Celiac DiseasePosted 9 years ago under Health
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Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease triggered by the consumption of gluten, which causes significant and long-term damage to the intestinal villi. This impairs the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. This condition is diagnosed more frequently now than ever before.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body reacts to the protein found in gluten in a unique way. With most food allergies, people experience a reaction immediately or within minutes of consuming the offending substance. For those with celiac disease, a reaction occurs up to 72 hours later and could be extreme or largely go unnoticed, which can confuse and delay an accurate diagnosis.
T cells attack the lining of the small intestine in response to gluten being passed through the digestive tract. Over time, villi in the small intestine are damaged beyond repair, severely inhibiting the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. (1)
The Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Digestive disturbances such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea are the most common symptoms experienced by sufferers of celiac disease when gluten is consumed. Those with a severe sensitivity also experience rashes (which can be severe, itchy, weeping sores) along with mild to severe muscle and joint pain.
This sensitivity to gluten often includes a reaction to foods with minute amounts of gluten, including foods processed in shared facilities. Wheat, rye, or barley may not be an included ingredient, but if the equipment used to process a particular sauce or packaged food was used to process food with wheat, it can be contaminated and produce symptoms.
Celiac Disease Explained
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease with a genetic predisposition. There are up to 300 symptoms of this disease, but there are also individuals who are asymptomatic. The one thing they all have in common is the result of eating gluten–it attacks and destroys the villi in the intestine. When villi is destroyed, the capacity for absorbing nutrients from food is diminished. Each time gluten is eaten, even when consumed in small amounts, more damage ensues.
If Candida is eradicated, if the gut is completely healed and is no longer permeable, and the immune system has healed, it is possible that many can and will again be able to tolerate gluten. It is advisable, however, to get tested to be sure that the immune system is not silently damaging the intestine. (2)
Gluten intolerance is not a fad. It is a fact–an every growing reality caused by the American diet and lifestyle. If you have been diagnosed with any autoimmune disease or with gluten intolerance, leaky gut caused by Candida may well be the root cause. (3)
Symptoms
There are over 300 known symptoms of celiac disease. The most common symptoms are some form of gastrointestinal distress, those previously mentioned. A more comprehensive list follows: (4)
- Abdominal Bloating
- Abdominal Distension
- Abnormal Blood Studies
- Adenocarcinoma of the Small Intestine
- Addison’s Disease
- ADHD
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Alopecia Areata
- Alopecia, Diffuse
- Amenorrhea
- Anemia, Folic Acid
- Anemia, Iron Deficiency
- Anemia Vitamin B 12
- Angina Pectoris
- Arthritis
- Anxiety
- Anorexia
- Anti-Endomysium Antibodies
- Anti-Gliadin Antibodies
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome
- Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase
- Antibodies (tTG)
- Aortic Vasculitis
- Apathy
- Ataxia Gait Disturbance
- Ataxia, Gluten
- Ataxia, Progressive Myoclonic
- Atherosclerosis
- Autism
- Autoimmune Cholangitis
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Hypothyroidism)
- B-cell non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Beta Casein Enteropathy
- Bitot’s Spots
- Bloodshot Eyes
- Blurred Vision
- Bone Alkaline Phosphatase Enzyme, Elevated
- Bone Fracture
- Bone Pain
- Brain Atrophy
- Bedwetting
- Bronchial Pneumonia
- Bronchiectasis
- Cachexia
- Calcium, Low
- Cancer of the Esophagus
- Cancer of the Pharynx
- Cancer Predisposition in Children
- Candida Infections
- Carbohydrate Malabsorption
- Cardiomegaly
- Cataracts
- Cerebral Perfusion Abnormalities
- Cheilosis
- Cholesterol, Low
- Chorea
- Constipation
- Chronic Bullous Dermatosis
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Coagulation Factors, Low
- Colitis, Collagenous
- Colitis, Lymphocytic
- Colitis, Ulcerative
- Colonic Volvulus
- Common Variable Immunodeficiency
- Complications After Childbirth
- Complications During Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery
- Congenital Anomalies
- Constipation
- Constipation Alternating with Diarrhea
- Copper, Low
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Cortical Calcyfying Angiomatosis
- Crohn’s Disease
- Cryptic Intestinal T-cell Lymphoma (Re fractory Sprue) •
- Cutaneous Vasculitis
- Cutis Laxa
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Defective Tooth Enamel
- Delayed Gastric Emptying
- Dementia
- Depression
- Dermatitis Herpetiformis
- Dermatomyositis
- Developmental Delays
- Diabetes Mellitus Type I
- Diabetic Instability
- Diarrhea, Acute (Also called Celiac
- Crisis)
- Diarrhea, Chronic
- Down Syndrome
- Duodenal Erosions in the Second Part of
- Duodenum
- Dysmenorrhea
- Dyspareunia
- Dysphagia
- Delayed growth and puberty
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Easy Bruising (Ecchymosis)
- Early Menopause
- Eczema
- Edema
- Edema of Small Intestinal Lining
- Enteropathic Arthritis
- Enteropathy Associated T-cell Lymphoma (EATL)
- Epilepsy
- Erythema Elevatum Diutinum
- Erythema Nodosum
- Esophageal Small Cell Cancer
- Esophageal Motor Abnormalities
