According to a news article on Medscape Today, the incidence of celiac disease (CD) has markedly increased over the past three decades, by even as much as four times, and studies are showing the incidence may actually be higher than 1% of the population, which is the current estimate.

According to Medscape, the Mayo Clinic has confirmed increase in CD incidence, which was reported in Discovery’s Edge, the Mayo Clinic’s research magazine. Joseph Murray, MD, and colleagues analyzed stored blood samples from Air Force recruits in the early 1950s for gluten antibodies. With approximately 1% of today’s population celiac, it was assumed that 1% would be positive; it turns out the number of positive results was far smaller, indicating that CD was “rare” in the early 1950s, according to Dr. Murray.

Dr. Murray and his colleagues compared their results with two more recently collected sets from Olmsted County, Minnesota, with the conclusion that, according to Medscape, “CD is roughly 4 times more common now than in the 1950s.” Dr. Murray says that the increase has affected young and old people and suspects the marked increase is due to a pervasive change “from the environmental perspective.”

As alarming as the statistics are regarding the increasing rate of CD, celiac expert Dr. Ludvigsson, MD, of the Karolinska Institute and Orebro University Hospital in Sweden, tells Medscape that the methods of diagnosing celiac disease are improving. For those who test positive for the disease, the only method of treatment is a gluten-free diet, a simple and effective treatment, although it can require some challenging lifestyle adjustments. In the future, we may see other treatments such as gluten-digesting enzymes or even the genetic modification of the structure of gluten in wheat so that it will not generate an autoimmune reaction in celiac patients.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

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Resource:

Medscape Today: Celiac Disease Diagnosis Up 4-Fold Worldwide

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/726127

Just because a grain is supposed to be “naturally” gluten-free, doesn’t mean that it is!

Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye, and is inherently lacking in grains such as oats, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, soy, sorghum, flaxseed, rice, and amaranth seed. However, a study tested 22 of these “naturally” gluten-free grains, and 7 of them had a gluten amount higher than 20 ppm, which would disqualify it from being labeled as gluten-free under the proposed FDA guidelines. One type of soy flour tested had nearly 3,000 ppm of gluten, two millet flour products had an average of between 305-327 ppm, and the sorghum flour had a mean average of 234 ppm. Four of those seven products didn’t have allergen advisory statements.

Why is this? Most likely due to cross-contamination during processing and because companies aren’t testing their final products for gluten.

According to Dr. Mercola of http://mercola.com, several autoimmune disorders, not just celiac disease, can be “significantly improved by avoiding grains,” and eliminating grains from your diet can also decrease your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes, and cancer.

This is due to the fact that, as Dr. Mercola explains, “grains and sugars are inherently pro-inflammatory and will worsen any condition that has chronic inflammation at its root – and not just inflammation in your gut, but anywhere in your body.” In his experience, about 75-80% of all people benefitted from going grain-free.

If you decide to continue eating inherently gluten-free grains, look for grain products that are certified gluten-free by such organizations as the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resource:

Mercola.com: Beware: ‘Gluten-Free’ Foods are Often Contaminated http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/03/glutenfree-foods-are-often-contaminated.aspx

Currently a popular method of celiac testing is a blood test, but some people with celiac disease can get blood testing multiple times and the results will nevertheless be negative. In fact, this method is inaccurate 80 percent of the time, according to Dr. Datis Kharrazian, Blood Chemistry Seminar instructor and the formulator for Apex Energetics, Inc. supplements.

According to researchers, blood testing is inaccurate due to the fact that the autoimmune response doesn’t occur in the blood stream, but in the small intestine, as the immune system attacks this organ’s absorptive finger-like structures called villi which line the inside. Thus, for the sake of reliability, it’s been stated that testing should be focused on the gut. It turns out that the immune cells which surround the gut also can be located in large numbers in the stool, making a stool anti-gliadin antibody test a reliable alternative to blood testing.

