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Celiac Disease:
A Variety of Conditions

There is two types of gluten intolerance in the medical community. These are known as celiac disease and non-celiac. The most recognized form of this then is the former. Currently there is greater than 3 million people in the United States alone which have it. The onset can start at any age or affects any ethnic background so there is no means currently of clarifying who may or may not end up with it. Non-celiac then is more often referred to as gluten intolerance.

Other Names For Celiac Disease

Depending on which country you are in, the habits of your health care provider and even regional preferences, you may also hear any of the following as a descriptive name for this disease:

Celiac sprue
Celiacs
Gee-Herter's Syndrome
Gluten Intolerance
Gluten sensitive enteropathy
Gluten sensitivity
Non-tropical sprue

Many times each of these names will be used interchangeably. It is important that you realize that Gluten Intolerance, Gluten Sensitivity, and Celiac Disease are actually different conditions. Effort must be made on the part of the patient to confirm which type you have to forestall future complications early at the time of diagnosis.

Common Symptoms In A Toddler

As stated earlier, the onset of celiac disease can start at any time, at any age. The symptoms also do differ to some degree from different age groups. The most common documented complaints in the infancy years are shown as:

colic
fatigue
gas and/or diarrhea
failure to thrive
vomiting or projectile vomiting
poor growth
refusal to eat
bloated abdomen
eczema
constipation
poor sleep
angry disposition
chronic ear infections

Common Symptoms In Older Children and Adults

Although some of these are the same symptoms as infancy years, very seldom will you see the same types of problems arise as you age. The usual normal symptoms in this group are:

diarrhea
constipation
heartburn
abdominal pain
headaches (or migraines)
fatigue
muscle aches
joint pain
hypoglycemia
eczema
acne
mental fogginess
frequent illness
itchy skin
low bone density

Why Are There So Many Symptoms

No one is exactly sure why this disease shows such a long list of approximately 200 different symptoms attributed to it in the human body. Obviously, not everyone will show all 200 documented symptoms. To date, most doctor's and researchers believe it is a combination of genetics and other influencing factors which are currently affecting your other medical condition(s).

Also, you must remember, millions of years ago man did not have access to grain products as a food source. Fields of grain were not plentiful like they are today. It is only within approximately the last 10,000 years that man realized he could cook the grain and use it as a food source. Effectively then a change in our diet patterns began to happen. For some people this change resulted in no obvious differences. For others, because our bodies were not genetically programmed for this type of food, problems arose. With this group, their digestive systems have shown much resistance to processing wheat and grains.

Can Wheat Products(Gluten) Be Considered Addictive

The restraints imposed by eating no gluten products for the treatment of celiac disease has long been questioned by the general population as a difficult eating pattern to follow. Many people have stated they just can not give up all wheat and grain products. Even though it has been questioned, researchers have now confirmed gluten does contain peptide chemicals which act as opiates in our system. One of the characteristics of any natural opiate is it will produce euphoria. Giving up all gluten containing products therefore can produce symptoms of sluggishness, depression, and a general feeling of illness. Hang in there for a couple of weeks to a month though and you will soon be feeling better.

Also, another home-tested remedy that has shown promising relief can be obtained by adding the spice cardamon to your daily diet if you are plagued by the gas, bloating, nausea and diarrhea so common with celiac disease.

Sprinkle cardamon daily on your breakfast cereal, salad, lunch or dinner entree. It can also easily be ingested by adding 1/2 teaspoon to water and just drink it daily.

What Grain Products Can I Have

The following grains do not contain any gluten. Therefore, each of these is an acceptable alternative to use in your new diet pattern after your diagnosis of celiac disease. As you get accustomed to using these, you will find cooking and baking can be just as rewarding gluten free as it was when you were consuming gluten products.

Amaranth
Buckwheat
Corn
Millet
Oats**
Rice
Sorghum
Teff

**Oats has long been a grain of contention. Although oats do not contain any gluten, most fields are grown and processed on the same farms. Therefore during harvesting, processing , transportation and even through the wind in the fields, oats are often cross-contaminated by other grains available on site. If you can find a grower or manufacturer with a dedicated line for just oat products, oats will not cause any problems for the celiac sufferer.

Return to "Gluten Free Diet" from "Celiac Disease".

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*Disclaimer*
This site is not intended to replace the advice and supervision of your professional medical treatment plan. Although all of the information is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge, we still recommend you carefully check all food labels before consuming any food product. We can not assume any legal responsibility for any illness obtained while following the advice contained on this site.

SBI!