Celiac Disease - Guest Post

Here is another interesting guest post from US, from my friend Esmiralda who had already added many valuable articles to my guest post section. This time she will be throwing light on Celiac Disease,a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food.

Celiac disease is a very interesting disorder that is becoming more frequently diagnosed because there are blood tests that detect specific antibodies that mark the disease. It is a auto immune disease (meaning: the body makes antibodies=natural body defenders- that damage it's own tissues) where the reaction is triggered by a substance called gluten.

Most vegetarians know gluten as the rubbery meat substitute made from gluten flour.

Gluten is a protein complex found mostly in wheat, but also in barley and rye. Now there is a component in gluten that is soluble in alcohol called gliadin; this is not easily broken down and small portion of it may be absorbed.

When someone has this condition, food and nutrients may be poorly absorbed, and iron deficiency may show itself.

There can be a wide range of severity in this condition. Some children can have serious problems with symptoms as diarrhea, swollen ankles, irritability, unabsorbed fat in stool which smells extra unpleasant. The children do not grow properly. Adults too may have a sudden onset of symptoms, after an infection of the stomach. We have seen well nourished man and women become wasted shadows of their former selves.

But the cure is the same for all: stay away from wheat, barely and rye products.
This sounds easy, but it is not. You will need to study to find out what you can and cannot eat.Today the condition is well recognized, and there are gluten-free products on the market.

The diagnosis is completed by taking a duodenal biopsy (not painful).
There is a genetic component in the disease, any person with the above symptoms should consider to be checked out.

In the meantime, lets stay healthy.