Stool testing may not only more accurate than blood testing, it can also be more convenient. One doesn’t need a doctor’s prescription for the test, which can be conducted in the privacy of one’s own home with an online-ordered kit from EnteroLab, which according to its website, is “a registered and fully accredited clinical laboratory specializing in the analysis of intestinal specimens for food sensitivities.” Enterolab offers the Anti-Gliadin Antibodies Stool Test as well as additional tests which may be ordered which may be important diagnostic tools for celiacs or gluten-sensitive people.

The anti-gliadin antibodies stool test, so easily available to the public, is a great stride forward for the celiac community. Talk with your health care provider today about this alternative to celiac blood testing.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resource:

Anton Health & Nutrition: Test, Don’t Guess: The Importance of ACCURATE Gluten Testing http://www.antonnutrition.com/2010/01/4249.html

According to the Canadian Celiac Association, DH is “a blistering, intensely itchy skin rash.” It’s usually symmetrical in shape and is most commonly located on the elbows, knees, buttocks, and upper back. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD), people can experience the rash on other parts of the body and severity can vary.

Celiac patients with DH also often experience mild or no gastrointestinal issues, although villous atrophy (damage to the villi of the lining in the small intestine) will most often be present.

The AOCD describes the basic DH cycle, which usually consists of a burning feeling on the affected area, followed by water blisters which tend to get scratched off, followed by scabbing and healing, which takes one to two weeks, then a new outbreak of these bumps or blisters. According to the AOCD, “DH is a lifelong condition, but remission may occur in 10 to 20 percent of patients.”

For a diagnosis, usually a skin biopsy is performed and sometimes some blood testing. And the treatment? The gluten-free diet, of course, although drug options are also available to suppress symptoms.

With an increase in awareness about DH among the public as well as in the medical community, we can look forward to a higher diagnosis rate and better long-term health among celiacs.

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

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With regard to genetics, the CCA points out that more than 97% of celiac patients have the genetic markers HLA DQ2 and/or HLA DQ8. Celiac disease is now known to be a hereditary disease. The CCA tells us that “first-degree and to a lesser extent second-degree relatives are at higher risk of having unrecognized celiac disease.”

Next, is the environmental “trigger,” as Dr. Alessio Fasano, professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology at the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, calls it. This is gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

According to the Canadian Celiac Association, sometimes severe physical stressors can also trigger the immunologic reaction to gluten that is characteristic to celiac disease. Such sources of stress include pregnancy, infection, surgery, or even severe emotional stress.

In his article, “Surprises from Celiac Disease,” published in Scientific American, Dr. Fasano describes a different triad of factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. The first two factors are the ‘’trigger” of gluten, which sets off the immune response, and the genetic predisposition, as previously described. Fasano proposes that “other genes are likely to be involved as well, but these additional culprits may differ from person to person.”

The third factor, according to Fasano’s research is an “unusually permeable gut.” Fasano’s research regarding this third factor of pathogenesis offers hope of new prevention and treatment methods. He says, “Treatments that reduced leakiness could potentially ease not only celiac disease but also other autoimmune disorders involving unusually permeable intestines.”

This research into the leaky gut of celiacs can explain a question that has been perplexing researchers regarding the disease’s pathogenesis: Why do some people not develop celiac disease until later in life? According to Dr. Fasano, this issue could be associated with the microbes in the digestive tract. Should this prove true, we may be able to prevent or treat celiac disease with probiotics.

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

According to the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA), this treatment is “a STRICT GLUTEN-FREE DIET FOR LIFE.” DH patients may also use the drug Dapsone to suppress their symptoms.

As the autoimmune reaction of celiac disease is triggered by ingestion of gluten, it’s important to completely eliminate this substance from the diet. This will heal the damage to the small intestine’s villi, the finger-like absorptive fingers that line the wall of this organ, which will  allow patients to better absorb the nutrients in their food and will “reduce the risk of developing many of the complications of untreated celiac disease,” according to the CCA.

