At Shakthi, we place a lot of emphasis on developing good gut health to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, and reduce food sensitivities. But there’s one food-related condition that very often goes undiagnosed. We’re talking about Celiac Disease, of course, which is often also linked to a sensitivity to wheat gluten. According to nonprofit Beyond Celiac, approximately 3 million Americans suffer from Celiac Disease, however, an astonishing 83 percent of people go undiagnosed. Left untreated, Celiac has the potential to incur more serious conditions such as osteoporosis, anemia, thyroid disease, and even cancer.
May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month, making it a great time to gain a better understanding of the disease, its symptoms, and its treatments. Here are a few signs that you might have Celiak Disease, and how you can get help.
What is Celiac Disease?
First, it’s important to understand what this disease is and what it’s not. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder where gluten triggers the symptoms. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley foods and drinks. Consuming items that have gluten leads to major indigestion, which ultimately can lead to damage of the small intestine. The disease tends to be hereditary, and can develop at any age. The earlier it’s detected, the less chance a patient has of contracting other, more serious autoimmune conditions or suffer from long-term impacts.
What are the common symptoms?
Symptoms and their severity of them can vary widely from patient to patient, depending on their age and sensitivity levels. One reason why Celiac goes undiagnosed so often is because many of the symptoms are commonplace, associated with other health conditions. Typical symptoms can include diarrhea, excessive bloating and gas, fatigue, sudden weight loss, anemia, constipation, depression, and itchy skin rashes.
What are the treatments?
Unfortunately, there are no known treatments to directly address the condition. The only way to manage Celiac Disease, and that’s to switch to a 100 percent gluten-free diet. That means avoiding things like pasta, bread, cakes, cookies, and bear; basically anything that might contain any traces of wheat. The good news is that there are a lot of delicious foods out there that are still on the menu!
If you’ve regularly experienced any of the symptoms of Celiac Disease, it’s a good idea to get checked out by a medical professional. Here at Shakthi, we can both diagnose any symptoms you may be having as well as work with you to create a personalized diet that will help you avoid any of the triggers. Fill out our contact form or give us a call us at 301-703-5067.