What is Celiac Disease?

Why is a Gluten-Free Diet suddenly popular?

Celiac Disease, also known as Coeliac Disease, Cœliac Disease, Celiac Sprue or Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy is an autoimmune condition that causes the small intestine to become damaged when gluten is ingested. Gluten can be found in wheat, barley, rye, and sometimes oats. An estimated 1% of the general population has Celiac Disease, or about 1 in 100 people, although some medical professionals believe it may be more prevalent. In my personal circle, 7 out of 8 people that got tested were diagnosed with Celiac Disease!

Causes of Celiac Disease

The cause of Celiac Disease is unknown, but researchers do believe that it is hereditary. My father probably had it (he passed away before I was diagnosed). Extreme physical stress, like an accident, childbirth, or major surgery can also bring out the more severe Celiac symptoms.

I found out that I had Celiac Disease after having multiple miscarriages, going on vacation to de-stress, and coming back with a horrible rash. After my car accident when I was 16 a lot of my gastro symptoms were blamed on internal injuries. Looking back the trauma probably made my underlying Celiac Disease come to the surface, and it should have been diagnosed back then.

Celiac Disease Symptoms

The symptoms of Celiac Disease are as varied as the symptoms of any other autoimmune disorder. The reaction to Gluten causes gastro symptoms that get mislabelled Crohn’s Disease, inflammation that can mimic Fibromyalgia, or hide behind co-morbid diseases like Diabetes or Hashimoto’s, so it is important that you find the right doctor to diagnose you with Celiac. The problem is, doctors have been trained to look for the “classic” symptoms of Celiac Disease: 

• Diarrhea

• Bloating

• Gas

• Constipation

• Fatigue

• Weight Loss

• Small stature / underweight / failure to thrive (in children)

However, if you do not know you have Celiac Disease and continue to eat gluten on a regular basis, the long term symptoms can be:

• Vitamin Deficiencies

• Anemia

• Osteoporosis

• Hyposplenism

• Thyroid Problems

• Neuropathy / Nerve Damage

• Joint Pain

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Fertility Issues / Infertility

• Mental Health Issues such as Anxiety, Depression, or BiPolar Disorder

• Migraines

• Asthma

• Dandruff

• Seizures

• Weight Gain / Hard-to-Lose Weight

• High Blood Pressure

• Acne / Eczema 

Celiac Disease vs. Wheat Allergy

Sometimes when I go out to eat, I have to tell the servers that I have a “Gluten allergy.” There is no such thing as a Gluten Allergy. You can be allergic to the individual ingredients like wheat, barley, or rye that contain the Gluten that harms people with Celiac Disease. I have a Wheat allergy on top of Celiac Disease.

An allergic reaction is an immune reaction. Celiac Disease begins in the small intestine, and is an auto-immune condition. The similarities between Celiac Disease and a Wheat/Barley/Rye allergy is the avoidance of those ingredients. They both can cause skin issues and intestinal distress, so the overlap can be confusing to many people. You cannot take Benadryl to relieve the symptoms of Celiac Disease, nor will an Epi-Pen do anything for Gluten consumption.