Celiac disease is a very common gastroenterology disorder, but it affects more than just your tummy. It is diagnosed by a gastroenterologist, treated with diet, and the effects of the treatment can begin to take place immediately.
If you are suffering from some of the symptoms of the disease,
consult your doctor immediately about being referred to a GI doctor.
As many as one in three-hundred people are diagnosed with the gluten intolerance in Northern European countries, and even though the concentration of the disease in the United States is a much lower percentage, it is thought that is severely under diagnosed.
Typical, and the most recognizable symptoms, are those that pertain to upset stomach, diarrhea, fatty stools, and other issues easily attributed to the intestines, but skin lesions, lethargy, and, for children, failure to grow and thrive area also attributed to the condition. If you are suffering from these or any other similarly suspicious symptoms, ask your primary care physician about consulting with a doctor of gastroenterology. You will likely undergo an upper endoscopy to obtain samples of the small intestine; a pathologist will then help determine a diagnosis.
Celiac is treated solely with diet and nutrition, but it is not as simple as it sounds. If you have the condition, it, in essence means that you are allergic to gluten which is found in wheat, barley, and rye. It would seem that it is as easy as avoiding bread to avoid gluten, but gluten is also a hidden but widely used ingredient present in many processed foods.
Oat is still under scrutiny as to whether it contains trace amounts of gluten or a substance with the same effect on celiac sufferers, those who have been labeled as having this gastroenterology disease find that the substance is hidden and present in even the most unsuspecting foods such as ice cream, vitamins, medications, beer, and malt. Even the glue on envelopes, latex gloves, stickers, and labels can pose a risk. The biggest overlooked concern is cross-contamination. Because some are highly intolerant o gluten, even trace amounts of wheat product, perhaps on knife that you share with someone at the dinner table, can be harmful.
Although the treatment sounds impossible to adhere to, if you are able to stick it out for only a day, you are likely to be sold on the positive effects. Those who begin the gluten free diet report to their doctors or gastroenterology specialists that symptoms are almost immediately erased. The difference in health, energy, and overall ability to function improves from immediately to within forty-eight hours, and within weeks patients report feeling better than they have in a lifetime.
Children who are diagnosed have often suffered from failure to thrive, and have also been known to experience an immediate growth spurt due to the correct diagnoses and treatment of the condition. For younger patients, it can go into remission as adulthood approaches reappearing during pregnancy or later in life. You must think of the change as a lifestyle change and not as a diet, as sticking to the treatment is a lifetime affair if you want to live your best life.
