Gluten intolerance: a brief introduction to celiac disease

Celiac disease is a type of autoimmune disease characterized by an inability to ingest gluten without causing damage to the small intestine. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing wheat, barley or rye — grains that contain the protein gluten — they may experience serious digestive problems (such as diarrhea, abdominal cramping and bloating) and a range of other possible short-term and long-term health effects.

Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to additional serious health problems, including Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, anemia, osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage, migraines, epilepsy and intestinal cancers.

If you suspect you have celiac disease, visit your doctor and request a blood test. If the results come back positive, you’ll be referred to a gastroenterologist for a small bowel biopsy to test tissue from your small intestine for damage.

There are no medications for curing celiac disease or relieving intestinal symptoms, but the condition is treatable by removing gluten from the diet.

When you’re diagnosed with celiac disease, you should schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian to help you map out a dietary plan. In order to eat gluten free, you’ll need to avoid not just wheat products, but also rye, barley and oats.

You also need to watch out for foods that you’re less likely to think of as containing wheat such as ketchup, soy sauce, canned soups and gravy. Make sure to read food labels carefully for possible gluten content.

Luckily, there are many gluten-free products available on the market these days — you can even buy gluten-free beer!