A-Z celiac disease Articles

Digestive discomfort and food-related sensitivities can make it challenging to feel your best, especially when certain ingredients trigger unwanted symptoms. Finding the right balance of nutrition and lifestyle habits is key to maintaining comfort and overall well-being. As awareness continues to grow, many individuals are seeking gluten intolerance support to help manage symptoms, support digestion, and improve quality of life. In this article, we'll explore practical strategies to help you feel more balanced and in control. 

What is Gluten?

Gluten is the combination of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin, which exist in varying amounts in the endosperm (the inside) of most grass-related grains, such as wheat and rye. These proteins give dough its elasticity, allow leavening, and keep baked goods chewy and cohesive.

What Is Gluten Intolerance?

Gluten intolerance varies in severity, from mild to a severe intolerance, called Celiac’s disease. Symptoms include diarrhea, bloating, cramping, abdominal pain and vomiting 1-3 hours after consumption of gluten-containing foods. 

Gluten is considered a complex protein, meaning it contains two or more chains of individual proteins. It is a large molecule, one of the reasons that it is difficult for our digestive systems to handle. When gluten molecules reach the small intestine, they can actually cause small holes in the mucosal lining, creating something called Leaky gut syndrome. Normally, the lining of your gut selectively filters through the contents of the intestine, absorbing the nutrients we need and allows everything else to pass through to be eliminated as waste. When the gut lining is compromised, foreign particles are able to pass through and into the bloodstream. This causes the immune system to get involved, as it sets out to attack these foreign materials. The intestinal damage causes malnutrition and deficient absorption of nutrients and fat. 

Symptoms such as rash, anemia, weight loss, steatorrhea (smelly and shiny stool), bone pain and osteoporosis, frequent colds, mood swings, and a host of others are all due to a lack of nutrients.

What Foods Contain Gluten?

Gluten is also an additive and acts as a stabilizing agent in products where it is unexpected, such as ice cream and ketchup. It is these products that can make gluten-free diets so challenging for those who suffer from intolerances. Gluten-containing foods are as follows: 

• Barley, oats, rye, wheat, spelt, and gamut
• Hydrolyzed & Texturized vegetable proteins
• Hydrolyzed plant protein malt
• Modified food starch
• Some soy sauces
• Grain vinegars, white vinegar, and bouillon cubes
• Binders, fillers & some natural flavours
• Hot dogs and luncheon meat
• Beer
• Gravies, mustard, ketchup, and bottled salad dressing
• Non-dairy creamer 
• Processed foods, chocolate
• Curry powder and seasonings

Be cautious with oats. Although there are now many brands that certify their oats as gluten-free, many other companies transport, prepare and package their oats alongside many gluten-containing grains. Cross-contamination is very common.

What Are Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance?

Gluten intolerance symptoms can occur in infancy, but depending on the severity, sometimes they do not present until adulthood. This is a genetically inherited disorder – infants can have a failure to thrive as a symptom. When gluten intolerance presents in adulthood, it is often triggered by some kind of stressor (emotional, mental or physical). Symptoms will stop once the gut lining is healed through the removal of gluten-containing foods from the diet. There are some people who can reintroduce small amounts of gluten into their bodies without adverse side effects, but many remain on a gluten-free diet for their entire lives.

Gluten Intolerance Support Tips

Individuals with gluten intolerance are advised to eat a healthy diet, including fruits and vegetables, lean protein such as fish and poultry, healthy fats and gluten free grains, including rice, corn, millet, quinoa, potato and soy. The following list of supplements can be used for preventing and repairing damage from gluten intolerance.

Gluten intolerance is on the rise in today's modern society. Many people suffer from this condition, or even worse, are celiac. Learn about this condition, its triggers, and discover natural support options for celiac disease. 

What is Celiac Disease?

People with celiac disease cannot digest gluten. Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and kamut. Cases can range from mild to severe. Severe cases are usually identified in childhood because the child fails to grow and thrive. Less severe cases may not manifest until much later.

Gluten intolerance is often an inherited condition. Mild gluten sensitivities can progress to intolerance (Celiac disease) over time. Stress is one factor that can predispose an individual to this progression.

What Triggers Celiac Disease?

Gliadin is the component of gluten that causes gastrointestinal damage. Gluten intolerance is an immune reaction. When an individual with celiac disease consumes gluten, the body attacks, like it would when exposed to a bacteria or virus. In doing so, this reaction destroys the microvilli along the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, primarily throughout the small intestine. Celiac disease reduces nutrient absorption from food and supplements. This leads to malnutrition and related health symptoms.

What Is Gluten?

Gluten gives dough elasticity and structure. It helps baked goods rise and maintain shape. Wheat gluten appears in many foods, so careful label reading helps people with intolerance.

Common gluten-containing foods and ingredients include:

• Barley, Oats, Rye, Wheat, Spelt, Kamut
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Texturized vegetables protein, Hydrolyzed plant protein
• Malt, Some soy sauces, Grain vinegars, White vinegar
• Modified food starch, Binders, Fillers, Natural flavour
• Hot dogs, Most luncheon meats, Most processed foods
• Beer
• Gravies, Mustard, Ketchup, Bottled salad dressing
• Non-dairy creamer
• Bouillon cubes
• Some chocolate
• Many pre-packaged or mixed seasonings, ex. taco seasoning

Some people with celiac disease tolerate oats. However, oats often contain gluten contamination. Certified gluten-free oats provide a safer option. Unlabeled oats may contain gluten from shared processing.

Gluten can also appear in supplements. It may come from capsules or fillers. Always check labels before use.

Gluten-free guides help simplify safe product choices. The Canadian Celiac Association provices reliable information.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Common symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Stool is very often smelly and shiny or greasy (steatorrhea). Malnutrition, caused by impaired absorption, can also cause a number of symptoms or conditions, including, but not limited to, anemia, weight loss, fatigue, infertility, canker sores, rashes, bone pains, arthralgias, osteopenia, asthma, thyroiditis, mood imbalances and depression. Healthcare professionals should diagnose celiac disease. Blood tests check anti-gliadin antibodies for screening. A small intestine biopsy confirms diagnosis.

Natural Celiac Support

The only way to treat celiac disease is by eliminating gluten from the diet. Maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle will allow the microvilli of the digestive tract to heal. Reintroduction of gluten will usually cause a complete relapse of symptoms, meaning these dietary restrictions are, in almost all cases, permanent. Some adults with Celiac disease can tolerate small amounts of gluten in their diets. As the prevalence of celiac disease is increasing, due in some part to increased detection, so is the availability of a variety of gluten-free products.

Doctors often recommend elimination diets after diagnosis. These diets help identify additional food sensitivities that worsen symptoms. As an example, dairy products may exacerbate a gluten intolerance. Other known food sensitivities should be avoided. Because of the damage that gluten intolerance causes to the gut, it is important for people with Celiac disease to maintain vigilance against disorders like Candida, Crohn's, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Gluten Digestive Enzymes

New digestive enzymes may help break down gluten-containing foods. These products are available in the natural health market. These products contain DPP IV (dipeptidyl peptidase), a protease enzyme specific to the digestion of gluten and casein. These enzymes may support mild sensitivities only. People with celiac disease should use them cautiously. No evidence supports claims that enzymes allow safe gluten consumption.