Is Your Problem GLUTEN ?

many people suffering from a plethora of health conditions that are not responding to standard medical management.  Maybe it's what you are eating !

I had a patient recently that had been diagnosed with celiac disease.  He was told by his gastroenterologist just to avoid gluten.  He continued to have severe symptoms of chronic diarrhea with 10-15 bowel movements a day, chronic abdominal pain and severe weight loss, even though he felt he was gluten-free.

after undergoing a thorough examination, proper anti-inflammatory supplementation, a restricted anti-inflammatory diet this patient is now symptom-free.  Is beginning to gain weight and his bowel habits are normal. He is now able to pursue his career and his recreational activities without fear and pain.

the following is an article that gives a brief explanation of this condition.

CELIAC DISEASE: A MISSED DIAGNOSIS?

By Marcia Zimmerman, CN
 

Celiac disease (CD), also known as sprue, is an autoimmune disorder that often escapes detection. It mimics the symptoms of other conditions including irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, Crohn’s Disease, diverticulitis, parasitic infections, skin disorders, iron-deficiency anemia caused by menstrual blood loss, and various nervous system conditions.¹ To complicate matters, between 50 and 60 percent of celiac patients have no obvious symptoms at all – making this disease particularly difficult to diagnose. This has led to the assumption that the disease was uncommon in the United States. However, recent estimates suggest that one in 133 people have the disease.²

A 2000 paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the incidence of CD among 1200 children and adolescents tested for the disorder ranged from one in 57 to one in 33.³ Symptoms in children differ somewhat from those of adults in that fatigue, irritability and behavior changes are more common in children with CD.⁴ Infants with CD may lose weight and “fail to thrive.” Older children may have delayed growth or unexplained anemia. Like adults, CD children have abdominal gas, pain and foul smelling stools.

Causes and Testing

Celiac disease is triggered by consumption of glutens, the proteins found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley, rye and sometimes oat. Glutens are present in all forms of wheat including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, malt,couscous, bulgur, and triticale. Rice, sorghum, millet, buckwheat, corn, quinoa, and other grains contain small amounts of glutens. However, these grains are generally well tolerated. They may be initially eliminated in celiac diets until the disease is under control.⁵

New studies have also found that ancient species of wheat do not stimulate the immune response as do the glutens in the more common hybridized wheat species.^6.7 For some, ancient wheat species such as spelt and kamut may be tolerated once an elimination diet has helped to get the disease under control. There is no known cure for celiac disease, but a gluten-free diet is a good nutritional step to take.

Those who have CD must also be on the lookout for gluten added as a thickener and stabilizer, or from cross contamination during food processing. This may not be disclosed on food or supplement labels.

Be sure to select brands that clearly state on the label “Contains no wheat or gluten.” Gluten can also be found in products we use every day, such as stamp and envelope adhesives, medicines and certain vitamins.

Although celiac disease can affect anyone, it is inherited and if someone in your immediate family has it, chances are 5 to 15 percent that you will too. It is also more common in people of European descent and those with other autoimmune disorders including Lupus erythematosus, Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease and microscopic colitis. Celiac disease is suspected if a patient has intermittent diarrhea, fatty stools, and abdominal bloating and cramping. Definitive diagnosis is made by testing serum levels of specific antibodies – immunoglobulin A (IgA), anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA) and IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (AEA).⁸

Complications of Celiac Disease

Malabsorption is the primary complication of celiac disease because the inflammatory response to wheat damages the absorptive apparatus in the intestinal mucosa. Normally the intestinal mucosa has thousands of tiny absorptive units called microvilli. The microvilli, with a total surface area of 300 to 478 yards, pull nutrients from the digestive juices into the bloodstream.⁹ The inflammatory response to gluten will eventually flatten out the microvilli and nutrients bypass the absorptive sites and are excreted.

Malabsorption leads to several other conditions – all the result of low levels of nutrients that are available to body tissues. Poor calcium absorption complicated by impaired absorption of vitamin D, vitamin K and other nutrients leads to bone and joint pain and osteoporosis.¹⁰ Bone health has been found to be markedly affected in children and adolescents with untreated celiac disease. Bone formation is depressed and bone resorption (breakdown) is increased leading to short stature, failure to achieve peak bone density, and increased fracture and joint problems later in life.¹¹ Muscle cramps, weakness, edema, and inability to sustain optimum body weight are other common problems with CD.

Many of these problems resolve if a gluten-free diet is adhered to.¹² CD can also lead to lactose intolerance, cancer, neurological conditions (seizure) and nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy).¹³ Reestablishing adequate nutrient levels and reducing inflammation is all important. Because absorption has been impaired, the CD patient would do best with liquid supplements that are free of wheat and gluten.

Marcia Zimmerman is the author of the best selling book The A.D.D.Nutrition Solution: A Drug-Free 30-Day Plan. Henry Holt& Company, New York, 1999.

if you're suffering from chronic autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, chronic pain, osteoporosis, peripheral neuropathy You owe it to yourself to get properly tested.  It may end your healthcare nightmare.