A Pain in the Gut
Celiac disease is on the rise! Celiac disease is an auto-immune condition. The culprit is gluten that is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is what give baked goods that wonderful texture and keeps them from crumbling apart. Celiac is a multi-system disorder, with the small intestine as the main target of injury. Celiac disease is not the same as gluten allergy or wheat allergy. Celiac disease (gluten sensitivity) is a genetically determined autoimmune condition that damages the lining of the small intestine. Because celiac disease disrupts the digestive process, delayed diagnosis increases the risk of developing neurological problems, osteoporosis, infertility, autoimmune disorders, including Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease and even cancer, according to Peter H.R. Green, M.D., professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University. Celiac disease is highly treatable by following a gluten-free diet.
