would also have come to suffer from recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea and to display the emaciated bodies and swollen bellies of starving people. Impaired nutrition and a spectrum of other complications would have made their lives relatively short and miserable.

If these deaths were noticed at the time, the cause would have been a mystery. Over the past 20 years, however, scientists have pieced together a detailed understanding of CD. They now know that it is an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. And they know that the disease arises not only from exposure to gluten and its ilk but from a combination of factors, including predisposing genes and abnormalities in the structure of the small intestine.

What is more, CD provides an illuminating example of the way such a triad—an environmental trigger, susceptibility genes and a gut abnormality—may play a role in many autoimmune disorders. Research into CD has thus suggested new types of treatment not only for the disease itself but also for various other autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Early Insights
After the advent of agriculture, thousands of years passed before instances of seemingly well-fed but undernourished children were documented. CD acquired a name in the first century A.D., when Aretaeus of Cappadocia, a Greek physician, reported the first scientific description, calling it koiliakos, after the Greek word for “abdomen,” koelia. British physician Samuel Gee is credited as the modern father of CD. In a 1887 lecture he described it as “a kind of chronic indigestion which is met with in persons of all ages, yet is especially apt to affect children between one and five years old.” He even correctly surmised that “errors in diet may perhaps be a cause.” As clever as Gee obviously was, the true nature of the disease escaped even him, as was clear from his dietary prescription: he suggested feeding these children thinly sliced bread, toasted on both sides.

Identification of gluten as the trigger occurred after World War II, when Dutch pediatrician Willem-Karel Dicke noticed that a war-related shortage of bread in the Netherlands led to a significant drop in the death rate among children affected by CD—from greater than 35 percent to essentially zero. He also reported that once wheat was again available after the conflict, the mortality rate soared to previous levels. Following up on Dicke’s observation, other scientists looked at the different components of wheat, discovering that the major protein in that grain, gluten, was the culprit. From the August 2009 Scientific American Magazine

By Alessio Fasano