Celiac disease or celiac sprue, is a reversible digestive disorder caused by eating gluten. In people with celiac disease, gluten triggers an immune reaction in the intestine, which can be reversed once gluten is eliminated completely from the diet. That reaction damages the tiny, finger-like projections called villi, through which intestines absorb nutrients. With Celiac disease, these villi become flattened, which renders them unable to absorb nutrients causing the individual to become malnourished and deficient in vitamins and nutrients.
Gluten is found in various grains such as wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, and possibly oat products. Some vitamins and medicines also contain gluten. Many manufactured food products contain gluten in various forms under misleading names, like “modified food starch.” People with celiac disease must learn about all sources of gluten and read food labels thoroughly.
The disease can develop at any age. Although there is no cure, you can control symptoms by eating a gluten-free diet.
Signs and Symptoms of celiac disease
The symptoms of celiac disease can vary from person to person. For example, one person may have constipation, another may have diarrhea, and yet a third may have no intestinal problems at all.
A partial listing of gastrointestinal symptoms:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating, gas, indigestion
- Constipation
- Diarrhea, chronic or occasional
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stools that float, are foul smelling, bloody, or “fatty”
A partial listing of non-intestinal symptoms:
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- Anemia
- Joint pain
- Osteoporosis
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Growth delay in children
- Irritability and behavioral changes
- Malnutrition
- Mouth ulcers
- Muscle cramps
- Unexplained short stature
- Skin problems (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Unexplained weight loss/ weight gain or inability to loose weight (although people can be overweight or of normal weight upon diagnosis)
Biopsies are quite often the only way to diagnose celiac disease for sure. However, if you having been experiencing some the symptoms above, avoid gluten products for a while and see if your symptoms improve. If not, you could be allergic / sensitive or intolerant to other foods or may be suffering from irritable bowel disease.
For those allergic/sensitive/intolerance to gluten, here are two handy lists: Flour that contains gluten and flours that is essentially gluten-free.
Flour That Contain Gluten
- Spelt flour
- Wheat flour
- Duram flour
- Kamut brand flour
- Rye flour
- Oat flour
- Barley flour
Essentially Gluten-Free Flours
- Amaranth flour
- Arrowroot flour
- Brown rice flour
- Buckwheat flour (100%)
- Chickpea flour
- Corn flour
- Legume flours
- Lentil flours
- Nut and see flours
- Mung flour
- Potato starch flour
- Quinoa flour
- Soy flour
- Tapioca starch flour
- Teff flour
If you have questions or if you need to schedule an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, please call 416 913 4325.
By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.