Meredith has recently been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and it has truly been overwhelming for us all. In an effort to help our family and friends understand what is going on I am going to share what Celiac Disease is all about and what it means for our sweet Meredith.
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by consuming a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. When a person with celiac eats gluten, the protein interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food by damaging a part of the small intestine called villi. Damaged villi make it nearly impossible for the body to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, leading to malnourishment and a host of other problems including some cancers, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, infertility and the onset of other autoimmune diseases.
How is it diagnosed?
There are 300 symptoms associated with celiac disease, therefore gaining an accurate diagnosis can be difficult. Celiac disease can be found by using a antibody blood test. If it is expected a small intestinal biopsy may be done for confirmation. Meredith had an endoscopy procedure a few weeks ago and several biopsies were taken during this procedure.
Treatment of Celiac Disease: A Gluten-Free Diet
The treatment for celiac disease is simple: a lifelong gluten-free diet. There are no medications or surgeries that can cure the autoimmune disease. Eating any amount of gluten, no matter how tiny it is, can cause damage to the villi of the small intestine and prevent nutrient absorption.
Celiac Facts
*One in 133 Americans has celiac disease.
*Three million Americans across all races, ages and genders suffer from celiac.
*Celiac disease is hereditary, so all first and second degree relatives should be screened.
*95% of celiacs are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions.
*Celiac disease can lead to a number of other disorders including infertility, reduced bone density, neurological disorders, some cancers and other autoimmune disease.
*There are NO pharmaceutical cures for celiac disease.
*A strict gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease.
Information from: National Foundation for Celiac Awareness
When we received this confirmed diagnosis we had already begun removing gluten from Meredith's diet. There is so much information out there and it is so important that we are careful with what she eats. When Meredith does eat anything with gluten she has severe abdominal pain, becomes very fatigued and develops headaches. We will be meeting with a dietician tomorrow to get more helpful information.
i just found your blog via KellysKorner. i too have celiac and eat gluten free. it is expensive and a challenge. a hint for you: keep your breads in the freezer - they mold very fast. also i bought a used bread maker and cleaned it well. i make my own g/f bread from mixes although i am going to try substituting a g/f flour in a standard recipe. sprouts has a huge offering of g/f foods, far more than trader joes. i have noticed that our newest wal-mart has a g/f section too.
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