There is no cure for Celiac disease, and the only medically accepted treatment is a 100 percent gluten-free diet. Celiac disease is not a food allergy, but an inherited, autoimmune disease which damages the lining of the small intestine when gluten is ingested. Gluten can be found in many common food items, including breads, cakes, candy, cereal, condiments, cookies, pasta, pizza, pretzels and soups.

A person with Celiac disease may experience intermittent diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, upset stomach, irritability, depression, joint pain, muscle cramps, fatigue or anemia. These symptoms resemble several other conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers and Crohn’s disease, and therefore, a Celiac patient can go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years.

To find out more about symptoms and diagnosis of Celiac disease, see our previous blog post, Going Gluten-Free.

As awareness is raised and more people are diagnosed, the Celiac community is growing ,and more gluten-free products are appearing on the shelves. Through the raised awareness of the disease, a gluten-free diet is becoming easier and more convenient. For a list of gluten-free products and dietary tips, see our earlier post, How to be Worry Free about Gluten-Free.

If you’ve had a friend or family-member receive a diagnosis of Celiac disease, you know it means a complete lifestyle change. Help support Americans living with Celiac disease by raising awareness today on National Celiac Disease Awareness Day. The better informed people are about Celiac disease, the better we as doctors can diagnose and help people manage the disease.

Those suffering with Celiac disease, however, are not alone. With one in 133 Americans suffering from the disease, that adds up to almost 3 million people. Although nearly 97 percent of cases go undiagnosed, increasing awareness and diagnoses of Celiac disease means the gluten-free community is growing larger every day.

Consequently, more and more gluten-free products are appearing on the shelves of major chains and neighborhood grocery stores. These new products provide better quality and more flavorful food, and variety and flexibility to a gluten-free diet.

In addition to food choices, Celiac patients are now finding a variety of other tools to help them adapt to the dietary change. Online recipes, gluten-free cookbooks, and support groups, as well as newsletters and magazines devoted to living and thriving on a gluten-free diet are often helpful.

What is gluten?

So what does the label “gluten-free” actually mean? In general, gluten-free is anything that doesn’t include wheat, rye, barley or possibly oats. Gluten is not a chemical added to foods but actually a natural part of most grains and flour.  Fresh fruits and vegetables do not contain gluten. Being gluten-free means eliminating traditionally prepared foods like breads, cakes, candy, cereal, condiments, cookies, pasta, pizza, pretzels and soups.

Fortunately for Celiac patients, many companies now produce gluten-free products. With these products and some easy substitutes and recipes, a gluten-free diet doesn’t have to restrict all your favorite foods. Here are just a few tips to make following a gluten-free diet easier.

Bread – In place of wheat bread, use almond bread or rice bread which can be found at in the health food section of many grocery stores or online.
Baking – Make your favorite cakes and candies with a flour alternative such as potato starch flour, tapioca flour, soy flour, corn starch, corn flour, cornmeal, white or brown rice flour.
Condiments – Hellman’s mayonnaise and many of Annie’s brand salad dressings (http://anniesnaturals.com) are gluten-free.
Ice cream – Both Cold Stone Creamery and Ben & Jerry’s ice creams are gluten-free and some flavors of Baskin Robbins are gluten-free.
Websites – Many websites are devoted exclusively to gluten-free products, such as http://www.glutino.com, http://www.glutenfree.com, http://www.liveglutenfreely.com and http://www.glutenfreemall.com.
Dining out – Guidebooks are available at websites like http://www.triumphdining.com to point you to restaurants that will accommodate gluten-free diners.
Recipes – Your local bookstore will likely have gluten-free cookbooks and websites like http://www.glutenfreeda.com provide recipes for a gluten-free diet.
Labels – When checking labels for gluten at the grocery store, be aware that gluten can be hidden in caramel coloring, modified food starch and “flavor enhancers.”
Support groups – Blogs, forums and support groups provide advice for the gluten-free diet. Use the experiences of others living on a gluten-free diet as a helpful resource.
Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies – This may be avoided with increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. However, supplements may be needed to maintain healthy levels of Vitamin D, B Complex, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, and Magnesium. Phosphorus and Potassium is found in adequate amounts in most foods. Consult your physician before adding any supplements.

Being gluten free seems like a huge problem. But as awareness grows and many companies produce more and more gluten free food items, a gluten free lifestyle is getting better all the time.

Celiac disease is an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten, which is found in wheat containing foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing barley, rye and possibly oats. When a person with Celiac disease eats gluten, the body responds by damaging the small intestine. This leads to an inability for the body to absorb essential nutrients.

If left untreated through a gluten-free diet, Celiac disease can cause anemia and stunted growth in children; loss of calcium and bone density; lactose intolerance from intestinal damage; intestinal cancers; and even disorders of the nervous system such as seizures and nerve damage.

Celiac disease is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are common and resemble several other conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers and Crohn’s disease. Those with Celiac disease may experience intermittent diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, upset stomach, irritability, depression, joint pain, muscle cramps or anemia. Dental and bone disorders, unexplained weight loss, or tingling of the legs and feet may also be indicators of malabsorption from Celiac disease.

Although Celiac disease can affect anyone, people with a family history of the condition are at a much greater risk. Also commonly affected are people with diabetes, Down’s syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease and microscopic colitis.

With a gluten-free diet, people with Celiac disease can effectively manage the condition and live pain-free. It is not always easy; many foods and even some medications contain gluten. But with the growing number of gluten-free products on the market, even pizza lovers can avoid gluten. A registered dietitian who is experienced in teaching the gluten-free diet can offer advice on how to best maintain the nutritional quality of your diet and help sufferers come up with gluten-free alternatives and achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Once gluten is removed from the diet, inflammation in the small intestine subsides, and the organ will begin to repair itself. People generally begin feeling better in just a few days, though extensive damage may require some vitamin and mineral supplements to correct deficiencies.

On March 1, 2010, results of an international study out of London were released indicating scientists have identified new genetic links to Celiac disease. Their findings could speed the search for better ways to diagnose and treat Celiac disease and possibly even related autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes.

If you are experiencing symptoms and suspect Celiac disease, see your doctor. The best treatment is a strictly followed gluten-free diet, but do not begin a gluten-free diet before you see a physician. If you stop eating foods that contain gluten before being tested, the test results may not be accurate.