If you can relate to the Pepto Bismol song, “Nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea,” anytime you eat something that contains gluten, you may be struggling with celiac disease. Many people dealing with this autoimmune disorder have not yet been diagnosed and experts believe that as many as 2 million people in the United States alone may be living with celiac disease. But it’s much more than experiencing digestive symptoms when eating gluten. When celiac disease is left untreated, it can lead to serious complications. The good news is that awareness is the first step to healing your body and this article has you covered with everything you need to know.
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What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder, meaning a gene was passed on to you that causes the body to have a negative response when you eat gluten. It’s estimated that approximately 30%–40% of the population has these genes, but only 1% actually has celiac disease. So just because you may have a poor response to eating wheat, barley and rye does not necessarily mean you have celiac disease.
There are many similarities between indigestion and celiac disease, particularly with regard to the symptoms since both can produce:
- Bloating
- Bowel changes
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Feeling too full
- Gas
- Heartburn
- Headaches
- Nausea
However, the difference between typical indigestion and celiac disease comes down to your immune system’s response to gluten. With indigestion, you may experience some temporary symptoms mentioned above due to stomach acid reaching your protective lining (mucosa). These often resolve on their own within a couple of hours after eating.
With celiac disease, not only do you experience these symptoms of indigestion but your immune system also activates the production of antibodies. These antibodies don’t function as they should (to protect the body) and instead, they attack the glute while also causing damage to your mucosal lining in the small intestine. And when your mucosa lining is under attack, it can’t efficiently absorb vital nutrients from the food you eat, often resulting in nutritional deficiencies. Unfortunately, the effects of celiac disease don’t end there as nutritional deficiencies can also lead to further complications and health concerns. For example, nutritional deficiencies can also lead to damage to tooth enamel and neurological symptoms such as ADHD, learning disabilities, seizures and a lack of muscle coordination.
It’s also important to mention that there are some key symptoms that occur with celiac disease that is not associated with indigestion, such as bone and joint pain, anemia, itchy rash, mouth ulcers, and injury to your nervous system.
Types of Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is classified into two categories: classical and non-classical (some say there is a third category, called silent celiac disease). Both types of celiac disease share similar symptoms, but they often vary in severity, whereas silent celiac disease produces no known symptoms. Another key difference between the two types of celiac disease is that classical celiac disease produces symptoms of malabsorption whereas non-classical celiac disease doesn’t always produce tell-tale signs of malabsorption.
Classical celiac disease
With classical celiac disease, people typically experience symptoms related to issues with the gastrointestinal tract, such as diarrhea, steatorrhea (pale, foul-smelling, fatty stools), unexplained weight loss, or, in children, growth failure. Many of these symptoms relate to malabsorption.
Non-classical celiac disease
On the other hand, people with non-classical celiac disease tend to experience a broader range of symptoms. These may include mild gastrointestinal discomfort, stomach bloating and pain, anemia, chronic fatigue, chronic migraine, tingling, numbness, or tingling n in the extremities, high liver enzyme levels, reduced bone mass, bone fractures, and deficiencies in folic acid and Vitamin B12, dental issues, anxiety, depression and itchy, rashy skin.
Most importantly, all forms of celiac disease can cause damage to your small intestine, which can have serious consequences. After all, the nutrients from your food get absorbed through the mucosa and when the mucosa is damaged, your body cannot absorb nutrients as it should. This leads to malabsorption and can eventually lead to malnutrition as well as many other conditions that can be caused from a lack of nutrients.
Treatment Options for Celiac Disease
Inarguably, the best treatment for celiac disease is to stop eating gluten! Since you cannot change your body’s reaction to gluten, you have to actively prevent it and the best way to do that is to eliminate gluten from your diet entirely. By doing so, not only can you avoid those unbearable symptoms of celiac disease but you can also start the healing for your small intestine, gradually restoring its ability to effectively absorb nutrients.
Your doctor may also prescribe some additional treatments to help you manage your health and symptoms, such as:
- Nutritional supplements: These may be prescribed to address significant nutrient deficiencies resulting from malabsorption.
- Medications for dermatitis: In cases of dermatitis herpetiformis, medications may be used to alleviate symptoms and manage the condition effectively.
- Corticosteroids: In situations where severe inflammation continues even after dietary adjustments are made, corticosteroids may be prescribed to further tackle the inflammation.
Tips for Treating Celiac Disease
Starting on a gluten-free lifestyle can seem intimidating at first. Any type of diet change can be overwhelming, as there’s typically a lot of research and label-reading involved. So, to make your healing journey as easy as possible, we’ve collected the following tips to help you get started.
Consider Using a Professional
There’s no denying that you can switch to a gluten-free diet on your own. However, seeking advice from a professional, such as a registered dietitian, can provide you with valuable advice and guidance that would otherwise take a lot of reading and research to receive. These types of professionals will help you understand the details of a gluten-free diet and often set you up with a plan that combines appropriate supplementation, dietary adjustments, and a nutrient-rich diet to address specific deficiencies and promote optimal healing and health.
