A lot of people have heard of celiac disease, but don't really know what it is. As a result, they are also often unable to recognize celiac disease symptoms. They will continue to eat various foods that will actually wreak havoc to their insides, unaware of the fact that this is happening. Let's take a look, therefore, at the nature of this disease, how to spot it, and how to avoid it.
What Is Celiac Disease?
Gliadin is a type of proteins found in gluten. When too much gliadin is consumed, the body's immune system starts to attack it, seeing it as a foreign body. In so doing, the immune system damages the intestinal lining. This damage is known as celiac disease. Once this damage occurs, it becomes more difficult for the body to absorb nutrients and the proteins end up going straight into the blood. This is known as 'leaky gut syndrome.' Having small holes in the intestinal lining means other things can also start to pass through. Some of these can be very damaging to the body. For instance, you may eat foods with dyes, preservatives and additives, and they can enter straight into the blood stream.
Celiac disease is surprisingly common. In fact, about 1% of people are believed to have an immune system that mistakes proteins as harmful products. Unfortunately, many of these people will not know what is happening in their bodies until the damage has been done.
Celiac Disease Symptoms:
A lot of people are surprised to find that symptoms they have been suffering are actually caused by celiac disease. This is because they have not been aware of what their immune system has been doing to their body. Once the intestinal lining is damaged, various pathogens like viruses, bacteria and fungi can pass into the system with much greater ease. As a result, many people suddenly start to develop food allergies. More seriously, however, they can develop chronic fatigue, autoimmune disease, epilepsy, chronic liver disease, osteoporosis and even cancer.
There are things to look out for. Some of the tell-tale celiac disease symptoms are linked to intestinal and gastric irregularities. This includes very fatty stools, feeling bloated, unusual intestinal pain, cramps and more. Many people believe they have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), when they actually have celiac disease. Other symptoms include fatigue, anemia, weight loss and sudden lactose intolerance.
How to Prevent Celiac Disease:
If you believe you are at risk of developing celiac disease, it is vital that you avoid gluten. This includes oats, wheat, malt, beer and so on. However, gluten is also important for the body, particularly for someone who does not have an immune system that attacks the proteins in gluten. This is why you should never decide to have a fully gluten-free diet without speaking to a medical professional first. They will be able to run a number of tests to determine whether you actually have an intolerance to gluten. If so, they will also check to see if you already have celiac disease and leaky gut syndrome and advise you on how to address these problems.