Spotlight On: CELIAC DISEASE

Is wheat free the way to be? Many Americans have adopted gluten-free diets, meaning that wheat, rye, and barley products that contain the protein, gluten are no longer consumed. However, wheat is the primary ingredient in almost every starch, so why and how would you possibly stop eating that graham cracker crust on hot pecan pies and that thick and filling pasta in lasagna?

Six years ago, a Naturopath suggested I stop eating wheat. Having no clue how it may have affected me at the time, I stopped partially for about six months. I noticed that when I cheated and ate wheat bread especially, my stomach became aggravated in an intensely painful way. I had excrutiating stabbing pains on my left side. But after switching to bread not rich in wheat and eliminating only baked goods and food products that read 'wheat flour' on their boxes, I felt much better months later. Nonetheless, I knew from then on that I had a weaker stomach than many other people. Not everything I have eaten over the years has agreed with me. From hot dogs to wheat bread, certain foods pose a digestive challenge every now and then.

Perhaps the pain and other symptoms went away because of the lessened wheat intake, or maybe they went away because of other treatments, like vitamin and mineral intake. Many Americans suffer from an autoimmune disorder called Celiac Disease due to their inability to digest grains naturally consisting of gluten. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, 1 in 133 Americans have it and 97% of people with it go undiagnosed. In a nutshell, (nuts: planted grains that mature into fruits, more specifically legumes) the microvilli- tiny finger-like projections- that line your intestines absorb nutrients from food, and filter toxins and waste. With Celiac Disease, these microvilli become flattened and cannot do their job properly. This causes symptoms like constipation or diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and distention, infertility, weight changes, and resulting behavioral changes in mood, among many other symptoms. Celiac Disease may trigger or aggravate autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, for example irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes and osteoporosis.

Not the same as a wheat allergy, Celiac Disease, a type of autoimmune disorder, requires a lifetime of a gluten-free diet. Those diagnosed with it should stay away from wheat, barley, rye and their sub-products. That means no beer, no ice cream, no bagels, no ketchup, and no more lasagna! Surpisingly, imitation meats and some vegetarian products contain gluten too. Luckily, food manufacturers must put 'gluten-free' on their products with no gluten which normally contain gluten. Also, many bakeries have substitutes for gluten. Try Babycakes NYC for gluten-free and vegan cupcakes.

By no means is all the information above regarding Celiac Disease exhaustive. To raise awareness, options exist like passing out the flyer or brochure (both provided on the Celiac Disease Foundation website) at health fairs or in your community. Be sure to ask your primary doctor about this disease, its symptoms and possible plans of care.