- Extraintestinal Lymphomas
- Fatigue/Lassitude
- Fecal Occult Blood
- Follicular Hyperkeratosis
- Food Allergies, IgE and non-IgE Immune Responses
- Failure to thrive
- Gas
- Gastric Ulcer
- Gastric Ulcerations
- Gastritis, Collagenous
- Gastritis, Lymphocytic
- Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Gastrointestinal Complications of Type 1 Diabetes
- Gastrointestinal Occult Bleeding
- Glucose, Low or Elevated
- Gluten Sensitive Enteritis
- Glycogenic Acanthosis
- Graves’ Disease
- Growth Retardation
- Gums Bleeding/Swollen (purplish in adults/red in children)
- Hangnails
- Headaches
- Heartburn
- Hemochromatosis
- Hepatic Granulomatous Disease
- Homocysteine, Elevated
- H. Pylori Bacteremia
- Hyperprolactinemia
- Hypertension
- Hypocalcuria
- Hypogonadism
- Hypokalemic Rhabdomyolysis
- Hypoprothrombinemia
- Hyposplenism
- Hypotonia
- Ichthyosis, Acquired
- Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemosiderosis
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Permeability
- Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism
- Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
- IgA Deficiency
- IgA Nephropathy
- Impaired Gallbladder Motility
- Impotence
- Inability to Concentrate
- Insomnia
- Infertility
- Irritability
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Intraepithelial Lymphocytosis in Small Bowel Samples
- Intrauterine Growth Retardation
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Itchy Skin Rash
- Jejunitis, Chronic
- Juvenile Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
- Keratomalacia
- Kidney Stones
- Koilonychia
- Lactose Intolerance
- Laryngospasm
- Late Menarche
- Latent Anemia in Enzymopathies of Small Intestine
- Leaky Gut Syndrome
- Liver Enzymes, Elevated
- Loss of Vitality
- Lung Cavities or Abscess
- Lymphadenopathy
- Lymphoma
- Joint pain
- Macroamylasemia
- Macrocytosis
- Macrolipasemia
- Magnesium, Low
- Malabsorption of Nutrients
- Maltose Intolerance
- Melanoma
- Mesenteric Lymph Node Cavitation
- Monoarthritis, Recurrent
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscle Pain and Tenderness
- Muscle Spasms and Cramps
- Muscle Wasting
- Muscle Weakness
- Malnutrition
- Migraines
- Miscarriages
- Nails, Dry and Brittle That Chip, Peel, Crack, or Break Easily
- Nails with Horizontal and Vertical Ridges/Fragile
- Nail with Rounded and Curved Down Ends, Dark, Dry
- Nails with White Spots
- Nails with Splinter Hemorrhages
- Nausea
- Nervous System Disorders
- Neutropenia
- Nightblindness
- Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Nonresponse to Tuberculosis Treatment
- Nosebleeds, unexplained
- Nosebleeds, Unexplained
- Obesity
- Ocular Myopathy
- Oral Mucosal Lesions
- Osteitis Fibrosa
- Ostiomalacia
- Osteomalactic Myopathy
- Osteonecrosis
- Osteopenia
- Osteoporosis
- Pancreatic Insufficiency
- Parathyroid Carcinoma
- Penicillin V Impaired Absorption
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Phosphorus, Low
- Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris
- Plasma Proteins, Low
- Plummer-Vinson Syndrome
- Pneumococcal Septicemia
- Polymyositis
- Post-cricoid Cancer
- Potassium, Low
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
- Primary Hyperparathyroidism
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
- Progressive Multifocal Leukoencepha lopathy
- Prolonged Prothrombin Time
- Prurigo Nodularis (Hyde’s Prurigo)
- Psoriasis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Persistent canker sores
- Rashes
- Refractory Anemia
- Rickets
- Sarcoidosis
- Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders
- Scleroderma
- Seborrhea
- Secondary Hypoparathyroidism
- Severe Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pregnancy
- Short Duration of Breast Feeding
- Short Stature
- Sjögrens Syndrome
- Small Bowel Intussusception
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
- Smell, Loss of
- Sperm Abnormalities
- Spina Bifida
- Steatorrhea
- Stroke in Childhood
- Sucrose Intolerance
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Taste, Loss of
- Tetany
- Thin hair
- Tingling sensation or numbness in hands or feet
- Tongue (beefy, red, smooth, burning)
- Tongue (fiery red, smooth, swollen, sore)
- Tongue (magenta, swollen)
- Tongue (pale, smooth, burning)
- Transient Erythroblastopenia
- Tremors
- Tuberculosis, Increased Susceptibility to
- Turner Syndrome
- Unusually foul-smelling stool, blood or undigested foods in stool
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Urticaria, Chronic
- Uveitis, Bilateral
- Vaginitis
- Vasculitis of the Central Nervous System
- Vitiligo
- Vomiting
- Weight Gain, Unexplained
- Weight Loss, Unexplained
- Xerophthalmia
- Zinc, Low
Diet Is the Only Effective Treatment
The treatment for sufferers of celiac disease is to avoid gluten entirely, to eat a completely gluten free diet. The FDA does not require food manufacturers to list gluten on their labels. Wheat is required to be clearly labeled, but gluten is not.
Conclusion
Celiac disease is a very serious condition that requires strict dietary changes in order to heal the gut and properly digest the nutrients in food. Celiac disease is now recognized as either a pre-curser or a companion disease to many other autoimmune diseases. We highly recommend that anyone with any autoimmune disease completely remove gluten from their diet and concentrate on healing the gut.
Sources
(1) http://www.naturalnews.com/034293_celiac_disease_gluten_intolerance.html
(2) http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/candida-or-celiac-disease-which-came-first/
(3) http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/how-to-kill-candida-and-balance-your-inner-ecosystem/
(4) http://www.cureceliacdisease.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CDCFactSheets10_SymptomList.pdf