The CCA recommends that celiac patients work with a qualified nutritionist who is knowledgeable about celiac disease “for nutrition assessment, education and follow-up.” Also, regular visits with your doctor is recommended as well as participation in a celiac support group.

With an increase in celiac research, we may have other treatment options to look forward to in the future, such as probiotics or gluten-digesting enzymes, but for now going gluten-free is all we have.

Miranda Jade Turbin
http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info
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Read the interview by clicking on the link below:

http://bfkbooks.com/interviews/tina-turbin-on-danny-the-dragon-et-al

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

The celiac community has seen a surge of helpful resources in the form of eBooks, including Gluten Toxicity: The Mysterious Symptoms of Celiac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetaformis, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance by Shelly Stuart, R.N., B.Sc.N. The book contains 248 pages and 30 chapters of clearly laid-out answers and advice for those with celiac disease, DH (dermatitis herpetaformis), and gluten intolerance.

The eBook offers extensive descriptions of symptoms, breaking them down into numerous categories, and diagnosis and the gluten-free diet are dealt with in detail. What sets the book apart from others is an assortment of topics that Shelly takes up in the latter part. Some chapter titles awaiting you are “Thirty Lifestyle Tips To Help Ease The Transition,” “What If The Gluten-Free Diet Doesn’t Work?”, “Could A Grain-Free, Specific Carbohydrate, Paleolithic, Or Elimination Diet Be Helpful?”, and even “Is A Gluten-Free Or A Grain-Free Diet Healthier For Dogs And Cats?” Shelly even shares not one, not five, but twelve theories of why the prevalence of celiac disease has increased. She even shares a list of “Global GF Bloggers,” listing my website, http://glutenfreehelp.info, under this category.

Shelly suffered the effects of gluten toxicity for many years before she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease. After she was diagnosed, she had her relatives screened, and her mother and one of her three daughters were also diagnosed celiac. Her mission now is to increase celiac awareness. She has created an exemplary eBook as part of this mission, and I highly recommend you avail yourself of it.
http://celiacnurse.com/products-page/e-book/gluten-toxicity-ebook-pdf/

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

The AOCD describes the basic DH cycle, which usually consists of a burning feeling on the affected area, followed by water blisters which tend to get scratched off, followed by scabbing and healing, which takes one to two weeks, then a new outbreak of these bumps or blisters. According to the AOCD, “DH is a lifelong condition, but remission may occur in 10 to 20 percent of patients.”

Celiac patients with DH also often experience mild or no gastrointestinal issues, although villous atrophy will most often still be present. Some people with DH show the signs of celiac disease, although some people just exhibit DH without the characteristic gut symptoms of celiac disease.

Diagnosis usually requires a skin biopsy and sometimes specific blood tests, and the treatment is the gluten-free diet. Once you’ve completely eliminated gluten from the diet, an alleviation of the rash can take months. Drug treatment can also be used to suppress symptoms. Dapsone can cause an improvement in DH “in days, ” according to the AOCD.

The drug does have side effects, and for this reason, treatment begins with small doses of the drug, gradually increased until the symptoms disappear. Due to the side effects of Dapsone, blood tests will be conducted weekly or bi-weekly for the first three months of treatment. A few other alternative drug treatments are available, such as sulfapyridine and tetracycline, in case Dapsone doesn’t work, although these other drugs aren’t as effective.

Miranda Jade

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

Just as with celiac disease, the prescribed treatment is the gluten-free diet. Once you’ve completely eliminated gluten from the diet, an alleviation of the rash can take “months,” says the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).

Additionally, Dapsone can cause an improvement in DH “in days.” The drug does have side effects, and for this reason, treatment begins with small doses of the drug, gradually increased until the symptoms become suppressed.

Due to the side effects of Dapsone, blood tests will be conducted weekly or bi-weekly for the first three months of treatment. According to the AOCD, “There are a few alternative treatments if Dapsone cannot be used (sulfapyridine, tetracycline), however these do not work as well.”

For diagnosis and treatment, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

Miranda Jade
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

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