The Disease Of Gluten Intolerance

Celiac disease is a fairly common disease but is not very well known. Celiac disease, or celiac sprue, is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten (Hill, Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of celiac disease in children, 2011). Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. People with celiac disease who eat foods containing gluten experience an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing damage to the inner surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients (Hill, Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of celiac disease in children, 2011).

Celiac disease seems to be on an up rise today. You now walk into grocery stores and restaurants and see gluten-free food everywhere. Thankfully, for the celiac disease community, life has become a little easier with these accommodations. When most people hear celiac disease many just think gluten-free diets, but they do not realize that celiac disease can affect all parts of the body and mind, or that the disease has a higher prevalence in women. It is a new lifestyle that many have to take on. In the next few pages, I will discuss the affects that this disease has on the body systems, the lifestyle changes many make when diagnosed with celiac disease, and the importance of educating those who are dealing with the disease on a day to day basis. I also will discuss information from two articles which focus in on the direct affects that the disease takes on women living with it, and the lifestyle changes that are necessary to manage the symptoms.

1. Explain the physiologic mechanisms related to celiac disease. What anatomical features of the small intestine lend it to the digestion and absorption of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins?

Commonly referred to as wheat allergy, celiac disease is not an allergic disorder; rather it is actually intolerance to gluten, a protein in wheat. It is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease occurs in people who have a genetic susceptibility. It was considered a north European disease initially but now it has a high prevalence in all the continents. In north- India it affects 1 in 200-300 individuals, similar to its prevalence in Europe.

As a celiacs daughter I quickly adapted the “gluten free” life style out of convenience for my mother. I would even find myself going to restaurants asking for the gluten free menu and strictly sticking to the diet in and out of my household. I was aware that I was lacking some nutrients by not eating gluten but to make up for it I took vitamin D pills and everyday women health vitamins but little did I know that was not enough to keep me healthy. I was not aware of the risks I was putting myself at by eliminating a whole category of food. I was lacking my body of calcium, fibre and iron as well as other nutrients.

Life changing, life long, no cure! This paper is to give knowledge and inform readers on what Celiac Disease is, who it effects, what it affects, and try to explain how it can interrupt a normal, life style to where most of us take for granted. Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you found out you could not eat normal everyday foods that most of us take for granted? What if one day you woke up and found out you could not eat something as simple and as popular as pizza? That you could not eat bread, cake, cookies, lasagna, spaghetti, or even drink beer? That every time you did, you would get sick. Well, for a growing percentage of Americans, that is what is

Celiac disease, which is also called coeliac disease, is a genetic autoimmune disease that injures the small intestine. Gluten is a protein that is in some wheat, barley, and rye. It is also a new fad diet and being gluten intolerant is something a majority of the population may claim. However, for those who really have celiac disease it is more serious. In fact, "Despite popular belief, celiac disease is a serious genetic autoimmune disease, not the latest fad diet", according to the organization Beyond Celiac(What is Celiac Disease, 2016). This article also gives a great explanation about what gluten does to the small intestine on a cellular level. The definition on the webpage goes on to include "When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the finger-like villi of the small intestine. When the villi become damaged, the body is unable to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream, which can lead to malnourishment" (What is Celiac Disease, 2016). It also mentions that when celiac is left untreated, other autoimmune diseases are very common such as thyroid disease, osteoporosis and other cancers. Migraines, diabetes, and infertility are a few more illnesses that go hand in hand with celiac. (What is Celiac Disease, 2016).

Celiac Disease is a digestive condition that makes the small intestines to become inflamed and unable to absorb nutrients (Kamycheva, Goto, & Camargo 2017). The condition affects more than 3 million Americans. One in 133 American people are known to have the disease. The condition is triggered when an individual eats gluten. Mostly gluten is found in barley, wheat, rye, and other grains that most Americans love to eat. What if you couldn’t eat sandwiches, pasta, cakes, pies, pizza? Sound terrible, right? This has been my life for 10 years now.

Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye ("Celiac Disease," n.d.). When the body's immune system overreacts to gluten in food, the immune reaction damages the tiny, hair-like projections (villi) that line the small intestine ("Celiac Disease," n.d.). Over time, this reaction produces inflammation that damages the small intestine's lining and prevents absorption of some nutrients (malabsorption) ("Celiac Disease," n.d.). Excessive damage to the bowel can cause abdominal bloating, watery stool and weight loss.

At age twelve, I was in fourth percentile for height, and sixth percentile for weight. We had visited a doctor six different times but they still couldn't explain why my growth was so stunted. My mom began to get more and more worried and would talk to her friends about it. One of her friends suggested to see if it is Celiac Disease because her husband has that disease and had been experiencing similar symptoms. We went to the doctor again this time asking about Celiac Disease. The doctor ran a few tests and those tests diagnosed me with Celiac Disease

Preparing a meal for adult women with celiac disease as well as a fish/shellfish allergies can a unique challenge. Gluten as well as seafood most be avoided in the diet, with some special dietary needs on top of that of a regular adult women. In the following a short description of what each celiac disease and fish/shellfish allergies are, how common they are, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and special dietary needs will be explained. Preceding this information an example of a two course meal will be laid out to provide an example of a meal holding in the restraints of the special dietary needs of this person.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder which is triggered by consumption of a dietary protein called gluten. Celiac disease causes the immune system to react abnormally to gluten. This immune response can lead to damage of the small intestines therefore causing malabsorption of vital nutrients. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye). Celiac disease is also referred to as celiac sprue, gluten-sensitivity and non-tropical sprue. Gluten is not only contained in grains but it is also a hidden ingredient in a very large number of prepared foods. Celiac disease is a genetic disorder which means that the genes which predispose people to celiac disease can be passed on from parent to child in the DNA. Celiac disease is also more common among people with other genetic disorders including Down syndrome and Turner syndrome, a condition that affects girls’ development.

Celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is a medical condition in which the body’s immune system is abnormally sensitive to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley). Individuals who have celiac disease need to have a strict and lifelong gluten-free diet; if these individuals do not, inflammation of the intestines will occur. Because the immune system negatively reacts to gluten and attacks the body’s own tissues and organs, celiac disease is considered to be an autoimmune disorder which may cause a wide variety of signs and symptoms.

Gluten sensitivity is a condition in which your body does not react well to foods that contain the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. It differs from the more serious celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that destroys the lining of the intestines, resulting in poor absorption of essential vitamins and minerals. Unchecked celiac disease, in fact, can lead to cancer. However, gluten sensitivity does not lead to these complications, although it can cause you great gastrointestinal discomfort. According to the WebMd website, you may present with bloating and pain, but you may also experience symptoms outside the gastrointestinal tract, such as fatigue. If you have any symptoms that suggest that something is amiss in your intestinal tract, you should see a doctor--the sooner, the better.

Many people have gluten intolerance or a true allergy towards gluten. For Passover, many ask, "What do I do if I am allergic to matzo? Am I still obligated to eat it?". Matzo is an important part of Passover and everyone needs to eat at least a little bit.