Celiac Disease (pronounced silly-ack) is an autoimmune disorder. In case you didn't already know, autoimmune means your immune system attacks your own body.
Celiac affects 1 in 133 people or approximately 1 % of the population. Quite possibly many more people have celiac disease, but in some people, there are no noticeable symptoms.
When a celiac ingests food containing gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and other related grains), their body attacks the gluten as if it were a poison. The result is that the villi, which are tiny hairs in the small intestine, get damaged.
The villi are what absorb nutrients from food as it passes through your intestines. With damaged villi it is hard if not impossible to get the nutrition you need to thrive and be healthy.
In adults the symptoms include (but are not limited to!) lethargy, diarrhea, constant bloating and gas, low energy, skin rash (dermatitis), and others. As mentioned, some don't experience any symptoms, but nevertheless, damage is being done to the body due to lack of nutrients.
In children, the symptoms mentioned for adults also apply, but the implications are far greater because little bodies need nutrients to grow and thrive. In the case of babies and toddlers, celiac may be the cause of unexplained weight loss and small stature, or "failure to thrive" as the doctors say. Obviously, getting to the diagnosis is an extremely time-sensitive matter with children.
Fortunately, all you have to do is eliminate gluten from your diet to stop the autoimmune (body attacking itself) response! Some people have to also eliminate dairy either permanently or for a period of time while the digestive tract heals.
However, this isn't alway as simple as it may sound. Many of the grains that are staples in the Western diet have gluten in them and because gluten makes a great binder, it is also removed from grains such as wheat and barley and added to all sorts of foods - like marinades, sauces, candies - to help them thicken or stay together.
While finding gluten free foods is becoming a lot easier, sharing information about where to find the best gluten free food and other tips for a happy gluten free existence is what Happy Gluten Free is all about. In fact, we decided to write a book dedicated to helping people find gluten-free foods with ease.
More information about some of the signs and symptoms of celiac in infants and toddlers.
