Prevention of Celiac Disease

Diet changes are an integral part of management of many chronic conditions. Here are real life experiences of eight women who incorporated diet and nutrition changes in their disease management regimen.  Celiac Disease When Jeeva Anna George was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an uncommon digestive disorder causing inflammation of the small intestine, her whole life began revolving around food. Here she talks at length about her personal journey and how she learnt the hard way to control…

Is going gluten-free just a fad or is there a valid reason to consider this lifestyle change? Dr. Shital Raval explains what is gluten and the difference between wheat allergy, gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Remember to bookmark this. Along with the growing trend of multigrain goods in the food market and nutritional world, there has also been a proliferating market for gluten-free food products. This has been hand-in-hand with emergent reports of gluten sensitivities and intolerance…

When Jeeva Anna George was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an uncommon digestive disorder causing inflammation of the small intestine, her whole life began revolving around food. Here she talks at length about her personal journey and how she learnt the hard way to control the disease by strictly following a gluten free diet. At what age did you discover you had celiac disease? My symptoms started when I was 25 but I was diagnosed a month after turning 27. What were your initial symptoms? My…

Endoscopy guru and leading gastroenterologist Dr Vipulroy Rathod’s comprehensive interview on gastrointestinal diseases and cancers makes for an enlightening and interesting read. What is Gastroenterology? Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. Diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract, which include the organs from mouth to anus, along the alimentary canal, are the focus of this specialty. Physicians practicing in this field are called…

Or is it sometimes the fall guy for other allergens? Dietitian Ujjwala Baxi tells you what to do if you think you are gluten-sensitive. First tip: Do not rush into a gluten-free diet plan. I first heard about gluten sensitivity during my college days when I was studying nutrition. During my year of internship in a 1,000-bed government hospital in India, I heard of only 3 gluten sensitive cases that were referred to the dietary department for a specific meal plan. This was 10 years back. Now, in…

Principles of gluten free diet include Avoid all foods made from wheat, rye and barley. (Examples: Cereals, Pasta, Breads, Crackers, Cakes, Pies, Cookies) Avoid oats because some oat preparations can be contaminated with wheat. Processed foods may contain gluten. Wheat flour is a common ingredient in many processed foods. Example: canned soups, salad dressing, ice cream, candy bars, instant coffee, luncheon meats and processed meats, ketchup, mustard, yoghurt, pasta. Beware of tablets,…

Treatment There is no cure for celiac disease. The only treatment is gluten-free diet. The disease severity will be varying depending on the patient’s immune response. Some patients can ingest small amounts of gluten without developing symptoms, while others experience massive diarrhoea with only minute amounts of gluten. Medication is not normally required, following a strict gluten free diet will greatly reduce the symptoms. Sometimes, the doctor may prescribe medications to manage the…

Can Celiac Disease be prevented? Celiac disease cannot be prevented. But if you have celiac disease, you can prevent the symptoms and damage to your small intestine by eating a gluten-free diet. For a gluten free diet, eat fuit, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, legumes and nuts. Rice is gluten free and can be included in diet.   Read more in Celiac Disease Management section  

Complications of Celiac Disease: If celiac disease is left untreated, it can cause: Weight loss and failure to grow Anxiety and depression Anaemia due to iron deficiency and folic acid deficiency Osteoporosis or Rickets Loss of tooth enamel Intussusception (one part of the intestine slides into an adjacent part) Rectal prolapse Lymphoma of intestine and probably cancer of oesophagus  

In order to diagnose the condition, the doctor may suggest some of the following: Physical examination Blood tests – To measure levels of antibodies (IgA, IgG) and to detect nutritional deficiencies (iron levels) Stool sample – To detect fat in stool, since this disease prevents fat from being absorbed from food. The fat is excreted from the body. Biopsy – Tissue will be taken from the small intestine to check for damage to the villi. The doctor inserts an endoscope through the mouth and in to…