Address Your Nutritional Deficiencies
Treating celiac disease isn’t just about switching to a gluten-free diet. It’s important to address any nutrient deficiencies you’re dealing with as a result of having celiac disease. This is essential for your overall health and wellness as malabsorption often leads to inadequate nutrient stores and an abundance of additional symptoms.
Some common deficiencies include iron, calcium, vitamin D, zinc, B6, B12, and folate. And remember, even if you have a well-rounded diet, your nutrient absorption may not be great. So, make sure you take the extra steps to take care of any nutrient deficiencies. Your doctor will be able to perform tests to help you determine what supplements are needed for your individual case.
Alternatively, taking a gluten-free multivitamin can help you gain the essential nutrients. Keep in mind, supplements are designed to supplement your diet. As such, it’s crucial to continue to incorporate nutrient-dense foods into your diet.
Know The Triggers
In order to avoid gluten products, you need to know what grains and products contain gluten. As a rule of thumb gluten is naturally found in wheat, barley and rye. This includes malt made from barley, couscous, bulgur, emmer and many others and are commonly used to make baked goods, breads, cereals, pastas, beer, lager, malted liquors and malt vinegar.
However, gluten is also often added to processed foods including soups, sauces, dressings, condiments, processed meats, processed cheese, yogurt, ice cream, packaged dinners and candies. You may also find gluten in granola bars, energy bars, French fries, potato chips, lunch meats, meat substitutes, and soy sauce.
As such, make sure you’re checking the labels before eating any foods to ensure there isn’t any hidden gluten.
Know What You Can Eat
Now that you know what you can’t eat, it’s just as important to know what you can eat. Fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy, beans and nuts are always gluten-free so you’ll want to add plenty of these into your diet.
Some gluten-free grains and starches options include rice, corn, soy, potato, tapioca, quinoa, millet, amaranth, flax, chia and nut flours.
Avoid Other Household or Cosmetic Items Made with Gluten
Don’t forget about the other household items and cosmetics that may include gluten, such as toothpaste, laundry detergent, lip balm and lip gloss, makeup, body lotion, sunscreen, makeup, medications (both over-the-counter and prescription), playdough, soaps, shampoo and vitamins.
A good rule to follow is to always read the labels before using anything.
Eat At Home More
Making your meals at home is going to significantly simplify your gluten-free journey. Take advantage of all of the recipe guides and websites available to you that focus specifically on gluten-free options. Try several out, find some staples and rotate them throughout your meals to ensure you always have convenient and enjoyable gluten-free options at hand.
Additionally, get in the habit of keeping the necessary gluten-free ingredients well-stocked in your pantry, so you never find yourself without a suitable meal option. Make sure this includes gluten-free snacks that you can take with you when you’re away from your home.
Discover Gluten-Free Restaurants
Depending on where you live, there may be some gluten-free restaurants in your area. Even if there isn’t, many restaurants offer gluten-free menus or are able to make substitutions to their recipes to suit your diet. If you’re ever unsure, don’t hesitate to call ahead of time to make sure that they can cater to your needs. If not, find somewhere else to go.
Get Some Gluten Test Strips
Grab some gluten test strips and carry them with you wherever you go, so you can always test the gluten contents of your food when dining out. This might sound like an extreme step to take but staying on a strict gluten-free diet is imperative for your healing. Having these handy tools with you will give you extra layer of assurance when dining out.
Join Gluten-Free Support Groups
Changing your diet to a gluten-free one can be challenging for some people. Many people can manage to avoid gluten, but don’t necessarily make the healthiest choices and therefore miss out on key vitamins and minerals. This only slows down the healing process and could lead to additional problems. Being the one only one in your home or social circle that eats a gluten-free diet can also feel limiting and isolating.
The good news: there are all kinds of support groups out that help you adjust and thrive on this type of lifestyle. These support groups are also excellent for sharing tips, advice, recipes and more. So, scan your local area or check out Facebook for some groups to join.
Opt for Gluten-Free Alternatives
You may not be able to have certain items, such as pasta, in their traditional form but that doesn’t mean you have to forgo them altogether. There are a variety of gluten-free alternatives that cover all kinds of food groups – from pasta and bread to baked goods, condiments and more.
And if you are cringing at the idea of eliminating your beloved pastas, breads and other gluten foods, here is a bit of motivation: most people find their symptoms improving almost immediately after starting a gluten-free diet. You also have plenty of additional tips to help fill the void where gluten once was, and certainly, the boost to your health is definitely worth opting for gluten-free varieties. Just remember to stick to your regime because it may take several weeks to replace your nutritional deficiencies and several more months for your gut to fully heal. A couple “cheat meals” that contain gluten can prevent your body from healing, so make sure you are strict with your diet. You’ll be happier (and healthier) for it in the end.
