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Celiac Disease (aka Coeliac Disease, Coeliac Sprue, Non-Tropical Sprue, Endemic Sprue, Gluten Enteropathy, Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy) The number and severity of symptoms associated with untreated celiac disease can vary greatly from person to person. In some cases, undiagnosed adults with celiac disease have only iron deficiency anemia without digestive or intestinal symptoms. The similarity of the symptoms of celiac disease with those of other conditions often leads to a misdiagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, chronic fatigue syndrome or diverticulosis, thus delaying the diagnosis of celiac disease. The presence of obesity does not exclude the diagnosis of celiac disease. The following symptoms may occur individually or in combination among children or adults.
Recurring/persistent diarrhea Gas Abdominal bloating, pain, cramping Nausea Vomiting Fat in the stool Gray-colored stools Constipation Weight loss Stunted growth in children Fatigue Anemia – Iron, Folate or B12 deficiency Mouth ulcers/canker sores Deficiency of vitamins A, D, E, and K Easy bruising Bone/joint pain Constipation Swelling of ankles and hands Lactose intolerance Indigestion Depression Menstrual irregularities Migraine Infertility/miscarriages
Dermatitis Herpetiformis This itchy, cutaneous condition has been linked to a transglutaminase (TG2) enzyme in the skin, features small bowel changes identical to those in celiac disease and occurs more often (in 2%) in patients with celiac disease. Food Intolerances These are only a few of the reasons why food intolerance is considered a fairly controversial concept in conventional medicine. Intolerance can be responsible for a wide variety of complaints which, at first glance, seem to lack a plausible explanation. Intolerance can manifest themselves as the following: Gastrointestinal complaints: stomach ache, irritable bowel, Crohns disease, ulcerative colitis Skin complaints: itching, eczema (atopic dermatitis), hives, acne (in adults) Joint and muscle complaints ranging from atypical pains to rheumatoid arthritis Headache and migraine Chronic fatigue Asthma, chronic rhinitis or sinusitis Pre-menstrual syndrome Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) Depression, anxiety Sleeping disorders Adjusting your diet allows you a clearer view of what’s going on. Foods causing strong reactions (symptoms) should be temporarily excluded from the diet. More moderate reactions allow for rotation of certain food items in your diet. Once you’ve decided which foods might be causing your symptoms, keeping a food journal is absolutely necessary when eliminating or rotating foods in your diet. Eliminating foods can cause withdrawal symptoms similar to eliminating coffee, tobacco or alcohol. Generally, the symptoms disappear in 1-2 weeks. Astonishingly enough, the symptoms brought on by eating the offending foods should also disappear in the same amount of time. If you suspect you have a sensitivity, you can always try eliminating the majority of everyday products that contain gluten; breads, pies, pastries, cakes, anything made with wheat, barley, rye or oats. (Read labels! Some foods have hidden gluten content.) If you do decide to try eliminating foods, depending on the degree of your intolerance, disease or symptoms…you might just experience life without nausea, diarrhea, headaches, depression, skin irritations, stomach aches, fatigue, body pains, and the like. Before attempting any serious type of elimination diet, a health care professional should always be consulted before and during the process. It is important to make a personal commitment to a gluten-free diet. In some cases, swinging back and forth between gluten-free and eating gluten can cause more harm than good.
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